Remember, by shopping at The Book Place you are helping to support our Marin County libraries.

The Book Place is operated by the Friends of the Marin County Free Library, a nonprofit volunteer organization devoted to raising funds for the libraries. You can help by volunteering at the store (call Nancy Montgomery, 883-5628), by becoming a member of the Friends (call Ginny Schultz, 883-5488) and by donating books and buying books at The Book Place.

For more information about the Friends and The Book Place, visit our website: http://marinlibraryfriends.marin.org

• Monthly Meeting
  Wednesday, March 8th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
  The Library Commission serves as a resource body and liaison to the Board of Supervisors, the County Librarian, and the community, working to find ways and means of enlisting public interest in supporting and improving Library services. This month the Commission will meet at the Novato Library, 1720 Novato Blvd.

• Adult Literacy Tutor Orientation
  Wednesday, March 1st, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
  The Marin Literacy Program is looking for individuals to volunteer as tutors for adults who need to improve their reading, writing and English speaking skills. Attend this 1.5-hour orientation to find out more about the need for adult literacy instruction in Marin, the programs offered, what it is like to tutor an adult, and how you can make a difference in someone's life by tutoring. Please call 485-3318 to sign-up.
• Advisory Board Meeting
  Tuesday, March 7th, 7:00 to 8:30 pm
  The Marin Literacy Program Advisory Board meets the first Tuesday of every other month at the San Rafael Public Library, 1100 E. Street, in San Rafael. The Board serves to supplement funding, provide community advice, and educate Marin County businesses and residents of the need for adult literacy services in the community. For further information, please call 485-3318.

• Computer Tutoring
  Explore the Internet and learn the basics of setting up a free e-mail account, sending and receiving messages, and accessing e-mail. Learn to use electronic information resources available through the Library for finding magazine and newspaper articles, books to match individual reading interests, business resources, and more. Get help with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Access Library information from the Web-based catalog. Ask a reference librarian or call 507-4049 for more information.
• Storytimes
  Toddler Storytime, Wednesdays, 10:30 to 10:50 am. Ages 2 to 3 with a parent or caregiver.
  Preschool Storytime, Wednesdays, 3:30 to 4:00 pm. Ages 3 and up.
• The Brown Bag Book Club
  Wednesday, March 22nd, noon to 1:00 pm
  Each month the Book Club meets to discuss a new literary selection. The selection for March is Mortality for Beautiful Girls, by Alexander McCall Smith. Please check the library catalog to borrow or reserve a copy. New members are always welcome! For more information, call Livia at 499-6058 or e-mail to llewin@co.marin.ca.us.

• Internet Tutoring
  Hourly sessions every Monday, 11am to noon, 1-2 pm, 2-3 pm.
  Bring your questions. Explore the Internet. Find information using Yahoo and Google. Learn the basics of setting up a free e-mail account and sending and receiving messages. To reserve a tutoring session, speak with a librarian at the reference desk or call 924-6444.
• Storytimes
  Afternoon Storytime, Tuesdays, 3:30 to 4:00 pm. Ages 5 to 8.
  Toddler Storytime, Wednesdays, 10:00 to 10:30 am. Ages 2 to 3 with a parent or caregiver.
  Preschool Storytime, Wednesdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 and up.
  
• Uncle Eye! Singing Storyteller
  Thursday, March 16th, 4:00 pm
  Join Uncle Eye for wacky interactive storytelling and musical merriment. Unle Eye sings original narratives allowing the audience plenty of opportunities to join in. For children over the age of 4.
• Morning Book Club
  Wednesday, March 15th, 10:00 am
  Please join the Morning Book Club for tea and a lively discussion. The only requirement is that you read the book and come prepared to talk with other avid readers about it. Upcoming selections are:
  March: The Red Queen, by Margaret Drabble.
  For further information, contact the reference desk at 924-6444.

• Internet Tutoring
  Free tutoring with experienced computer professionals who will individualize the training to meet your skill level. Call 457-5629 to set up an appointment for a one-hour session.
• Storytimes
  Preschool Storytime, Tuesdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 to 5. (Sep-May)
  Children’s Storytime, Saturdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 and up.
• Free Tax Preparation Assistance
  Mondays and Thursdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
  AARP Tax-Aide Volunteers provide free tax preparation assistance for low to middle-income individuals, with special attention to those ages 60 and older. Individuals are seen on a first come, first served basis. Please bring relevant tax documents, including a copy of last year's return and W-2 and 1099 forms.
• Author Event with William and Brian Sagar
  Wednesday, March 1st, 7:30 to 8:30 pm
  William Sagar, of the Fairfax Historical Society and co-author with his son Brian of the just published book, Images of America: Fairfax, will share slides of Fairfax from the late 1800s to the mind 1900s. Join us for a rare glimpse into the town's past, presented by the one who knows it best. Copies of the book will be available to purchase.
  
