Hobart Township Libraries

September Is...

2011-08-24T14:36:00.002-05:00

September is right around the corner and I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know what September is. September is National Library Card Sign Up Month. In September children with a library card need to show us so we can place a sticker on their card and enter them into a drawing for a prize. But that's not all. They get a prize right then just for having a library card. Don't fret if you don't have a library card because mom or dad can sign you up for one. It's easy and it's free. All mom or dad needs is their driver's license with current address on it or driver's license with a current piece of mail.

Mom or Dad no you won't get a prize for signing up but get yourself a card as well because, "The library card is the smartest card in your wallet." according to Cal Ripken Jr. With a library card you can get books, movies, music CD's, Internet access, and so much more. I'm not sure what you are waiting for.

Make sure to come to our Free Pancake Breakfast September 3rd, 2011 from 9:30am-Noon.

On September 13 at 6pm School Age Kids are invited to our Cool Kid's Lego Party! Come create some neat Lego designs and enjoy cookies and lemonade.

Summer Fun

2011-06-15T19:22:00.004-05:00

The first week of summer reading has flown by and the second is almost over as well. For those who haven't done so yet: come to the library, check out some books, and win some prizes. And don't forget about our fun programs we have planned. Today the tweens created monster cake pops. Tomorrow school age children will learn all about Asia from a guest speaker. You can find the rest of Hobart's and Lake Stations events HERE.

Come out and enjoy all the summer fun that the library has to offer. I promise you won't regret it!

These are just some of the monsters made today. To see all of them check out the Kids Nook.

Summer Reading Is Coming!

2011-05-26T17:10:00.013-05:00

With the cold and rainy days we have been experiencing lately you are probably wondering where summer is. I keep hearing it's right around the corner. I'm hoping that right around the corner comes soon. Every summer, this years starts June 6, the library has a reading program for adults, teens, and children to participate in. Just for reading you can win prizes. What's not to love about that? This years theme is all about travel. We also have some really cool programs planned. To find out whats going on at your local library click HERE. HERE will lead you to our events calendar where you can limit by branch what events you want to know about. You can also pick up a summer reading brochure or a Happenings at any of our 11 locations as well. Please remember to register.

Let me take a minute to list a few of our programs that the Hobart and Lake Station libraries are planning:

AT Hobart:

Travel to Bangkok on June 7, 2011 at 2pm
Watch Eat, Pray, Love on June 9, 2011 at 6pm
Teens can make Monster Cake Pops on June 15, 2011 at 2pm
School age kids will enjoy the Pipes and Drums on Orak on June 23, 2011 at 2pm

AT Lake Station:

School age kids will enjoy UP on June 8, 2011 at 2pm
Ronald McDonald is coming on June 15, 2011 at 2pm
Tweens will enjoy making cake pops on June 23, 2011 at 2pm
School age kids get to read to Greyhounds on June 29, 2011 at 6pm

These aren't all the programs planned for June. There are many more. We have many planned for July.

Let me take a minute to talk about our reading programs:

Adults get to fill out an entry form for each book, magazine, audio book, or downloadable audio or e-book they read or listen to. An entry form can be filled out in the library or online. A drawing for winners is done every week. Weekly prizes are book bags, disposable cameras, and free books from our book sale room. Grand prizes are gas gift cards or a year of bagels from Panera Bread.

Teens get to fill out an entry form for each 100 pages read. Magazines and audio books count as one entry. An entry form can be filled out in the library or online. A drawing for winners is done every week. Weekly prizes are a water bottle, book bag, or a key chain. Grand prizes are gift cards to Best Buy.

Children get prizes for the amount of books they read.

Hello Cupcake Series

2011-03-28T16:26:00.004-05:00

In February and March I did a four part series for families on Karen Tack's Hello Cupcake books. The cupcake creations started out easy and gradually got harder. We started with her Sweet Talk cupcakes but unfortunately I didn't get any pictures. They were pretty cute though. Then we did Chinese Takeout cupcakes. Some looked like fried rice and some looked like pork lo mein. Then came the Rubber Ducks. They were still pretty easy, but the beaks were a little tricky. We finished with the Shark Attack cupcakes. These were fun to make but challenging. I don't think I would want to make up 24 of these. We all had trouble keeping the Twinkies upright and the cookies I bought weren't thin enough. But like I said they were still fun to make and the kids really enjoyed them. For the full instructions on how to make these yummy cupcakes check out Karen Tack's awesome books, Hello Cupcake and What's New Cupcake.

Pancake Breakfast

2011-01-17T13:40:00.006-06:00

The pancake breakfast was this past Saturday from 10am to Noon. I had a fun time making the pancakes and I hope that everyone that came enjoyed the food.

Pancakes ready to be taken off the grill.

Me cooking the pancakes.

Butter and syrup.

Coffee, orange juice, or milk.

Table decorations.

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

2010-10-25T19:04:00.003-05:00

I came across this title by accident. I was perusing the book discussion titles posted by my colleages, saw the title and thought, "no way, that book can't be about dead bodies". But yes, infact, the book truly is. So I thought I would give it a try. And I'm glad I did.

Bestselling author Mary Roach puts an interesting twist on this subject. Death and dying is not normally a subject people care to think about let alone read about. Roach discusses medical school classes, human decay, forensics and well, I will stop here. Her research is backed by first person interviews and lots of scholarly articles, yet it is written in a fun and entertaining style.

Okay, but perhaps this title is not for the squeamish. Roach goes into extensive detail in some of her chapters about certain processes and scientific experiments. The first chapter alone jumps right in with doctors practicing their surgical skills on dead bodies (and I am very glad they do).

But I really enjoyed this book. It was a 180 degree change of pace for me and I'm glad I took the time to read it. I loved the author's humorous comments she injected into the topic and the amazing extent of her research.

Looking forward to her newest book "Packing for Mars: the curious science of life in the void."

Reference Book Review: A to Zoo by Carolyn Lima and Rebecca Thomas

2010-08-31T16:05:00.001-05:00

How did I not know about this resource when I was a Children's librarian? Awesome resource for finding picture books. In the early 80's John and Carolyn Lima had a vision to create a reference book to provide better subject access to picture books for children. A to Zoo was created. A to Zoo has 13,755 titles cataloged under 1,215 subjects. Start with your ABC's and and end with Zoo's.

Animal books-check
Growing up-check
Flowers-check
Weather-check

and so much more.

There is also a bibliographic guide, title index, and an illustrator index.

Great resource for librarian, teachers, and parents.

Reference Book Review: American Eras

2010-08-31T15:30:00.002-05:00

American Eras Early American Civilizations and Exploration to 1600 is a very interesting book. This book consists of eleven chapters. Each chapter is broken down into the following categories: Chronology, Overview, Topics in the News, Headline Makers, and Publications.

Chronology is a time line of important events to 1600, Overview gives you information about the topic, Topics in the News breaks it down by year, Headline Makers highlights a couple prominent people of that era, and then Publications lists related reading material.

