Mesa County Libraries Blog

Make the Most of Your Summer's Photos

2009-07-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

Planning a vacation this summer, or already been on one? Want to know the best way to make all your unlucky friends, family and coworkers who had to stay put jealous? One word: pictures! If your plane takes off soon, be sure to pack your camera and one of these guides, which will help you get the perfect shot every time. Of course, our own Colorado backyard has some pretty darn special Kodak moments, too. Learn how to snap the best mementos of any of your summer travels and activities.

And if you’ve just returned with a memory-card full of photos—why put off organizing, editing and sharing? These books make the process understandable and hassle-free. Everyone will be green with envy in no time.

Check out our large Digital Photography guidebook selections, which provide advice for everyone from beginners to professionals.

Note: The images used here are not taken by MCPLD Library staff. (We wish!) We found them here:
http://www.destination360.com/asia/china/great-wall-of-china
http://colorfulmoment.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/hawaii.jpg
http://www.toursonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/leaning-tower-of-pisa.jpg

Green is the New Black

2009-07-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

There’s no escaping the Green movement—it’s everywhere you look. From home cleaners, to cars, to “organic” jeans, almost anything these days can be marketed as “green.” Green, of course, is the buzzword meaning environmentally friendly. So what’s all the hype about? We all know it’s good to pitch in and do our part to keep the earth clean, sustainable and safe—but do we all know how or where to start? Where should we direct our efforts (and money) in order to make the biggest positive impact? And is everything shouting “green” or “organic” truly so?

The library has all the resources you need to learn all about the movement. And we mean all about it. Check out how all of these common activities have been colored green:

Crafting: Eco-craft: recycle, recraft, restyle by Susan Wasinger
Child Care: Growing up green: baby and child care by Deirdre Imus
Weddings: The Green Bride Guide: How to create an earth-friendly wedding on any budget by Kate L. Harrison
Cleaning: Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin
Work: True green @ work : 100 ways you can make the environment your business by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin, with Tim Wallace
Homes: The Natural House: A Complete guide to healthy, energy-efficient, environmental homes by Daniel D. Chiras
Cooking: Cooking Green: Reducing your carbon footprint in the kitchen: the new green basics way by Kate Heyhoe
Driving: Two Billion Cars: Driving towards sustainability by Daniel Sperling, Deborah Gordon
Art: Green guide for artists : nontoxic recipes, green art ideas, and resources for the eco-conscious artist by Karen Miche

To read tales, some humorous, from those in the Green Business, try these:
Going green : true tales from gleaners, scavengers, and dumpster divers by edited by Laura Pritchett
Almost green : how I saved 1/6th of a billionth of the planet by James Glave
The eco barons : the dreamers, schemers, and millionaires who are saving our planet by Edward Humes
Getting green done : hard truths from the front lines of the sustainability revolution by Auden Schendler

There are also those who don’t believe that everything green is gold. To read the dissenters’ perspective, try these:
Green hell : how environmentalists plan to control your life and what you can do to stop them by Steve Milloy
Green, inc. : an environmental insider reveals how a good cause has gone bad by Christine MacDonald

Believe it or not, these selections are just a tip of the green iceberg! Click on any of the subjects below for library items on that topic.
What you can do to help save the planet, Environmentally Friendly Cleaning, Ecological Houses, Green Movement, Green Products, Organic Living

Expressing Yourself through Creative Writing

2009-07-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

The theme for our Summer Library Program this year is “Express Yourself!” It seems as though when you’re young, the opportunities to be creative are everywhere, and you are endlessly, maybe even unknowingly, challenging that right side of your brain. As an adult, you may find that you have to go out of your way to seek out a creative experience—finding time amongst all pressing responsibilities is just one of many obstacles. Then there’s the intimidation factor to fight off—many are afraid that they aren’t or won’t be “good” at the creative task at hand. The good news is that engaging in creative and expressive activities has benefits for every age throughout the lifespan, and it doesn’t require “artistic” skill or talent. There are also endless mediums from which to choose—standard visual arts, craft projects, quilting or knitting, beading and jewelry, culinary creations, etc. The library is a great source of inspirational, instructional and recreational materials, including books, DVD’s and magazines. Another challenge for most is not knowing where to start—well you can start here!

