Ever since I heard Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were collaborating on a fourth Indiana Jones film I have been eagerly anticipating its release. The movie “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is now set to open in theaters May 22nd. So take out your fedora hat from the back of the closet and before you visit the theaters for the new release come to the West Palm Beach Public Library and check-out the previous three Indiana Jones movies available in DVD.
The West Palm Beach Public Library also owns many other Steven Spielberg films such as “ET: the Extra Terrestrial“, or “Back to the Future.” Also in the library’s collection you will find “Jurassic Park“, “Catch Me if You Can“, or the classic “Schindler’s List.” More recent films include “Letters from Iwo Jima” or the DVD “Flags of Our Fathers.”
If Spielberg movies are not your style remember the library owns hundreds of other DVD’s available for check-out. From the library’s online catalog you can search for titles of movies you might be interested in borrowing.
Theresa
May 9, 2008
Drop by the library Wednesday, May 7th at 6:30 pm and meet author John Manrique. Manrique will be here to talk about his debut book, Ocean Raton. The story is takes place in the Fort Lauderdale area and is a satire that touches on the culture of South Florida and the 2007 real estate bubble- something we can all relate to!
The Classic Bookshop will be here once again to sell autographed copies of the book. Come out and hear about the book, ask questions, and get a signed copy!
See you @ the library,
Annya
May 3, 2008
Being a reference librarian is always full of surprises (some better than others). So, I was looking up some information for one of our patrons and I stumbled upon a link that linked to a link and there I was on Danny Seo’s blog - which was very interesting and very relevant for the upcoming Earth Day on April 22. It’s loaded with pictures and ideas for decorating and being Earth-friendly at the same time! It also has contests and pictures of the ongoing transformation of his new, old home.
Speaking of Earth Day, did you get to our very own Book Goddess’ Latest and Greatest: Go Green for Earth Day book talk? Check out her blog and get a list of books on the subject available at the West Palm Beach Public Library. The next Latest and Greatest is on Thursday, May 15th from 12:15 to 12:30 where she will feature books on travel!
See you @ the library,
Annya
April 18, 2008
Looking to learn a new skill? This month, we are offering a wide range of computer classes.
- Basic Computer Skills Tuesday, April 1, 10:00 am
- Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint Wednesday, April 2, 6:00 pm
- Advanced 3-D Modeling Saturday, April 5, 2:00 pm
- Introduction to Microsoft Excel Wednesday, April 9, 6:00 pm
- More Basic Skills Thursday, April 10, 10:00 am
- Internet 1 Tuesday, April 15, 10:00 am
- Web 2.0 What is it? Wednesday, April 16, 6:30 pm
All the classes are held in the Computer Lab on the first floor of the library. No sign-up is necessary; there are 8 computers and the first 8 people will be able to join the class. So come on down and learn something new, you’ll have fun, stretch your brain a little and meet some new people!
Janice
March 28, 2008
This past Tuesday was a blast! Randy Wayne White came out to the library to talk about his latest book Black Widow. I couldn’t believe how many people showed up at 1:00 pm!
He was very funny and talked with the crowd like they were old friends. He was also very inspirational. He really encouraged people to listen to their inner voice and write as if that was one of their goals in life. Check out the photos from the event.
If you missed Randy Wayne White, you won’t want to miss Andrew Gross! He’ll be here Wednesday, April 2nd from 6:30 to 7:30 pm to discuss his new book The Dark Tide. He has co-authored six books with author James Patterson and will be able to share with us his experiences as both an author and co-author.
Hope to see you here!
Annya
March 27, 2008
Have you read The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton? Here in the U.S., we often forget how very lucky we are! Libraries where one can check out and read as many books as we want are everywhere in the U. S., but there are many places where a book is still a very precious object to be treasured. The Camel Bookmobile is about such a place. Though the story is fiction, it is written about the very real Camel Bookmobile in Kenya.
Ms. Hamilton first heard about this very special bookmobile in 1999 when her daughter read an article to her from Time For Kids.
“In 1996, Wycliffe Oluoch was one lonely librarian. The library he runs in the Garissa district of Kenya had 24,000 books, but not many people came to read them. Traveling is tough in this dry, sandy part of East Africa. Roads are poor; cars are few. “We had to find a way to reach the people because they were not coming to us,” the librarian recalls.
