This month, Marin County Free Library staff person, Victoria Gonzalez, will
be honored as the County of Marin's Volunteer Supervisor of the Year. Two and
a half years ago Victoria took over the Library's fledgling program in which
volunteers deliver library books, tapes, video tapes, and music to homebound
patrons. "This job is a perfect it for me," says Victoria. "The
volunteers are marvelous and all of them want to do more." If her volunteers
have their say, Victoria Gonzalez is a "phenomenal" supervisor and
program manager.
Warm and helpful to all, Victoria meets each homebound patron
and each volunteer personally
before she introduces them to one another. Highly enthusiastic
about the value of the program for its mostly-elderly patrons, Victoria
says, "The frequent visits of our volunteers keep the patrons connected
to the world in their discussions about books, movies, and music, and the
world. Everybody wins. It proves that one person can change another person's
life, so powerful is the gift of friendship."
If you'd like to learn more about the Library
Beyond Walls program, becoming a volunteer, or arranging to have materials
delivered to someone in need, contact Victoria directly at 415-499-7451 or e-mail
her at vgonzalez@co.marin.ca.us
.
Important Update on the Future of
Our Libraries
In a June 2007 opinion poll to gauge community support for the Services and
Facilities Vision Plan, 71% of local voters said they had used the library in
the past six months and 89% had a favorable impression of the library. 2/3 indicated
that they were willing to approve a general obligation bond of about $15 per
$100,000 of assessed valuation on their home (the average home in the district
is assessed at $500,000).
In February 2008 we polled again to check if support for a Library measure
continued at the same high levels. Despite current economic conditions, we are
encouraged that the general support for the library bond remained essentially
the same. Voters continue to value the importance of ensuring that every library
branch receives improvements from a potential measure but want those improvements
to address their most important concerns – accessibility, room for children
and teens, and upgrading technology and computers to ensure that they are flexible
enough to change with the times.
As a result of this feedback and to be sensitive to the changing economy, we
are exploring the possibility of pursuing a smaller, basics-only bond that would
lower the taxpayer burden to less than $10 per $100,000 assessed value. Our
architects and financial advisors are in the process of reviewing the various
scenarios. A smaller bond most likely would address our basic need to house
technology improvements, ADA, and learning space for children and teens, all
of which have strong community support. We’ll be reporting back to the
Board once this additional analysis is completed.
An important part staying healthy is having access to prevention
resources as well as current and authoritative information. How can I find
recommendations for America's top doctors & specialists? What audios,
videos & DVDs are available to help stay healthy as we get older? Can
I access full text articles, online & from home, that will provide the
latest information on prescription drugs, alternative health, and breakthroughs
in research and treatment? Our pathfinder
can help lead you to the answers.
The information sources listed in our pathfinders are
just a few of the resources available in online and in the Library. For further
help in getting started with your research, using specific resources, or to
address any information queries you may have, Reference Librarians are available and most
willing to assist.
The dust is still settling, but we're able to report
that the Friends of the Library's Super Sale grossed over $20,000!! Thanks to
you who were able to make it to the Sale at the Armory--and for those who did
not make it, remember that the Book Place, or store in Novato, offers year-round
bargains on books in every category. Your book donations are always welcome
during store hours. Please visit us at 1608 Grant, near 7th Street in downtown
Novato. The Book Place is operated by the Friends of the Marin County Free Library,
an organization devoted to raising funds for our libraries.
BRANCH
EVENTS
The Marin County Free Library hosts a wide variety of cultural and educational
branches responsive to the needs in our communities. In addition to special
events for adults, teens, and kids, the Library hosts regular book clubs,
storytimes, bilingual and Spanish language events. For further information
about specific Library
Events and Classes please visit our branch
event webpage or our online
calendar for a complete listing.
HOURS
and LOCATIONS
Marin County Free Library branches are located throughout East and West
Marin. Open days and hours of operation vary by branch. With 11 locations
to choose from as well as 24/7 access
on our website to reference
assistance, the online
catalog, databases,
and eBooks
you'll never be far from the information you need.
COMPUTER
AND INTERNET CLASSES
The Marin County Free Library offers classes and one-to-one tutoring in
computer basics, the Internet, e-mail, the Library’s online resources, Microsoft
Word, Excel, and more. Please check
our website for times, locations, and registration information.
BOOKCLUBS
Marin County Free Library branches host a wide variety of monthly reading
groups. Club members meet each month for a lively discussion about a particular
book or theme. Please check
our bookclub listing for locations, times, selections, and contact information.
STORYTIMES
The Marin County Free Library offers storytimes at each of the branches
for children in various age groups. Please check
our Storytimes page for times and ages.
