tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37030909308446573792011-09-12T17:00:01.775-07:00Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.comBlogger351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-4196747281121075732011-04-14T14:13:00.000-07:002011-04-14T14:42:40.353-07:00

It's been several years now since I first read A Game of Thrones, the first in a series called A Song of Ice and Fire. George RR Martin creates a medieval world in which several dynasties are vying for power, with seven distinct kingdoms. His characters are memorable, my personal favorite being Daenerys, the mother of three dragons (it's a nod to my own three incredible children). The original

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-43669086382648705052011-03-08T13:43:00.000-08:002011-03-08T13:56:03.090-08:00

Did you receive a Kindle or Nook for Christmas, only to realize how quickly the charges can add up in your excitement for downloads? No worries. Project Gutenberg has over 33,000 titles FREE! Of course, you won't find the last Steig Larsson, but if you love the classics or obscure/rare titles, you'll love this site. All copyrights on their titles have expired in the United States - if you live

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-82057050469178217912011-02-23T09:24:00.000-08:002011-02-23T10:16:49.202-08:00

"I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries." ~Carl Sagan, Cosmos I've been thinking about this quote quite a bit this past week while pouring over spreadsheets in an attempt to figure out how to absorb a potential major cut to the library's budget.

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-27735393195785835162010-12-16T09:15:00.000-08:002010-12-16T09:55:20.389-08:00

The New York Times Book Review recently released its annual list of 100 Notable Books of 2010 .It's amazing to me the storm of controversy that ensues once the list is published. Angry readers demand to know why their favorite reads were not included, judges are accused of bias, why three books on baseball heroes, why the finale of The Girl Who series, not the first? etc. It reminds me of the

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-17420302199835009802010-12-06T12:46:00.000-08:002010-12-06T13:06:50.154-08:00

Not that I stick to the New York Times Bestseller List for all my reading choices, but when a title gets a lot of buzz I do like to see what all the fuss is about. Even though it's fallen from the top 15, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo seemed to get an extraordinary amount of attention. People would come in and say they loved it! and an equal amount of people would come in and say they hated

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-37550027107011365702010-10-12T11:11:00.000-07:002010-10-12T13:32:25.261-07:00

Going through the library mail this morning, I came across the new issue of The New Yorker (dated October 18, 2010). Their cover art has always been eyecatching and this was no exception...a young man with a laptop and earbuds, sitting on a comfy chair in a library. OK, is that all? Nope. The wow factor is the backdrop of shelves of books behind him, all volumes illustrated with faces on the

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-69518283732213587492010-08-23T14:59:00.000-07:002010-08-23T15:10:21.847-07:00

One of those "awwwhhhh" websites...A few years ago, the Washington National Zoo set up a webcam so we could all watch the baby panda, who apparently wasn't all that impressed and pretty much slept the whole time. Roger Williams Zoo in Providence RI has a baby giraffe and the results are much better: GiraffeCamHe tends to hang back towards the other side of the stall and his head is out of the

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-21142384141568413712010-08-02T16:05:00.000-07:002010-08-02T16:27:27.249-07:00

Have you ever gotten up in the morning, bursting with energy and enthusiasm for the day ahead only to slump on the couch, slack-jawed and teary from just hearing the morning headlines? Well...I have. Of course, my kids wouldn't be surprised...I mean, they know my history crying in the movie theatres during Disney movies (do they ALWAYS have to kill the mother?!). During a Christmas visit, my

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-69995876520991848612010-07-29T14:37:00.000-07:002010-07-29T14:59:17.203-07:00

Online social networking isn't just for chatting and reconnecting with former schoolmates. The Mayo Clinic is launching its own social network site, The Center for Social Media, "aimed at both health care professionals and patients. Some of the services of the center include training for health care employees, consulting and coaching for organizations that want to engage in social media

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-83927650666866742592010-07-20T14:15:00.000-07:002010-07-22T16:43:43.098-07:00

I like to troll around CNN.com every day, keeping up with current events and checking trends - believe it or not, it helps with collection development! In between potential Supreme Court Justice Kagan's approval hearings and Lindsay Lohan's incarceration, I came across this story:Kim Kardashian writes like James JoyceWho knew?!According to this article, there is a website that will analyze a

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-58552562602872076622010-07-09T09:17:00.000-07:002010-07-09T09:30:53.781-07:00

While looking around the catalog for Read-Alikes some time ago, I came across this word as a subject heading. I have to admit, I had no idea at first what it meant, but of course my curiosity got the best of me and I looked it up. According to Merriam-Webster: Main Entry: bil·dungs·ro·man Pronunciation: \ˈbil-du̇ŋ(k)s-rō-ˌmän, -du̇ŋz-\Function: noun Etymology: German, from Bildung education +

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-82924055899168666972010-07-07T13:26:00.000-07:002010-07-07T13:40:15.065-07:00