Take creative writing for example—one of our new books is an enjoyable way to “ignite your fiction.” It’s called “The Writer’s Book of Matches”, and provides brief, intriguing “prompts” to get you thinking and more importantly, to get you writing. The author’s suggestions are not to “limit yourself. Take each prompt as far as it will go. The goal is to have fun. Hone a craft. Be productive.” Even if you’ve never dabbled in creative writing, you just might find yourself inspired. A few choice example prompts:

“You come home from a business trip and realize you have the wrong suitcase.”

“A boy puts a quarter in a gumball machine and a human tooth comes out.”

“After completely fabricating your resume, you get a great new job for which you have no experience.”

“An unemployed woman decides to pack up her four cats and move to a foreign country.”

Check out the other 997 prompts this thought-provoking little book has to offer. Interested in other ways to spark your writing? There’s more where this came from. Browse here or here for more.

Dandelion Wine

2009-07-06T07:38:00.001-07:00

While looking through summer drink books a couple of weeks ago, I came across a recipe for dandelion wine in the book Making Wild Wines and Meads. I decided to give Ray Bradbury's book a once over, since I read it so long ago (one summer in college). Well, right away I was reminded that Dandelion Wine is just not a book for skimming, because I find myself continuously rereading as I go, so I can savor Bradbury's beautiful writing. Dandelion Wine opens as 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding calls his town to life on the first day of summer, and from there follows him and his brother through the summer of 1928 in a small town in Illinois. The book is filled with memories of life in another time and place, when it was safe (mostly...) for children to run free from dawn to dusk, but also when parents faced a world without such securities as modern medicine. At the same time, it is a timeless story of every childhood, full of dreams, losses, and revelations. Mostly, it is about the magic of being alive, told in a way that makes you feel as if you are under a spell.
Ray Bradbury is a recipient of the National Book Award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, among other honors, which will not surprise you in the least if you read this book.

Holiday Weekend at Home

2009-06-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

If you're planning to stay home for the 4th of July weekend, but you'd still like to get out and do something, how about taking a scenic drive to enjoy some of the diverse beauty of Colorado? For books to help you find a day trip to suit your mood, click here. Some of the books include maps and driving details, others focus on interesting tidbits of history. One that does a nice job of both is The Colorado Pass Book. It includes information about 62 of Colorado's passes, rating the driving difficulty, scenic quality, and historic interest.

For other family-friendly activities, one of these titles might interest you, like Best Hikes With Children in Colorado. It identifies a number of locales in all parts of the state that are suitable for children, what will interest children there, and other information parents need to know.

So, enjoy a day out with family or friends, and be back in time to fire up the grill and watch the fireworks.

Summer's Here - Time to Cool Down

2009-06-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

Now that the cool weather reprieve we've had seems to be over, it's time to find a way to keep cool. If you're like me, you know that there's an edible solution to nearly every problem, and the library can help you find it!

If fruit is your thing, try a book of smoothie recipes. You can find several here. Smoothies are great anytime, from breakfast to dessert.

If you like something a little stronger, we have several books on mixing cocktails. Cocktails 2007 by the publishers of Food & Wine magazine contains recipes from restaurants and bars around the country, and includes sections on non-alcoholic drinks and bar food, as well.

For more adventurous types, we have several books on making your own good-old-fashioned hard and soft drinks from scratch. Early America n Beverages covers some history of beverage making as well as historic recipes. According to one of the sources "Beer is a good family drink" (p. 40). Hmm. Times sure have changed since 1833. For books on modern brewing, you'll find lots of choices here. You can also learn to make your own wine, cider, and pop.

