NC Kids Digital Library

by Edward Hirst  Rowan Public Library

Children in North Carolina now have access to a new digital resource for books through the NC Kids Digital Library that can be found at: https://nckids.overdrive.com/ . This new resource recently became available in January. It was created through a unique partnership between the NCPLDA, (North Carolina Public Library Directors Association), the State of North Carolina, and eBook platform provider Overdrive. The North Carolina General Assembly provided $200,000 to the North Carolina State Library to work with the NCPLDA to make this statewide consortium available to the 85 regional, county and municipal libraries in North Carolina.

NC Kids Digital Library opened with a collection of 3029 eBooks, 689 audiobooks, and 37 streaming videos. 300 of the titles are available as simultaneous access, with no waiting for the title to become available. The free Overdrive app is available for popular IOS, Android, Kindle Fire tablets, and Windows and Mac computers. The app can be downloaded from  https://nckids.overdrive.com/ or http://app.overdrive.com/. Books can also be read or listened to in a web browser.

Users can choose to check out up to 5 titles for a period of 7 to 21 days. Titles can be returned earlier then the loan period if needed.

To sign in and checkout items from the NC Kids Digital Library click Sign In on the upper right side of the page.  Select “Rowan County Public Library” from the list of Libraries and enter your Rowan Public Library card number or Rowan-Salisbury School Student ID number and PIN.  Users can choose to check out up to 5 titles for a period of 7 to 21 days. Holds are not allowed on NC Digital Kids Library items.

Titles are available for Beginning Readers, Picture books, Comic books and others.

New Paths

by Marissa Creamer Rowan Public Library

The year is still young; the slate is still clean enough to offer boundless possibilities. Hopefully, you are successfully implementing your resolutions as you seek to change yourself for the better. Sometimes, it’s good just to change your perspective.  I know someone who has the tradition of always buying a new pair of shoes to wear on New Year’s Day.  The new shoes symbolize not going down the same paths or making the same mistakes, and making sure the new year is filled with new journeys and new views. It’s a nice reminder that this really is your chance for a fresh start.

These books tell the story of individuals who have chosen to strike out on their own and forge a new path:

Sara has lived her entire young life in Sweden with her nose in a book, but she has decided it’s time to shake things up a bit. In “The Readers’ of Broken Wheel Recommend” by Katarina Bivald, Sara leaves her bookstore job and home country to track down her American pen pal in Broken Wheel, Iowa. Sara and Amy have been corresponding about life and their shared love of literature. When Sara arrives in the tiny, depressed town, however, she discovers that Amy has passed away. The town embraces this visitor, and next thing Sara knows, she is living in Amy’s house, where she is entranced by Amy’s light-filled bedroom full of books.  Sara makes it her mission to turn Broken Wheel on to reading. “Books are meant to be better than reality. Bigger, funnier, more beautiful, more tragic, more romantic.” She has an uncanny knack for matching the right book with the right reader, even George, the 50-something recovering alcoholic who discovers he loves reading “chick-lit.” The story is filled with references to a wide variety of books and authors, including Proust, Jane Austen, Harper Lee, Mark Twain, Christopher Paolini, and Sophie Kinsella, with a reading list provided at the end for further exploration.

Britt-Marie has left her cheating husband behind and has set out to find her place in the world. But is the world ready for Britt-Marie?  Fredrik Backman, author of “A Man Called Ove” first introduced us to Britt-Marie in “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry.”  She takes center stage in “Britt-Marie Was Here,” the story of a curmudgeon you can’t help but grow to love. You might say she’s passive-aggressive, but she’s just trying to be helpful…. And of course she’s not suffering from OCD; she’s just very concerned about proper organization and decorum. After all, there’s only one way to organize a cutlery drawer, any other way would simply be uncivilized. Britt-Marie becomes the temporary caretaker of a recreation center in the dying town of Borg, where soccer provides the one spark of life. By default, Britt-Marie becomes the “coach” of the youth soccer team, and everyone is in for some big changes. The story is by turns hilarious and  heartbreaking, and you’ll find yourself cheering for Britt-Marie!

Deborah Install’s “A Robot in the Garden” takes place in a technologically advanced future that is otherwise familiar. Ben is at a low point in his life when he discovers a broken down robot in his garden. Tang “looks like a school project, a fusion of some sort of Japanese fine art and materials from a scrapyard.” Ben finds purpose in trying to fix the ailing robot, and soon the two embark on a globe-trotting journey to find Tang’s inventor. Tang has the mindset and irrepressible joy of a toddler and the pair develop a close bond. This is a humorous, feel-good story that still poses some deeper questions, such as: How should we treat forms of artificial intelligence? Can robots have feelings? Can they serve as a substitute for human interaction?

Embark on your own journey with these books from Rowan Public Library.