Reference Book Review: Encyclopedia of the American Civil War

2010-08-31T13:50:00.002-05:00

Encyclopedia of the American Civil War is a five volume set. It consists of more than 1,600 essays that describe and explain a myriad of aspects that cover the coming of the war, its conduct, and its consequences in a political, military, and social context. It also provides biographical essays on major and minor military, political, diplomatic, and cultural figures. These essays describe more than sixty major engagements as well as important skirmishes. They have also tried to cover broad areas such as strategy and tactics, social trends, and technological innovations. Articles are in alphabetical order.

Volume I A-C
Volume II D-I
Volume III J-Q
Volume IV R-Z
Volume V List of Documents, Source Documents, Appendices, Chronology of the American Civil War, Glossary, Bibliography, and Index

You can find a list of entries at the beginning of the book.

Civil War buffs should check this encyclopedia out.

Reference Book Review: Encyclopedia of the Ancient World

2010-08-31T13:49:00.003-05:00

The Encyclopedia of the Ancient World is a three volume set that presents a survey of the cultures and civilizations of the world from prehistory through about 700 C.E. It predominately provides coverage of the ancient Greeks and Romans but also examines the civilizations, cultures, traditions, monuments and artifacts, significant wars and battles, and important personages of Europe (outside Greece and Rome), Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania. This three volume set also provides descriptions of important documents of antiquity, definitions, and overviews of general topics that provide cross-cultural views of the ancient world. There are 1, 195 articles that consist of 26 overviews and 1, 169 alphabetically arranged encyclopedic articles that range from 250-word biographies of important figures such as Marc Antony and Xunzi to 2,500 word essays on major subjects such as Imperial Rome and Classical Greece.

The time span covered ranges from prehistory to 700 C. E. There is a Contents, Publisher's Note, list of Contributors, a Key to Pronunciation, Maps index, and a Complete List of Contents for all three volumes. If you are studying ancient civilizations or needing to do a report you might want to take a look at these.

Reference Book Review: Reading Rants by Jennifer Hubert

2010-07-29T19:25:00.004-05:00

I was actually inspired to start the Book Nook because of the Reading Rants website. http://www.readingrants.org/ I go there pretty religiously to see what Ms. Hubert has read. Her reviews of the books really make you want to read them. I only get upset when the book sounds really good and it's not been published yet. Her book is pretty cool too.

Reading Rants covers 100 books divided among ten topics, with ten titles for each topic. Bibliographic information is provided for each title followed by six categories: The Story, The Message, Who's it For?, Why it Rocks, Hook it Up With, and Read More about It.

The Story summarizes the full story, including the ending. Expect spoilers!

The Message includes the prominent themes.

Who's It For? tells you grade level recommendations and if there is strong language, sexual situations, or violent scenes.

Why It Rocks explains why Ms. Hubert choose to include the title in her book.

Hook It Up gives similar titles to recommend.

Read More About It lists where the book was reviewed in professional journals.

Make sure you check out her website. It really does rock!

The Gale Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes

2010-05-27T14:19:00.002-05:00

Here is an interesting set of encyclopedias I came across in our reference area. It seems that at least once a year we get school age kids looking for books on Native American tribes and this would be a helpful resource.

This four volume set presents historical, cultural, and current information on nearly 400 Native groups within 13 geographic regions. This is a four volume set organized by tribal groups. Volume I covers the Northeast, Southeast, and Caribbean tribal groups. Volume II covers the Great Basin, Southwest, and Middle America tribal groups. Volume III covers the Arctic, the Subarctic, the Great Plains, and the Plateau tribal groups. Volume IV covers the Pacific Northwest, California, and the Pacific Islands tribal groups.

Each volume includes maps that indicate historical origins of tribal groups as well as locations of contemporary state and federal reservations.

The essays are arranged alphabetically within regional clusters. The essays are broken down into the following information: introduction, history, religion, language, buildings, subsistence, clothing and adornment, healing practices, customs, oral literature, current tribal issues, and bibliography and further reading.

This set was published in 1998. While the current information on a tribe will most likely be different the historical information will be the same. The historical maps are useful as well.

Encyclopedia of Extreme Sports by Kelly Boyer Sagert

2010-05-03T16:22:00.002-05:00

Extreme sport enthusiasts are fearless. You would have to be to fling yourself off of a cliff, jump out of a perfectly good airplane, water ski barefoot, or do twisted jumps in the air and land on your snow board. I'll stick to watching and let the professionals do the crazy tricks. It's way to extreme for a wuss like me. I applaud those people for what they can do because it is Amazing to watch and a little scary because I hold my breath the whole time until they land safely and I know they haven't broken their necks. This encyclopedia is really cool. It is full of extreme sport information not only about the different sports but also about the people doing them.

Are you a fan of Shaun White? He's in here.
Love Wake Boarding? That's in here too along with Kite Surfing, Adventure Racing, Lava Sledding (I'll pass, Thank You) and those are just to name a few.

How the book is broken down: Alphabetical List of Entries, Guide to Related Topics, Introduction, Acknowledgments, Timeline of Extreme Sports, Body of Information, and Index.

I recommend reading the introduction because it talks about the difference between extreme and traditional sports, it gives a history, reasons for popularity, the future of extreme sports, and gives you an overview of the encyclopedia. Really interesting book.

You can find it on the New Reference Book shelf.

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia

2010-04-05T15:19:00.001-05:00

Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia was first published in the late 1960's in Germany under the editorship of zoologist Bernhard Gryzimek. Years later Gale and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association worked together to completely revise and update the series for the first time in 30 years. Gale expanded the 13 volume set to 17 volumes, had new color paintings commissioned, and made the set easier to use.

This 17 volume set is organized by taxonomy. Taxonomy is the science in which various organisms are discovered, identified, described, named, classified, and catalogued. They start with the simplest life forms, the lower metazoans and lesser deuterostomes, in volume one, and then the series progresses through the more complex classes of animals, culminating with the mammals, in volumes 12-16 (pg x).

Grzimek's features 3,000 color photos that help enhance understanding.

If you need information on animal life take a look at these very informative books.

Healthy Legs

2010-03-05T11:56:00.005-06:00

Dr. Luis Barajas, M.D. will plan on presenting a one-hour free workshop for ladies of all ages on Saturday, March 13, 2-3 p.m.

"Healthy Legs" will be held in conjunction with Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month, featuring Dr. Luis Barajas, M.D. of Decatur Vein Clinic in Hobart.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a condition that involves a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in a calf or thigh muscle, partially or completely blocking blood flow. Dr. Barajas will talk about the more common and less serious conditions of venous insufficiency as well, including spider veins and varicose veins, and will perform a sample scan of a staff member's leg to demonstrate the simple diagnostic in-office mapping procedure conducted by Decatur Vein Clinic or other medical provider. This informative presentation will include a presentation, handout materials and a demonstration, and is designed to make women of all ages feel comfortable with their bodies and learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment -- and even prevention of these conditions. Women suffering from leg cramps, burning/itching of the legs, restless legs, foot/heel pain, etc. can all benefit from this free clinic. Please register at http://host5.evanced.info/lakecounty/evanced/eventcalendar.asp or call 942-2243.
Refreshments will be provided.

Dr. Barajas received his bachelor's degree from Purdue University and medical degree from Indiana University. He is an American Board of Phlebology Board Certified Phlebologist, Board Certified in Family Medicine, a member of the American College of Phlebology, American Medical Association and Indiana Academy of Family Practice.

VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 2010

2010-02-15T15:57:00.001-06:00

I bet you didn't know that we let hounds in the library, well VideoHounds that is. The VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 2010 is the complete guide to movies on VHS, DVD, and HI-Def formats. According to the library journal, "It simply doesn't get any better than this(From the front cover)".

On the inside of the front cover is The Rating Scale: One Dog's Opinion. The scale goes from Woof! (No Bones) to Four Bones. No Bones says that watching your neighbor's vacation videos might be less painful. May be redeemed by stretches of unintentional amusement. Four Bones says masterful cinematic expression. Flawless or nearly so. Will want to recommend to complete strangers on the street.

How is the VideoHound put together? First you have the introduction. Then there is a section on how to use VideoHound. This comes in handy for first time users. Then the rest of this over 2000 plus page book is broken down into categories: Alternate Titles Index, Videos A-Z, Category Index, Kibbles and Series Index, Awards Index, Cast Index, Director Index, Writer Index, Cinematographer Index, Composer Index, Video Sources Guide, and Web Site Guide.

So the biggest section is the videos A-Z section. "Each VideoHound review contains up to 19 items, ranging from title, to the review, to cast listings, to awards received. the information in these reviews is designed to help you choose a video you'll like, increase your enjoyment of a movie as you watch (especially by answering that nagging question of "What else have I seen that guy in"), and increase your knowledge of movie trivia (xii, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever)."

You may not agree with the rating scale on some of your favorite movies but this book has a lot of movies in it ranging from the well known to the obscure. It is a fun book to flip through.

Check out their website: www.movieretriever.com

The Natural Pharmacy edited by Alan R. Gaby

2010-02-09T13:39:00.002-06:00

Someone slap my hand for the confession I am about to make. I, Lacey Klemm reference librarian, am not aware of every reference book we have in the library. Ouch that hurt! But my goal this year is to get to know the reference collection better. I know the ones I use on a regular basis very well but like this book, The Natural Pharmacy, I didn't even know we had it. After taking a look through it I'm glad I know about it now. It's a very informative book.

Before you read futher here is an important disclaimer: It is important to realize that this book is provided for information or educational purposes only and should be used in consultation with a healthcare professional knowledgeable in natural medicine. Information is this book is not meant to replace any medical information supplied by a doctor or pharmacist (pg. xxii).

The Natural Pharmacy is a complete A-Z reference to natural treatments for common health conditions, vitamins, herbs, minerals, diet, and lifestyle. It features a very handy section called How to Use This Book. Just what I need to help me navigate. The book is broken into three sections, Health Concerns, Nutritional Supplements, and Herbs.

Health concerns has entries on athletic performance, diverticular disease, hay fever, hives, stress, and much more. Basically each entry has information about what it is, what the symptoms are, medical treatments, dietary changes that may be helpful, nutritional supplements that may be helpful, herbs that may be helpful, and holistic approaches that may be helpful.

In the nutritional supplements section you will find information about specific vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients. Each nutrient entry includes information about where it is found, health concerns for which the nutrient might be supportive, suggested dosage ranges, and possible side effects or interactions.

The herb entries give you information on the botanical name, common name, parts used and where it is grown, historical or traditional use, active constituents, how much is usually taken, and if there are any side effects or interactions.

There is a contents section and an index section for easy look up.

Chicken Penne Parmesan

2010-02-09T13:34:00.002-06:00

At yesterday's cooking class I made Chicken Penne Parmesan. I thought it turned out really well. I personally would prefer it without the chicken but to each his own.

Chicken Penne Parmesan

1 package penne (16 ounces)
1 jar pasta sauce (26 ounces)
1/3 cup whipping cream
12 ounces grilled chicken breast strips
1 package frozen cut broccoli, thawed, drained (9 ounces)
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
2. Whisk together pasta sauce and cream in a large bowl until well blended. Add cooked pasta, chicken breast strips and broccoli; stir to coat well.
3. Pour past mixture into a 13X9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
4. Bake casserole until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbling slightly, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

What is a Birkin?

2010-01-19T11:43:00.005-06:00

I am reading a fabulous new book I found by accident. Title: Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello.

I had never heard of a Birkin before and once I discovered what it was I am even more certain that I will never see nor own one in my lifetime.

Michael Tonello is sent to Barcelona, Spain on business. While there he realizes this is where he wants to spend the rest of his life. The location is beautiful, people are friendly and climate is perfect. Tonello makes the decision to move from his comfortable home in Provincetown, MA. to Barcelona, Spain. After signing a 5 year (unbreakable) lease, Tonello learns that his job no longer exists. Desperate for an income he begins selling items on eBay. Soon he finds a niche selling Hermes scarves and on a quest to acquire the elusive Birkin bag.

Tonello write that the Birkin "...is the celebrity it bag and literally impossible to get...". Hermes creates these bags which range in price from $8000.00 to more than $30,000.00! And here the story takes off on a fun reading adventure.

I have not finished this book but I am thoroughly enjoying it! Tonello has found, purchased and sold several Birkins all while telling his story in a delightfully humorous way. And may I add that these are gorgeous bags!

A Fox in the Library?

2010-01-09T10:54:00.003-06:00

While I was teaching our Navigating the Internet class this past Wednesday a student asked about the website YouTube.

For fun we searched for movie clips posted by family and friends. Yet we never expected to come across this video which someone had posted in June 2009.

Since it was a short clip, we decided to see what it was about.

I feel for Mr. Reynard. He didn't find the book he was seeking. I do wish he had asked for help.

But what a Great Idea! Thanks Mr. Reynard for visiting the Hobart Library. I hope you will consider coming back!

Fun in January

2009-12-29T16:29:00.003-06:00

Christmas is over and in approximatley three days it will be January 1st. The year of 2010. It's weird to say that, 2010, but I need to get used to it because 2009 is almost over. What's not over is all the fun you can have at the library. January is no exception we have a book giveaway, pancake breakfast, Monster's vs. Aliens and so much more.

You can sign up for these program online or you can call the library. To sign up online follow this link: http://host5.evanced.info/lakecounty/evanced/eventcalendar.asp?ag=&et=&dt=mo&df=calendar&cn=0&private=0&ln=ALL

On the left hand side uncheck mark All Locations. Scroll down and check mark Hobart. Click on Find. Now you will see what programs are going on each month. For more information on a program hold the mouse pointer over the program and it will give you more information. If you want to sign up for a program click on it and fill out the form. It's that easy.

For the whole month of January the library will be giving away free books from our booksale room. How can you get a free book? You get a free book by submitting a book review to be published on our Book Nook blog. If interested visit the circulation desk and one of our wonderful clerks will give you the form. You can email the review or attach it to the form. When returned you will receive a free book coupon to use at any time. One entry per person.

Pre-School Story Hour on January 12 and 26 at 1pm or 6pm, children ages 4 and 5.

Mother Goose on the Loose for babies and toddlers, 6 to 23 months, on January 13 and 27 at 10:30am.

Toddler Story Time on January 14 and 28 at 10:30am, children ages 2 and 3.

