Children's Program - Magic with Scott Jameson

Middletown Public Library presents

Magic by Scott Jameson

Friday, December 28 11am

For more info, call the Children's Room at 846-1573

December Calendar

Events and Important Dates for December at the Library

December 7 - Friday - Greeting for the Troops YA Program - 2 - 4pm

December 14 - Friday - Email for Beginners Computer Class - 1:30 - 3pm

December 24 - Monday - CLOSING at 5pm

December 25 - Tuesday - CLOSED for CHRISTMAS

December 28 - Friday - Magic by Scott Jameson Children's Program - 11am

December 28 - Friday - Intro to the Internet Computer Class - 1:30 - 3pm

NEW Encyclopedia Britannica - In Print AND Online!

The library has purchased the latest edition of Encyclopedia Britannica - in print and ONLINE!

The print version will be on the shelves in the reference section soon, and the ONLINE version is available NOW. You can access the online version in the library, or at home (with your valid library card number). The online version also includes free access to Britannica Kids, which is perfect for homework assignments through grade 6 (or so). The link to Britannica Kids is in the upper right corner of the Britannica homepage.

We hope to have the links up on our library homepage soon, but in the meantime, you can access the encyclopedia both in the library and from home using the links in the sidebar of this blog.

Access Encyclopedia Britannica in the LIBRARY

Access Encyclopedia Britannica from HOME
*To access from home, you must have your valid library card number available

Let us know what you think!

Greetings for the Troops! - YA Program

Young Adult Program

Greetings for the Troops
Friday, December 7, 2 - 4 pm

Teens can come make greeting cards and write letters to be sent overseas to US Troops in time for the Super Bowl. Materials and ideas will be provided for making cards and decorated letters. All you need is your creativity!

Program is open to ages 12 and up.

Registration recommended, but not required.

To register for a program or class, please call the Middletown Public Library at 846-1573 or sign up at the circulation desk.

Upcoming Events

We have some new Adult Computer Skills classes coming to the library!

Email for Beginners - Adult
Friday, December 14, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Don't have an email address or not sure how your existing email address works?
Come to this class and set up an online email account, learn how to send and receive mail, and how to organize your mail.
Class size is limited to 7 people.
Registration required!


Internet for Beginners - Adult
Friday, December 28, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
New to the internet? Confused by what's out there?
Come learn what the World Wide Web "is," how to access it, and simple navigation techniques.
Class size is limited to 7 people.
Registration required!

To register for classes, please call the library at 846-1573 or sign up at the circulation desk.

Homework Drop-In Schedule

The Homework Drop-In Program has returned for its second season!

If your middle or high school student needs some extra help with homework, a aper, or a project, they can drop by the library and meet with VOLUNTEER tutors from Roger Williams and Salve Regina.

The schedule (so far) for this semester is:
Monday 3 - 6
Tuesday 3 - 5
Thursday 4 - 6 MATH HELP Available
Saturday 10am - 2pm MATH HELP Available



Please Note! This schedule may change to include more hours! To check on the current schedule, please click on the Homework Schedule link in the sidebar to the right. We have added Saturday hours to accommodate those with busy after-school schedules.

This is a volunteer drop-in program. Therefore, you cannot schedule times, and you cannot cannot be guaranteed that a specific tutor will be available. Please check the schedule, and then just stop by. And please be sure that your child has their assignment sheet and any books/tools necessary to work on the project.

This program is open to children and teens in grades 5 - 12.

Winners!

Congratulations to Holly and Keri, winners of the YNK (You Never Know) Summer Reading Program! Keri, a 5th grade student at Gaudet won the grand prize, an iPod Shuffle, for reading and writing reviews for a staggering 18 books! Holly, a Junior at Middletown High, took home a $25 gift certificate to Green River Silver in Bristol (thanks, Green River!) and a journal (Holly loves to write). Both Holly and Keri are talented writers - watch for more reviews from both of them at Teen Spot Reviews. If your teen is interested in writing book reviews and being published, direct them to the reference desk to sign up!

Family Geocaching Program

The Middletown Public Library will be hosting a
Family Geocaching Clinic
Sunday, September 16
1:30 p.m.

Geocaching is a fast-growing, healthy, and adventurous sport for all ages - and it's a particularly great FAMILY ACTIVITY. Geocachers use a hand-held GPS receiver to locate published latitute/logitude coordinates; at the coordinates, geocache hunters find a hidden treasure (the geocache or cache).

Geocaching allows you to get some exercise, interact with nature and the outdoors, see parks, preserves, and areas that you probably didn't even know existed - right in your own backyard!