• Book Club
  Thursday, March 2nd, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
  The Fairfax Library Book Discussion Group meets the first Thursday of each month. The selection for March is The Liar's Club, by Mary Karr. Please check the library catalog to borrow or reserve a copy. If you'd like to purchase your book, BookBeat in Fairfax offers our member a 15% discount.
• Friends of the Fairfax Library
  Thursday, March 16th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
  The mission of the Friends of the Fairfax Library is to build a partnership between the library and the community, to encourage public support, and to advocate for quality library service for all patrons of the Fairfax Library. The Friends meet on the third Thursday of the month in the community room of the Fairfax Library. Call 453-8151 for more information.
• Meeting Room Galler
  The March artist is Philip Greene, photographer of birds and flowers extraordinaire.

• Computer Tutoring
  Free training in computer, Internet, and e-mail basics individualized to meet your interests and skill level. Please call 332-6157 to set up an appointment for a one-hour session.
• Preschool Storytimes
  Wednesdays, 10:30 am, 11:00 am, and 3:30 pm. Ages 3 and up.
• Friends of the Marin City Library
  Saturday, March 4th, 10:00 am to noon
  The mission of the Friends of the Marin City Library is to build a partnership between the library and the community, to encourage public support, and to advocate for quality library services for all patrons of the Marin City Library. The Friends meet on the first Saturday of the month in the adult seating area of the library. Call 332-6158 for more information.

• Book Talk on Novato Cable Channel 27
  Watch "Book Talk" every Monday, 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Novato Cable Channel 27. Show is repeated each Monday, with a new show every month!
• Storytimes
  Lapsit Storytime, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10:00 to 10:30 am. Ages 18 to 36 months with an adult.
  Preschool Storytime, Wednesdays & Saturdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 and up.
  La Hora de los Cuentos en Español, Sábados a las 10:00 am. Para niños a partir de 3 años. (Spanish Language Storytime, Saturdays at 10:00 am)
• Free Tax Preparation Assistance
  Mondays and Thursdays, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (through April 17th)
  AARP Tax-Aide Volunteers provide free tax preparation assistance for low to middle-income individuals, with special attention to those ages 60 and older. Individuals are seen on a first come, first served basis. Please bring relevant tax documents, including a copy of last year's return and W-2 and 1099 forms.
• Slide Show: High Arctic, In the Footsteps of Robert Peary
  Tuesday, March 7th, 7:00 to 8:00 pm
  Join us at the Novato Library for a free slide show presentation by Tacy Dunham, Marin IJ columnist, photographer & author. Stories of the 1909 race to the North Pole highlight Tacy's slide presentation on the High Arctic and Greenland. See wildlife, icebergs, glaciers and Inuit villages in the land of the midnight sun. For more information call 897-1142.
• Mystery Reader's Book Club
  Thursday, March 9th, 10:30 to 11:30 am
  The Novato Library Mystery Reader's Book Club meets the second Thursday of every month. Everyone is welcome. Upcoming selections are:
  March 9th: Acqua Alta, by Donna Leon.
  April 13th: The Closers, by Michael Connelly.
  A limited supply of books are available for checkout at the meeting prior. You may also wish to check the library catalog to borrow or reserve a copy. Librarians at any reference desk can also assist interested readers with placing holds on books, large print copies, or audio formats.
• Introduction to the Internet Class
  Tuesday, March 14th, 1:00 to 3:15 pm
  Have you been wanting to drive along the great "information highway" but don't know where to get your "license"? Come and join us at the Novato Library for a free one-session lecture and demonstration Internet class taught by volunteer instructor Peter Haas. You will learn how to get connected, how to use search engines, how to find online tutorials for "hands-on" practice and much more. Stop by the reference desk or call 897-1142 to reserve a space.
• Novato Teen Library Officers Meeting
  Monday, March 20th, 3:30 to 4:30 pm
  Come help to improve the Library! Open to all Novato residents and students in 7th-12th grades. For additional information about this event, contact the Reference Desk at (415) 897-1143.
• Tuesday Afternoon Book Club
  Tuesday, March 21st, 1:00 to 2:00 pm
  Join us at the Novato Library for the Tuesday Afternoon Book Club. We meet on the third Tuesday of each month. Everyone is welcome. Upcoming selections are:
  March 21st: The Birth of Venus, by Sarah Dunant.
  April 18th: Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.
  Discussion questions are provided. For additional information, please contact the Reference Desk at (415) 897-1143.
• Wednesday Night Book Club
  Wednesday, March 22nd, 7:00 to 8:00 pm
  Join us at the Novato Library for the Wednesday Night Book Club. We meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Everyone is welcome. Upcoming selections are:
  March 22nd: Gilgamesh, by Joan London.
  April 26th: Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi.
  Discussion questions are provided. For additional information, please contact the Reference Desk at (415) 897-1143.