Chinese New Year Celebration January 14 at 4:30pm for children kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Pancake Breakfast January 16 10am-noon for the whole family.

Evening Movie: Monsters Vs. Aliens January 19 at 6pm for children of all ages.

Tweens Make Origami on January 20 at 4:30pm.

Database of the Month: Value Line Research Center

2009-12-29T12:14:00.002-06:00

Last month we learned about Patron Books in Print and this month I'm going to be talking about Value Line Research Center. It's another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

This database is actually Novembers. I'm behind but I know you will forgive me. I created a power point presentation to help you navigate Value Line. I focused on how to find the Indexes that we also have in print in the library. So stay home in your pajamas and look up Value Line online. The indexes look just the same as the print. Happy Searching!

Value Line

View more presentations from Lacey Klemm.

Cooking with Julia Child

2009-12-14T10:50:00.004-06:00

Have you read Julie Powell's book Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously?

My copy has finally arrived and I can't wait to read about her cooking adventures. I recently found an available copy of the movie sitting on our library shelves and grabbed it greedily. And may I say, the movie was quite enjoyable. Meryl Streep's performance as Julia Child was delightful.

So what I wondered is who else has read the actual book? Was it good? Would you recommend it to others? Care to share your comments? I'd love to hear from others on what you enjoyed or disliked about the book. Has anyone attempted the same task or a similar one? Share that, too!

Six Word Memoirs

2009-12-10T16:09:00.002-06:00

Everyone has a story. Can you tell yours in six words? Smith Magazine is asking people just that. They have four books published with peoples six word memoirs. The book I have in front of me is I Can't Keep My Own Secrets Six Word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure. Some are funny and some are heart breaking but all are from real people. If you want to share your own six word memoir go to their website www.smithteens.com or www.smithmag.net to submit it. Mine is Read, Laugh, Love, Eat Good Food. What would yours be?

Candy Land Lane

2009-12-08T12:10:00.005-06:00

Once again the Hobart Library is fortunate to have our Christmas tree decorated by members of the Hobart Garden Club. The 2009 theme is based on the Candy Land game.

As an added bonus, the Garden Club donated two Candy Land games to be given away as prizes.

Children, ages 10 and under, may enter to win a game. Entries are available in the library. Deadline to enter is Saturday, December 19. Winners will be notified by phone on Monday, December 21. One boy and one girl will be chosen to win their own Candy Land game.

We hope you will stop by the library to see our tree! Happy Holidays!

Database of the Month: Patron Books in Print

2009-11-24T11:32:00.002-06:00

Last month we learned about CollegeSource Online and this month I'm going to be talking about Patron Books in Print. It's another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

This database is actually for the month of October. Time just flew by and then it was November. For this database I'm trying something different. I created a power point presentation that will guide you through the Patron Books in Print database.

Patron Books in Print

View more presentations from Lacey Klemm.

Happy Searching and stay tuned for this month's tutorial on Value Line Research Center!

Wings

2009-11-13T15:33:00.005-06:00

What would you do if one morning you found a flower blossom in the form of wings on your back?

In the novel Wings by Aprilynne Pike, this phenomenon happens to Laurel, and she realizes that she is not human.

With her new identity, Laurel must defeat the trolls, who could destroy the fairy world. This extraordinary story gives a new meaning to the word 'fairy tale.' It is a refreshing read because the author does not follow the original ideas of fairies. The creatures are life-sized with flower wings instead of the traditional butterfly shape. This story is spiced up with a love triangle which has a surprising ending. Although the completion of the novel does not completely satisfy the reader, it leaves room for a very anticipated sequel.

This review was written by Samantha, a Hobart library volunteer. Do you have books you would like to review? Email them to cdaumer@lakeco.lib.in.us and type Book Review in the subject line.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

2009-10-26T08:45:00.001-05:00

What if four keys held the meaning of life? That’s what a soon to be 13 year-old is trying to find in the book Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. Wendy Mass’s one-of-a-kind characters, realistic settings, and unique situations, keep readers hooked through all of the many twists and turns.

Through reading this book, I had the privilege of experiencing all of those qualities. Let me tell you- it did not disappoint! It starts off great. A young teenage boy, Jeremy, is sent a box from his deceased father. Supposedly, it holds the meaning of life. How can something so small hold something so big?

Seems simple, right? Wrong. What seemed to be something way too easy to do suddenly gets complicated- the four keys required to open the box are missing! Before he can think twice, Jeremy and his best friend, Lizzy, set out on a quest to find these keys that appear to be literally impossible to find. But, this duo has everything it takes- passion and determination. Well, at least they think that’s all they need…

For a thought-provoking read, engulf yourself in Jeremy and Lizzy’s adventure in Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass!

Submitted by Guest Reviewer A. Jenkins

Downloadable Technology

2009-10-19T20:15:00.004-05:00

Have you tried our new downloadable audiobook service? You haven't? Well, read on...

I have never been a huge audiobook listener. Even though I enjoy listening to books in the car, my commute is either distracted by kids or spent planning my day. Yet, I was intrigued to try LCPL's newest collection. Now my kids and I are hooked! Forget listening to the stories in the car though, we've relocated to the kitchen where, oddly enough, we're less distracted.

Recently, my kids and I have enjoyed Goldilicious, Fancy Nancy, My Weird School and Sloppy Joe. My son and husband are even enjoying the Star Wars Radio Drama with me. And I love the family time we spend together. Now the kids are asking for stories while eating breakfast before school. I love it!

There are lots of adult selections to choose from as well. When time allows I have been listening to the Alchemyst by Michael Scott. I have read all the books but now it's interesting to listen to them. I have picked out parts of the story that I missed while reading; partly because I was reading so intently in order to find out what happened that I actually read too quickly!

I encourage you to direct your mouse over to http://overdrive.lcplin.org/ to browse through the hundreds of audiobooks available. All you need is your LCPL library card number and pin number. That handy little card brings millions of free things to your fingertips! So don't ever lose it!

Database of the Month: CollegeSource Online

2009-09-30T13:24:00.002-05:00

Last month we learned about First Research and this month I'm going to be talking about CollegeSource Online. It's another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http:www.lcplin.org
Step Two: Find the Research drop down box along the blue title bar at the top of the page. Click on that and scroll down to Magazines, Newspaper, and Databases.
Step Three: Click on CollegeSource Online and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

CollegeSource Online is a great source for anyone wanting to go to college. This database has catalogs for 44,815 colleges and over 37,600,000 course descriptions. Full cover-to-cover, original page format with 2-year, 4-year, graduate, professional and international schools.

Let's say you want to do research on Indiana University. In the Search for a College by Name box type in Indiana University. Twelve schools are found. I didn't even know that Pennsylvania had a city called Indiana and has a school named Indiana University of Pennsylvania and it looks like it has three locations. It also brings up all the locations for Indiana University in Indiana. Say you are thinking about going to the Gary campus. You can click on the PDF link for the catalog. There is also a link to get the profile, website, and map of the school. If you click on the PDF link you will see that you can access the 2008-2010 catalog. The catalog has financial information and course descriptions, 296 pages worth. If you click on the profile it gives you the address and phone numbers for the school and also gives you information on what type of institute it is, how many people are enrolled, and much more information. If you want to check out the website all you have to do is click on the website link and it will come up.

