September 10, 2009

Hot Off the Press

We have been talking about creating a librarian led book discussion at the Bryant Library for as long as I can remember, and we are excited to announce that it's finally here! We will be discussing The Help by Kathryn Stockett on September 29th.

Very often, libraries (and some book clubs) choose books that are several years old so that the books are easily accessible. We have chosen to target the readers who are dedicated readers of the "hot books." Most of us are avid readers and take great pleasure in discussing the books with one another. Now, we're offering the public the opportunity to join in our discussions!

Please join us on September 29th... reserve the book asap and register online via our calendar or call the Reference Desk at 621-2240. We hope to see you all there!

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October 4, 2008

New Holocaust Book Collection

A sum of money was donated to the Friends of Bryant Library in memory of a beloved teacher, Helene Fisher in order to purchase a collection of Holocaust books for young adults. The books have arrived and they're extraordinary! We will be displaying the books for a week in front of the Reference Desk, after which time they will be able to be checked out.

In addition, a signed book was added to the Bryant Room collection called Thirty Poems by William Cullen Bryant.

We invite you to come in and take a look when you get a chance. We are grateful for the donation.

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July 23, 2008

Listening to Books

I have never been able to read in the car. Those who have traveled with me know that I can't even read a map in the car! But, I had to take a long car trip by myself recently and decided to take a book on cd. Believe it or not, I've never listened to one! I love to read, and to me, it's a tactile activity. I prefer to hold the book in my hand, turn the pages and absorb the story.

I went to the shelf and perused our large (and growing) collection of books on cd. Being not so courageous, I chose the book that I was currently reading anyway, My Sister, My Love by Joyce Carol Oates. I popped it in and had very little trouble finding my place. This was a good start!

Admittedly, I found myself very absorbed and I returned the book today and will finish the book on cd. So, all in all, it was a good experience. However, there were some sticking points. First of all, the reader, Mike Chamberlin mispronounced some of the words, which was irritating. Secondly, I don't normally spend that much time in the car. So, a book that would have taken me maybe 3 days to read has now taken me over a week! And, I hate to admit it, but I like having the option of skimming over less interesting paragraphs, which you can't really do on a cd because you don't know what will be important. Also, this particular book had a lot of footnotes that made for some awkward reading and listening. But, it has made me look forward to getting into the car and I already have another title lined up!

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June 9, 2008

Exam Prep

Before the fun of summer begins, students must first get through exams -- finals, APs, or Regents. While the library has exam prep books, they are very scarce this time of year. They're all checked out, outdated or the wrong topic. Just before you panic (or head off to Barnes and Noble), check out the Regents Exam Prep Center. Students can review their topic and even take old exams for practice! Good luck to all of our local test takers!

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December 3, 2007

Books in a Bag

Book clubs have really grown in popularity recently. Some of our staff members and patrons belong to more than one! And, thanks to Beth Siegel, our new(ish) Adult Services Librarian, we are hopping on the book club band wagon and are now offering "Books in a Bag!" Here's how it works: We put together a bag containing 10 copies of the book, background information, an interview and/or biography of the author and discussion questions. A representative of the book group picks up the bag and distributes the books. That's it!

We have six titles available right now: Amagansett, Bel Canto, The Book Thief, The Tender Bar, The Thirteenth Tale and Water for Elephants.

Now, hosting a book club couldn't be easier -- all you have to do is put up the coffee! Let us take care of the rest!

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July 31, 2007

Book Sale

We are fortunate to have a year-round book sale across the street in the Valentine House, which is run by the Friends. But, this is the time of year that we have a 'patio' book sale right outside of the library! All year long, as we discard old materials to make room for new ones, they are boxed up, awaiting this sale! We've been getting rid of a lot of books on tape, in favor of the cd or mp3 versions, there are fabulous picture books, young adult titles and fantastic adult mysteries, romances, biographies and more! There is some great stuff there -- come see for yourself!