Blame it on Nick (my son). He introduced me to Suzanne Collins' series, The Hunger Games. We were talking books (no surprise in my household!) and when he described the plot as an apocolyptic world where contestants from each district compete to the death, I had to read it. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long because Nick then gave it to me as a birthday gift soon after! Read it in one

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-31436047802154825352010-05-08T07:25:00.000-07:002010-06-22T12:30:14.857-07:00

This year I was honored to be included as a judge for the Massachusetts Book Awards, nonfiction category, for the first time. The Executive Director of the Massachusetts Center for the Book, Sharon Shaloo, sent out an email last fall asking for volunteers to judge the fiction, nonfiction, poetry and childrens lit/young adult submissions to be announced at this year's Massachusetts Library

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-44113803732402372222010-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:002010-05-04T13:49:08.633-07:00

I remember my daughter's friend, Alicia, who once told me she loved to visit because she loved to hear my stories. Not nighttime storybook readings, but family anecdotes, some of which have become legend. I suppose I came by it honestly - my Uncle Sim was a minister who regaled us with stories about his missionary work in Russia and the Cossacks and how he loved Germany and its celebration of

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-300736487309563492010-04-22T08:21:00.000-07:002010-04-22T09:20:55.881-07:00

I love reading David Lee King's blog - he's a brilliant tech-oriented person, very creative and thinks outside the box in relation to how we can integrate new technologies into libraries. Subscribe to his blog, he's amazing.That being said, I was uncomfortable with a recent entry, What's a Real Book?, in which he states "I think it’s time for us librarians to get over our paper fetish."Is it

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-80885344944219535682010-03-10T13:18:00.000-08:002010-03-11T08:29:41.119-08:00

When I am stressed (who, me?!) I tend towards comfort measures - herbal teas, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinner and curling up with an old friend, namely a beloved book. I am currently revisiting the Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, an old volume that used to belong to my mother, somewhat tattered but lovely. Yes, I admit my choice was shamelessly influenced by the release

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-88605470249757140922009-11-25T07:09:00.000-08:002009-11-25T07:50:07.396-08:00

I don't know about you, but I'm in full holiday shopping mode right now. This year we're being creative with holiday celebrations because family is now stretched across the country and with their schedules, we will have separate and multiple observances. I always loved Christmas Eve best - a special family dinner, the evening church service, coming home and opening a few gifts before sneaking

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-75423885782608074212009-10-28T13:44:00.000-07:002009-10-28T14:03:16.934-07:00

First came Kindle, then Sony's Reader, now there's Nook. What some deemed a fad seems to have more staying power than originally thought. According to an article in the Financial Times this past week, "as many as 5m e-readers are being produced this year internationally, and analysts say that could double in 2010". And why not? Prices are more reasonable, more titles are available for

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-73715194573834668712009-10-26T16:49:00.000-07:002009-10-28T13:44:38.348-07:00

Remember the excitement when Wikipedia first came out, and how quickly it fell from grace for its reportedly less-than-reliable entries? What made it special, the ability for anyone to contribute, became a double-edged sword as misinformation and vandalism became more apparent. Or, as one software developer says, "random crap".Enter WikiTrust, a program designed by researchers from the

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-78904761719276740742009-09-22T13:31:00.001-07:002009-09-22T13:32:57.132-07:00

Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)The book that changed minimum wage.Amazon.com ReviewA bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including Krakauer's--in

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-76852433608496856222009-09-21T12:52:00.000-07:002009-09-21T12:57:09.246-07:00

Temple Grandin (1995). The book that explains autism from the inside out.Review“I hardly know what to say about this remarkable book. . . It provides a way to understand the many kinds of sentience, human and animal, that adorn the earth.” –Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs"There are innumerable astounding facets to this remarkable book. . . . Displaying uncanny powers

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-88412971179806634582009-09-18T16:01:00.000-07:002009-09-18T16:03:41.426-07:00

by Peter D Kramer. The book that got America popping pills. From Library JournalKramer, a practicing psychiatrist, finds that the antidepressant Prozac is a powerful drug that lifts the veil of depression from most patients without significant side effects. While he unquestionably supports the use of medication to alleviate illness, he questions using drugs to make a person feel "better than

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-24449589987562667632009-09-17T13:46:00.000-07:002009-09-17T13:47:49.417-07:00

The Comic book that redrew history.Amazon.com ReviewSome historical events simply beggar any attempt at description--the Holocaust is one of these. Therefore, as it recedes and the people able to bear witness die, it becomes more and more essential that novel, vigorous methods are used to describe the indescribable. Examined in these terms, Art Spiegelman's Maus is a tremendous achievement, from

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-30034302141111057162009-09-15T12:40:00.000-07:002009-09-15T12:50:50.462-07:00

I will try and post a book each week of the most powerful books in the last 25 years.This list was compiled by Mental Floss (a periodical) but for all of you I will post a book of the week."And the Band Played on" by Randy Shilts (1987).The book that forced us to acknowledge AIDS.Randy Shilts is responsible for getting the world to pay attention to AIDS. An openly gay reporter Shilts wrote "And

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-53115254805913028462009-08-20T07:30:00.000-07:002009-08-20T07:35:16.144-07:00

Woman Strangles. News at Ten by Laurie BostwickThe Book of William. How Shakespeare's First Folio Conquered the World by Paul Collinsa thread of truth by Marie BostwickEmily Post's a wedding like no other. Inspiration for creating a unique, personal, and unforgettable celebration.Country Living's Easy Makeovers. 101 quick design fixes you can do in a weekend.