Say you didn't really have a college in mind. In the Search for a College by Name box is a link to take you to do an advanced search. Click on that. You can look at an Alphabetical Index of all the colleges. You can also do a country search, criteria search, and geographic search.

I think this is a really good source to start with when looking into colleges. It gives very good information and is updated each week.

Happy Searching! and stay tuned for next month's tutorial on Patrons Books in Print.

Time Out For Reading!

2009-09-25T12:01:00.003-05:00

Friday, October 2 is "Time Out for Reading" day. Everyone is encouraged to put their nose in a book to promote reading. At the library, you will see staff wearing our red noses to promote our own love of reading.

It is also the kickoff day for Northwest Indiana's annual Books to Bridge the Region program sponsored by the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition and Books to Bridge the Region.

2009 titles are:
** The Ride of Our Lives by Mike Leonard (adult selection)

** The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis (teen selection)

** A Day with Wilbur Robinson by William Joyce (childrens selection)

Throughout the month of October, library branches will hold various programs to promote the titles and programs.

At Hobart and Lake Station, we will have travel book displays on fun places to visit and explore.

We are also hoping to hear about your travel stories and experiences. If your vacations are anything like the crazy ones with my family (or like the ones shared in Mike Leonard's book The Ride of Our Lives), then I hope you will take a moment to write a short essay about some of your favorite trips. A few paragraphs is all that is needed telling us why the trip(s) was memorable. Your story will be published here on our blog to share with others in the community.

Carol

For more information about Time Out for Reading or Books to Bridge the Region visit:
http://www.books2bridge.org/ and http://www.nwiliteracy.org/

Menus From History

2009-09-25T11:10:00.008-05:00

One of the things I really love about working at the library is all the amazing material I find! I recently purchased a set of reference books for Hobart titled Menus From History by Janet Clarkson. The two volume set has 365 recipes (one for each day of the year) highlighting a different historical event.

In years past, Hobart students would visit because they needed an authentic recipe from a country they were researching. I always wanted to have sources available for the children with lots of choices. Particularly because ingredients could be difficult to find and everyone is already familiar with Italian pastas, Mexican tacos, Spanish rice, etc.

When Menus From History caught my eye I was really excited. And now that it has arrived and I have had a chance to read through a bit, I am not disappointed. The author admits she was not a history buff in school. She disliked history immensely. But she grew to love culinary history which in itself led to a fascination with other historical events.

Here are a few of the events and menus:
Luncheon En Route from London to Bahrain during the Inaugural Flight of the Concorde. January 21, 1976

Canapes
Smoked Salmon
Breast of Duck Bigarade or
Fillet Steak, Cafe de Paris Butter
Strawberries with Double Cream
Cheese
Petits Fours
Coffee

Coronation Feast of Queen Catherine, Westminster Hall, London, England. February 23, 1421 (The menu is extensive and listed in Old English).

White potage or creme of almandes
Carpe deore
Baked mete in paste
Halybut
Perche with goson

Blackhawk Restaurant, Chicago. December 27, 1920

Lobster Thermidor
Juliene Potatoes
Supreme of Chicken, Florida
Roquefort Cheese Dressing
Chocolate Parfait

Kids Parties

2009-09-14T13:51:00.003-05:00

I love to read through cookbooks and home decorating books by Williams-Sonoma. Their ideas are fun and colorful; relaxing and simply beautiful. So when a library patron mentioned Williams-Sonoma had released a new book titled Kids Parties I could not wait to check it out.

Once again the publisher not only had beautifully colored photos, but their party ideas looked quite fun! The twelve chapters describe party themes/ideas along with receipes and decorating tips.

My favorite, and one we recently had at home, was the pizza party. Author Lisa Atwood suggested having each child create their own pizza by having bowls filled with various vegetable toppings, sauce and cheese. Although we did not allow our little party goers the option of making their own pizza (a bit too chaotic for me) we did use this idea by having 12 different pizzas for our guests to enjoy. And it was certainly a hit!

The chapter goes on to help the host stay organized by having a checklist: what to do ahead of time, what needs to be done the day of the party and what to do during the party. There are even plans to help decide on what to serve and how much.

Other chapters include: The Cupcake Party, Backyard Party, Tiki Party and a Winter Party to name just a few. For a peak at the cover visit:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku5277132/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C16%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Ckids%20parties&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

And to check if our library copies are available or to place a hold click here:
http://catalog.lakeco.lib.in.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=L252955886X11.18761&profile=aru&source=~!horizon&view=subscriptionsummary&uri=full=3100001~!1635069~!1&ri=1&aspect=basic&menu=search&ipp=20&spp=15&staffonly=&term=kids+parties&index=.GW&uindex=&aspect=basic&menu=search&ri=1#focus

Wintergirls

2009-09-10T14:46:00.002-05:00

A collegue recently spoke about Laurie Halse Anderson's newest book Wintergirls. Having never read anything by this author I was intrigued, especially since the book dealt with some serious teenage girl topics.

Surprised I was to find this was not a book in which I could escape and relax. Anderson's tale of two high school girls battling eating disorders, low self image, death and other problems is a book I not only could not put down but one with a frighteningly clear description.

Lia is 18 years old. Her mom and dad are divorced. Lia has moved in with her dad's new wife and daughter being unable to live with her mother (Dr. Marrigan) any longer. Lia has been hospitalized twice for her eating disorder. Her ex-best friend Cassie has died and somehow Lia needs to get her life back in order.

But how can you move forward when all you think about are calories? Every bite Lia takes is translated into the number of calories entering her body. Obsessed with lowering her weight and dealing with the pain from Cassie's death and parental pressures, Lia sinks further into the disease.

Anderson does an excellent job writing about Lia's pain and troubles. The way weights are hidden within her clothes to deceive Lia's step-mom; the way Lia eats but not really eats; the way Lia deals with the pain in the only way she knows how. This book will capture your attention. It will wrap the story around you until you just have to finish the book. Strictly for older teens. The story is too graphic (I feel) for younger girls.

Carol

September is...

2009-09-04T10:30:00.000-05:00

Cool Kids Have a Library Card Month!!! The American Library Association has designated September as National Library Card Sign-up month. Lake County Public Library is sponsoring a program called Cool Kids Have a Library Card which will continue through the month of September.

If you are a kid and already have a library card come to the circulation desk and show us your card. You will get entered into a drawing for a free book, get a prize, and a sticker put on your library card.

If you are a kid without a library card have mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, guardian, or relative over 18 bring you to the library with their picture ID that has the current address on it or picture ID with a piece of mail postmarked within the last 15 days. They fill out an application and you get your card that same day. You will get entered into a drawing for a free book, get a prize, and a sticker on your library card.

How Cool does that sound? So come in with your card or come in a get one. We are looking forward to seeing you all.

