Library Notes – January 20, 2012
Pam Everhardt Bloom
Sweeten Your Life
Children sometimes provide the best lessons. My three year old granddaughter, Gracie, was visiting one weekend and she was particularly sweet and agreeable. When I jokingly asked her how she got so sweet, her very serious reply was, “I read books.” Gracie’s insight made me think seriously about how literature and stories have the potential to affect all of us, no matter our age.
When was the last time you sat down with a beautiful picture book? Books that we often think of as children’s books are truly “everybody” books and offer much more than lovely illustrations. Perhaps it’s time for a trip to the children’s section at your local library. Like Gracie, you might just find these reads make you and your life a bit sweeter.
Patricia Polacco is an illustrator and author with great stories to share. “Pink and Say” is an unexpected Civil War story handed down through the author’s family, a story for all ages. Two other of her books based on true stories are “Thank You, Mr. Falker” and its sequel, “The Junkyard Wonders.” To describe these last two books as stories of children with learning difficulties doesn’t even begin to describe the magic found in Polacco’s books. Treat yourself to these readings and most likely, you’ll be back for more Polacco selections.
Eve Bunting weaves a story of loss and step-families and a hope for growth in “The Memory String,” illustrated by Ted Rand. Like Patricia Polacco, her books are numerous and this treasure will surely entice you to explore others such as “Butterfly House,” “So Far From the Sea,” and “Night Tree.”
For your favorite nonconformist or for the pure pleasure of a good story, check out a copy of Paul Fleishman’s “Westlandia,” illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, and follow the adventures of Wesley and his crop of “swist.” Follow up this celebration of uniqueness with other books such as “Duck, Rabbit” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. We all need a reminder that everything depends on how you look at it and the illustrations by Tom Lichtenheld will not disappoint. As an added bonus, it’s a great read-aloud.
Jeff Brumble teams with artist Gail de Marcken to create stories of good deeds in “The Quiltmaker’s Gift” and “The Quiltmaker’s Journey.” The illustrations are so detailed and numerous that you may find yourself creating your own tales to extend Brumble’s stories. Following this same theme, “Miss Rumphius,” story and pictures by Barbara Cooney, is a beautiful reminder of the need to spread goodness and beauty through the world and the possibilities that can make it happen.
As you renew your acquaintance with picture books, don’t neglect two timeless stories for all ages, “The Story of Ferdinand” by Munro Leaf and “The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. Life will seem sweeter – guaranteed!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Library Notes
Lynn Denison
January 15, 2012
Someday I’m going to finish this book. . .file these papers. . .paint this room. . .try this recipe. . .balance my checkbook. . . . If these or any other “some day” phrases are on your list of things to do that you never get done, then maybe “someday I’ll stop procrastinating” is also on that list.
Procrastination statistics show that procrastination is a large and seriously growing problem in the United States. Though millions of Americans add “stop procrastinating” to their annual list of New Year’s resolutions, it ends up becoming just one more thing to put off doing. Fifty percent of college students report that they procrastinate consistently and consider it to be a problem; in the general population, chronic procrastination affects twenty-five percent of adults; and over ninety-five percent of procrastinators would like to reduce their delaying ways. Nearly all of us fall into that category occasionally.
At Rowan Public Library you can find the fully revised and updated edition of the classic guide PROCRASTINATION: Why You Do It, What to Do About It NOW, by Jane B. Burka, PhD and Lenora M. Yuen, PhD. Their research is based in part on their renowned procrastination workshops that they have presented through the years. Their book delves into the many and varied reasons why we procrastinate, some of which are feelings of doubt and pressure, a complex relationship with time, and neurological and interpersonal roots. The most important result of reading this easy-to-use and sometimes humorous book is to obtain resources on how to stop procrastinating and start getting things done.