• Small Group Internet Tutoring
  Free training with an experienced computer professional who will individualize the training to meet your skill level. Tutoring sessions are by appointment. Please sign up in advance by calling 506-3168.
  
• Storytimes
  Children's Storytime, Wednesdays, 11:00 to 11:30 am. Ages 3 and up.
  Sing-Along Bilingual Storytime, Saturday, March 4th, 11:00 am. Come to the South Novato Library for a Spanish and English Preschool Storytime. Chicha reads and sings both languages fluently. Preschoolers and parents are encouraged to sing with Chicha.
• South Novato Reading Club
  Thursday, March 30th, 6:30 to 8:00 pm
  The South Novato Library Book Club meets the last Thursday of each month. The selection for March is One Woman's Army, by Janis Karpinski. Please check the library catalog to borrow or reserve a copy. For additional information, please contact the Reference Desk at (415) 506-3168.

• Storytimes For Children Ages 3-5
  Mondays, March 6th & 20th, 11:00 to 11:45 am at the Stinson Beach Library and 2:00-2:45 pm at the San Geronimo Valley Library.
  Wednesdays, March 1st, 8th, & 22nd, 11:00 to 11:45 am at the Inverness Library.
  Thursdays, March 2nd, 9th, & 23rd, 11:00 to 11:45 am at the Bolinas Library.
  Fridays, March 3rd, 10th, & 24th, noon to 12:45 pm at the Point Reyes Station Library.
  
• Bilingual Storytime
  Thursday, March 9th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Point Reyes Station Library. Stories presented in English y en Español. Crafts and refreshments included.
  
• Wireless Access
  The Bolinas, Inverness, San Geronimo Valley, and Stinson Beach libraries are excited to join the Point Reyes Station Library in offering patrons free wireless access to the Internet. Bring in your own laptop and surf the web in comfort.
• Turning the Pages in the Library radio program on KWMR
  Wednesday, March 1st, 10:00 to 11:00 am
  The Library's own Dan Carr has a monthly radio program about the library. He and his guests share the inside scoop on what the library can do for you, local history, great books, music, and online services. Tune in to KMWR (live at 90.5 FM Point Reyes Station, 89.3 FM Bolinas).
• "Homegrown" authors series: Michael Rafferty
  Monday, March 13th, 7:30 pm
  Michael Rafferty, Bolinas resident, re-started the Faultline Institute recently and set up the Bolinas Book Exchange. He has written two novels: Moody, Unbalanced and High Strung, and Another Thirty Years.
• Internet Class at the Point Reyes Station Library
  Friday, March 17th, 12:30 to 1:45 pm at the Point Reyes Station Library
  Volunteer Daniel Will-Harris conducts small group Internet tutoring on the third Friday of every month. Call 663-8375 during open hours to reserve a space.
• Art Exhibits
  On display at the Stinson Beach Library through mid-May, is artwork by local students in a variety of media.
  Currently on display at the Inverness Library are photographs of the "Creatures of West Marin" by local, Sue Van Der Wal.

Place your request early and be one of the first to check out these new releases.
Annotations adapted from publishers' advance materials and the MARINet catalog.