Database of the Month: First Research

2009-08-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

Last month we learned about Learning Express Library and this month I'm going to be talking about First Research. It's another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http:www.lcplin.org
Step Two: Find the Research drop down box along the blue title bar at the top of the page. Click on that and scroll down to Magazines, Newspaper, and Databases.
Step Three: Click on First Research and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

What is First Research? I had a hard time with that myself when I was starting to learn about this database. First Research is an online library of industry profiles covering over 700 key industries and 50 State and Canadian Province reports to aid users in understanding the challenges, opportunities and operations for a variety of industry segments. Each industry overview includes the products, finances, competition and regional as well as international issues affecting the industry. The industry profiles are written and updated by a team of Industry Specialists. Many have advanced degrees and 10-15 years experience writing about companies and industries. The profiles are updated quarterly and comprehensively reviewed once a year.

You can search three different ways for industry profiles. You can search by keyword, SIC code, or NAICS code. What are SIC and NAICS codes? I’m glad you asked. SIC stands for Standard Industry Classification and NAICS stands for North American Industry Classification System. Both code systems were created by the government to classify businesses into industries. You can input either type of code and it will bring up the industry profile. The SIC and NAICS codes are listed at the top of every industry profile.

Who would want to use this database? This is an excellent database for people who want to start a business, expand their business, or are looking for jobs. Say you are thinking about opening a bakery. You want to share your mom’s cinnamon rolls with the world. Under keyword search type in bakeries. The industry profile gives you an overview of the industry, recent developments, business challenges, trends & opportunities, executive insight, call preparation questions, financial information, industry forecast, First Research industry growth rating and drivers, and web links to other information. This would be very helpful information if you were thinking about opening a bakery.

The call prep sheet can also be helpful for people going on a job interview or wanting to give a sales pitch. The prep sheet gives you background information and helpful questions to ask.

Another part of First Research is the Industry Prospector. The Industry Prospector is the newest enhancement to First Research and it gives you the power to select and rank industries based on industry drivers and key economic metrics. You can use the search metrics provided to identify business opportunities and risks.

Under the State and Province tab you can get up to date information on State unemployment and real estate information. The information is updated monthly.

First Research is a great database for business people to use to find out about industries. The database is easy to use and provides up to date information.

Happy Searching and stay tuned for next months tutorial on College Source Online!

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle & Other lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me

2009-08-27T15:43:00.002-05:00

It is the summer of 1969; neighborhoods are drawn together by kickball games, ice-cream trucks, soap operas, and the Vietnam War. Tammy is not having a good summer, her best friend Kebsie suddenly moved without saying goodbye. Now Mrs. Kutchner has two new foster children Douglas and Greg, to replace Kebsie.

The new, skinny kid, Douglas, is the target of the neighborhood bully, Tammy. Douglas tells outrageous lies: he is training for the Olympics; his uncle is Neil Armstrong, the man who will walk on the moon, and many more. Tammy calls him Muscle Man, to let him know that she sees through his lies. All the other kids in the neighborhood let him be, but Tammy can’t let it go. Can’t they see through his lies? When Muscle Man announces that he can single-handedly beat the entire neighborhood in kickball, Tammy can’t wait for his defeat.

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle & Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by author Nan Marino is for students in grades 4 - 6. According to Nan’s website, “When Nan got older, she became a librarian. If you want to hear stories, it's the job to have. You'll find yourself surrounded by them. But, (Nan) still had to figure out a way to tell her own, so she began to write.” This is Nan Marino’s first book.

Database of the Month: Learning Express Library

2009-07-23T17:31:00.002-05:00

Last month we learned about Morningstar Online and this month I'm going to be talking about Learning Express Library. It's another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http:www.lcplin.org
Step Two: Find the Research drop down box along the blue title bar at the top of the page. Click on that and scroll down to Magazines, Newspaper, and Databases.
Step Three: Click on Learning Express Library and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

Learning Express Library is the best online resource for test preparation and skill-building practice. The Lake County Public Library offers this resource to its patron absolutely free. If you are new to LEL you will need to register. Registration is very easy and just asks for a username and password. At the bottom of the page you will see a box for New Users. Click on register and you will be prompted to create a username and a password. Once you do that and log in the top of the screen will read Logged in as _______ My Center Logout Help. Now that you are registered any test you take will be located in My Center. My Center keeps all your information organized and easily accessible. LEL has their information categorized as Learning Centers. You will find that on the left hand side of the page. There are several learning centers to choose from. Say we need help with college preparation. Click on College Preparation. This learning center offers tools and tips for a smooth and successful admissions process. There is help for taking the ACT, SAT, and other tests. Click on SAT preparation. It gives help with math, writing essays, and much more. So if you want to take a practice math test all you have to do is click on SAT Math Practice Tests and then choose what test you would like to take.

LEL is not just for students. It's also for someone looking for jobs and help in the workplace. If you are looking to become a U.S. Citizen there is a learning center for that as well. What's nice is the tests are confidential. You will be the only person who can access your scores. You can take as many tests as you want and re-take as many tests as you want. All the practice tests are based on real exams. This way you can gain confidence in your knowledge of the type of material you need to know prior to taking the real exam. LEL provides you with a true test taking experience. Many of the academic and civil service tests are timed so by taking a timed test on LEL you can learn how to pace yourself and not spend too much time on one section.

Now that you know a little more about Learning Express Library happy testing, I mean searching!

Stay tuned to next month's tutorial on First Research.

Exciting NASA Links

2009-07-14T10:36:00.006-05:00

At the American Library Association's 2009 Annual Conference this past weekend, I attended a session on exciting NASA materials. Wow! The scientists loved sharing these resources! Here are several links to view. Some even provide resources to print cool posters!

2009 has been named the International Year of Astronomy.

http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/visions/
Learn about ALA's traveling exhibit Visions of the Universe. Find a library near you who will be hosting the event.

Other resources:
http://astronomy2009.org/

http://astronomy2009.nasa.gov/

https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/

http://www.astrosociety.org/iya/guides.html

http://www.astronomy2009.org/globalprojects/cornerstones/galilean

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/starcount/index.html

http://365daysofastronomy.org/
Listen to podcasts and read different facts about astronomy each day.

http://mo-www.cfa.harvard.edu/microobs/guestobserverportal/
Control your own telescopes (around the world) via the internet!

Database of the Month: Morningstar Online

2009-07-02T09:39:00.002-05:00

Last month we learned about Health & Wellness Resource Center and this month I'm going to be talking about Morningstar Online. It's another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http://www.lcplin.org
Step Two: Find the Research drop down box along the blue title bar at the top of the page. Click on that and scroll down to Magazines, Newspapers, and Databases.
Step Three: Click on Morningstar Online and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

Morningstar Investment Research Center is among today's most comprehensive financial databases. it is designed for easy use no matter what your investing experience is and it contains thousands of bits of information.

The first thing I would click on is the Help and Education Tab. Help and Education is your one stop shop for learning how to navigate Morningstar. There is a user guide you can click on and it gives you detailed information. Don't have time to read through a lengthy file then click on the quick guide. Morning star also offers two minute tutorials on how to use the stock screener and the fund screener. You can find articles on investment goals and learn about specialized investments. There is also a glossary to use if needed.

