It’s Tax Time!

Thinking about doing your taxes? The Tech Librarian has posted a few suggestions. Check them out here!

Reduce West Palm Beach’s Carbon Footprint!

On Wednesday, February 25, the City of West Palm Beach will be hosing a Sustainability Summit at the Harriet Himmel Theater from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.  The event is free and open to the public, although registration is required.

This carbon footprint reduction forum will include breakout sessions on green building,  transportation, green collar jobs, recycling and waste stream management, sustainable communities, water resources, and clean energy.  A variety of speakers will be presenting, including Terry L. Maple (Palm Beach Zoo President and CEO), Marie York (Associate Director of FAU Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions), and Henrietta Gurri McBee  (Director for Project Development at FPL).

The program’s schedule and registration can be found on the Summit’s website.

For questions or more information, call 561-804-4980.

If you’re not able to attend the summit, stop on by the library to check out materials on green living.  Here are just a few you can check out today:

• 75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference
• Green & Clean: the Complete Guide to Nontoxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping
• The Complete Guide to the Green Home: the Good Citizen’s Guide to Earth-Friendly Remodeling & Home Maintenance
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Living
• Easy Green Living: the Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home
• Fodor’s Green Travel: the World’s Best Eco-Lodges and Earth-Friendly Hotels

If none of these sound like what you’re looking for, give us a call or stop in and we’ll try to find the perfect book for you!

**Britta**

Image Creative Commons licensed by Flickr user Jill Greenseth.

Album of the Year?!

The next CD I will check out from the library also falls into the category of “I’m not sure I want to commit to purchasing it.”  It’s Raising Sand, a surprisingly successful collaboration between Alison Krauss, of bluegrass fame, and Robert Plant, of Led Zeppelin.  The unlikely duo just won 5 grammy awards on Sunday!  Including the big one – Album of the Year. 

Their other awards came under three different genres of music: pop, country, and folk/Americana, so I really don’t know what to expect.  As a big Alison Krauss fan, I am bracing myself for shock and disappointment.

Other grammy winners that we have in the library include:

 

 

 Viva la Vida by Coldplay (Song of the Year, Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals, Best Rock Album)

 

Jennifer Hudson by Jennifer Hudson (Best R&B Album)

 

Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne (Best Rap Album

 

Down in New Orleans by The Blind Boys of Alabama (Best Traditional Gospel Album) 

 

La Vida…Es Un Ratico by Juanes (Best Latin Pop Album)

 

One Kind Favor by B.B. King (Best Traditional Blues Album)

 

~Tara

Saturday Kids’ Club

Have you heard about the Saturday Kids’ Club?

It’s a book club created especially for kids in kindergarten and 1^st grade.  We get together to talk about the Kids’ Club book, play games, make crafts, eat tasty snacks, and of course have fun!.  This month we’re reading Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping by Peggy Parish.  Amelia Bedelia is such a silly character, but she sure doesn’t realize it.  Her literal take on everything makes for lots of laughs.

Come on by the Children’s desk to sign your child up for the program and pick up a copy of Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping.  Then come back on February 28^th at 2:00 for camping themed fun!  We’ll go fishing, eat s’mores, and make our own Amelia Bedelia puppets.  If you have any questions you can come by and talk with us or call the Children’s desk at 868-7703; we’d love to tell you more about the Saturday Kids’ Club and our other great programs too!

See you soon!

Kathy, Youth Services Librarian

Packing Our Bags (and Boxes!)

It’s almost time!

We’re starting to pack up and plan for our move to the new City Center complex in March.  While we don’t have exact closing or opening dates, we expect to close mid-March and re-open within the first couple of weeks of April.   We’ll be advertising the dates as soon as we know what they are.

In the meantime, what in the world will you do without us?

Have no fear.  There are libraries all over the county that can help you out while we’re moving materials and getting ready to open to the public.