Outstanding SciFi, Fantasy, & Mystery

2009-06-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

In late April/early May, the winners of three major genre fiction awards were announced: the Edgar & Agatha awards for mystery, and the Nebula awards for science fiction & fantasy. If you need some new ideas for your summer reading list, the nominees and winners of these awards can get you started.

The Edgar® Awards, presented by the Mystery Writers of America, are named for Edgar Allan Poe, whose Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Rogêt, and The Purloined Letter are seen by many to be the first modern detective stories. The winners of the three main fiction categories are:

Best Novel: Blue Heaven by C.J. Box
Best First Novel by an American Author: The Foreigner by Francie Lin
Best Paperback Original: China Lake by Meg Gardiner

A complete list of this year's and past winners and nominees, as well as information about the Mystery Writer's of America can be found at: http://www.mysterywriters.org/

The Agatha® Awards are given for traditional mysteries, exemplified by the writing of Agatha Christie, that are often categorized as "cozies." Works considered for this honor, according to the awarding body, Malice Domestic, generally "contain no explicit sex; contain no excessive gore or gratuitous violence; usually feature an amateur detective; take place in a confined setting and contain characters who know one another." The winners of the top awards were:

Best Novel: The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
Best First Novel: Death of a Cozy Writer by G.M. Malliet

More information about the winners, nominees, and Malice Domestic can be found at http://www.malicedomestic.org/

The Nebula® Awards for science fiction and fantasy writing are brought to us by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. These can be harder to track down, since the categories include many shorter works of fiction, which may only appear in magazines, as well as one for best screenplay. The two awards given for novel-length works this year went to:

Best Novel: Powers by Ursula Le Guin
Andre Norton Award (for best young adult work): Flora’s Dare: How a Girl of Spirit Gambles All to Expand Her Vocabulary, Confront a Bouncing Boy Terror, and Try to Save Califa from a Shaky Doom Despite Being Confined to Her Room by Ysabeau S. Wilce

For a complete list of these nominees and winners, including past years’, go to http://www.nebulaawards.com/

2009-06-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

In Defense of Short Stories

I often hear from people that they don’t like short stories. Their reasons are not always clear, but one seems to be that the story ends just as they have gotten caught up in it. Well, I love that about a really good short story: it leaves you longing for more - wanting to learn more about the peoples’ lives, or at least wanting more from that writer. It’s quite a skill to be able to make readers care so much about people and events in only about 20 pages.

While I enjoy short stories for their own sake, I also use them to find new authors when I’m looking for a change. Many fiction writers dabble in short stories on occasion, and a short story collection can be a great way to discover an author who becomes a favorite. Search the catalogue for "short stories" and you will come up with hundreds of possibilities.

The most recent short story collection I read was Black Juice by an Australian named Margo Lanagan, and I can’t stop recommending it every chance I get. In each of her stories, Lanagan manages to create an environment both comfortably familiar and chillingly surreal. She manages this without explaining the context of each story, rather revealing it gradually as events unfurl, giving the impression that you have been dropped off in a foreign country without a guidebook.

You can find Black Juice and other books by Margo Lanagan in the teen section of the library. If you’re not a teen, don’t let this stop you. Trust me, you’ll be sorry if you pass this one up.

It's Gardening Season!

2009-06-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe it's BEEN gardening season, but for those of us getting a late start, your local library has some great guides.

This year, I'm trying to do the organic thing, i.e. not using harsh chemicals to kill those pesky bugs that inevitably show up to eat my entire crop of radishes. If you're interested in the more natural way of doing things, too, may I suggest "The All-New Illustrated Guide to Gardening" from Reader's Digest books, now completely organic.

This book has it all: flowers, shrubs, vegetables, and more (and also some great advice for killing garden eaters...organically, of course).

Find more information or place a hold on it here.

And for more organic gardening ideas, please see this list.

Enjoy!

