Ed2Go has changed its name to Learn4Life, and will continue to offer a multitude of online courses for our community.  In addition to the name change:

• This online program will no longer require passcodes.  Patrons can just input their SJCPL library card to register for a class.
• If a patron doesn’t make it to Lesson 2, the program will “autodrop” them.
• The “Certificate of Completion” will now be the “Record of Completion.”
• Beginning last Tuesday, June 11th, patrons may only take five courses during a calendar year.  For only 2013, this means the date range is June 11th-December 31st.

Thank you very much for utilizing this popular program.  Please contact Shanti at 574-282-4630 or email s.nand@sjcpl.org with any questions.

Yesterday, I was asked the question, “How long has the library been doing Summer Reading?” Being still fairly new to Children’s Services, I didn’t immediately have an answer. I knew it was around when I was a kid growing up in the 70s and 80s but hadn’t thought about when it actually started. I started asking people who had been with SJCPL for many years and no one was quite sure, so I started digging through files to see if I could find the answer. After sorting through files of old papers, I came across a letter from 1931 that mentioned Summer Reading. A call from the form the former head of Children’s Services confirmed this was the magic date. So, not only is Summer Reading a great program now, but it has been for many, many years. Summer Reading has stood the test of time. Kids love it because it is fun and easy to do. Parents and teachers love it because it keeps kids reading. They know kids who DON’T read during the summer can lose more than a month of reading achievement and have to play “catch up” come fall.  So, why don’t sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge and join in the tradition?

And Summer reading is not just for kids. There are now programs for teens and adults too! Click here to get started today!

Every year there are thousands of new titles published, which can be daunting if you are pondering what to read next. Last year alone the Library system ordered 12,926 print titles, 5,563 e-books and 1,202 e-audiobooks!

If you are like most avid readers, you probably have a general idea of what you like to read. Maybe you like fast-paced suspense thrillers or quirky characters that live extraordinary lives.
Whatever it is that you like to read, every now and then you may crave to read something outside your norm. Or maybe you have read everything written by your favorite author and cannot possibly wait for them to write the next best seller. What do you do? How do you know what to read next???

Well, besides quizzing your friends (or even your next door neighbor, thanks, Jo!) and family or asking one of the  handy dandy librarians for suggestions, there are actually a few tools you can use to find interesting reads (or listens), many of which we use ourselves. Besides the complimentary issue of the BookPage that you can pick up at any library locations, magazines are a great source to find new books to read. Several popular magazines, newspapers and even public radio offer the “Best Summer Reads”.

Here are a few more resources worth looking into:

Novelist Plus: One of SJCPL’s wonderful databases that lets readers search by plot, character, series, titles, genre and subject. Indexes both fiction and non-fiction.

Fantastic Fiction : This popular website boasts bibliographies for over 30,000 authors. Great for finding titles in a series, author read-alikes and when your favorite authors next book is coming out.

What Should I Read Next? : Huge database compiled with information from readers like you on what book titles or authors you might like based on what you like.

Stop, You’re Killing Me! : If you love Mysteries this is the site for you! Award winners, series, and a chronological list of your favorite author’s books!

Goodreads:  Share with other readers everything you have read, currently reading and want to read later. Great site to give and get book recommendations!

Library Thing: Similar to Goodreads. A great place to create your reading library.

For teens, this is a great site for book recommendations, books into movies, author interviews and finding out what is the latest and greatest : TeenReads

Reading Rocket is a great site for finding books for children of all ages, plus tips for parents, teachers and librarians

And while you are reading this summer, why not sign up for our Summer Reading Challenge.  We have programs for children, teens and adults and you can even win prizes along the way. Score!

I am one of the millions who dropped off the face of the earth while reading Gillian Flynn’s massively successful female noir Gone Girl. I made the mortal mistake of starting it during the workweek. My 15-minute breaks and lunch break turned into brutal disruptions throughout the day. Breaking away from the one of the best books of 2012 was cruel and unusual punishment, but I couldn’t stop picking it up every chance I got. Finally I had the opportunity to spend 2 hours on the couch undisrupted, with the goal of not moving until I finished it. With the exception of my puppy, who was exceedingly needy that day and kept smacking me in the face with her paw, I accomplished just that. After all the anguish I put myself through trying to read it during the week, I hated the ending. Hated it. I remember sitting on the couch, with a puppy paw on my face, completely conflicted because despite the ending, it was still pretty darn good. It’s hard to stay mad at any book that knocks you completely off the radar like that. Someone later told me that “it had to end that way.”  Pa-lease. I will politely disagree.

Gone Girl is actually Gillian Flynn’s third novel. I’ve recently finished her first two, Dark Places and Sharp Objects. Verdict: I like them both better than the third one, which spent eight weeks in a row on top of The New York Times Bestseller list. Since it could be years before she publishes another dark, twisted tale, I found myself wondering, what do I read now? Below are the books that I have read (and recommend) during my life after Gone Girl.

Continue Reading →

We will be celebrating the start of the Summer Reading Challenge with a kick-off event on June 8th from 2-4 in the Children’s Services Department at the Main Library. There will be a craft, scavenger hunt, balloon animals, caricature drawing and of course lots of fun! Be sure to sign-up for the Reading Challenge while you are there and also check out our great election of children’s materials. If you can’t make it to the event, don’t worry!  There will be lots of events all summer long for you to enjoy. Some of the coming attractions at Main include a magic show with Ronald McDonald, musician Steve Weeks, a friendship bracelet craft, and Snakehead Ed.  All SJCPL branches will also be hosting fun events so check out the calendar of events to find a program at a library location near you!

If you enjoy knitting or socializing with others who like knit, come to the Main Library this Saturday and celebrate World Wide Knit in Public Day.

Relax in our cafe and take part in this international event! Bring a friend! We will also have a yarn exchange.

Enter a raffle to win a gift certificate from Red Purl! Light refreshments served.
World Wide Knit in Public Day was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy each others company. For more information, contact the Reference desk at 282-4630.