New Magazine Subscriptions Have Started!

We try to keep up with what our library patrons want to read. This year we have dropped a few magazine subscriptions that weren't getting much use, and we started several new subscriptions we think you might like to read. And the new 2014 subscriptions have already started to arrive, so let's get to know them a bit.

First up is Autism Spectrum Quarterly. This is shelved in the Parenting Collection area of the Children's Room, so be sure to look for it there. Articles about evidence-based research, management strategies, and how to deal with common issues can all be found in this journal. Take a look at the Winter 2013 issue, which has a holiday gift guide and tips for the holiday season.

Next up is Family Tree Magazine, with tips and guides to help you research your own family tree. The December 2013 issue features the best free websites to trace US ancestors, how to plan a trip to an ancestral homeland, and tricks to working with a research partner. There is also a section on holiday heritage activities, how to trace Filipino roots, and a glossary of genealogy-related acronyms and abbreviations.

More Magazine focuses its stories on women in their 30s, 40s and 50s. Articles might look at avoiding burnout at work, age-appropriate fashions and styles, medical issues (what medical procedures are over-prescribed?), and similar topics. The Dec./Jan. issue even has a cheat sheet so you can understand some of the buzz terms being used by younger people at holiday parties.

And the last title for today, Motorcyclist, well, that's pretty much self-explanatory! Reviews of street and off-road motorcycles and "superbikes", gear guides, stories of races, and personal trips make up just part of this magazine.

Many of the new titles will be featured on the display rack at the front of the Reference area in the near future, so keep your eyes open for them. In the meantime, they can be found in their boxes in the Magazine room. More titles are expected to arrive soon, and we'll talk about them here when they do. Have a great holiday season!

What Do You Want From a Book?

What do you think of when you think "book"? Is it words in ink on paper, compiled into bound portable reading units? Is it words on a screen (e-reader or tablet), a file that is downloaded from a seller or from a free site? Is it words spoken into your ear, a printed text read by the author or a performer, allowing you to "read" on your hour-long commute every day? All of these things qualify as a "reading a book" today, and each has its fans and detractors.

The question that frequently pops up, however, is what else a book SHOULD be. Should a book take advantage of today's constant connectivity to allow you to see a video that is relevant to the paragraph you just read? Should a book be something you can jot notes in and have those notes immediately available for other readers to see? Should a book include music inspired by or part of the story or text? Some of these things already appear in "books" aimed at beginning or struggling readers, children, and others trying to connect a printed word with its sound and meaning. (Take a look at BookFlix, part of the POWER Library Network, available to anyone with a Pottsville Library card.) But a number of articles over the years have tried to explain how books for the general adult reader could be made so much better if only authors and publishers would make use of the various technologies and social networking options available to us today. And yet, many of the proposed changes to books just don't seem to catch on.

Do you want to have a video, music, or another reader play or talk to you while you are reading? Do you read to escape interruptions and the constant clicking that we do when using a computer? When does a book cease to be a book, and become a movie, or a game, or a conversation? Maybe the answer lies in what kind of book it is: a biography of a musician might make sense to include samples of songs he or she recorded; a book about birds might want to include the bird songs or videos of birds in flight.

In the meantime, print books continue to be produced and read in large numbers, showing that some people still just want to shut out the rest of the world while they immerse themselves in a story. E-readers serve the same purpose, focusing on the story without lights flashing or bells whistling. And if they want to talk to others about it, readers join book clubs or start conversations with their friends. Here's to hoping we will always have the option to read a book in whatever way we prefer.

Tis the Season for Giving... What?

As a library, we often promote the idea of giving books as gifts any time of year, but especially in December. Books are a way to bring people together to share a story, or to help a child develop their imagination, or to share cherished traditions. We argue that reading expands minds, helps the armchair traveler explore new cultures, and provides escape and leisure in a hectic world.

If you are thinking about giving someone a book as a gift, here's a thought: is it the right gift for that person? Maybe a book isn't always the best idea. Beth Carswell of AbeBooks posted a thought-provoking article a couple of years ago that is still relevant, "The Best Book Gifts, And When Not To Give A Book." She lists ten situations where giving a book as a gift may not be the best idea, like for college students who already are overwhelmed with course reading and may not have time to enjoy "fun" stuff.

If you still really want to give someone a book as a gift, what format is the best? So many people have switched to ebooks, and you need to know what kind of device they use to read their ebooks. Do they use a tablet with an app from each major ebook retailer? Do they have a Kindle, Nook, or Kobo ereader and buy only from that company? Are they anti-Amazon, or anti-DRM? (This is really, really important to know when you want to give an ebook to someone.) How does one even give someone else an ebook as a gift? Juli Monroe over at TeleRead has a good description of how you can do this: "Giving eBooks as Gifts."

Don't forget that a great opportunity to support local authors is coming this Saturday, November 30. The Local Author Showcase at the Pottsville Library is part of the national Small Business Saturday event going on in downtown Pottsville. More than 25 authors from Schuylkill County will be at the library from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., selling print copies of their books (and some might have other media formats as well, like musical CDs). You can read the Republican Herald's story about the events for more about other businesses taking part in the event. Saturday is also the day of the Santa parade in town, the lighting of the city's Christmas tree, and the children's Christmas party at the Humane Fire Company.

Let the holiday season begin!

Today in History: Silly Edition

It's Friday, and sometimes even adults have to be a little silly.

Today (November 15) is the birthday of author Daniel Pinkwater. Haven't heard of him? Your children might have. He's written such wonderful books as Fat Camp Commandos, Fat Men From Space, The Hoboken Chicken Emergency, and The Neddiad: How Neddie took the train, went to Hollywood, and saved civilization. All of these titles are in the children's fiction collection here at the library.