Another new book on the subject is The Procrastination Equation. The author, Piers Steel, PhD, is one of the world’s foremost researchers and speakers on the science of motivation and procrastination. He is also an admitted practicing procrastinator from an early age. In a recent article in the Canadian Press on the launching of his new book, Dr. Steel notes sardonically that the book is “just in time for last Christmas.” Dr. Steel tackles head-on the widely accepted perception that perfectionists are prone to putting things off. Instead, he writes that the personality trait that stands out among the rest in predicting procrastination is impulsiveness. The book contains a questionnaire to help readers figure out where they fall in the ranks of procrastination. Techniques for dealing with the problem are given throughout the book. One coping mechanism that Steel points out that could be useful to anyone working often with a computer is to turn off any icon that indicates that new e-mail is coming in. Instead only check e- mail at natural breaks in the work flow. He claims that an action as simple as that can add up to a 10 percent increase in productivity, equaling over an extra month per year. The book is sprinkled throughout with interesting quotes from famous people, some of them humorous. My favorite is by Mark Twain, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
Two older but still vital books in this area that are worth exploring are It’s About Time: The Six Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them by Dr. Linda Sapadin and Jack Maquire and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey. Dr. Covey’s book has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages. As an interesting aside, in 2003 Dr. Covey received the National Fatherhood Award, which as the father of nine and the grandfather of 43, he says is the most meaningful award he has ever received!
Perhaps you’ll feel inspired one of these days to stop by Rowan Public Library for one of the above books or for some of the other informative, inspiring, and entertaining items we have awaiting you at one of our three branches.
Lynn Denison
January 15, 2012
Someday I’m going to finish this book. . .file these papers. . .paint this room. . .try this recipe. . .balance my checkbook. . . . If these or any other “some day” phrases are on your list of things to do that you never get done, then maybe “someday I’ll stop procrastinating” is also on that list.
Procrastination statistics show that procrastination is a large and seriously growing problem in the United States. Though millions of Americans add “stop procrastinating” to their annual list of New Year’s resolutions, it ends up becoming just one more thing to put off doing. Fifty percent of college students report that they procrastinate consistently and consider it to be a problem; in the general population, chronic procrastination affects twenty-five percent of adults; and over ninety-five percent of procrastinators would like to reduce their delaying ways. Nearly all of us fall into that category occasionally.
At Rowan Public Library you can find the fully revised and updated edition of the classic guide PROCRASTINATION: Why You Do It, What to Do About It NOW, by Jane B. Burka, PhD and Lenora M. Yuen, PhD. Their research is based in part on their renowned procrastination workshops that they have presented through the years. Their book delves into the many and varied reasons why we procrastinate, some of which are feelings of doubt and pressure, a complex relationship with time, and neurological and interpersonal roots. The most important result of reading this easy-to-use and sometimes humorous book is to obtain resources on how to stop procrastinating and start getting things done.
Another new book on the subject is The Procrastination Equation. The author, Piers Steel, PhD, is one of the world’s foremost researchers and speakers on the science of motivation and procrastination. He is also an admitted practicing procrastinator from an early age. In a recent article in the Canadian Press on the launching of his new book, Dr. Steel notes sardonically that the book is “just in time for last Christmas.” Dr. Steel tackles head-on the widely accepted perception that perfectionists are prone to putting things off. Instead, he writes that the personality trait that stands out among the rest in predicting procrastination is impulsiveness. The book contains a questionnaire to help readers figure out where they fall in the ranks of procrastination. Techniques for dealing with the problem are given throughout the book. One coping mechanism that Steel points out that could be useful to anyone working often with a computer is to turn off any icon that indicates that new e-mail is coming in. Instead only check e- mail at natural breaks in the work flow. He claims that an action as simple as that can add up to a 10 percent increase in productivity, equaling over an extra month per year. The book is sprinkled throughout with interesting quotes from famous people, some of them humorous. My favorite is by Mark Twain, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
Two older but still vital books in this area that are worth exploring are It’s About Time: The Six Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them by Dr. Linda Sapadin and Jack Maquire and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stephen Covey. Dr. Covey’s book has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages. As an interesting aside, in 2003 Dr. Covey received the National Fatherhood Award, which as the father of nine and the grandfather of 43, he says is the most meaningful award he has ever received!
Perhaps you’ll feel inspired one of these days to stop by Rowan Public Library for one of the above books or for some of the other informative, inspiring, and entertaining items we have awaiting you at one of our three branches.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Library Notes
Edward Hirst
The New Year brings a wealth of new resources available online through NC Live. You can access these anytime from the comfort of your home or from within the library. You only need an RPL library card number and PIN for access from home.
Art & Architecture Complete: Magazines, journals, trade publications and books covering a variety of art and architecture subjects including antiques, art and art history, interior and landscape design, and more.