Nazi Noir

2009-04-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

March Violets by Philip Kerr is a fantastic book--reminiscent of Raymond Chandler but infinitely tougher and more hard-boiled. It's the first book in the Berlin Noir trilogy by Philip Kerr, and is set in 1936 Berlin before the Olympics. It's dark and twisted stuff, full of the everyday horrors of Nazi Germany, and full of cynical wit as well. A Pale Criminal and A German Requiem follow, with the more recently written The One From the Other and A Quiet Flame after that. I had to request the first two from Inter-Library Loan, since no Marmot libraries owned it, but I did make a request for the library to purchase them. I'm hooked now.

Mystery lovers site

2009-03-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

I found this site in my travels and it looked neato. If you like mysteries with unusual settings, give this a try. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/crime-fiction-around-the-world-in-80-sleuths-873660.html

Steep

2009-02-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

Warren Miller step aside. For too long we've seen the posed, over sensationalized huck-fests with horrid soundtrack that have come to exemplify ski films. "Steep" is the first in its genre to tell the history of modern ski mountaineering from its genesis in Europe's Chamonix Valley to the revolution in Alaska's Chugach range. There is archival footage of ski-extreme progenitors Anselme Baud and Patrick Vallencant in the Mt. Blanc Massif and a fascinating segment with Stefano De Benedetti talking about his descent of the Auguille du Chardonnet. I like him for his irrepressible impish smile when he remembers feeling like "a little superman", and the glimpse into someone who seems refreshingly unencumbered by self-aggrandizement .

The North American framework of the film is based on the life of Doug Coombs, Bill Briggs and a cast of irreverent characters who further blowout the ideas of how skiing is done and what that means. The thing that strikes me most, is when two of the skiers profiled said their respective descents were the high points of their lives -- that declaration is pleasantly surprising to me. I keep replaying the film and looking in their eyes for any indication of insincerity at such a bold statement, but none shows up. They appear as individuals who were comfortable writing out and living their destinies. If you have any interest in glimpsing the psychology and history of the outdoor athlete then put this on your must-see list.

Too busy and important to read

2009-02-24T08:18:00.000-08:00

As a high-powered career woman (see photo at right), it's
understandable that I do not have time to read. I wish I did, and I wish that I could think of something to read besides the stack of Ruth Rendell mysteries that awaits my attention. Not that Ms. Rendell fails to satisfy, but we busy and important types need variety to divert us from the pressures of our fabulous careers. Any suggestions (about books, that is) from the leisure class would be most welcome.

Knitting books for knit-nuts

2008-12-18T14:42:00.001-08:00

A charming, serene picture, to be sure--she probably knits a lot better than I do. The air at chez Nonnie is often filled with my salty language when I attempt a new pattern or technique. There are books to help--not that I'll read them, I'm too cool for that. (Just a little joke.) These books are filled with good advice and lots of cool projects for all levels of knitters.
The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting: learn to knit with more than 30 cool, easy patterns

Mason-Dixon Knitting: the curious knitter's guide: stories, patterns, advice, questions, answers, and jokes

Stitch 'n Bitch: the knitter's handbook

Alterknits: imaginative projects and creative exercises

Lurid, yet genteel reads

2008-12-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you want your true crime books to have the veneer of respectability that only a historical setting will bring. I'm not a trashy sensation-seeker, I like history, you can say. Then, too, you can tell anyone who will listen how Pabst Blue Ribbon beer was introduced at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, as I learned in Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City: murder, madness and magic at the fair that changed America. Also the Ferris Wheel. There are many fine examples of this genre to be read, here are a few to get you started:
The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the invention of Murder by Daniel Stashower

American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White, the birth of the "It" girl, and the crime of the century by Paula Uruburu

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: a shocking murder and the undoing of a great Victorian detective by Kate Summerscale

As you can see, these authors have never met a lengthy subtitle they didn't like. But that's okay.

2008-11-19T16:13:00.000-08:00

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON

Whoa! Do you remember Opie from the Andy Griffith Show? Well Opie grew up to be Ron Howard and he produced this remarkable film about the Apollo space program in the 60's. He tucked together all this archival footage of President Kennedy announcing this insanely risky idea where the US was going to put a man on the moon, and there are all these clips of the astronauts training in lunar capsules, looking courageous in spite of the fact that no one had done this before. They didn't even know what metals they were going to use to build the rocket when they were throwing all the facets of Apollo together.