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July 27, 2007

Harry Potter - No Spoilers Here

I don't consider myself a Harry Potter fanatic, I don't own the glasses or the hat, and I didn't stand in line at midnight for my copy. I did however, order an advance copy, which was delivered to my door last Saturday morning. My husband read it first, and by Tuesday night, we had both finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The obvious theme of the whole Harry Potter series is 'good vs. evil.' But, the thing that struck me most about this last novel in the series is it's overpowering thematic parallel to the Holocaust. There was hatred, racism, power, and even a prison where they contained all those who were not considered 'pureblood.' Consider this quote: "I’d say that it’s one short step from ‘Wizards first’ to ‘Purebloods first,’ and then to ‘Death Eaters. We’re all human, aren’t we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving." And, wasn't that the lesson learned from that awful historic event? It doesn't matter whether you're talking about Jews, Gypsies. Purebloods or Aryans, the moral is the same. It moves me that so many children and adults have followed this series to this awesome conclusion -- for so many reasons, not least of which is this important lesson.

I've watched Meredith Veira's interview with J.K. Rowling for the past two mornings and it was very good. She seems a little overwhelmed with the unbelievable success of the Harry Potter series, and is looking forward to taking a well-deserved break! And, I love the quote from Dumbledore, "It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it." I'm sure that Rowling could never have envisioned the immense popularity (and in our culture, popularity often means power) that she is enjoying now. I'm not sure what it says about our political system, but I understand and appreciate the sentiment.

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July 3, 2007

Summer Reading

Now that summer is officially here, everyone, it seems, wants to settle down with a good book. I love the college students who come in after a year of being deprived of reading for pleasure and ask for recommendations. They always leave with an armload of titles! Then we have the high school and middle schoolers who have to select their books from the school's reading list. And, for the fourth consecutive year, Barbara Czekala, Reference Department Head, has compiled a list of "Staff Picks!"

Staff Picks include titles that have been enjoyed by employees of the library, in many departments, over the course of this year. People always ask us what we've enjoyed reading -- well, here's the answer. Each of these titles has been hand selected and well reviewed, both personally and professionally. Although I'm in the middle of a great book now, (The Sonnet Lover by Carol GoodmanI can't wait to get to the other ones on the list!!

How do you get this awesome list? By going to our website or from our current newsletter, of course!

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April 12, 2007

And So It Goes

Kurt Vonnegut died last night at the age of 84. His alter-ego, Kilgore Trout died at the same age (in the novel, Timequake). His novels are a must read if you consider yourself an educated, well-rounded person. But, he was also a man of tremendous wit, humor and humanism. His obituary in the NYTimes is impressive and includes links to many articles, book reviews and interviews.

Kurt Vonnegut's wikipedia entry gives you an idea of the kind of person he was, "On pages 9 and 10 of his book Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction, Vonnegut listed eight rules for writing a short story:

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things -- reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them -- in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.

So, even though Kurt Vonnegut's life is over -- his legacy will live forever. And so it goes.

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October 27, 2006

A Child Called It

My 14-year-old daughter and her friends were reading A Child Called It. I hadn't read it, but as they all breezed through it, talked about it and requested the sequel -- I couldn't resist. It's an autobiography, written by Dave Pelzer. It is Pelzer's story of the severe abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother. It was painful to read, it was so utterly heartbreaking. Not only was he abused at home, but he was victimized at school as well. I kept thinking, though -- why did Mr. Pelzer write this book for young adults? As I finished the book, I found a poem by Cindy Adams. The poem holds us all responsible, as it tells us that there is something all of us can do. According to Dave Pelzer, 1 in 5 children are physically or emotionally abused. That means that many of us may know someone who is. Let's never forget that there's something we all can do.
I Never Knew
I never knew how bad it was;
I heard it did exist.
I was appalled at this crime
That robbed youth
Of their "special" time.
I never knew how bad it hurt;
The bruises and scars aren't seen.
And why somewhere along life's way,
The brutality of abuse
Has made you pay.
I never knew how you felt;
Your self-esteem so low.
I only knew you crept away,
And never let your feelings show.
I never knew what I could do;
That I could help somehow.
That all you needed was a friend;
Just someone to be your pal.
But now I know that I can help;
I can make a difference, too.
I'll stand with you; I'll shout with you,
And the rest can't say, "I never knew."
Cindy Adams

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September 22, 2006

Banned Books Week

Tomorrow is the first day of Banned Books Week. Even Google is participating this year!

