Library Discovery

The library I normally go to is the Mid-Manhattan Branch, but when I feel like going to one in my neighborhood I go to the Parkchester Branch.

Now I've lived in my neighborhood for a total of 15 years.  5 years in the early 90s and recently for the last 10 years. And I've been on numerous walks over the years and I have never ever realized there was another library so close to my home.  I am happy to know I have another option.

Update - 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

1. Dragonfly in Amber - Diane Gabaldon
2. Nigger: An Autobiography - Dick Gregory
3. Doubt: A Parable - John Patrick Shanley
4. Tennessee Williams Notebooks - T. Williams
5. Roses - Leila Meacham
6. Push - Sapphire
7. The Walk - Richard Paul Evans
8. When The Soul Mends - Cindy Woodsmall
9. Rumble Fish - S.E. Hinton
10. The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton
11. Know it All - A.J. Jacobs
12. I Am Nujood: Age 10 and Divorced - Nujood Ali
13. Island Beneath the Sea - Isable Allende
14. Stoner - John Williams
15. Bronx Accent - Lloyd Ultan
16. Why is God Laughing? - Deepak Chopra
17. Elizabeth Street - Laurie Fabiano
18. Promise Me - Richard Paul Evans

I believe my goal was 50 books from the library this year. Well, not sure if that will happen, but I will probably get to 25 books from the library. I had originally aimed high because I planned to read 100 books for the year, and 50 from the library didn't seem like it would be hard to do. However, 32 more library books in 2.5 months, nah. I have read/listened to a total of 47 books so far this year, so I will reach 50 books for the year, I will aim for 70 books by Dec. 31.

I would say I'd do better next year, however, I am planning to read books like "War & Peace", so I think next year I'll stay with 50 books, but a lot of them will be quality books.

Numbers don't matter much to me, as long as I keep reading. This year was a big year for audio books for me. I don't really know why, I suppose we all get into our moods. I just felt like hearing the soothing sounds of narration while lying in bed at night. I don't drive anymore, so I don't have a chance to listen that way. My home reading was suffering once I lost my job in July, because, although one would think I have nothing but time to read, I had time to do things I had neglected all along such as painting, practicing guitar, beading and other crafts, as well as cleaning.

I am currently working on a temporary assignment, I don't know how long, but I will be reading on the subway to and from, so I think I'll get some book reading in. I will be going to the library at lunch time too, so I'll see if I can find something fluffy to read.

My current reads/listens.

The Winds of Autumn by Jannette Oke (audio). This is the 2nd part of a 4 part series (Seasons of the Heart). The series started with Once Upon a Summer, which I loved so much (and I loved the narrator), so I got the 2nd part in audio with the same narrator. There is a male narrator for this book and a female narrator by another company. I preferred the male narrator because he sounded more down to earth. It is about a boy named Josh (now 15) who is coming of age in middle-America 1930. It is Christian fiction, as it is written by Janette Oke, an easy listen (5+ hours) and probably an easy read. I will follow with the last two books in the series: Winter is Not Forever and Spring's Gentile Promise.

The Neville Reader by Neville Goddard, is a collection of true stories about how "thoughts are things". Neville Goddard was a 20th century New Thought author. He was of the same mindset as other authors who believed in "The Law of Attraction". The stories in this book highlight how real people used their thoughts to attract what they wanted. Call it "The Law of Attraction", "Manifesting", whatever. I myself have been into this stuff for over 15 years, but this is the first time I ever read anything by Goddard, hopefully I will enjoy.

Support Your Local Library 2010

I have not posted about this yet this year. So in typical fashion, it is July and I will now.

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

(Aim high. As long as you read 25 by the end of 2010, you are a winner.)

3. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – any book as long as it is checked out from the library count. Checked out like with a library card, not purchased at a library sale.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

6. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

7. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your library books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.
* * *

To make it easy for everyone to find the books I read. I will put the list in my sidebar.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries!

Since I've just returned most of the Loot to the Library, I only have two books out at the moment.