Biography Reference Center: More than 450,000 biographies, including actors, authors, explorers, historical figures, inventors, musicians, Presidents of the United States, scientists and many others.
Entrepreneurial Studies Source: Covers topics relevant to entrepreneurship and small business, including key magazines, reference books, case studies, and company profiles.
Environment Complete: Journals on topics including agriculture, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, urban planning, and others.
Legal Information Reference Center: Contains hundreds of full-text publications and thousands of legal forms. The full-text legal reference books are provided through Nolo, the nation's oldest and most-respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses.
Points of View: Provides students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. This resource provides more than 280 topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument), counterpoint (opposing argument), and Critical Thinking Guide.
Small Business Reference Center: Offers a wide variety of information on small business and entrepreneurial subject areas, common business types, a help and advice section, and information on how to create business plans that lead to successful funding.
Small Engine Repair Reference Center: Detailed, user-friendly repair guides for all types of small engines.
In addition NC LIVE has upgraded other resources, with additional content and new features:
Academic Search Complete: Magazines and journals on many subjects, includes peer-reviewed and scholarly works.
Business Source Complete: Journals, peer-reviewed publications, magazines on a wide range of topics including marketing, management, accounting, finance and economics.
Literary Reference Center Plus: Articles and criticisms, including peer-reviewed, bios and interviews, novels, short stories, poems, and literary magazines.
MAS Complete: For high school and junior college students. They include magazines, original historical documents, such as The Bill of Rights, The Constitution, The Federalist Papers and the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Novelist K-8 Plus: Reader's advisory service for fiction and nonfiction titles, designed to support the curriculum and kids’ pleasure reading. This is easily searchable by author, title, series name, plot, and lexile level with author read-alikes and lists of award-winners.
Edward Hirst
The New Year brings a wealth of new resources available online through NC Live. You can access these anytime from the comfort of your home or from within the library. You only need an RPL library card number and PIN for access from home.
Art & Architecture Complete: Magazines, journals, trade publications and books covering a variety of art and architecture subjects including antiques, art and art history, interior and landscape design, and more.
Biography Reference Center: More than 450,000 biographies, including actors, authors, explorers, historical figures, inventors, musicians, Presidents of the United States, scientists and many others.
Entrepreneurial Studies Source: Covers topics relevant to entrepreneurship and small business, including key magazines, reference books, case studies, and company profiles.
Environment Complete: Journals on topics including agriculture, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, urban planning, and others.
Legal Information Reference Center: Contains hundreds of full-text publications and thousands of legal forms. The full-text legal reference books are provided through Nolo, the nation's oldest and most-respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses.
Points of View: Provides students with a series of essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. This resource provides more than 280 topics, each with an overview (objective background/description), point (argument), counterpoint (opposing argument), and Critical Thinking Guide.
Small Business Reference Center: Offers a wide variety of information on small business and entrepreneurial subject areas, common business types, a help and advice section, and information on how to create business plans that lead to successful funding.
Small Engine Repair Reference Center: Detailed, user-friendly repair guides for all types of small engines.
In addition NC LIVE has upgraded other resources, with additional content and new features:
Academic Search Complete: Magazines and journals on many subjects, includes peer-reviewed and scholarly works.
Business Source Complete: Journals, peer-reviewed publications, magazines on a wide range of topics including marketing, management, accounting, finance and economics.
Literary Reference Center Plus: Articles and criticisms, including peer-reviewed, bios and interviews, novels, short stories, poems, and literary magazines.
MAS Complete: For high school and junior college students. They include magazines, original historical documents, such as The Bill of Rights, The Constitution, The Federalist Papers and the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Novelist K-8 Plus: Reader's advisory service for fiction and nonfiction titles, designed to support the curriculum and kids’ pleasure reading. This is easily searchable by author, title, series name, plot, and lexile level with author read-alikes and lists of award-winners.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
Library Notes
Marissa Creamer
A new year stretches before you; a clean, blank slate offering endless possibilities. This is your chance to re-invent yourself, or at the very least, to make some improvements to the current model. If you have made any New Year’s resolutions, you are following a tradition going back to the early Romans. The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the Roman god depicted with two faces. Since he was able to look back at the old year and forward to the new, Janus became the symbol for resolutions, and many Romans sought forgiveness from their enemies before the beginning of the New Year.