Join us for
* Basic Instruction
* Safety Tips
* Refreshements
* Mingling with experienced geocachers
* And find your first geocache!

This is an ALL Ages Program.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more general info on Geocaching, visit www.geocaching.com

For more info on the program, or to register, please call the library at 846-1573.

TEEN SUMMER READING UNDERWAY!

For details visit:

The Teen Spot Blog

FREE BOOKS for TEENS

Planning a long car trip? Is your teen going off to camp? Spending long, lazy days at the beach?

If you are looking for books for your teen that you don't have to worry about returning (and not damaging or losing at the beach or on vacation), then stop by the YA area (across from reference) and look through the FREE BOOK boxes. They are located on the bottom shelf of the NEW YA BOOKS shelves. And, as we are cleaning up a bit to make room for more new books, check back often - we have many other free books to replace the ones that are taken!

Surf RI Database Trial EXTENDED!

The deadline for the SurfRI trial has been extended, so there is still time for you to check out Surf RI, the state's trial run of a state-wide database system. Surf RI offers access to 40 databases covering a wide variety of topics - health, history, literature, politics, reference, etc., - in a variety of "formats" - newspapers, magazines, journals, encyclopedias, and more. A new database has also been added to the trial, Teen Health and Wellness, a database by Rosen, which also publishes a series of books by the same title.

The trial NOW runs through April 30, and no login or password is required for access.

Statewide databases provide all of the public libraries in the state with the same access to information. Databases are expensive, and some libraries cannot afford them; statewide databases provide access to all patrons regardless of their "home" library affiliation.
Currently, 46 states offer statewide databases.

Help make Surf RI a reality - if you use, and like, the service, please leave feedback.

Book Discussion - The 100 Year Lifestyle

The 100 Year Lifestyle:
Book discussion and life strategy with Craig Pruitt, DC

Where: Middletown Public Library
When: Saturday, May 12
Time: 10:00 am

Join Dr. Craig Pruitt as he discusses a new book authored by his friend and colleague Dr. Eric Plasker. Learn how - and why - you should plan to live to 100 years old.

Program is FREE. Please call the library at 401-846-1573 to reserve your seat.

New Audio Books!

Here's a list of the newest Audio Books (Books on CD) to come in. Click on the title link to see the reviews!

The Alexandria Link: A Novel by Steve Berry and Scott Brick (Audio CD - Jan 30, 2007) - Audiobook

Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy and Jenny Sterlin (Audio CD - Mar 6, 2007)

The Double Bind: A Novel by Chris Bohjalian and Susan Denaker (Audio CD - Feb 13, 2007) -

The Secret (Unabridged, 4-CD Set) by Rhonda Byrne and and Contributors (Audio CD - Nov 28, 2006)

Burning Bright by Tracy Chevalier (Audio CD - Mar 20, 2007) - Audiobook

I Heard That Song Before: A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark and Jan Maxwell (Audio CD - April 3, 2007) - Audiobook

Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky and Becket Royce (Audio CD - Feb 6, 2007)

Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille and Scott Brick (Audio CD - Nov 6, 2006) - Audiobook

Bad Blood (Alexandra Cooper Mysteries) by Linda Fairstein and Blair Brown (Audio CD - Jan 16, 2007)

Heart-Shaped Box CD by Joe Hill and Lang Stephen (Audio CD - Feb 13, 2007) - Audiobook

The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag and Beth Mcdonald (Audio CD - Mar 27, 2007) - Audiobook

Shopaholic & Baby by Sophie Kinsella and Katherine Kellgren (Audio CD - Feb 27, 2007)

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama (Audio CD - Oct 17, 2006)

High Profile by Robert B. Parker and Scott Sowers (Audio CD - Feb 13, 2007) - Audiobook

Cross by James Patterson, Peter J. Fernandez, and Jay O. Sanders (Audio CD - Nov 13, 2006) - Audiobook

Step on a Crack by James Patterson, Michael Ledwidge, John Slattery, and Reg Rogers (Audio CD - Feb 6, 2007) - Audiobook

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult (Audio CD - Mar 2007)

Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline

Sisters (Danielle Steel) by Danielle Steel and Sam Freed (Audio CD - Jan 23, 2007) - Audiobook

Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey by Alison Weir, Stina Nielsen, and et al (Audio CD - Feb 2007)

Surf RI - Rhode Island Statewide Databases Trial

I apologize for the lateness of this post, but there is still time for you to check out Surf RI, the state's trial run of a state-wide database system. Surf RI offers access to 40 databases covering a wide variety of topics - health, history, literature, politics, reference, etc., - in a variety of "formats" - newspapers, magazines, journals, encyclopedias, and more.