BANNED BOOKS WEEK:
CELEBRATING THE FREEDOM TO READ
PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is essential to our democracy, and reading is among our greatest freedoms; and

WHEREAS, privacy is essential to the exercise of that freedom, and the right to privacy is the right to open inquiry without having the subject of one’s interest examined or scrutinized by others; and

WHEREAS, the freedom to read is protected by our Constitution; and

WHEREAS some individuals, groups, and public authorities work to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries of materials reflecting the diversity of society; and

WHEREAS, both governmental intimidation and the fear of censorship cause authors who seek to avoid controversy to practice self-censorship, thus limiting our access to new ideas; and

WHEREAS, every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of American society and leaves it less able to deal with controversy and difference; and

WHEREAS, Americans still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression, and can be trusted to exercise critical judgment, to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe, and to exercise the responsibilities that accompany this freedom; and

WHEREAS, intellectual freedom is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture; and

WHEREAS, conformity limits the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend; and

WHEREAS, the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year as a reminder to Americans not to take their precious freedom for granted; and

WHEREAS, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Bryant Library celebrates the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week, September 23–30, 2006, and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Bryant Library encourages all libraries and bookstores to acquire and make available materials representative of all the people in our society; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Bryant Library encourages free people to read freely, now and forever.

That is our pledge.

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August 28, 2006

Weird with a Capital "W"

My September book club book is Running with Scissors, which I've already read, so I thought that my dysfunctional family reading quota would be filled, but I was wrong! This weekend, I read two thoroughly enjoyable and weird with a capital "W" nonfiction titles. The first was called Remember Me: A Lively Tour of the New American Way of Death by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. Turns out, death rituals and funerals are a changing industry. DId you know that cremated remains (or cremains, as they're called) can be turned into diamonds? Believe it or not, I know someone who had her father's cremated remains turned into a barrier reef. But, I hadn't heard of "green burials," which are environmentally friendly coffins (or no coffins at all) and use a tree instead of a headstone, and... well, you get the idea. Anyway, the author interspersed sections about the funeral industry with personal stories of people who had chosen one of these unique rituals. It was like reading a script for that HBO show, Six Feet Under!

The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls reminded me a lot of Running with Scissors. There were parts that were so sad that I wished it were fiction. The good news is that she not only survives her dysfunctional family and bizarre upbringing, but she ends up succeeding academically, professionally, and it seems, personally.

If you're in the mood for something different -- these are two good choices!

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August 21, 2006

Summer Reading

Just a reminder that the summer reading books that were overcrowding our YA shelves in June, are now in dwindling supply. Whether they are fiction, nonfiction, young adult or adult -- they are conveniently located all together in the Young Adult section. If you haven't yet chosen your books or done your reading -- please come in soon and get started!!

My reading this summer was copious! I just finished reading The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards. I loved Bad GIrl by Abigail Vona. I adored Anne Tyler's Digging to America, and One Mississippi by Marc Childress. The good thing about being able to put down a book that I'm not crazy about it -- I love most of the books that I read!!

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August 15, 2006

Chick Lit

A term that's been floating around the library and the web lately is chick lit. What do we mean by it? Is it romance? No, not exactly. There are other aspects to it, according to Wikipedia. Examples of popular titles are Bridget Jones's Diary, Sex and the City and The Girls Guide to Fishing and Hunting. In teen novels, chick lit has been abundant as well in The Gossip Girls, Princess Diaries and others.

There have always been romance books, or "bodice rippers," and those are one kind of fantasy (as opposed to the fantasy that involves fictional places, dragons and magic) -- chick lit involves just enough reality to make it appealing to today's woman. Of course, to me, the Manolo Blahnicks, nightly trysts and general lifestyle are entirely fantasy!

Here are the pertinent questions regarding chick lit:
Q: Does reading chick lit make you less of a "serious reader?"
A: What is a "serious reader" anyway? If you're reading for pleasure -- read whatever pleases you!
Q: Does the popularity of chick lit take credibility away from the more literary female authors?
A: Absolutely not! Someone who is well read by definition has read a variety of literature -- including chick lit, great mysteries, classics and more!
Q: What is the chick lit equivalent for men?
A: There are lots of "light" authors for men as well, such as Elmore Leonard, Dick Francis, Stephen King, and many more. My husband reads a lot of murder mysteries -- I don't know what that says about his fantasies, but... to each his own taste, I guess!
Q: Where can you find more recommendations for chick lit books?
A: Novelist, Books in Print, Candy Covered Books
Q: Do men enjoy chick lit?
A: No, in general, they don't. Women, on the other hand, tend to be more flexible in their selections.

