Snippets from the Shelves

We had a wonderful summer full of many games, activities and prize give-a-ways. This year, a record number of patrons entered the summer drawing and more young adults participated in the Summer Reading Club than ever before. Our activities for young adults included a Tai Chi demonstration given by “Cootie” Harris. He shared some history of the art and had each of us trying basic moves for a very fun and interesting afternoon. Lynette Olson, RD, LDN, a dietician from Meadville Medical Center, shared tips on healthy eating and good nutrition. Our end-of-summer party followed the theme “Metamorphosis @ Your Library and found young adults enjoying an afternoon of snacks, Dining Etiquette Jeopardy, assembling collages and many other fun activities. We would like to thank those who participated and invite everyone to join us again next summer as we explore “Express Yourself @ Your Library.”

As we head into cooler weather, it’s time to start thinking about all the new books to enjoy throughout the winter. The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent, a debut novel based on the author’s own family history, provides a fresh viewpoint on the Salem witch trials in this highly recommended novel. Elizabeth Peters ends her Vicky Bliss mystery series with Laughter of Dead Kings. Walter Mosley brings back Socrates Fortlow in The Right Mistake, his third novel in this suspenseful series. Look for David Baldacci’s new book, Divine Justice, a continuation of his Camel Club series, coming in November, along with Cross Country by James Patterson, Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler and Just After Sunset: Stories by Stephen King.

Start getting into the holiday spirit with a few of these Christmas books soon to arrive: A Christmas Grace by Anne Perry; A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber; The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck; A Christmas Star, another Cape Light novel by Thomas Kinkade; and An Irish Country Christmas by Patrick Taylor.

We now have books on CD and cassette for young adults. Some just added to the collection are Flight by Sherman Alexie, The Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter and The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer. Recorded books are a great way to enjoy a good book when busy schedules don’t allow time to sit and read. We also offer a Teen Writers’ Workshop every Wednesday afternoon, 4 to 5 p.m. Teens can join Jeanne, the Reference Librarian, to find out what other teen authors are doing and get feedback on their own writing. Stop by the Fiction desk for more information on this fun and informative workshop.

New books just arriving for young adults to enjoy are Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, the long awaited third book in the Inheritance series; Oracle of the Morrigan by Tiffany Trent, the sixth novel in her Hallowmere series; The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong; The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine by April Lurie; Santa Claus in Baghdad and Other Stories About Teens in the Arab World by Elsa Marston; All Shook Up by Shelley Pearsall; Digital Art: Painting with Pixels by Ron Miller; and The Career Chronicles: An Insider’s Guide to What Jobs Are Really Like: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly From Over 750 Professionals by Michael Gregory.

Summer will be here before you know it and the Fiction Department is gearing up for another great season full of prizes, games and activities. The Summer Reading Club will run from June 2nd through August 8th with a drawing on the last day for many great prizes. Patrons may submit up to one entry per day when checking out fiction books. There will also be weekly activities for young adults and additional prize give-a-ways they can enter, plus an end-of-summer party with fun, food and games. While waiting for the activities to start, here are some new arrivals to try.

For the more literary minded, we have Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut. This posthumous book contains twelve short stories collected and introduced by Vonnegut’s son. The Last Chicken in America by Ellen Litman is a book of twelve interconnected stories about the struggle of Russian-Jewish immigrants living in a Pittsburgh neighborhood trying to adapt to an American way of life. Unaccustomed Earth, by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri, is a series of stories continuing the theme of Indians in America that she explored in previous novels. River of Heaven, by Lee Martin, spins a story of complex relationships between friends, family and 50 years of secrets.

Mystery lovers will want to try A Carrion Death, a new mystery set in Botswana, by writing duo Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip collectively known as Michael Stanley. Mma Ramotswe is back in The Miracle at Speedy Motors, the ninth installment of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Mysteries by Alexander McCall Smith. For history buffs, The Disagreement by Nick Taylor, set during the Civil War, takes us through the life of one young man as he makes his way during this difficult time.