The trial runs through April 15, and no login or password is required for access.

Statewide databases provide all of the public libraries in the state with the same access to information. Databases are expensive, and some libraries cannot afford them; statewide databases provide access to all patrons regardless of their "home" library affiliation. Currently, 46 states offer statewide databases.

Help make Surf RI a reality - if you use, and like, the service, please leave feedback.

NEW!!! Young Adult Audio Books

We have decided to add a new category to our young Adult (YA) section - Audio Books (Books on CD)! These new items will be shelved in the NEW YA Books section (for the time being). The YA Audio collection will be comprised of popular fiction titles, and classics, and special attention will also be paid to Summer Reading titles.

If you've wanted to give audio books a try but couldn't find a title that interested you, come in and take a look at the new selections.

For a list of current and "coming soon" titles, please visit our Teen Spot Blog.

Summer Reading Recommendations

Book Lists, Award Winners, and Recommendations for Summer Reading – 2007

List compiled by Jessica Langlois Reference and YA Librarian
Middletown Public Library 401-846-1573
referencejess@coollibrarian.com

This list is a resources for middle and high school English teachers who are looking for new additions to their summer reading lists. However, this is also just a great list if you or your teen is looking for something good to read.

Click on the titles for Book Reviews!

ALA Teens’ Top Ten – 2006 (FICTION)

Teens were encouraged to vote for their favorite young adult books during Teen Read Week from the official nomination list posted online at the Teens’ Top Ten site. Over 5000 online ballots were cast and the results, combined with the results of a separate vote of the TTT groups, determined the final ranking of the 10 top books of the year, as selected by teen readers.

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
2. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
3. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
4. Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
5. Peeps by Scott Westerfeld
6. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
7. Poison by Chris Wooding
8. Captain Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart
9. If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where’s My Prince? by Melissa Kantor
10. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers – 2007 (FICTION AND NON-FICTION)
The Quick Picks committee seeks books that teens, ages 12-18, will pick up on their own and read for pleasure. The list is geared to the teenager who, for whatever reason, does not like to read. The list is not intended for teenagers with reading disabilities, though some of the selected titles may be appropriate for those teens. Teen input is a vital aspect in the final decision of the committee.

1. Played. Davidson, Dana.
2. Blue Bloods. de la Cruz, Melissa.
3. What Happened to Cass McBride. Giles, Gail.
4. Emily the Strange: The Lost Issue. Gruner, Jessica and Parker, Buzz
5. Body Type: Intimate Messages Etched in Flesh. Saltz, Ina. non-fiction
6. Optical Illusions: The Science of Visual Perception. Seckel, Al. non-fiction
7. The Sleeper Conspiracy. Sniegoski, Tom. Also Sleeper Code and Sleeper Agenda.
8. Street Pharm. van Diepen, Allison.
9. PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives Warren, Frank. non-fiction
   

ALA Alex Awards 2007 (FICTION)

The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year's publishing.

1. The Book of Lost Things. Connolly, John.
2. The Whistling Season. Doig, Ivan.
3. Eagle Blue: A Team, A Tribe, and A High School Basketball Season in Arctic Alaska. D'Orso, Michael.
4. Water for Elephants. Gruen, Sara.
5. Floor of the Sky. Joern, Pamela Carter.
6. Color of the Sea. Hamamura, John.
7. The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. Lewis, Michael.
8. Black Swan Green. Mitchell, David.
9. The World Made Straight. Rash, Ron.
10. The Thirteenth Tale. Setterfield, Diane.

ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults – 2007 (FICTION)

1. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume 1: The Pox Party. Ande
2. Samurai Shortstop. Gratz, Alan. (Very well-reviewed. Good title for boys)
3. Surrender. Hartnett, Sonya.
4. Sold. McCormick, Patricia.
5. Anahita’s Woven Riddle. Sayres, Meghan Nuttall.
6. The Trap. Smelcer, John.
7. The King of Attolia. Turner, Megan Whalen.
8. The Rules of Survival. Werlin, Nancy.
9. American Born Chinese. Yang, Gene Luen. (This is a graphic novel. 2007 Printz Award)
10. The Book Thief. Zusak, Markus. (This has been an extremely well-reviewed and POPULAR title!)

ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award 2006
The Margaret A. Edwards Award, established in 1988, honors an author, as well as a specific body of his or her work, that have been popular over a period of time. It recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world.

Jacqueline Woodson is the recipient of the 2006 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens.