BOOKMOBILE
The Marin County Free Library Bookmobile visits geographically isolated
communities throughout the County. Most stops are made twice within a four-week
period each month. Copies of the Bookmobile schedule are available at all
County Library branches and on the Bookmobile’s
webpage.
Place your request
early and be one of the first to check out these new releases. More
fiction and non-fiction previews are available through BookLetters.
Each of our BookLetters
listings provides links to our online catalog, so you can check availability and
easily request materials be delivered to your local branch library. You can also
subscribe to one or more of these lists and have updated information send to you
via email
or RSS feed.
Odd Thomas's fourth adventure breaks new ground, taking this utterly unique hero to undreamed of new places, where both the perils he will face and the stakes for which he fights surpass all that has come before.
...More
"Like everything Coppola writes, these are richly told stories of family and film and solitude, spanning years of creation and joy. She is a narrator you trust to pay the most wonderful attention to what is real and human in life, through the highly intelligent and kind eyes of a mother, an artist, a wife." --Anne Lamott
...More
In this eagerly anticipated novel, the "New York Times"-bestselling author brings back Scotland Yard's Thomas Lynley in a stunning mystery in which he's caught in the middle of a seemingly perfect crime.
...More
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.
Bestsellers
Here's a selection of recent Best Sellers, as published
by the New York Times. More best selling fiction and non-fiction titles
are available through BookLetters.
Each of our BookLetters
listings provides links to our online catalog, so you can check availability and
easily request materials be delivered to your local branch library. You can also
subscribe to one or more of these lists and have updated information send to you
via email
or RSS feed.
Popular actress, Jenny Craig spokeswoman, and America's sweetheart Bertinelli reveals in this courageous and candid memoir her complicated past and how she took control of her own life to gain self-esteem and happiness. of b&w photographs.
...More
BookPage Notable Title From the author of the bestselling The Omnivores Dilemma comes this bracing and eloquent manifesto that shows readers how they might start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich their lives and enlarge their sense of what it means to be healthy.
...More
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.
New Audio Books
The following are selected audio book titles from our collection. More
recorded book selections are available through BookLetters.
Each of our BookLetters
listings provides links to our online catalog, so you can check availability and
easily request materials be delivered to your local branch library. You can also
subscribe to one or more of these lists and have updated information send to you
via email
or RSS feed.
A complete list of the MARINet libraries' audio CD & cassette holdings
is available online via a quick
search.
BookPage Notable Title Grafton focuses on the soul-wrenching trespasses of elder abuse and identity theft in her latest Kinsey Millhone mystery.
...More
BookPage Notable Title
The New York Times bestselling authors most remarkable novel yet--a story of two families, linked by their Midwestern pioneer pasts, and the dark family secrets that threaten to tear them apart.
...More
BookPage Notable Title In this sequel to the "New York Times" bestseller "An Irish Country Doctor," Taylor returns to the colorful Northern Ireland community of Ballybucklebo, where theres always something brewing beneath the villages deceptively sleepy surface. Unabridged. 12 CDs.
...More
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.
Award Winners
The James Beard Foundation Awards recognize culinary professionals
for excellence and achievement in their field. The Awards are presented by The
James Beard Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to
furthering the appreciation and practice of fine food and beverage. To learn more
about the James Beard Foundation or the award visit them online at: http://www.jamesbeard.org.
A complete listing of James
Beard KitchenAid Book Awards and other Award Winners are available through
BookLetters.
Each of our BookLetters
listings provides links to our online catalog, so you can check availability
and easily request materials be delivered to your local branch library. You can
also subscribe to one or more of these lists and have updated information send
to you via email
or RSS
feed.
The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-Be Southerners
By Lee, Matt Lee, Ted Gentl & Hyers 2006/10 -
W. W. Norton & Company
9780393057812
Check Our Catalog
2007 James Beard Foundation Book Award - COOKBOOK OF THE YEAR 2007 James Beard Foundation Book Award - FOOD OF THE AMERICAS BookPage Notable Title From The New York Times food writers who defended lard and demystified gumbo comes a collection of exceptional southern recipes. Readers will find delicious recipes for classics like fried chicken, crab cakes, and pecan pie, as well as new creations. This practical and personal guide will have readers cooking southern, wherever they live.
...More
Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way
By Sass, Lorna 2006/11 -
Clarkson N Potter Publishers
9780307336729
Check Our Catalog
2007 James Beard Foundation Book Award - HEALTHY FOCUS This beautiful, groundbreaking book demystifies cooking and baking with whole grains, and presents more than 150 recipes for such irresistible dishes as Cornmeal Biscuits with Sage Butter and Beef Chili with Masa Harina Crust. 16-page color insert.