Don’t forget to sign up for prizes whenever you check out a book - the more you enter the better your chances of winning!

This summer was busier than ever with many games, activities and prize giveaways. We had a total of 48 book reviews written by young adults as part of the Summer Reading Program. Thanks to everyone for making our Summer Reading Program a great success, and congratulations to all the winners!

As the weather grows cooler, it’s time to start thinking about more indoor activities, such as reading a good book! Here are some new
titles to try: Playing for Pizza by John Grisham; The Bishop at the Lake: A Blackie Ryan Story by Andrew M. Greeley; Pontoon by Garrison Keillor; The Girl with Braided Hair by Margaret Coel; Kennedy’s Brain by Henning Mankell; Karen Kingsbury’s Just Beyond the Clouds; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz; The Used World by Haven Kimmel; Rita Mae Brown’s book, The Tell-Tale Horse; Dark of the Moon by John Sandford and Shoot Him if He Runs: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods.

For young adults, we have many new fiction and non-fiction titles to choose from. Starting with non-fiction we have: Dragonart: Fantasy Characters - learn how to draw your own fantasy world with this “how to” drawing book. For those who want to try their hand at writing, we have three new books: Write Your Own Fantasy Story; Write your Own Mystery Story; and Write Your Own Science Fiction Story. Learn more about genetically engineered food with Superfood or Superthreat: The Issue of Genetically Engineered Food. New biographies to choose from include: Michelle Kwan and Roberto Clemente, Baseball Hall of Famer.

New young adult fiction to try: The Riddle: The Second Book of Pellinor by Alison Croggon; The Black Sheep by Yvonne Collins; The Land of the Silver Apples by Nancy Farmer, sequel to Sea of Trolls; Megan McCafferty’s Fourth Coming, the latest book in her series, and A Field Guide to High School by Marissa Walsh.

For a more complete listing of all the new material ordered, check out the Fiction and Young Adult pages on MPL’s website.

As always, we welcome any suggestions or ideas you might have regarding our programming, or the acquisition of new materials.

Our summer was busier than ever with almost 1,200 more entries in this year’s Summer Reading Club than last year’s. There were games and activities to occupy both young adults and adults. Thanks to everyone who participated and congratulations to the winners!

With fall now upon us, we’re facing cooler temperatures, beautiful foliage and of course, that means it’s time to stock up on more good books to read. Just a few new titles we’ve added in Adult Books: Stork Naked: A Xanth Novel by Piers Anthony; The Collectors by David Baldacci; Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury; The Hounds and the Fury by Rita Mae Brown; Motor Mouth-An Alexandra Barnaby Novel by Janet Evanovich; Finding Noel by Richard Paul Evans; The Mitford Bedside Companion by Jan Karon; Lisey’s Story by Stephen King; The Red Gloves Collection by Karen Kingsbury; The Adventure Stories, Vol.4 by Louis L’Amour; The Brethren by Beverly Lewis; The Bancroft Strategy by Robert Ludlum; Fool Me Once by Fern Michaels; Black Girl/White Girl by Joyce Carol Oates; Hundred Dollar Baby by Robert B. Parker; Road of the Patriarch, Book III by R.A. Salvatore; Dear John by Nicholas Sparks; H.R.H. by Danielle Steel, and Murder at the Opera by Margaret Truman.