Woodson’s sensitive and lyrical books reveal and give a voice to outsiders often invisible to mainstream America. The award was announced January 23 at the 2006 Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association (ALA) in San Antonio

"I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This,” and its sequel, “Lena,” (reprint available in fall 2006), both from G. P. Putnam Sons, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, tell a story of interracial friendship with no pat solutions to the problems of race, class, abandonment and abuse, while a compassionate community offers hope and support. A young boy records his fears that his mother’s new lesbian relationship will change their family bond in “From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun,” published by The Blue Sky Press, an imprint of Scholastic.

First love, tender and fragile, flowers for Ellie and Jeremiah, even as the pressure and prejudice of society work against them in “If You Come Softly.” Preserving family is at the heart of “Miracle’s Boys,” as three very different brothers struggle to move beyond grief and loss to forge a bond strong enough to prevail against poverty, anger and the lure of the streets. Both titles are published by G. P. Putnam Sons.

“Woodson’s books are powerful, groundbreaking and very personal explorations of the many ways in which identity and friendship transcend the limits of stereotype,” said Edwards Award Committee chair Mary Arnold.“Her captivating and richly drawn characters struggle and grow and celebrate who they are in the world, and reveal to readers exciting possibilities for their own lives.

Woodson says, “I feel compelled to write against stereotypes, hoping people will see that some issues know no color, class, sexuality.

ALA Margaret A. Edwards Award 2007

Lois Lowry, author of "The Giver," is the recipient of the 2007 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens.

"The Giver," published by Walter Lorraine Books/Houghton Mifflin Company, explores a future where differences have been erased and strict rules govern society. The novel tells the story of Jonas, a young man designated as the new Receiver of Memory for his community.

Little by little, Lowry reveals what is absent from Jonas’ life: color, pain, love. Readers, along with Jonas, discover that lack of freedom is too heavy a price to pay for security.

"‘The Giver’ is a timeless classic with widespread teen appeal," said Edwards Committee Chair Mary Hastler. "Lowry’s complex and provocative novel, translated into 22 languages, remains infinitely discussable."

In fact, "The Giver" was one of the most frequently challenged books from 1990-2000, as recorded by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. A challenge is a formal, written attempt to remove a book from a library or classroom.

Published in 1993, "The Giver" continues to provide a mechanism for teens to understand themselves, the world in which they live and their relationships with others and with society.

"The book has held a unique position in teen literature. Lowry’s exceptional use of metaphors and subtle complexity make it a book that will be discussed, debated and challenged for years to come…a perfect teen read," Hastler said.

Lowry lives in Boston and continues to provide support to those fighting censorship attempts against this complex novel.

ALA The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature 2007

Gene Luen Yang has won the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award for his masterful graphic novel “American Born Chinese.” The book is published by First Second, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership.

Yang draws from American pop culture and ancient Chinese mythology in his groundbreaking work. Expertly told in words and pictures, Yang’s story in three parts follows a Chinese American teenager’s struggle to define himself against racial stereotypes. “American Born Chinese” is the first graphic novel to be recognized by the Michael L. Printz Committee.

2007 Printz Honor Books

1. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing,
Traitor to the Nation; v.1: The Pox Party by M. T.
Anderson
2. Abundance of Katherines by John Green
3. Surrender by Sonya Hartnett
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Reading Across Rhode Island 2007

The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty

(former East Providence resident)

Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award Winners

The Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award is presented for historical fiction published by a U.S. publisher and set in the New World.

Year	Author	Title
2007	Ellen Klages	The Green Glass Sea
2006	Louise Erdrich	The Game of Silence
2005	A. LaFaye	Worth
2004	Richard Peck	A River Between Us
2003	Shelley Pearsall	Trouble Don't Last
2002	Mildred D. Taylor	The Land
2001	Janet Taylor Lisle	The Art of Keeping Coo
2000	Miriam Bat-Ami	Two Suns in the Sky

Gateway Readers Award Winners
Because reading is the gateway to knowledge and lifelong learning, because the teen years are the gateway to adulthood, and because Missouri was the gateway to the Old West, the Gateway Readers Award is for authors of books chosen by high school students in Missouri.

Year	Author	Title
2006	Dan Brown	The DaVinci Code
2005	Alice Sebold	Lovely Bones
2004	Ann Brasheres	Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
2003	Sarah Dessen	Dreamland
2002	Nicholas Sparks	A Walk to Remember
2001	Sarah Dessen	Someone Like You

Children's Program - Cat in the Hat

Sylvan Learning Centers is celebrating Read Across America Day and throwing a party for The Cat in the Hat!