Crossing Over: One Woman's Escape from Amish Life by Ruth Irene Garrett

This was going to be a Read-A-Thon book, but that fell through. So it is just going on the 75 books and Library Reading Challenge.

When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall

Now to be honest, I had to renew this one. I had so much loot the past two weeks, this one was pushed down the queue. Since no one was waiting for this one (but were waiting for the others) I waited to read it.

So I didn't take it out this week, but I did re-new it this week.



Midnight Kiss: The Toast of New Orleans
Starring Mario Lanza
DVD

This just arrived. yay!

Library Borrows for this week

I think I over did it with the library borrows. But when they come in after being in my queue for so long, I have to go get them. I can't renew most of them because the queue is so long. So I'll be very busy reading all of these over the next month.

Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In this gripping novel, Saint-Exupéry tells about the brave men who piloted night mail planes from Patagonia, Chile, and Paraguay to Argentina in the early days of commercial aviation.

After reading "The Little Prince" I wanted to know what else he wrote. There are actually a few other books out there, and I believe they all revolve around aviation. This will be a quick read, about 80 pages.




The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

A charming and inventive story of a child struggling to find her identity at the turn of the 20th century. As the only girl in an uppercrust Texas family of seven children, Calpurnia, 11, is expected to enter young womanhood with all its trappings of tight corsets, cookery, and handiwork. Unlike other girls her age, Callie is most content when observing and collecting scientific specimens with her grandfather. Bemoaning her lack of formal knowledge, he surreptitiously gives her a copy of The Origin of Species and Callie begins her exploration of the scientific method and evolution, eventually happening upon the possible discovery of a new plant species. Callie's mother, believing that a diet of Darwin, Dickens, and her grandfather's influence will make Callie dissatisfied with life, sets her on a path of cooking lessons, handiwork improvement, and an eventual debut into society.

Callie's confusion and despair over her changing life will resonate with girls who feel different or are outsiders in their own society. Callie is a charming, inquisitive protagonist; a joyous, bright, and thoughtful creation. The conclusion encompasses bewilderment, excitement, and humor as the dawn of a new century approaches. Several scenes, including a younger brother's despair over his turkeys intended for the Thanksgiving table and Callie's heartache over receiving The Science of Housewifery as a Christmas gift, mix gentle humor and pathos to great effect. The book ends with uncertainty over Callie's future.

Loved the cover, that is what attracted me to it. It is also a children's book, but after reading they synopsis, I had to read it. It sounds charming indeed. As of today there is a perfect 5 star rating on Amazon.


When Morning Comes (Sisters of the Quilt: Book 2) by Cindy Woodsmall

Her relationship with fiancé Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her secluded Old Order Amish community in hopes of finding a new home in Ohio with her shunned aunt. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Hannah struggles to navigate the confusing world of the Englischers.

Back in Owl’s Perch, Pennsylvania, Paul is wracked with regret over his treatment of Hannah. Fearing for her safety, he tries to convince Hannah’s remaining allies–brother Luke, best friend Mary, and loyal Matthew Esh–to help search for his love. Hannah’s father, however, remains steadfastly convinced of her sinful behavior. His blindness to his family’s pain extends to her sister, Sarah, who shows signs of increasing instability.

Convinced her former life is irreparably destroyed, Hannah finds purpose and solace in life with her aunt and in a growing friendship with Englischer Martin Palmer. Will the countless opportunities in her new life persuade Hannah that her place is amongst the Englischers — or will she give in to her heart’s call to return home and face her past?

I recently finished When the Heart Cries (Sisters of the Quilt: Book 1) by Cindy Woodsmall, and I loved it. The library has all 3 books in this series, however, book 2 only came in large print. Pah! Well I'm not going to let that stop me. The good thing is, I won't need to put on my glasses when reading this one.


Currently Reading:
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

What if our beliefs were not what divided us, but what pulled us together?
In Have a Little Faith, Mitch Albom offers a beautifully written story of a remarkable eight year journey between two worlds – two men, two faiths, two communities – that will inspire readers everywhere.
Have A Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an 82-year-old rabbi from Albom’s old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy.
Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he’d left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor – a reformed drug dealer and convict – who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof.

Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white, impoverished and well-to-do, Mitch observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival: the older, suburban rabbi, embracing it as death approaches; the younger, inner-city pastor relying on it to keep himself and his church afloat.

I've read a few Albom books and I've enjoyed them, this is his latest effort. I've started it and I'm enjoying it very much. Should be done with this by the end of the week if not sooner.


Waiting in the library as I write this:
The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

Real-estate mogul James Kier, who gets the chance to read his obituary—before he dies. What he discovers unnerves him as the death notice portrays a ruthless, friendless man. James decides to make amends to the many people he's hurt over the years.

Suspiciously sounds like A Christmas Carol, but we will see. I wasn't thrilled with Evans' book last year, too depressing, I'm hoping this years offering will be more joyous. I got this early, I was expecting it for November, but it came out on October 6th, and the queue is quite long, so I'm going to have to read it this month. come to think of it, last year's book "Grace" , I got in October as well. Look for my review on this one.

Library Rant #2

I don't know what is up with the library this year, but I have a mega rant today!!

I have been waiting for Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry to come to the library. Finally they get 2 copies in and one is in storage. So I put my order in, it sits in my queue until someone decides to pull it off of the shelf and send it to my 'pick-up' library.

They put the books on the shelves and it is arranged by the last 4 digits of your library card as well as the first 3 letters of your last name.

It isn't there.

I go ask the library check out person about it, she looks it up on her computer and pulls off of the data shelf two DVDs. Only one of the DVDs were mine. She is arguing with me how the other DVD is mine, and if I don't want it I should just say so.

Excuse me, you friggin nut job, does my record say I ordered this? Despite what the record said she argued me down about it. I ignored her, because obviously she is a dumb-ass. So I asked about my book, she said "Did you look on the shelf?". No you yo-yo...WTF! So she goes back to the shelf and of course, it is not there. "Oh I don't know what happened to it," she said. So she had to re-order it for me, even though I've already waited 2 weeks for it. So now I have to wait for it to pop up somewhere, because after all, there is only one in circulation and that one is MIA, and then hopefully get it again. I probably will never get it from the library.

This isn't the first time my book has disappared from the reserve shelf. It boggles the mind because no one can take out a book that is on hold for someone else, the system won't let them. So where is my book?

I told her that perhaps the person that wanted the DVD I didn't order, got my book, and I got their DVD. Maybe whoever shelved them, made a mistake. Still she was with the, "But this is your movie." I wanted to reach over the desk and smack her.

I know good help is hard to find, but there are so many people out of work, they really should find someone knowledgable. I know more about they library system than she does, and they just instituted the new system. And to top it off, not only is she dumb, but she is a nasty little so and so.

So today didn't start off on a good note. Urgh!

NYC Libraries can get on my nerves!!

RANT to Follow

Although New York City libraries house a wide selection of books, it annoys me to no end that when I go to take a book out, it is NEVER there. Of course I can put things in the queue and wait, but if I look on-line and see that a particular book is available at a particular branch, and I'm nearby, I'm going to go get it.

Below is what I see on my end. Clearly it says that the book is AVAILABLE.



My queue is full of books that have not been released yet (the queues tend to get super long & if you don't put it on months before release, it can take 6 months before you get it) , so I can't put this one there, but no matter, I'll schlep over and get it right...? WRONG!

It was not even in the library. I looked high and low on all the shelves. I looked in other letters beside K (for King) in case it was mis-filed. I looked in the hardcover section, I looked in the mainstream fiction section (even though this page says it is a paperback in the sci-fi section - as per the call letters). Some might say "So what, it happens." But it ALWAYS happens. A few weeks ago I was so excited to see "The Stand" in paperback at the library near my house was available. So I ran over there, guess what? It wasn't there. I asked the librarian to double check the system, wondering if in the 15 minutes it took me to get from my house to the library it was borrowed, but it still showed AVAILABLE. His reply, "Must have been stolen."

YOU THINK?