Then Oluoch (All-wutch) had a brainstorm. If villagers couldn’t come to the library, the library would come to them. He knew just the vehicle to get over the hump of desert travel. The Mobile Camel Library was born.”
Ms. Hamilton was fascinated by the the article and the novel The Camel Bookmobile began to take form. After her book was published, it was featured (along with the real bookmobile) in the December 2007 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, and the March 2008 issue of Family Circle. Today, the camel bookmobile continues to thrive and grow partly with the aid of many people around the world who have donated books and money.
Interested in finding out more or maybe donating new or used books? Check out the Camel Book Drive blog!
March 17, 2008
Wow, I can’t believe Friday Night Jazz has started again! Last Friday marked the beginning of our 4th season for this event. As usual, the music, food and wine was spectacular!
Kit Stewart, our featured artist, had a beautiful voice and has been singing since she was 3 years old. The food and wine from Gourmet Galaxy was delicious.
Next month, Lou Columbo will be here with his big band! Come see him April 11th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.
Hope to see you at Friday Night Jazz!
Annya
March 17, 2008
I saw something interesting on the Martin County Public Library site and thought I would pass it on to all of you! It is a Savings Calculator showing how much your library saves you each month. It is provided through the State Library of Florida and is really pretty darn interesting. Go ahead and give it a try!
Did you even know that we had a state library? We do and it actually is a wonderful archival source as well as providing a variety of services for the people of Florida.
Janice
March 15, 2008
We have a great selection of computer classes coming up in March. Of course, we have the Basic Computer Skills and More Basic Skills classes during the day. For those of you who work, we are offering the Microsoft Word class in the evening this month. The class will be held Wednesday nights, March 12, 19 and 26 at 6:30 pm. On March 5 at 6:30 pm, we will be offering a beginning class on Microsoft Vista for those of you who have bought new computers or have updated to Vista. Also, we have a brand-new class “Intro to 3-D Modeling” which will be taught by our Artist in Residence: Matthew Hyner. This class will give an introduction into using Google Sketchup, available free from Google. No registration is required; all classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
I would like to offer an invitation for those of you who are already competent in computer and internet use. Come share your knowledge with others! Whether you would like to help out in a class or actually teach a class, we need you!!!! If you are interested in learning more about volunteering in the computer lab, email Janice at collinsj@mycitylibrary.org
February 26, 2008
Come out and meet author Robert Forbes. He will be visiting our library on Wednesday, March 5th from 6:30 to 7:30 pm to discuss his book Beastly Feasts! : a Mischievous Menagerie in Rhyme.
Forbes is Vice President of Forbes and President of ForbesLife (formerly Forbes FYI) and will be sure to entertain kids and adults alike. Visit his Beastly Feasts website.
See you @ the library,
Annya
February 20, 2008
Looking for a college or maybe a new career? Or perhaps you have found just the right medical information at the library, or picked up a GED book or learned how to use a computer?
This month, Woman’s Day magazine shares the stories of four entrepreneurs who started their businesses using the library. The article appears in the magazine’s March issue, now on stands and in libraries. Featured are the co-owner of a Brooklyn-based children’s clothing business who participated in Brooklyn Public Library’s “Power Up!” business-plan writing contest; a library-supporter who learned about self-publishing; a founder of a home organization business who turned to her library for business seminars, email and Internet access; and a financial advisor who found enthusiastic support from her local librarians.
“When you think of libraries, you think books and magazines, but there’s so much more. There’s almost nothing you can’t find—and no help you can’t get—at the library,” Jessica Sequinot, the featured winner from Brooklyn, is quoted as saying in the article.
Also included in the article is a sidebar with tips on how to “jump-start your small business at the library,” written by reference librarian Celia Ross, a member of the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Business Reference and Services Section. RUSA is a division of ALA.
Woman’s Day announced the initiative last March, asking its readers to submit stories of how they used the library to start a business. This is the sixth such initiative Woman’s Day has co-sponsored with the American Library Association’s Campaign for America’s Libraries to promote libraries and librarians. Previous topics have included “how the library has changed my life,” “why I would want to be a librarian for a day” and “why I want to research my family tree at the library.”