Enjoy a special reading of The Cat in the Hat, along with a great big cake to celebrate the Cat’s 50th birthday! Each child will receive their own copy of The Cat in the Hat as a special gift.

WHERE: Middletown Public Library

WHEN: Friday, March 2, 2007
3:30 pm

HOW: Space is limited.
Register by calling 846-1573!

New Adult Non-Fiction

Here's just some of the NEW Non-Fiction we have on the shelves! Remember, clicking on the title will bring you to the Amazon page and reviews.

Religion in Schools: Controversies around the World by R. Murray Thomas

Magna Carta (Greenwood Guides to Historic Events of the Medieval World) by Katherine Fischer Drew

The Architecture of Happiness by Alain De Botton

"Excuse Me, But I Was Next...": How to Handle the Top 100 Manners Dilemmas by Peggy Post

Heavenly Torah: As Refracted Through the Generations by Abraham Joshua Heschel, Gordon Tucker, and Leonard Levin

DNA: How the Biotech Revolution Is Changing the Way We Fight Disease by Frank H. Stephenson

American Speeches: Political Oratory from the Revolution to the Civil War (Library of America) by Ted Widmer

Just Two More Bites!: Helping Picky Eaters Say Yes to Food by Linda Piette

Exploring Typography (Design Exploration Series) by Tova Rabinowitz

The Goldfish Went on Vacation: A Memoir of Loss (and Learning to Tell the Truth about It) by Patty Dann

Calling It Quits: Late-Life Divorce and Starting Over by Deirdre Bair

Prime Green: Remembering the Sixties by Robert Stone

The South Beach Heart Program: The 4-Step Plan that Can Save Your Life by Arthur Agatston

The Mystical Life of Jesus: An Uncommon Perspective on the Life of Christ by Sylvia Browne

On Top of Spaghetti...: ...Macaroni, Linguine, Penne, and Pasta of Every Kind by Johanne Killeen and George Germon

Technology And Copyright Law: A Guidebook for the Library, Research, And Teaching Professions by Arlene Bielefield and Lawrence Cheeseman

Woodworking 101 for Women: A Complete Guide: How to Speak the Language, Buy the Tools & Build Fabulous Furniture from Start to Finish by Marilyn MacEwen

The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook: A Guide for the Serious Searcher by Randolph Hock and Gary Price

Power of Play by David Elkind

The Encyclopedia of Dahlias by Bill McClaren

Agile Web Development with Rails (Pragmatic Programmers) by Dave Thomas, David Hansson, Leon Breedt, and Mike Clark

Pregnancy and Birth: Your Questions Answered by Christoph Lees, Karina Reynolds, and Grainne McCartan

Freud: Inventor of the Modern Mind by Peter D. Kramer

Twentieth-Century American Poetry (Blackwell Guides to Literature) by Christopher MacGowan

Monday Hours Added to Homework Program!

The Homework Drop-In Program will now be available Mondays 5-7pm, in addition to the 3-7 pm hours Tuesday through Thursday.

Tutors are available to help students in grades 5-12 with homework assignments and projects. Students should come prepared with their book(s), assignment, and anything else needed to work.

If you have questions, please call Jessica at 846-1573.

Homework Program Schedule

The Homework Drop-In Program will begin Tuesday, February 6.

The current schedule is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 3-7.
This may or may not change as the rest of the school year progresses - subscribe to the blog and be notified of schedule announcements.

Homework Drop-In Program Starts Next Month

The Homework Drop-In Program will start again on Monday, February 5th, for students in grades 5 through 12.

This program is staffed by volunteer college students who are here to help students with their homework assignments. In order to receive help, it is important that the student arrives with their assignment, books, and any other important instructions.

The general schedule for the program is Monday - Thursday, 3-7, and Friday, 3-5. However, the college students who tutor have just returned to from their winter break, so it may take a week or two before we are running at full staff. In the meantime, you can check the this blog for the current schedule. Please keep in mind that this is a drop-in program, and we cannot accommodate "scheduled" tutoring sessions.

If you have questions, please send them via e-mail to Jessica at
referencejess (at) coollibrarian.com (the best option) or call the library reference desk at 401-846-1573.

Winter Storytime Program

A five-week Winter Storytime Program will be held at the library on Tuesday mornings at 10 am, beginning February 1st.

The storytime program will feature stories, fingerplays, and a craft on a weekly theme.

This program is open to children ages 3-5 who are ready to join a group.
Registration begins Thursday, January 25, at 9 am.
Call 846-1573 for more information.