Not so silly: Today is also the birthday of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe. You can look at some of her works in The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum here at the library (759.13 G296, on the second floor).

In the mood for some music? Celebrate Kevin Eubanks' birthday by listening to his CD, Zen Food, available at the library (CD MJ EUBA ZF M 54; sorry, that's a long call number!). He was born in Philadelphia, making him one of our many regional artists.

Back to being silly, here's some theatrical history for you. On Nov. 15, 1886, Charles A. Gardiner's play "Karl The Peddler" used the name "George Spelvin" as one of the actor's names, to hide the fact that one actor was playing more than one role in the play. The female version of this name is "Georgina" or "Georgette", or something similar. It's said that "George Spelvin" has appeared in more than 10,000 Broadway performances since then. The Pottsville Library has a number of books about the history of Broadway, both reference and those that can be checked out, if you're curious to read more.

The final silly fact for the day: Tomorrow, November 16, is the annual elephant roundup in Thailand. With elephant demonstrations, tug-of-war between an elephant and 100 men, and elephant races, who could pass up such a day? Don't believe me? You can read the Wikipedia page about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surin_Elephant_Round-up.

Have a great weekend!

Tis the Season to Make Some Memories

As our society gets more and more consumer-driven (stores opening on Thanksgiving, anyone?), some people are fighting against it by trying to make more of their own items or making gifts for others. Whether you want to give cookies or candles, knitted scarves or painted ornaments, we have books that will help you create memories for everyone on your list!

The Oxford Christmas Book for Children (j 394.268 O) has crafts that kids can make, along with games, recipes, and stories.

Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts (745.594 St49) has Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's crafts to try (not to mention holidays from the rest of the year, too).

Feeling a little broke? Holiday Crafts Under $10 (745.5941 H717) can help you figure out things to make that won't empty your wallet.

Christmas Comfort & Joy: 501 Crafts, Decorating, and Food Ideas to Make Your Holiday Unforgettable (745.594 C464) might seem more ambitious, but who says you have to try all 501?

Beautiful Beads (j 745.58 R) has some great ideas for projects that kids can make for each other.

Or you can give EcoArt! (j 745.5 C) a try, helping kids ages 3 to 9 create with recycled materials.

Want to learn how to paint? The 751 section on the second floor has a wide variety of books on how to use watercolor, oil, or acrylic paint to express your creative side.

Or, teach yourself how to knit, using Getting Started Knitting (746.43 W892) as your guide. There is even a book just for kids who want to learn, Kids Knit! (j 746.43 B).

Don't forget all the magazines that put out Christmas cookie specials, often starting with the November issues. Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Martha Stewart Living, and Taste of Home are all great places to find new cookie recipes to celebrate the season.

Did we miss something? Contact the Reference Department and we'll help you find information on the craft you want to explore.

Fall Events at the Pottsville Library

The Pottsville Library will be offering a new computer class this month. "Perils of the Internet; or, There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch!" will be on Tuesday, October 29 at 2:30 p.m. The class will also be offered on November 19 at 6 p.m. if you prefer evenings. The class is free, but class size is limited and you need a valid Pottsville Library card to sign up. Call the library at 570-622-8880 to register, or stop by the Circulation Desk next time you come in. Henry's discussion of spammers and hackers is sure to be entertaining and informative!

On October 31, from 4 - 6 p.m., the Children's Room will be hosting a haunted house open to all ages. This will be taking place during the downtown Pottsville merchants trick-or-treating. Come in to the library to find out what kinds of scares the Teen Advisory Board has come up with this year! City-wide trick-or-treating will be from 6 - 8 p.m. that evening.

Looking further down the road, don't forget the Local Author Showcase from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. here at the Pottsville Library on November 30, during Small Business Saturday activities in downtown Pottsville. Almost 20 authors will be on hand with their books on a wide variety of subjects, giving you a great opportunity to pick up some holiday gifts and support Schuylkill County people at the same time. The city will be hosting the Santa Parade at 5:30 p.m. that day, followed by the lighting of the tree in Garfield Square at 6 p.m.

Questions about things happening at the library? Please call us at 570-622-8880 to find out what else is going on at your public library!

October is Celiac Disease Awareness Month

Recent years have seen a big increase in the number of foods being sold and advertised as "gluten-free". Most people understand this refers to wheat, but many aren't sure of the purpose. October is Celiac Disease Awareness Month, to help people understand what celiac disease is and how gluten is involved.

According to the definition by the Celiac Sprue Assocation (www.csaceliacs.org), celiac disease (or CD) is not an allergy or an intolerance. CD is an autoimmune disorder that can damage the small intestine and make it difficult for people to absorb nutrients. The reaction is triggered by eating certain grain-based products, such as wheat, barley, rye, and oats, all of which contain gluten. CD is not something you can catch; you have to be genetically disposed to it, and experience some kind of trigger (which could be environmental, emotional, or physical), and have a diet that includes wheat, or barley, etc. You can find out more information at "Celiac Disease Defined" or at the Mayo Clinic's page, "Celiac Disease".

The Pottsville Free Public Library has several books available to help you manage a gluten-free diet. Below are some titles and and their call numbers to help you find them. All of these books, plus others, are available to be checked out:

Celiac Disease: a hidden epidemic (2006) -- 616.399 G825

Cooking for Your Gluten-free Teen (2013) -- 641.5 B453

The Dairy-free and Gluten-free Kitchen (2012) -- 641.3 J284

The G-free Diet: a gluten-free survival guide (2009) -- 613.2 H276

Gluten-free Girl (2007) -- 615.854 Ah34

The Joy of Gluten-free, Sugar-free Baking (2012) -- 641.5 R275