...More
2007 James Beard Foundation Book Award - INTERNATIONAL A renowned chef explores the continent of Africa from a deeply personal perspective, sharing both his travels and his interpretations of the African foods he discovered along the way.
...More
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.
Kids Corner
BookPage Notable Title Muths extraordinary Caldecott Honor book featuring a giant panda named Stillwater is now available in this beautiful keepsake edition, contained in an elegant slipcase and including a limited edition lithograph. Full color. Consumable.
...More
Intense, beautiful, and fable-like, Joness "Mister Pip" is a remarkable work of fiction that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the power of literature to transform lives. Winner of the Commonwealth Writers Prize. (Literary Fiction)
...More
American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China
By Polly, Matthew 2007/02 -
Gotham Books
9781592402625
Check Our Catalog
Alex Award Winner - 2008
Laced with humor and illuminated by cultural insight, this coming-of-age tale explores one young American's quest to become a kung fu master at China's legendary Shaolin Temple. 8-page photo insert.
...More
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.
New DVDs
The following DVD 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.
You can also browse our BookLetters Movie Database for descriptions and video
clips of hundreds of new releases and favorite classics. Each of our BookLetters
listings provides links to our online catalog, so you can check availability and
easily request materials be delivered to your local branch library.
Becoming Jane
The young Jane Austen wishes to be a writer. Her mother thinks otherwise.
Although she is offered many marriage proposals she accepts none until the
mischievous Thomas Lefroy shows up and turns her world around. At first
she finds him ignorant and self centered but as she gets to know him, they
start to flirt and eventually fall in love. Thomas' relatives disagree with
the match and threaten to disinherit him if he marries her. Jane's mother
also disagrees with the match. As a result of this, Thomas tries to convince
Jane to runaway with him. Instead, Jane stays with her family and ends her
affair with Lefroy. She begins to write some of her greatest works of all
time. Lefroy becomes the inspiration for Mr. Darcy in the novel, Pride and
Prejudice.
12:08 East of Bucharest
On the sixteenth year anniversary of the fall of Romanian dictator Nicolae
Ceausescu, a local anchorman of a nearby provincial town invites two of
his acquaintances to share their moments of revolutionary glory on his talk
show. One is an impish, insightful retiree who sometimes poses as Santa
Claus, the other a henpecked, hard-drinking teacher who has just devoted
his entire salary to his drinking debts. Together they will remember the
day when they stormed their town hall calling "down with Ceausescu."
Or did they?
American Gangster
Based on a true story. Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy
Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin
in Harlem. He does so by buying heroin directly from a source in South East
Asia, and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the
United States. As a result, his product is superior to what is currently
available on the street and his prices are lower. His alliance with the
New York Mafia ensures his position. Richie Roberts is a dedicated and honest
policeman who heads up a joint narcotics task force with the Federal government
and is determined to bring down Lucas' drug empire.
This is England
School is out for the summer and twelve-year-old Shaun is about to find
a dangerous new group of friends. Having lost his father in the Fakland
War, life has been lonely in this grim coastal town in northern England.
But when Shaun meets the local skinheads, their companionship, and even
their violence, appeal to Shaun's hurt and rage. Combo is an older volatile
skinhead whom Shaun finds to be like a big brother and under his leadership,
the gang and young Shawn will arrive at an irreversible act of violence.
Angels in the Dust
The inspiring story of Marion Cloete who, with her family, fearlessly walked
away from a life of privilege in Johannesburg to start an orphanage for
more than 550 South African children. For a nation overwhelmed by the HIV/AIDS
epidemic and recovering from Apartheid's legacy, Marion's orphanage offers
a pathway of hope.
Dan in Real Life
Dan Burns is a local newspaper advice columnist. He has three daughters
and is a widower. He brings the family to his parent's house for a family
gathering. When Dan goes to a local bookstore, he meets Marie. When he gets
home, he finds out that Marie is actually dating his brother Mitch. Dan's
mother Nana announces that she met an old acquaintance of Dan's, Ruthie
Draper and that she has set up a date between Dan and Ruthie. Dan refuses
to go. Mitch suggests that they could make it a double date and Dan agrees.
Ruthie turns out to be very hot, but Dan isn't really interested in her.
When Marie indicates that Ruthie is not right for him, Dan feigns interest
and starts dancing with Ruthie. Marie gets jealous and joins the floor with
Mitch, leading to an upstaging contest between Dan and Marie.