We have had some successful book displays in the library this summer. We have the NYTimes Book Review's "What is the best work of American Fiction of the last 25 years?" display that has gone over very well. There is the "Staff Picks" books that we can't keep on the shelves. And, there is the "beach reading" display that we keep having to replenish. The next display is going to be a Chick Lit display and it promises to be a good one!

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August 5, 2006

On Starting/Finishing a Book

I just read a great essay in tomorrow's NYTimes Book Review. It's titled, "Why I Can't Stop Starting Books" by Joe Queenan. Mr. Queenan describes how he often has over 25 books that he's in the middle of and fully intends to finish!

This is so interesting -- I know that we all have different reading styles. I don't read more than one book at a time. I guess my memory isn't that great because if I put a book down for more than a day or two, I can't remember what's going on. Plus, if I was able to put the book down for more than one day, I probably wasn't that into it in the first place and won't pick it up again. As an aside, I firmly believe that it's okay to stop reading a book if you don't like it. Some people feel obligated to force themselves to finish a title before deciding if they like it. I don't feel any such compunction. There are so many books and so little time, if I don't love it, I don't finish it. There are times, such as when you're reviewing a book or writing a report that you need to complete the book, but that's another story.

I wrote an essay in high school that I called "On Finishing a Book." I remember writing in an emotional teenage voice about how I would read more slowly towards the end of a book that I was enjoying just to delay finishing it. I described having to say goodbye to characters and a world that I inhabited for a short time as a kind of mourning. I don't remember the grade I received, but it doesn't matter -- so many years later, I still remember the essay and still agree with what I wrote.

My least enjoyable part of reading is starting a book, so I found Mr. Queenan's essay all the more interesting.

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August 2, 2006

David Levithan

I was lucky enough to attend an author visit by David Levithan to Queens College Graduate School of Library Science. He is one of my favorite young adult authors and has written, among others, Boy Meets Boy, Realm of Possibility, and his newest, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. It was so exciting to meet him and hear what he had to say!
David Levithan is one of several authors whose novels include gay main characters. One of the comments from yesterday's class was that while the characters are gay, it isn't viewed as a "problem" within the story. Boy Meets Boy, for example is a beautiful, romantic love story that just so happens to occur between two boys. He writes in a recent School Library Journal article,

"I have met so many amazing librarians in the past few years, staunch and strong defenders of expression and representation. I can say without a single doubt that many young readers' lives have been helped and saved by their librarians' open-mindedness and courage... Many people consider librarians to be gatekeepers, usually in terms of keeping things out. I also think of librarians as gatekeepers in terms of the people they help through the gates... With books, courage comes on many levels. We authors have to find the courage to offer the words that will release the truth, in ways both small and large. We put our names on the cover of the book, offering those words out in the world with our lives attached. The publisher, too, offers its own reputation when it puts its name on the spine. Readers must take great courage in taking a book from a shelf, or being seen carrying it around. Librarians can - and often do - and always must find the courage to stand up to the fear that surrounds us. You are the gatekeepers of the representation. It's not just literature at stake; it's lives."

Thank you, David for your words and we accept the responsibility that comes with them. We will continue to take pride in offering well written young adult books (such as yours) on as wide a variety of subjects as we can, to reach as many teens as we can. It's not often that we stop to think of the day to day decisions we make in purchasing or recommending a book and the impact it can have on young lives.

David Levithan is excited about writing for and communicating with young adults -- he even has a myspace page! And, he has over 1500 friends!!

One of the things he talked about is the influence of music on his work. He listens to music as he writes. He is a self-admitted music/ipod addict. He is very particular about his phrasing, and he tries to find the beat in his writing. Green Day and Bright Eyes are particularly inspirational to him.
His new book, which is coming out in September is called Wide Awake. With this novel, David Levithan sets out to write a political novel for young adults. This one sounds very promising and will include a gay, Jewish president of the United States! I can't wait to read it!

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July 14, 2006

Which Teen Angst Novel Are You?

I just took a quiz to see which teen angst book I am (thanks, Cool Librarian!), and it turns out that I'm a book that I loved -- It's called Looking for Alaska by John Green. It also won the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature in 2006. Cool Librarian turned out to be the same title, but it said that only 27% of people who took the quiz turned up with this title. The funny thing is that it describes me as "sad, funny, boozy and thought-provoking." I wouldn't describe myself as sad, I can be funny and I hope to be thought-provoking sometimes, but ... boozy? Definitely not!