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-29464620197324241532009-08-04T05:26:00.000-07:002009-08-05T06:16:01.486-07:00

1. A strong voice - I love a good book with a strong character with a stronger voice.2. An extraordinary insight - history, culture, character - something that will make me look at a piece of history with different eyes. Pop value - that made me really think - POP!3. A perfect length: either short enough to knock off in an afternoon or long enough for 3 weeks to my due date.4. Covers! I am truly

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-26342104661614577722009-07-27T11:33:00.000-07:002009-07-27T12:04:15.582-07:00

After years of crochet, my daughter Jamie recently took up knitting and alerted me to this website, Ravelry.com where you can organize, share and discover lots of free patterns, sage advice and links to other great knitting/crocheting sites. Signing up is easy, just put in your email and follow the link! They even have a blog titled Unraveled, which made a novice like me feel so much better

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-83390278682525584372009-07-02T09:33:00.000-07:002009-07-02T11:36:58.250-07:00

No question, it's pretty. Right now Microsoft is promoting their new search engine, Bing.com, an alternative to Google and Yahoo. It is pleasant to browse through and offers many of the same features as the competition such as images, maps, shopping and news. I decided to take a quick test drive, and a search for ragdoll cats (I have two beautiful Ragdoll grandcats, Sassy and Bruschi) brought

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-58171311876836242312009-06-18T04:59:00.000-07:002009-06-25T19:04:05.250-07:00

Local history and genealogy people will be excited to know that the 3rd floor in the library is being cleaned out and organized so that you all will be able to use it. I will try and feature local history finds and facts on the blog here.Pictured to the left are Amariah and Olive Taft Chapin. Sorry I couldn't get a better picture since I took these upstairs but I invite you all to come and see

betsyblueberryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596604686148944685noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-47072385921184876152009-06-16T08:11:00.000-07:002009-06-16T08:29:41.867-07:00

Wanted to share these links posted by Central Site...Have a song running through your head? Find out who wrote it and when at LyricWiki.com. You can even have the tune downloaded to your cell phone as a ringtone. Watch the world grow at Worldometers: world statistics updated in real time. You can also see health care expenditures by governments, the number of cell phones sold, e-mail messages

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-17739967561012141172009-06-15T15:15:00.000-07:002009-06-16T08:20:07.351-07:00

John Searles, Cosmo magazine, appeared on the Today Show over the weekend, discussing summertime reading habits. A quick survey of people on the street showed their preferences ranged from light and comedic to titles people don't have time for until they take a vacation. Some of the titles Searles recommends are:South of Broad/Pat Conroy (unfair to tease us, it won't be released until August!)

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-45776972440971904032009-06-11T06:51:00.000-07:002009-06-11T09:28:38.568-07:00

A recent article in the New York Times refers to a group of women, all psychotherapists, who meet once a week as a creative writing group. With varied interests and experience, combined with inspiration from real life counseling, they use this group as combined creative and emotional outlet. A book on running a writing group for psychoanalysts is in the works, born from this effort. It got me

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-63974087545401186732009-06-03T13:01:00.000-07:002009-06-03T13:31:59.391-07:00

Are your teens KPC (keeping parents clueless)? According to the Times, the average teen sends and receives about 2272 text messages a month, which has led to a lot of press on declining grades, health worries, financial woes and more related to this syndrome. Now parents have an online tool to help them decode text messages, DTXTR.com. Launched by LG Electronics MobileComm USA Inc, this website

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-51361938270144747392009-06-02T11:57:00.000-07:002009-06-03T09:53:41.605-07:00

Harlequin romance novels have been around for sixty years, and an exhibit "The Heart of a Woman: Harlequin Cover Art 1949-2009" at the Openheart Gallery in NYC traces the evolution of its famous covers.Several years ago, Harlequin switched its cover art from painted hero stereotypes to photographic portrayals of contemporary men to reflect what they felt were changes in women's tastes and

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3703090930844657379.post-96924503142210992009-06-02T08:57:00.000-07:002009-06-04T06:50:09.695-07:00

Twitter has become a Web phenomenon lately, partially due to celebrity use. Many people are wondering if it will become passe, just a passing fad. A recent article in http://www.travelandleisure.com points out the practical side of Twitter's networking capabilities, especially in relation to making travel plans. Author Everett Potter gives an example of a business woman who used advice from

Jane Granatinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11195342567520644788noreply@blogger.com0