Readers Connect at RPL

by Abigail Hardison Rowan Public Library                                               

This spring RPL has two very special events planned for readers.  On February 16^th from 3 to 5 pm we are hosting a tea party called Love in the Afternoon for patrons who love romance novels.  And our following event, On a Dark and Stormy Night, is for those who love thrillers and mysteries. It will be held March 22^nd from six to eight pm. The purpose of these events may seem quaint to some in the day and age of Goodreads and other popular reader’s advisory publications, but they address a fundamental question that is still posed to librarians every day: “What should I read next?”

Bestseller lists and high-brow literary reviews are not terribly helpful for many casual readers, and Rowan county has a demographic and readership that is all its own. People select books for a wide variety of reasons, such as the recommendation of a friend or family member, or they saw an advertisement for an adaptation into a TV series or movie, or they know and love the author already.  Many of our most voracious readers are very devoted to certain authors or subgenres, and when there is not a new release that looks familiar, the dreaded unease of having nothing to read sets in.

Nowadays fan conventions are fairly commonplace. The most common, the science fiction/comic conventions, bring big crowds to visit vendors and purchase memorabilia, collector’s edition comics and all sorts of merchandise, but much of the enjoyment among attendees is just being around people who like the same things. This is the spirit with which our Readers Connect events were created.  These are places where people who love the same things can come together and find kindred spirits in their very own community.

Sure, games, prizes and refreshments are part of the event, but the true magic is in the interactions that start with “Hey, you love (insert author)? Me too!”, and lead to “Have you tried (different author)?” These conversations are the ones that tickle the hearts of librarians, because we very much want people to read and read the books they love, but we can’t be experts in every genre and subgenre. So the very best way for us to foster those conversations is to provide the place and time for people to share their own experiences.

Our Love in the Afternoon event will feature refreshments, decorations and prizes provided by local businesses such as Better Loafing Artisan Bread Company, Abigail’s Bakery, Mean Mug Coffee Company, Sweet Meadow Café, South Main Book Company, S & D Coffee and Tea, and Harris Teeter.  Prizes include literary themed gifts, books, and DVD adaptations of popular romances by Nicholas Sparks and Debbie Macomber. On A Dark and Stormy Night will provide participants with the case files and clues to solve the mystery of what they’ll read next.  We will have coffee and donuts graciously provided by Dunkin Donuts to sustain our amateur sleuths as they investigate. Hopefully our patrons will have as much fun attending these events as we have had planning them. We hope to see you there!

Downtown Beats

by Pam Everhardt Bloom  Rowan Public Library

Helen Keller said it beautifully, “Alone we can do little; together we can do so much.” The arrival of 2017 is an opportunity to continue to build community within Rowan County. To this effort, Rowan Public Library offers an opportunity to come together on a positive note.

Monday night, Jan. 30, 2017 from 6-7 pm, RPL will host the debut of DOWNTOWN BEATS, Rowan’s new impromptu chorus. Here’s the hitch, this isn’t one of our Community Concerts. We all can be part of this chorus. There is no need for talent, no need for commitment and definitely no charge!  Expect to arrive at 6pm for a short practice of two songs, With a Little Help from My Friends by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and Lean on Me by Bill Withers. The evening will culminate with the final performance being videoed. The chorus performance will be released on Rowan Public Library’s YouTube channel and facebook page. Downtown Beats will meet once a month on the last Monday of each month, January through April.

Why sing at all and why sing with a group? Music can connect us in ways our neighborhoods do not. Standing side by side with a member of your community and smiling and laughing for an hour might just transform some of our perceptions of those neighbors we don’t yet know. Most of us have antidotal evidence of how music can soothe, energize and connect. If you need more definitive evidence to convince yourself or to encourage friends to join you, check out the following from Rowan Public library.

Singing in the Rain, Sister Act and other musicals often bring a tune and a smile to our lips. Two award winning movies possibly overlooked, Young @ Heart and The Chorus = Les Choristes tell stories of the restorative magic of song. Young @ Heart depicts a chorus formed in 1982 consisting of residents of an elderly housing project in Northampton, Massachusetts with musical choices from James Brown to Coldplay. The chorus has continued for 30 years and new members, currently ages 73 – 89, are still singing and performing. The Chorus = Les Choristes, portrays how music can bring hope and inspiration to a home for troubled boys. Nominated for two Academy Awards, this film may be a movie you never forget.

Content to sing in your car or shower? Imperfect Harmony, Finding Happiness Singing with Others by Stacy Horn may convince you to give DOWNTOWN BEATS a try.  The author prefaces her story of the history and science of choirs with these thoughts on singing, “I become temporarily suspended in a world where everything bad is bearable, and everything good feels possible.  Don’t cry, sing.” Daniel J. Levition continues the science connection with The World in Six Songs, How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature while Donna S. Davenport portrays the memory of song with her haunting memoir, Singing Mother Home, A Psychologist’s Journey through Anticipatory Grief.  Should you be more interested in the mechanics of a working chorus or the popularity of the pop song, How Can We Keep from Singing, Music and the Passionate Life by Joan Oliver Goldsmith and The Song Machine, Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook may be among your next books to borrow from the library.