Woman’s Day is a Founding Partner of ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries, ALA’s national public awareness campaign to promote the value of libraries and librarians. Other Founding Partners include Dollar General, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Do you have a story about how the library has changed your life? Leave us a comment, we would love to hear it!
Janice
February 15, 2008
Have you ever had a premonition about how you would meet your soul mate? Well, Peter knew he’d meet his on an airplane- he was right! It’s too bad he lost her phone number and she ends up marrying his best friend Jonathan years later. What is Peter going to do when Jonathan is struck by lightning at his wedding?
If that sounds interesting, you might want to read Beginner’s Greek by James Collins. Better yet, you might want to meet the author who wrote the book!
Come out and meet author James Collins this Sunday, January 20th at 2:00 pm! Buy a signed copy of his debut novel Beginner’s Greek (which has recieved rave reviews).
See you @ the library,
Annya
January 16, 2008
Happy New Year to everyone! Hope you all are looking forward to 2008. It’s that time of year again to start fresh and make positive changes in our lives! Yet, how often do we really keep our New Year’s resolutions?
We could all use a little help making changes for the better in our lives. That’s where the library comes in. On Saturday, January 12th from 2:30 to 4:00 pm professional organizers Lisa Klein and Laura Johnston are here to give helpful tips on setting goals for the new year.
Once again, hope to see you @ the library!
Annya
January 3, 2008
Well, 2008 is here and with the New Year, we are once again offering a full schedule of computer classes. Remember, it is not necessary to sign up, all classes are first come, first serve. Here is the schedule for January.
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January 8
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10:00 am
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Basic Computer Skills
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January 10
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10:00 am
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Basic Computer Skills
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January 17, 24, 31
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10:00 am
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Microsoft Word
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January 22
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10:00 am
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Internet 1
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If you have any questions about any of the classes, give me a call at 868-7701.
Janice
January 3, 2008
Got Game? It seems the National Education Association does. NEA author Cindy Long writes about students upping their comprehension and critical evaluation skills will playing video games. While the use of video games may seem ridiculous to some may teachers seeing successful results. Games such as SimsCity, Civilation and Making History are popular in the classroom. By using video games in the classroom, the teacher is helping students think more critically.
“I’ve had kids tell me they don’t think the war would have lasted as long if countries had been more aggressive with Hitler earlier on,” he says. “They can read that in a textbook, but they’re much more likely to remember it after seeing it played out.”
Long stresses the importance of planning when using video games in the classroom, do not expect magic to happen by sitting a student in front of a game. Video games are a means, not an end. The NEA article offers a list of resources from websites, game demos, reports, walk-throughs, fan fiction to online game associations and video game blogs. Get inspired, get games!
December 17, 2007
Join us this Sunday, December 16th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm for a special holiday performance. Professional harpist Anne Barbara Akerson will delight the audience with the heavenly sounds of the harp.
Akerson played for us last year and the audience raved about her performance. I look forward to hearing her this year- as I know you do!
See you @ the library,
Annya
December 11, 2007
Friday night, the library disappeared and suddenly we were at the North Pole!! Somewhere around 1000 people joined us to ride the Polar Express, feed the reindeer, help out in Santa’s toy workshop and talk to Santa. Every year this event becomes bigger and better! I volunteered this year as a reindeer and spent the evening talking to children young enough to believe that I really was a reindeer. Of course, I also talked to quite a few who knew darn well I wasn’t a reindeer, but were willing to go along with the game. If you have small children and did not get a chance to enjoy this spectacular event, please make note of it for next year. As wonderful as this year was, the fifth annual Polar Express can only be even more amazing. For photos of this event, check our Flicker account.
Janice
December 11, 2007
Join us this Sunday, December 2nd at 2:00 pm to listen to Howard Greenblatt play a combination of classical guitar works from the Renaissance to modern times and traditional flamenco solos.
Greenblatt played flamenco and classical guitar solos for us last year and we are delighted to have him back again! The whole library was filled with his beautiful music- I think some of us wished he could play everyday!
See you @ the library,
Annya
November 28, 2007
The library will be closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 for Thankgiving. We will reopen at 9:30 am on Saturday, November 24.
Until then, we wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving with lots to eat with family and friends.
Janice
November 21, 2007