The Puritans also believed the New Year was a good time for renewal. They tried to make the holiday an occasion for changing the way they lived their lives, and often made vows to overcome their weaknesses, make use of their talents, and make themselves useful to others.
Today, our most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, exercise more, and stop smoking. We also vow to become more organized, stick to a budget, and save more money. Despite our best intentions, resolutions can be difficult to keep. Experts say that it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit, and six months for it to become a part of your personality.
No matter what your resolution, Rowan Public Library can probably help you achieve your goal. The library has books, CDs, and DVDs about diet, cooking, exercise, financial management, home organization, and more.
If you have resolved to eat fresher, healthier meals and avoid mass-produced items, check out “Cook This Now,” by New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark. Subtitled “120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can’t Wait to Make,” this book takes a seasonal approach to cooking, using fresh, in-season ingredients and fewer processed foods. Recipes are arranged by season and individual month, with dishes including starters, entrees, sides and desserts. Start the New Year with “Crisp Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas, Lemons, and Carrots with Parsley Gremolata”; welcome spring with “Green Poached Eggs with Spinach and Chives”; celebrate summer with “Berry Summer Pudding with Rose-scented Custard”; and warm up autumn with “Butternut Squash Risotto with Pistachios and Lemon.”
If your resolution involves becoming more organized, the library has a wide selection of organization titles, including several by Peter Walsh, acclaimed organization and clutter expert. In his latest, “Lighten Up: Love What You Have, Have What You Need, Be Happier With Less,” Walsh focuses on money and debt. His goal is to “help you achieve a personal balance that brings you happiness and the courage to choose a richly rewarding life over the mindless pursuit of stuff.”
You can find these titles, as well as the latest issue of magazines such as “Health,” “Cooking Light,” “Vegetarian Times,” and “Runner’s World,” at Rowan Public Library. Stop by and find materials to help you make your New Year’s resolution a reality.
Marissa Creamer
A new year stretches before you; a clean, blank slate offering endless possibilities. This is your chance to re-invent yourself, or at the very least, to make some improvements to the current model. If you have made any New Year’s resolutions, you are following a tradition going back to the early Romans. The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the Roman god depicted with two faces. Since he was able to look back at the old year and forward to the new, Janus became the symbol for resolutions, and many Romans sought forgiveness from their enemies before the beginning of the New Year.
The Puritans also believed the New Year was a good time for renewal. They tried to make the holiday an occasion for changing the way they lived their lives, and often made vows to overcome their weaknesses, make use of their talents, and make themselves useful to others.
Today, our most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, exercise more, and stop smoking. We also vow to become more organized, stick to a budget, and save more money. Despite our best intentions, resolutions can be difficult to keep. Experts say that it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit, and six months for it to become a part of your personality.
No matter what your resolution, Rowan Public Library can probably help you achieve your goal. The library has books, CDs, and DVDs about diet, cooking, exercise, financial management, home organization, and more.
If you have resolved to eat fresher, healthier meals and avoid mass-produced items, check out “Cook This Now,” by New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark. Subtitled “120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can’t Wait to Make,” this book takes a seasonal approach to cooking, using fresh, in-season ingredients and fewer processed foods. Recipes are arranged by season and individual month, with dishes including starters, entrees, sides and desserts. Start the New Year with “Crisp Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas, Lemons, and Carrots with Parsley Gremolata”; welcome spring with “Green Poached Eggs with Spinach and Chives”; celebrate summer with “Berry Summer Pudding with Rose-scented Custard”; and warm up autumn with “Butternut Squash Risotto with Pistachios and Lemon.”
If your resolution involves becoming more organized, the library has a wide selection of organization titles, including several by Peter Walsh, acclaimed organization and clutter expert. In his latest, “Lighten Up: Love What You Have, Have What You Need, Be Happier With Less,” Walsh focuses on money and debt. His goal is to “help you achieve a personal balance that brings you happiness and the courage to choose a richly rewarding life over the mindless pursuit of stuff.”
You can find these titles, as well as the latest issue of magazines such as “Health,” “Cooking Light,” “Vegetarian Times,” and “Runner’s World,” at Rowan Public Library. Stop by and find materials to help you make your New Year’s resolution a reality.
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