Still undecided?  Ponder this line from Mitch Albom’s Tuesday with Morrie, “Devote yourself to your community around you and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”  Come build community with Rowan County’s new impromptu chorus DOWNTOWN BEATS. Together we can find the right notes.

On a final note, Bebe Moore Campbell’s novel Singing in the Comeback Choir is my next read. One review promises that her intricate rousing harmonies of gospel music may make you want to shout “Amen!”  This book promises a story of family and community, hope and faith.

RESOLVE TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT THIS YEAR

by Paul Birkhead  Rowan Public Library
     
    Did you make a resolution for the new year?  If so, surveys indicate it was probably to lose weight, pay off debt, or spend more time with family.  These are all worthy goals, but there is another you should consider.  Resolve to play an instrument in 2017.  If you choose to do this, Rowan Public Library has materials you need to get started.

    If you’ve never learned how to read sheet music or need a refresher, Learn to Read Music by Howard Shanet would be a great choice.  Shanet’s book, which has been out for many years, is often praised for its succinct writing style and easy instruction methods.  Of course, you could always start playing music by ear, but learning music composition and theory will give you a stronger foundation on which to build.

    If piano is the instrument you want to learn, the library has many books and DVDs that can certainly help.  Teach Yourself Visually Piano gives an excellent introduction to the subject.  This volume of the popular Teach Yourself Visually series is authored by Mary Sue Taylor, who has taught music for decades.  The book has helpful information and colorful graphics to get you playing in no time.  Two other good books on the subject are Play Piano in a Flash and Piano: An Easy Guide.  If instruction by sight is more your style, be sure to check out the DVD of Creative Keyboard’s Anyone Can Play Piano.
 
    Another popular instrument that the library can help you learn about is the guitar.  The Complete Guitar Course: Learn to Play in 20 Easy-To-Follow-Lessons is a book that gets checked out quite a bit.  The author, Tom Fleming, is a professional guitar player and has taught people to play for over a decade.  In the first few lessons of The Complete Guitar Course, you’ll learn the components of acoustic and electric guitars and enough about chords to start feeling good about the sounds coming out of your instrument.  The book offers short lessons which are broken up by interesting vignettes on music history and popular guitar players.  Again, if you learn better by watching, there are several DVDs available at the library to assist you.  These include: Fingerpicking Guitar Techniques, The Hal Leonard Guitar Method, and Getting Started on Electric Guitar.

    There are also a few classes you can take online at home (“Music Made Easy” and “Introduction to Guitar”) from Gale Courses, courtesy of Rowan Public Library.  To access your FREE subscription to Gale Courses, a premium online learning program, all you need is your library card number and PIN.  To get started, visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org and click on the Gale Courses link.  Each course lasts six weeks and includes twelve lessons total.  Upcoming start dates are February 15 and March 15.

    Happy New Year to everyone.  Don’t forget Rowan Public Library has materials to help if you’ve resolved to learn a musical instrument in 2017.

Only a Click Away

by Gretchen Beilfuss Witt  Rowan Public Library

 

            An often overlooked resource, One Click Digital is an additional way in which the library provides materials to  patrons electronically.  Ebooks and Audiobooks are both available on One Click.  You may be able to locate materials on One Click that you thought the library did not have available.  While there is some overlap of available books from Overdrive and One Click, for the most part the collections are not the same.  Recently, I discovered the entire collection of Isobelle  Carmody's Obernewtyn Chronicles on One Click; a fantastic find for those who follow series but are unable to find the "next" one in physical library holdings.  The physical circulating collection has only one of the books and Overdrive has only two of them.  One Click gives an additional option to find books that may not have been added to physical collection or to the Overdrive collection.

            There are several ways to use One Click.  You do have to set up an account to use the resource, but you have several access points.  Both Android and Apple have apps for the program so you can go directly to the "App Store" or Google Play to acquire the app for your tablet, Kindle Fire, IPad or phone.   You can set up an account on a desktop computer, but you need to download the files to another device in order to listen to the book.   Once the app is downloaded, the application walks you through setting up your account - chose the country, then enter your library card number at the prompt etc.  You can set up a variety of preferences in One Click; for instance you can set the application to download only through a wi-fi connection rather than using up a telephone data plan or automatically download when a book becomes available.   There are tutorials with simple instructions and pictures indicating actions.  Another feature for many of the audiobooks included in One Click is the option to listen to a portion of the book before actually checking it out.  Patrons are also able to search by narrator as well as by the usual author and title. 

            There are two distinct tabs in One Click, one for ebooks and one for audio which differs from Overdrive which requires filters to distinguish types of materials.  One Click was originally set up for audiobooks but now does offer a variety of ebooks, primarily fiction.  In Audiobooks there are more genres to select from - you can choose from African American Interest to Foreign Language Study, Mysteries, Political and Current Events to True Crime or Urban Fiction.  For the student, there is a collection of EngLits - audio summaries of well-know pieces of literature like "A Tale of Two Cities" or "Othello".  For best sellers like Martin's "Game of Thrones" or biographies like "Long Walk to Freedom" discover more books for your listening pleasure brought to you by Rowan Public Library.