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by familial betrayal and Spain's invading
army. She and her shrewd advisor must act to safeguard to the lives of her
people. When the dashing seafarer, Walter Raleigh, captures her heart, Elizabeth
(played by Cate Blanchett) is forced to make her most tragic sacrifice for
the good of her country. A tale of one woman's crusade to control her love,
destroy her enemies and secure her position as a beloved icon of the western
world.
Eye of the Dolphin
After the death of her mother, Alyssa moves to the Bahamas with her father,
where she learns she can talk to the dolphins. When her father's research
facility is in danger of closing, it is up to Alyssa and her gift to save
it.
Things We Lost In the Fire
Audrey Burke is reeling from the shock of the news that has just been delivered
to her door by the local police - her husband, Brian, had been killed in
a random act of violence. Once anchored by the love and comforts of their
marriage, Audrey is not adrift. Impulsively, she turns to Jerry, a down-and-out
addict who has been her husband's close friend since childhood. Desperate
to fill the painful void caused by her husband's death, Audrey invites Jerry
to move into the room adjacent to their garage in the hope that he can help
her and her children cope with their sudden loss. Now, Jerry has to face
a daily battle to stay off drugs and his unexpected role as surrogate parent
and friend to Audrey's son and daughter he finds a core of inner resilience.
As Jerry and Audrey navigate grief and denial, their fragile bonds are constantly
tested. Together, they discover the strength to move forward.
Manufactured Landscapes
Follows photographer Edward Burtynsky as he travels through China photographing
the effects of that country's massive industrial revolution.
Across the Universe
Jude is a dock worker from Liverpool who travels to the United States in
the 1960s to find his estranged father. There, he falls in love with sheltered
American teenager Lucy. When her brother, Max, is drafted to fight in the
Vietnam War, they become involved in peace activism. (Songs written by the
Beatles.)
Martian Child
David is a widowed science fiction writer who adopts Dennis, a young boy
who claims to be from the Red Planet. David believes the child acts strangely
in order to process the difficulty he has had in his young life, but soon
both David and his sister, Liz, begin to wonder if the boy might be telling
the truth.
Michael Clayton
Michael Clayton is an in-house fixer at one of the largest corporate law
firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of the
law firm Kenner, Bach, & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the
firm's co-founder, Marty Bach. Burned out with his job as a fixer, his divorce,
a failed business venture, and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably
tied to the firm. At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowder
rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class-action suit that
Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. But when
Kenner Bach's brilliant and guilt-ridden attorney Arthur Edens sabotages
the U/North case, Clayton faces the biggest challenge of his career and
his life.
National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates (Cage) looks to discover the truth
behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by uncovering the mystery within
the 18 pages missing from assassin John Wilkes Booth's diary.
No Reservations
Master chef Kate Armstrong is a perfectionist who leads a regimented life
while running the kitchen of an exclusive restaurant. She revels in the
sense of power and control her career affords. When her sister is killed
in an automobile accident, her nine-year old niece Zoe comes to live with
her. Kate's life is turned completely upside down and she is suddenly forced
to split her focus between work and family. Nick Palmer is the newly hired,
fun-loving, opera-singing sous chef, whom Kate perceives as a serious rival.
She then begins an impassioned struggle to rein in Nick's exuberance and
maintain control over her kitchen staff. Even as they clash, Kate is drawn
toward Nick, eventually coming to the realization that Nick offers something
that she needs both in her restaurant kitchen and her new life with Zoe.
Waitress
Jenna is unhappily married. She squirrels away money and is hoping to win
a pie-baking contest so, with the prize money, she'll have enough cash to
leave her husband Earl. She finds herself pregnant and her plans are thrown
awry. She bakes phenomenal pies at Joe's diner, listens to old Joe's wisdom,
tolerates her sour boss Cal, is friends with her fellow waitresses, Dawn
and Becky. She, also, finds a mutual attraction with the new doctor in town.
Life with Earl becomes less tolerable as her pregnancy advances. Her way
out of the marriage is less clear and her affair with the doctor is complicated
by his marriage.
When Buenos Aires is plunged into an economic meltdown, Bebe faces crises
and is unable to pay her longtime maid, Dora. The two realizes that in order
to survive, they must put aside their class resentments. Extras included.
Winner of several awards.
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.
Looking for bestsellers, fiction, non-fiction, mysteries or audio books? Check
out some of our most popular recommendations on BookLetters.
You can also subscribe to one or more book lists and have updated information
send to you via email or RSS feed. E-Connect publication
E-Connect is an online publication distributed monthly by the Marin County Free Library.
Contact: Library@co.marin.ca.us