Stephen King ROCKS and I know his stuff is popular, but why do people have to steal? The library is for everyone. Read the book and return it. It is so hard to get a Stephen King book out of a NYC public library, one is better of buying it.

And it is beyond me how in some libraries here in NYC, people can steal anything. It is like Fort Knox in the Mid-Manhattan Branch and the Bronx Library Center. In both of these places you have to show your bag entering and exiting, and they have the detectors. So how are people walking with these books?

I suppose in the future if I see a Stephen King book on the shelf, I'd better grab it then, whether I want to read it at that point or not, because otherwise, I'll never get to read it.

Field Trip

This weekend I finally ventured to the Bronx Library Center. It is a newly built major library in The Bronx. It has been there for a few years now, but I haven't gone.



State of the art design, looks modern inside as well. A patio on the 3rd floor. Wi-Fi, elevators...the works. For those people who are familiar with the Mid-Manhattan branch library, this all is familar to you, but people who haven't been outside the borough, will find this all very fascinating. It is clean, well kept, they actually have books and DVDs people want to borrow. Bronx Libraries rarely have these things. They are mostly situated in very urban areas, and people walk out with the best stuff, leaving things no one wants to read or watch.

Between me and my daughter, we took home 6 DVDs that we wanted to see. I found 3 books on the shelves alone. I usually have to order what I want and wait for it to come from one of the 'better' libraries.

It was worth the short bus ride (even if I still had my car, I probably wouldn't travel down Fordham Road). And although this library is also in a very urban area, one of the most urban in The Bronx, it is guarded and well maintained and was not filled with wild teenagers as most of them are in my neighborhood. I hope it stays this way, our community needs something like this. With Fordham University a few blocks away, it is also nice for those students to have somewhere else to go other than their school Library, and somewhere so classy.

2009 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

** The first is to read 12 books from your local library in 2009.
** The second is to read 25 books from your local library in 2009.
** The third is to read 50 books from your local library in 2009.

You decide which one of the three challenges is best for you.

So it is August, and I just found this challelnge, but no matter, as I read lots of library books. As of today, this year alone, I've read 22, so I will stick with the 25 books. That means only 3 more to read from the library this year. I think 50 is too much at this point, had I started earlier, I would have picked that one. Maybe next time.

Since I'm late to the game, I'll post a list of the library books that I have read, and any reviews.

1. Daisy Miller - Henry James
2. 1001 Books for Every Mood - Hallie Ephron
3. The Rosary - Gary Jansen
4. A Short Guide to a Happy Life - Anna Quindlen
5. The Beach House - Jane Green
6. The Prodigal God - Timothy Keller
7. Being Perfect - Anna Quindlen
8. Showboat - Edna Ferber
9. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden - Joanne Greenberg
10. How Starbucks Saved My Life - Michael Gates Gill
11. Outlander (Book 1) - Diana Gabaldon
12. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
13. Lamb - Christopher Moore
14. Go Ask Alice - Anonymous
15. Turbulent Souls - Stephen Dubner
16. Shade's Children - Garth Nix
17. A Capatalist Romance - Ruth Brandon
18. Shade's Children - Garth Nix
19. A Capatalist Romance - Ruth Brandon
20. A Tale of Two Cities (audiobook - CD) - Charles Dickens
21. Summer (audiobook download) - Edith Wharton
22. Silas Marner (audiobook - CD) - George Eliott
23. Rage to Survive: The Etta James Story - Etta James & David Ritz
24. Waisted: A Memoir of Anorexia & Bulimia - Marya Hornbacher
25. The Third Jesus - Deepak Chopra

****I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL - THE REST IS GRAVY****

26. The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch
27. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
28. The Year of Living Biblically - A.J. Jacobs
29. Duma Key - Stephen King
30. Dead Man's Cell Phone - Sarah Ruhl
31. When The Heart Cries - Cindy Woodsmall
32. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
33. Have A Little Faith - Mitch Albom
34. Night Flight - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
35. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - Jacqueline Kelly
36. The Christmas List: A Novel - Richard Paul Evans
37. Crossing Over - Ruth Irene Garrett