• Palm Beach County Library has branches all over the county, and is able to transfer material from one branch to another.  You’re eligible for a card no matter where you live in Palm Beach County.  Like our library, membership is free.  You can call the main library at 561-233-2600.
• Palm Beach County residents may also get cards at the Riviera Beach Public Library.  It’s located on West Blue Heron Boulevard, so some of our patrons on the north side of town may find this library convenient.  Call them at 561-845-4195.
• Another option is Lake Worth Public Library.  It’s right in downtown Lake Worth, and accepts patrons from all over the county.  Reach them at 561-533-7354.

Still bummed that we’re going to be closed for a few weeks?  Well, there’s a silver lining to that cloud.  Anything you check out that’s due back during the days we’re closed won’t be considered late until after we’re open again.  This means that if you check out a new book or DVD or CD in the last few days before we close, you won’t have to bring it back for about 3 weeks!

We’re so excited to share the new library with you!  We’ll have more room for meetings and events, double our current amount of computers, a coffee shop, and a great view of downtown.

For a little more information about the move, check out this article the Palm Beach Post wrote about it.  If you have any questions or need to find a library closer to you, give us a call or stop on in.

**Britta**

Calling all Hootie fans!

I came across a new CD in the library the other day that I just had to check out.  It’s Darius Rucker’s new country music CD, Learn To Live.  That’s right – the singer from Hootie and the Blowfish has gone country!  And quite successfully, too.  He has 2 hit singles already.  He is also, by the way, only the third African American singer to have a #1 hit on the country music charts, the first ones being Charley Pride and Ray Charles, decades ago.

So, how’s the CD?  Well, the songwriting is genuinely country, and Darius Rucker is certainly talented, but something isn’t working for me.  I think it may be that the accent isn’t right.  In the song I heard today, for example, he doesn’t pronounce the R in “heart,” and he does pronounce the G in “listening”.  How could that be country?  And how come he doesn’t have a Southern drawl if he grew up in South Carolina?  …Or, maybe he’s just missing the cowboy hat…??? 

Anyway, you have to give the guy credit for putting himself out there, taking on a challenge, and breaking a barrier.  Maybe he’ll find his country groove by his next album, which I’ll be anxious to hear, as well. 

I see that 4 other people have checked out this CD from the library already.  If any readers have opinions on this CD, please share!

~Tara

Need ideas for Valentine’s Day? Check out the West Palm Beach Public Library!

The month of February signifies only one event for me.  Valentine’s Day!  As a recent newlywed I am eagerly awaiting this special day.  However my spouse and undoubtedly other males could probably use some helpful hints to celebrate this day with a different twist.  How about visiting the West Palm Beach Public Library to create a unique day for two?

Begin with learning a dance to impress your significant other.  Visit the library and participate in one of our Argentine Tango lessons and as a couple learn one of the most popular as well as romantic dances created.  Classes are free and are offered on Thursdays from 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Trying to attract the attention of a secret love or are you shy with the written word?  Check out some of the following books from the library on romance poetry to add flair to your Valentine card or love note:

• “The World’s favorite love poems“
• “Random House treasury of favorite love poems“
• “101 classic love poems“

For those of you spending Valentine’s Day at home why not prepare an intimate dinner for two?  The library owns a number of cookbooks providing you with simple meals for couples.  From our shelves borrow “Cooking for two today” or try some of Rachel Ray’s recipes from her book “2,4,6,8: great meals for couples or crowds.”  Make sure to also bring home from the library some music CD’s to listen to while enjoying your special meal.  Every romantic dinner should be accompanied by the “Man with the velvet voice” Barry White!

• “All-time greatest hits” by Barry White
• “Rhythm and romance” by Kenny G
• “Cafe Romantico” by Armik

After your fabulous dinner be sure to snuggle on the couch and watch a few classic romance movies also available from the library.

• “Princess Bride“
• “When Harry met Sally“
• “Casablanca“

So now that the West Palm Beach Public Library has provided you with a memorable Valentine’s Day you should have plenty of money to purchase those long-stemmed roses!

It’s amore!

Theresa