The results of the Teen Survey have been compiled with the most frequent answers appearing below: How often do you visit the library? (Every two weeks) What time is best for you? (Weekday afternoons) What new material would you like to see added? (Top 5 – fantasy, music CD’s, mysteries, thrillers. science fiction) Would you be interested in any of the following activities? (Top 5 – craft projects, Summer Reading Club, Teen Advisory Board, guest speakers and tied for fifth –book discussion group or trivia contest) What are your hobbies? (sports, drama, art, crafts, camping)
Which of the magazines in our collection do you read? (Seventeen, Teen People, Teen Vogue, Transworld Skateboarding and tied for 5th – Mad and Teen Ink) Which magazines would you like to see removed? (Top 5 – none, American Cheerleader, Teen Vogue, Mad, PC Gamer) Any magazines you would like to see added? (CosmoGirl, none, and cartoon magazines – each received more than one vote) In the next couple months we plan to add the following magazines to our young adult section: Current Science, Shonen Jump and Shojo Beat. CosmoGirl will replace ElleGirl, which ceased publication. Thanks to all who took the time to complete the survey. We hope to implement more of your suggestions soon.

Did you know that both Fiction and Young Adult departments have an “Ask a Librarian” site? Just like the reference service offered by the Main Desk, we offer an “Ask a Librarian” link on our fiction and young adult blogs. Any question relating to fiction or young adults may be sent to us through these links. You may access them by going to the Fiction or Young Adult page and clicking on “Ask a Librarian.” We will happily answer your questions as soon as we can.

Spring is here and the staff in the Fiction Department is hard at work planning for this year’s Summer Reading Clubs. We will be offering an Adult Summer Reading Club, run much the same as last year, as well as a Young Adult Club with activities and prizes geared toward the thirteen to eighteen year old group. This summer as you are checking out books and entering our great summer reading club prize giveaways, you might consider some of these new titles: ‘The 5th Horseman’ by James Patterson; ‘Sea Change’ by Robert B. Parker; ‘Good Omens’ by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and ‘Two Little Girls in Blue’ by Mary Higgins Clark.

Arriving soon for young adults are the ‘Gossip Girl’ series by Cecily von Ziegesar; ‘Teen Idol’ by Meg Cabot; ‘Poison’ by Chris Wooding, and ‘I Am the Messenger’ by Markus Zusak. In non-fiction for young adults we have a new set of 6 books on American Popular Music. Each volume contains information on performers, musical genres, famous compositions, musical instruments, media and centers of musical activity. More new titles include ‘101 Tips for Graduates: A Code of Conduct for Success and Happiness in Your Professional Life’ by Susan Morem and ‘Forensics: Solving the Crime’ by Tabatha Yeatts.

Over the past few months the Fiction Department has gone through several changes. As I am getting settled into my new position, I encourage you to stop and talk to me if you have questions, concerns, or suggestions. I would also like to hear from you about some of your favorite books or authors, and what kind of programs or activities you would like to see in the Fiction and Young Adult Departments in the future.

With the arrival of Fall, I start thinking about finishing up my outside chores and settling in with a good book. Following are some possible choices to look for as the temperature starts to drop. Deadly Slipper, by Michelle Wan, a mystery that takes place in France where a young girl is looking for answers to the disappearance of her twin sister some 19 years earlier. With each twist and turn of the story yet another person becomes the possible suspect in her disappearance or murder. Follow along as the author weaves through the picturesque countryside of France.

A recent series addition is the Laura Child Tea Shop Mysteries. Each book contains delicious recipes for the teas and sweets she mentions throughout each intriguing mystery. James Burke’s new book Crusader’s Cross (number fourteen in the Robicheaux series) has just arrived. A few of the other new books you will find on our shelves include the long-awaited sixth book by Diana Gabaldon, A Breath of Snow and Ashes; Thirteen Steps Down written by Ruth Rendell; Friends, Lovers, Chocolate, the second book in the Philosophy Club series by Alexander McCall Smith; April Shadows by V. C. Andrews; James Carlos Blake’s The Killing of Stanley Ketchel; and The Historian written by Elizabeth Kostova.