Howard pans across these crazy 60's scenes where people are getting ready to watch the launch from the parking lot of Penny's department store and you get the feeling of the great American circus of that era. The boosters are steaming just before launch in this Cape Canaveral twilight and you know there have been previous failures where astronauts died. At this point the film did a fantastic job of making me feel like I was there in Mission Control when the decisions about the program and the actual flights were being made. I was nervously chewing pencils with all the ground crew honchos in Houston wondering if we were going to succeed.

But the parts that are unforgettable to me are the scenes of the astronauts talking about their experience and the turns of events they were going through. They were alternatingly funny in their assessments of what might happen if something went wrong and clarifyingly serious about this intense place called "space" that happened to them. Notice how Ron Howard dressed some of the astronauts in colorful checked shirts to set them off while they are clearly talking about an experience I can only describe as spiritual. You are left with the sense of god or some other greatness in the universe. and there is a beautiful serenity in the eyes of those men as they spoke.

The film is just plain uplifting and I recommend watching it if you want to remember what a people or a culture can do when they set their intention on something higher (no pun intended). It was a Sundance award winner and I'm purchasing a copy for my personal collection. Do you remember where you were when Neil Armstrong's boots first pounded moondust?

Business and Craft

2008-11-19T13:17:00.000-08:00

With the economy being what it is, some folks are thinking up ways to make extra money. If you make arts and crafts, the good news is that handcrafted is making a big comeback, with sites like Etsy.com (a place to sell handcrafted wares) being featured on Martha Stewart and Good Morning America. If you've wondered how to turn your hobby into a part or full time business but don't know where to start, Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco is by far the best book I've come across on the subject.

Along with sound advice from real people who have taken the plunge, Ilasco offers realistic strategies for making your creative business dreams come true. She covers taxes, shows, wholesale, managing inventory, time management and much more. We have multiple copies of this great book, ready to be put on hold!

M.C. Beaton: Cozies With Comedy

2008-11-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

As the holidays approach, and the weather turns cold (will it really?), it's the time of year when I just want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and a good mystery. When your time is as short as mine is these days, a quick, light read can be just the thing. For a good puzzle with a humorous twist, try M.C. Beaton, a prolific writer who juggles two different series.

The first is set in Scotland and features easygoing police constable Hamish Macbeth, who is continually underestimated by his superiors, and likes it that way.

The other takes place in the picturesque Cotswolds region of England and stars the socially inept, retired cutthroat PR executive and amateur detective Agatha Raisin.

It's Bigger Than Hip Hop

2008-11-17T13:59:00.001-08:00

Rap is a gimmick, but I'm for the hip-hop the culture.
- Method Man

I was pretty surprised a couple of weeks ago when a co-worker handed me a book from my library entitled, 'It's Bigger Than Hip Hop' by M.K. Asante Jr. Asante is an accomplished poet, professor, filmmaker, activist, and author who is still in his mid-20s. In this book, he fuses history and current events to produce a very eloquent book on the state of hip hop as it is now, where it has been, and where it is headed. Through personal stories, opinion, and lyrics and quotes by some of the greatest artists in the world, Asante acknowledges that real hip hop is not played on the radio.

The game has certainly taken a twist since it's roots in run down New York neighborhoods. For instance, rarely do we ever see the elements of real hip hop as it was born, graffiti art, breakdancing, turntablism, and emceeing (rapping). This day and age, we're more likely to see one man with one mic, and the rest is the background. And moreover, he's usually rapping about having lots of money, demeaning women (and men), rapping about his jewelry and clothes and car. But when DJ Kool Herc was spinnin records, inventing turntablism, hip hop was about overcoming struggle, bettering the community, and staying positive.

This book encourages people young and old to use their mind, to learn about the world around them, and to use their voice to make a positive impact on the world!

Hip hop is supposed to uplift and create,
to educate people on a larger level,
and to make a change.