On the home page you can do a quick ticker or name search. Just enter the ticker or the name and it will take you directly to the report. Morningstar provides you with detailed analyst guidance on 1, 900 stocks, 2,100 funds, and more than 150 ETFs. Click on screen for stocks or screen for funds or screen for EFTs to find stock, fund, and EFT information. You can use your own criteria to create short lists of stocks, funds, and EFTs for further research. Stock and fund recommendations are just a click away along with stock and fund analyst reports. If you need information on industries you can click on indexes, sectors, industries, or fund categories. You can also download PDF reports on sectors located in the left column of any industry page. finally you can use the portfolio x-ray tool to assemble your picks and the stocks, funds, and EFTs you own into a portfolio. You can check your asset allocation, sector weightings, and more.

Morningstar is a very good database for people needing to do investment research or just to keep up with their stocks and other goodies.

Happy Searching! Stay tuned for next month's tutorial on Learning Express Library.

May the Force Be With You

2009-06-30T11:29:00.008-05:00

Saturday June 13, 2009 the Lake Station New Chicago Library was invaded by the Bloodfin Garrison of the 501st Legion. Bloodfin is a premier Star Wars costuming fan club. Children and adults were able to get autographs and their picture taken with their favorite villain. For the fans that know everything there is to know about Star Wars they were able to participate in a trivia contest. It was a really nice afternoon and we had over 400 people in the library that day. Fun was had by all.

The winner of the kids trivia contest was Ramon, 2nd runner up was David, and 3rd runner up was William.

The winner of the adult trivia contest was Mike, 2nd runner up was Cathy, and 3rd runner up was Don.

Contemporary Novelists: A Library Database

2009-06-17T08:35:00.002-05:00

Contemporary Novelists, part of the Gale Virtual Reference Library, covers “the most important living novelists writing in English worldwide”. It is a good database to look at if you are in college and doing a paper on a particular author or are interested in learning more about the author of a book you are reading or just interested in looking at authors' backgrounds in general.

Major writers such as Kurt Vonnegut, Eudora Welty, Saul Bellow, Anne Tyler, Maeve Binchey, John Updike, Alice Walker, Susan Sontag, Amy Tan, Anne Rice, Ray Bradbury, Ann Beattie, and J. D. Salinger, as well as many more, are listed alphabetically under the table of contents. The information on a particular author covers their biography including their birth, education, family, career, and agent. It also lists their written works which include any novels, short stories, poetry, plays, or other pieces they have had published. The published date is 2001 so any author’s work you are interested in would have to have been published prior to that year.

A number of the authors I had heard of but many I had not. It was neat to be able to look at different author’s biographies, to see what works they had written, to read a quote by the author about his or her own work, and to see what the main themes of the author’s work were. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a few of the authors listed such as Ann Beattie, Maeve Binchey, Louis Auchincloss, and J. D. Salinger. The work is talked about in such an interesting way that it gives a lot of insights to what the author’s work is about. The information is also organized in such a way that you can cover it in a short period of time.

I would highly recommend this database.
K. Olsen

Pepperoni Biscuit Bites

2009-06-09T15:48:00.002-05:00

I have to say that these pepperoni biscuit bites were delicious and very easy to make. I made these for the cooking class and they were a big hit. I found the recipe on www.tasteofhome.com. I love Taste of Home, they have never let me down.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
3/4 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tube (6 ounces) refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits
10 slices pepperoni
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: In a small bowl, combine the tomato sauce, oil and seasonings. Cut each biscuit in half. Place one pepperoni slice on each half; fold dough over pepperoni and pinch edges to seal. Dip in tomato mixture. Place in a shallow baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a toaster oven at 450° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Or bake at 450 degrees in a regular oven for 10 minutes. Yield: 2 servings.

Just who are the Bloodfin Garrison of the 501st Legion?

2009-06-01T13:34:00.001-05:00

The 501st Legion is the premier Star Wars costuming fan club. Formed in 1997 the Legion’s ranks have grown to global proportions. The 501st is active in charity events, children’s hospital visits, movie premieres, celebrity appearances, and conventions. The Legion’s latest tour of duty will be at the Lake Station – New Chicago Branch Library, where they will be promoting Summer Reading Program for children and adults.

The Boodfin Garrison was formed in 2002 as the Indiana-based chapter of the 501st Legion. This group consists of Indiana residents who show their love for Star Wars by wearing detailed replica Star Wars villain costumes. The Boodfin Garrison includes favorite villains as Darth Vader, Imperial Stormtroopers, Bounty Hunters and TIE Fighter Pilots just to name a few.

The Boodfin Garrison will be part of our Star Wars day which will include stories, adult and juvenile trivia contests, and plenty of photo opportunities. If you ever wanted to get your picture taken with an Imperial Stormtrooper you are in luck. Don’t forget to bring your camera along with your Star Wars knowledge and library cards, to check out some Star Wars books.

Join us for a day of Star Wars fun. Saturday, June 13 from 1:00 – 4:00.
Lake Station-New Chicago Branch Library
2007 Central AV
Lake Station, IN 46405
(219) 962-2409

M. Churley

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-06-01T12:52:00.005-05:00

The Graveyard Book begins “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.” A young child survives an attack that kills the rest of his family by climbing out of his crib, bumping down the stairs, and walking out the front door into the graveyard. He is taken in by the ghostly inhabitants of the nearby graveyard and named Nobody (a.k.a Bod). A deceased husband and wife agree to be his adoptive parents.

The residents of the graveyard grant Bod some of the privileges and powers of the dead. Bod is taught to dreamwalk and fade by his new extended family, but he still has the needs of a living child. Another graveyard resident, the mysterious Silas, who is neither living nor dead, agrees to become Bod’s guardian.

The Graveyard Book is witty and creepy. Gaiman uses folklore, mythology and history within the book; along with some werewolves, a hint of vampires and of course the ghosts.

For those who may not know, The Graveyard Book received the Newbery Medal Award this past January. The Newbery Medal is awarded annually to an outstanding children’s literature book. Gaiman also writes popular graphic novels such as the Sandman series, and is the author of the book Coraline (which was recently made into a movie). Gaiman’s books are widely recognized for lifting the graphic novel genre to literature from its previous comic book status.

M. Churley

They're coming!

2009-05-28T15:08:00.005-05:00

Here are some pictures of the characters coming to our Star Wars day at the Lake Station-New Chicago branch library on June 13! http://www.bloodfingarrison.com/

Contact the Lake Station-New Chicago branch library to register or for more information: 219-962-2409. We're having trivia contests for kids and adults. Don't forget your camera!

Database of the Month: Health & Wellness Resource Center

2009-05-21T13:56:00.002-05:00

Last month we learned about Historic Map Works and this month I’m going to be talking about Health & Wellness Resource Center. It’s another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http://www.lcplin.org/
Step Two: Find the Research drop down box along the blue title bar at the top of the page. Click on that and scroll down to Magazines, Newspapers, and Databases.
Step Three: Click on Health & Wellness Resource Center and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

The Health & Wellness Resource Center is brought to us by Gale. This database provides integrated access to medical, statistical, health, and related information. It features fully updated; intuitive interface provided multiple pathways to key information. HWRC has full text magazines, journals, and pamphlets from a wide variety of authoritative medical sources. HWRC had partnered with Heathology, an industry leader in providing health and medical content and physician-authored articles. In partnership with Harvard Health, HWRC also brings you the latest in health news from Harvard Health Publications, a division of the Harvard Medical School.