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July 5, 2006

More On Summer Reading

So, bored and lonely with my husband sick at home, my children away at camp, and friends and family away for the weekend, I found myself at Barnes and Noble the other night. I spent a leisurely hour or so browsing among the books. It was a funny feeling -- I realized that I usually choose books based on reviews or recommendations. And, here I was picking books up blindly, based on nothing but the author's name, the cover of the book or the description on the book jacket. I didn't buy any books, but I did jot down some titles, so I could investigate further. It was kind of freeing in a way to just browse.

The next day, I heard a new (to me, anyway) show on NPR, called You Must Read This. It has authors talking about books that they've enjoyed. I was interested in the show and found that they have a few other sections about books in their summer reading section. And, guess what? You can subscribe to the feeds via email or rss! It's worth a look!

Our "Staff Picks" are on the shelves now -- ready for picking! I just read my first one, which I absolutely loved (thanks, Paulette!) called Joy Comes in the Morning by Jonathan Rosen. Plus, I've collected quite a few other titles to read: The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason (my book club book), Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? by Lorrie Moore, Name All the Animals by Alison Smith, The Stardust Lounge by Deborah Digges, Black, White and Jewish by Rebecca Walker, and The Ha-Ha by Dave King (another of the Staff Picks). I'll be busy for awhile!

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July 3, 2006

Garbage In, Garbage Out

This was the advice given to me by someone I worked with when I first started using computers a long time http://www.nassaulibrary.org/bryant/Ch_Room/Programs.htmago. She was explaining to me that if you're searching for a title in the catalog and it's misspelled in the catalog, you won't find it. (Now, of course, you can always choose an author or keyword search) But, I've found this phrase useful in other situations as well.

A couple of nights ago, I went to see Devil Wears Prada with a friend. When the book came out in 2003, I didn't feel the need to read it. Lots of titles come out all the time that are immensely popular, but don't appeal to me. Why, then did I want to see the movie? Just take a look at this cast -- I love Meryl Streep, Ann Hathaway was great in Princess Diaries and just look at how adorable her boyfriend, played by Adrian Grenier is! I see movies so rarely that I am surely no critic, but the most I can say for it is entertaining and "cute." This may be a little harsh, but even with the awesome cast, there was nothing to the story. As I said, "garbage in, garbage out."

The more exciting thing for me was that we got to the theater early, as it was opening night and we got to see not only the trailers, but the advertisements before that. Okay, most of them are boring, local ads, but one of them caught my eye -- it was advertising the Nassau Library System and the summer reading club at your local library! I thought that was major cool!

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June 12, 2006

Books I've Read Recently

I don't know if everyone is like this, but I tend to read in phases. There are weeks that I don't read at all -- of course, I always read the newspaper, professional journals, blogs, etc., but not the reading for pleasure, mostly fiction, can't-put-it-down kind of reading. That's the phase I'm in right now. I thought I'd share what I've read in the past couple of weeks:

Intuition by Allegra Goodman. This was my book club book and none of us loved it. I did enjoy another of her books, Kaaterskill Falls very much, but this title fell short.
My Latest Grievance by Eleanor Lipman. I enjoyed this title and I think it would be enjoyed by teens as well as adults.
The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld. This novel follows the very popular title, Prep. Both of these titles are written for adults, but widely ready by teens as well. I would categorize it as fairly enjoyable, but not memorable.
Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck. A young adult novel that is humorous, historical, a little adventure and involves a library -- I couldn't pass it up and it didn't disappoint!
One Small Boat by Kathy Harrison. I saved the best for last -- I loved this book! It's non-fiction, written by a woman who is a biological, adoptive and foster mother of many children. She writes beautifully about the difficulties and beauty of parenting these sometimes difficult and very needy children. The foster care situation in this country is so sad and Kathy Harrison tells it like it is -- it is a sad reality, but it is made brighter by mothers like herself. One Small Boat reads like a heartbreaking novel. It reminded me of Love in the Driest Season by Neely Tucker, which I also loved.

It's in these voracious reading phases that I can't be without a book -- I'll let you know what I pick up next!

Posted by Michele at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)