Our Young Adult collection is growing too. Some of our new titles: When I Was a Soldier: a Memoir by Valerie Zenatti; The Lost Day by Judith Clarke; The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; Flight of the Fisherbird by Nora Martin; Christopher Paolini’s Eldest, book two in the Inheritance series; I Was a Non-Blonde Cheerleader by Karen Scott; Dorothy Hobbler’s Ghost in the Tokaido Inn; and Raven’s Gate by Anthony Horowitz. Non-Fiction titles recently added to the Young Adult collection include: Pioneers of Human Rights: Profiles in History by Cherly Fisher Phibbs. This book profiles several human rights leaders including: Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglas. Other new books include: Peterson’s Best College Admission Essays (a good choice for those seniors getting ready for college); The Driving Book by Karen Gravelle; and Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide by Penny Hutchins Paquette.

Our Young Adult Graphic Novel collection has grown to over eighty books. Some of our latest titles are Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602; Van Helsing’s Night Off by Nicolas Mahler; Marc Hansen’s Weird Melvin by Marc Hansen; Marvel Spiderman Vol. 3 and the Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck.

Some of the new magazines starting to arrive in the Fiction Department are: Career World (this magazine will be helpful to young adults thinking about future careers); ELLEGirl; Imagine; Ride BMX; Wizard: The Comic Magazine and Teen Ink. Magazines moving to Fiction from the Main Floor include: Game Pro; PC Gamer; Transworld Skateboarding; Transworld Snowboarding and VOYA.

We have received more than two hundred CDs and a few of these are being added to our collection each week. Some titles already available are: Plains by George Wilson; Come Rain or Come Shine by Sylvia McNair; Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 by Sam Cooke; Sunday Morning Classics by various artists; A Perfect Day by Roger Whittaker; Dracula by Philip Glass; Tierra Gitana by the Gipsy Kings; I’ve Been Loving You Too Long and Other Hits by Otis Redding; Irresistible by Jessica Simpson; The Best of Jefferson Airplane and Whole New You by Shawn Colvin.

by Lynn Piotrowicz

Six months ago an acquaintance sent me a quote that has been serving as my guiding mantra:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the one you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain

As some of you may know, I have thrown off the bowlines and will be sailing away from all that is safe and secure. I have recently accepted the position of Director of the Tucker Free Library in Henniker, New Hampshire. Henniker is a quaint New England village that boasts of converted antique gaslights, a college, a ski resort, a class five river, the first bridge in New Hampshire and a corrner store where you can buy oil, wine, magazines, small hardware items and lunch! The area has particular appeal for me because my brother and his family live 30 miles south of Henniker, so I will get to spend lots of quality time with my nephew.

I am passing the Fiction Department baton to Joice Imel. Joice has worked at the library on the Main Floor for nine years. She has superb interpersonal skills, a friendly disposition, and a genuine commitment to fulfilling the leisure reading needs of the patrons of the Meadville community. A fiction reader, Joice enjoys Robert Ludlum, Nevada Barr, Iris Johansen, Suzanne Brockmann, Ann Rivers Siddon, Nora Roberts, Diana Gabaldon, Rosamund Pilcher, Dorothy Gilman and others. Please take the time to introduce yourself to Joice next time you stop in the library.

This is a bittersweet time for me. I have tried to say farewell to as many of my patrons as possible, but I haven’t been able to touch base with everyone. As I write this article, I am reflecting back on all the friends I have made and all the fun I have had working as the fiction librarian at the Meadville Publilc Library. I have truly enjoyed guiding your leisure reading pursuits over the years. I would like to think that we have all grown into sophisticated readers of discriminating taste. But remember, occasionally a trashy novel, a plaguebook, or a serial killer book provides a great alternative!

I have been pretty preoccupied and busy over the last few months but I have managed to read a couple of excellent well-written books. If you are up for a challenge try Haruki Murakiami’s Kafka on the Shore or Dave King’s The Ha Ha. Must-reads for the summer include: Sue Monk Kidd’s (Secret Life of Bees) The Mermaid Chair, Alice Hoffman’s Ice Queen, and Judith Ryan Hendricks’ Baker’s Apprentice.

If you are ever in the Henniker area, please stop in and say hello, Meadville friends are always welcome!

Fondly,
Lynn Piotrowicz