	The 5th Horseman by James Patterson The members of the Women's Murder Club face an unspeakable menace in this suspenseful hospital drama. As San Francisco Medical Center comes under scrutiny for unexplainable patient deaths, Lt. Lindsay Boxer and the Women's Murder Club investigate for themselves.
	Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon by Daniel C. Dennett Dennett explores religion as a cultural phenomenon governed by the processes of evolution and natural selection. Religion survives because it has some kind of beneficial role in human life, yet Dennett argues that it has also played a maleficent role.
	Fight Back and Win : My Thirty-year Fight Against Injustice--and How You Can Win Your Own Battles by Gloria Allred World-renowned civil and equal rights attorney, television personality, and women's rights advocate Gloria Allred offers a memoir of hard-fought battles and hard-won lessons. In this inspiring and instructive memoir, she lays out the lessons she's learned using colorful examples from her history.
	In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant Set in Renaissance Italy, this follow-up to Dunant's "The Birth of Venus" recounts the fantastic escapades of Bucino Teodoldo, a wily dwarf, and his mistress, celebrated courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini, who escape to Venice where intrigue awaits.
	The Old Wine Shades: A Richard Jury Mystery by Martha Grimes The author's gift at melding suspense, logical twists and wry humor makes this one of the stronger entries in this deservedly popular series.
	Rebels of Ireland: The Dublin Saga by Edward Rutherfurd A tale of fierce battles, hot-blooded romances, and family and political intrigues, "The Rebels of Ireland" brings the story begun in "The Princes of Ireland" to a stunning conclusion.
	Lighting the Way by Karenna Gore Schiff Chronicles the lives of nine extraordinary women, each ridiculed and ostracized for arguing for the changes in national policy that are taken for granted today. The stories collected add color and texture to iconic moments in history, from the triumph of women's suffrage, to the decision to enter World War II, to the struggle for civil rights, to the effort to address the AIDS crisis.
	Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton With the war going badly and the Starflyer's treachery threatening the very heart of the Commonwealth, only the alien's destruction can turn the tide. As Chief Investigator Paula Myo finally begins to close in on her prey, the operation is sabotaged from within. If the nemesis is ever to be beaten, Paul will have to work out which of her colleagues is plotting to betray the entire human race."
	The Hunt Club by John Lescroart In the aftermath of a federal judge's murder, homicide inspector Devin Juhle discovers that the victim had powerful enemies, a mistress, and unsettling ties to a woman with whom Devin's best friend, private investigator Wyatt Hunt, has fallen in love.
	Freedom: The Story of My Second Life by Malika Oufkir In her new book, Oufkir reveals what it is like to return to the world after 20 years of darkness. She writes candidly of her adjustment to modern life after her family escaped from the Moroccan jail where they were imprisoned for 21 years.

Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.

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New Audio Books

The following audio book titles have recently been added to our collection. A complete list of the MARINet libraries' audio CD & cassette holdings is available online via a quick search.

	Cell by Stephen King [CD and Cassette Format] Civilization doesn't end with a bang or a whimper. It ends with a call on your cell phone. What happens on the afternoon of October 1 came to be known as the Pulse, a signal sent though every operating cell phone that turns its user into something...well, something less than human.
	The Thrall's Tale by Judith Lindbergh [CD Format] Set in Viking Greenland in AD 895, this dramatic novel focuses on the intertwined lives of three women straddling the pagan past and Christian future: Katla, an Irish, Christian slave or thrall; Bibrau, her daughter from a violent rape; and Thorbjorg, the prophetess of the pagan god Odin who raises Bibrau.
	Death Dance by Linda Fairstein [CD and Cassette Format] The bestselling author of "Entombed" goes behind the scenes of New York City's theater world--from Broadway to Lincoln Center--in this riveting Alexandra Cooper thriller rich with authenticity, history, and suspense.
	Arthur & George by Julian Barnes [CD and Cassette Format] Shortlisted for the Booker award and set against the backdrop of the British Empire, this intriguing novel chronicles the lives of two boys--one falls prey to a series of pranks en route to a legal vocation, while the other (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) studies medicine before discovering a different calling entirely. It is years before their destinies are entwined in a mesmerizing alliance.
	The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory [CD and Cassette Format] A compelling fictional portrait of Henry VIII's first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and how she uses her faith, cunning, and utter belief in destiny to reclaim her rightful title.

Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.

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eBook Collections: Books for Springtime

Springtime has arrived in Marin (permanently, we hope). What better time to catch up on some of your reading? Grab a light jacket and a lawn chair and sit outdoors while reading your favorite books. Here are a few suggestions for books that might make your springtime reading list. These are downloadable eBooks (PDF files) from our Digital Books Collection. The Library offers a number of different e-book collections, all available from the Databases & eBooks webpage. For more information about these books, ask your friendly local librarian!

	Street Dreams by Faye Kellerman When LAPD Officer Cindy Decker finds a newborn in a restaurant dumpster, the hunt for the baby girl's mother is on. The detective assigned to the case is less than determined, though, so Cindy decides to overstep her bounds and hotdog it as an "unpaid" detective on her own time.
	The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova In this riveting debut of breathtaking scope, a young girl discovers her father's darkest secret and embarks on a harrowing journey across Europe to complete the quest he never could — to find history's most legendary fiend: Dracula. One of this librarian's favorite books of recent years!
	Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner This book establishes that if morality represents how we would like the world to work, then economics represents how it actually does work. Readers of this book will be armed with enough riddles and stories to last a thousand cocktail parties.
	State of Fear by Michael Crichton This book is a superb blend of edge-of-your-seat suspense and thought provoking commentary on how information is manipulated in the modern world.
	Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson Neal Stephenson, known for his gritty and predictive science fiction novels, hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped the twentieth century — and that have led us into the twenty-first.

Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.

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Music CD Collections

Below are featured pop/rock selections highlighting our most popular contemporary female artists.
A complete list of the MARINet Libraries' music CD, cassette, & record holdings is available online via a quick search.

	Alicia Keys American Music Award winning Favorite Female Artist Soul/Rhythm & Blues.
	Sheryl Crow Wildflower, Crow's first new full-length release in three years, takes this nine-time Grammy winner in a dramatic new direction
	Sarah McLachlan Juno Award winning Songwriter of the Year and Pop Album of the Year for 2004
	Melissa Etheridge Two-time Grammy winner and high-profile breast-cancer survivor recently released her new album, Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled.
	Tori Amos Pop virtuoso piano player and singer who continues to produce successful records that are unusually complex and personal.

Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.

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New DVDs and Videos

The following DVD/video titles have recently been added to our collection. Complete lists of the MARINet libraries' DVD and video holdings are available online via a quick search.

	North Country [DVD Format] Set in a Minnesota mining town and starring Academy Award winners Charlize Theron, Sissy Spacek, and Frances McDormand, this is a fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States
	Proof [DVD Format] A devoted daughter who comes to terms with the death of her father, a brilliant mathematician whose genius was crippled by mental insanity, with the help of one of her father's former students
	Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit [DVD Format] It's 'veggie-mania' in Wallace and Gromit's neighborhood. The two enterprising friends are cashing in with their humane pest-control outfit, "Anti-Pesto", but come to find out that running a "humane" pest control outfit can have its drawbacks.
	Jarhead [DVD Format] Jake Gyllenhaal stars in the film adaptation of former Marine Anthony Swofford's 2003 book chronicling his pre-Desert Storm experiences in Saudi Arabia as well as his time spent fighting in Kuwait
	Just Like Heaven [DVD Format] Elizabeth is a dedicated, workaholic doctor who is much to busy to have a life. One night, she gets into a terrible car accident and dies. She becomes a spirit stuck between heaven and earth. She doesn't realize that she is dead and thinks nothing has happened. That is until she meets David, a lonely architect, who has rented her old apartment.

Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.

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Kid's Corner . . . Books about teeth

There was an old man of Blackheath,
Who sat on his set of false teeth.
Said he, with a start,
"O Lord, bless my heart!
I've bitten myself underneath!"
from Lots of Limericks / selected by Myra Cohn Livingston

Got a first grader at home, preoccupied with a loose front tooth? Or perhaps your youngster has refused to take his/her dental health seriously? Our Children's Librarian, Carolyn Potter, has some recommendations to help pass the time or to wake up a cookie monster/lazy brusher!

	Tooth Fairy's First Night by Anne Bowen The first day on the job is a challenge for Sally the Tooth Fairy when a toothless little girl hides her tooth her tooth and makes Sally follow a series of clues to find it.
	George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora A rollicking rhyme portrays George Washington's lifelong struggle with bad teeth.
	Open Wide: Tooth School Inside by Laurie Keller Through a classroom setting in which teeth are the students, this book presents information about the structure and care of teeth and the services provided by dentists.
	Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth by Alison McGhee A first grader is frightened on her first day of school after hearing a rumor that her teacher is a 300-year-old alien with a purple tongue who steals baby teeth from her students.
	Sweet Tooth by Margie Palatini Stewart's loud, obnoxious sweet tooth constantly gets him into trouble, until Stewart uses a healthy diet to take control of the situation.
	Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World by Selby B. Beeler Consists of brief statements relating what children from around the world do with a tooth that has fallen out. Includes facts about teeth.

Have a suggestion for a title that you think the library should purchase? You can offer your suggestion via the form on the MARINet website at http://marinet.lib.ca.us/acquire.

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Other recommendations for reading, viewing, and listening

Looking for fiction, non-fiction, mysteries, local authors, audio books, or DVDs? Check out some of our most popular recommendations for adults, teens, and kids.

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E-Connect staff:

E-Connect is an online publication distributed monthly by the Marin County Free Library.
Alysanne Taylor, Administrative Services Associate, editor.
Sarah Houghton, e-Services Librarian, webmistress.

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Past Issues

For past issues of the newsletter, click here.