-Doug E Fresh

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in music, pop culture, history, or any type of social sciences.

-----

Currently you can view a display at the Mesa County Public Library's Central Branch location that exhibits hip hop art and culture.

A monthly Hip Hop Film Series is in the works so keep your ear out for that!

R.I.P. Michael Crichton

2008-11-17T09:26:00.000-08:00

The untimely death of Michael Crichton at the age of 66 from cancer prompted me to revisit some of his thrilling works of scientific fiction. Perhaps best known for the bestselling and blockbuster Jurassic Park, Crichton wrote numerous medical thrillers Andromeda Strain, Prey, and Disclosure to name a few. I remember being completely enthralled by Prey as I listened to the book on CD while driving to and from Denver one weekend. My drive time seemed to fly by as I become engrossed story of a swarm of predatory molecules forming and re-forming to become an autonomous, intelligent living being. For fans of the long- running television show, ER, Crichton served as its executive producer.

Crichton's biography and other articles of interest are available via the library's Biography Resource Center. To check out a Crichton thriller, listen to an audiobook or download a novel to your Mp3 player, log on to the Mesa County Libraries website.

Thanks for the thrills, chills, and entertainment, Michael!

A good mystery series to try

2008-10-25T15:13:00.000-07:00

Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford series has been around for along time, but I had never read any until recently. If you like British mysteries/police procedurals, try these. It's not essential that you start with the first one, either. The series has been around since the 60's, and the old ones are as good as the new. Rendell's writing is never formulaic and her plots are disturbing and complex. Lucky for me, Ruth Rendell has written prolifically, so there'll be plenty to read.

Two Great Books by Michael Chabon

2008-09-22T09:58:00.001-07:00

The first book that I read of Michael Chabon's was The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and it was mighty enthralling. It's set in the exploding, creative world of comic books in the 30's and 40's, and even if that doesn't sound interesting (I didn't think it did, at first), the characters and Chabon's clever writing will suck you in. You won't want to stop reading, which is as good a recommendation as I can think of.

Now I'm reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union, I'm not finished yet but I already know I love it. There are oddball elements to it, kind of an alternate-history
of post-WW II Jews living in a settlement in Alaska. But it's also a noir-ish mystery involving a murdered heroin junkie and the defeated and pessimistic police detective who becomes entangled in the investigation and with scary Jewish rabbis/gangsters. More clever writing, and some very funny dialogue make it hard to put down, but I had to, so I could come to work and blog about it. Try these great books, why don't you? I'm going to get Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road next, and I can hardly wait.

Reads Worth Recommending

2008-09-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel

Biography. Fascinating.
Koppel is a writer for The New York Times who happens to come across the treasure of a diary left in storage then destined for the dumpster. Reading the diary and then finding the owner, Koppel discovers the world of a bright and determined teenage girl in 1930s New York.

The Girl from Foreign by Sadia Shepard

Memoir. A favorite.
I hate having to put this book down and only do when sleep takes over. It's well written and has two of my favorite elements in literature, Judiasm and India.
Summary: "In this beautifully crafted memoir, a young Muslim-Christian woman travels to an insular Jewish community in India to unlock her family's secret history."

A great site for readers

2008-09-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

Arts and Letters Daily is a fab site with articles on books, current affairs, history and culture. There are new things every day for book lovers.
http://www.aldaily.com/

Factory Girl

2008-09-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

Haven't seen "Factory Girl" yet, well boo. No, not really, but listen, this movie is amazing!! ..that is if you're into pop culture, drug knowledge and yes even Bob Dylan?! Sienna Miller's portrayal of Edie Sedgwick's blue blooded, sophisticated, beauty, fashion and stamina is ultimately what makes this movie so alluring. In this film you'll discover Sedgwick's past and actually examine who Edie really was and how she went from a wealthy offspring of a family who's history runs deep into that of the United States' make-up, to that of Andy Warhol's muse, and later the inevitable conclusive being of her short life's tragic end. Don't doubt, check it out!!