Across the top of the page to the right are a few options you can click on: Help, Gale Databases, Search Tips, List of Sources, and Guided Tour. I would highly recommend taking the guided tour. It is very helpful. Right below are eight links that will be displayed on every screen. The links are Home, Diseases & Conditions, Drugs, Directory, Dictionary, Trusted Sites, Health Assessment, and Advanced Search. Below the links are search boxes.

The diseases and conditions box has four diseases or conditions that you can click on and if you click the more option located at the bottom left corner it opens up a page that has an alphabetical list of all the diseases and conditions in HWRC. The simple search box has a spot to type in your search term and below you can click on keyword, subject, or entire document. Below that you can limit the search to full text articles, refereed publications, consumer health, or en espanol. At the bottom left corner you can click on advanced search and that brings up the advanced search page. Under the find a drug box you can search for a drug or search for symptoms. The topics in the news box has articles of topics that have been in the news. This feature is updated every eight hours. In the search directory box you can find up-to-date contact information for various service agencies, offices, companies, people, and health products here. The last box is health highlights.

You are doing a report on celiac disease. In the search box type in celiac or celiac disease. Above the results are tabs: Books and Fact Sheets, Magazines and Journals, Drugs, Pamphlets, Video, and News. The tabs that have results have a number in parenthesis. The tabs that do not have results are grayed out. So under books and fact sheets are 9 results, magazines and journals have 1780, pamphlets 2, and news 6. Under the books and fact sheets tab click on the second result. This gives you an overview of the disease/disorder. Look over to the left of the screen. There are options to print, email, or download this article.

Take some time to explore this wonderful resource. The drug search is especially nice to find out what a drug is used for and what the side effects are. The topics in the news also keeps you updated on what's going on in the world.

Happy Searching! Stay tuned for next month's tutorial on Morningstar Online.

Be Creative This Summer: Express Yourself

2009-05-18T18:41:00.004-05:00

The 2009 Summer Reading for children and teens starts June 8th and ends August 1. Our theme this year: “Be Creative @Your Library”. Children of all ages are encouraged to read, or be read to, for prizes. All participants will need to read one book to sign up. Young children listening to short board books or reading picture books receive one prize for every five books read. Kids reading chapter books earn prizes based on the number of pages within the book. A chart will be posted to help everyone understand.

Some of the prizes to choose from this year include: Chinese yoyo’s, Tattoos, Stickers, Finger-traps, Bouncy Balls, Cars, Necklaces, Bracelets, Rings, Notebooks, Flashlight Key Rings, Whistles, Sunglasses, Coloring Books, Sheriff’s Badges, and Fake Microphones. Special prizes for children under age 3 will also be available, while supplies last.

Programs! We have summer reading programs planned for toddlers, preschoolers, school agers, pre-teens, and teens.

Toddler programs will be held on Thursday, June 11, June 25, July 9 and July 23 at 10:30 a.m. This half-hour program (for ages 2 and 3) consists of a variety of stories, songs, finger plays, and nursery rhymes and simple crafts. Children attend with their caregiver.

Preschool programs (ages 3-7) will be held on Tuesdays at 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. The weekly themes are music, poetry, art, face painting, photography, dance, and paper weaving. The hour includes listening and participating in stories, songs, finger plays, and crafts.

School Age programs (Grades K-3) will be held on Thursdays at 2 p.m. The weekly themes will be tie-dye t-shirts (children must bring a t-shirt), The Merrillville Community Planetarium, Afternoon Movie: The Tale of Despereaux, Famous Fine Artists, Rock Bands, Creative Aquariums, and the Indiana Ballet Theater.

Pre-Teen programs (ages 9-13) are at 2 p.m on Wednesdays, June 17 and July 22. On June 17th, we will have T-shirt painting, and on July 22nd, we will do marbleized paper.

Since the theme is “Be Creative @Your Library” you will see pictures of various artists and creative people posted around the library. Children are also invited to give us their artwork to hang up in the library.

If you have any questions, call us at the Hobart Library at 942-2243.

K. Olsen

Volunteers Needed!

2009-05-16T11:16:00.002-05:00

PRE-TEENS AND TEENS (AGES 9 AND UP):

Summer reading at the library is very busy. So every summer we have a group of pre-teen and teen volunteers help us with a variety of tasks in the children’s section: program preparation, set-up, and clean-up; crafts, working at the reader sign-up table; recording books read on summer reading cards, etc.

This year, summer reading will begin on June 8th and go through July 30th. If you want to volunteer and you are age 9 or older, see Miss Karin (Karin Olsen) at the library or call her at 942-2243. She will give you a volunteer form to be filled out and signed by one of your parents. She will also briefly meet with one of your parents to go over summer reading and the volunteer rules. And then you are ready to volunteer. It’s a lot of fun so we hope you’ll join us!

Making Memories A Family Enrichment Program

2009-05-11T17:36:00.003-05:00

South Shore Arts (www.southshoreartsonline.org) sponsors this family event. The five week series provides families not only with the opportunity to work together but to also learn about bookmaking, writing, music, visual art and drama.

The program begins on Monday, June 1 from 6-8pm. Families must register in advance by completing a registration form at the Hobart library. The series runs on consecutive Mondays from June 1 thru June 29th.

Spend time as a family, receive free boxed lunches, free books and learn from local artists while creating a memory book about this special time. Your memory book will capture your present experiences for later reflection.

Program is designed for children in grades 2nd thru 6th along with their parents. Parents interested in participating with children younger or older than the designated age group must receive prior approval before their registration form is accepted. For more information contact Carol at (219) 942-2243.

Corn Bread Confetti Salad

2009-05-07T18:06:00.002-05:00

This time for the cooking class I made a recipe from a Taste of Home magazine. I guess corn bread salads are popular in the south. I had never heard of it. It turned out pretty good. It would be good to take to a picnic or potluck because it makes a lot.

Ingredients:
1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
3 small tomatoes, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

DRESSING:
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

Or buy a bottle of ranch dressing

Directions: Prepare corn bread according to package directions. Cool completely; crumble. In a large bowl, combine the corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, bacon, cheese and crumbled corn bread. In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients until well blended. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss. Yield: 20-22 servings.

Database of the Month: Historic Map Works

2009-04-26T15:04:00.001-05:00

Last month we learned about General OneFile and this month I’m going to be talking about Historic Map Works Library Edition. It’s another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http://www.lcplin.org/
Step Two: Find the Research drop down box along the blue title bar at the top of the page. Click on that and scroll down to Magazines, Newspapers, and Databases.
Step Three: Click on Historic Map Works Library Edition and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin. If you are prompted to put in a user id and password you will need to back space back to the Magazine, Newspapers, and Databases page. At the top of page on the right hand side you will see “Use these Resources in the Library.” Click on that and then click on Historic Map Works. Then you will be prompted to type in your library card and pin number.
Step Four: Start Searching!

Historic Map Works Library Edition is brought to us by ProQuest. HMWLE is one of the most extensive digital map collections available, with over 200,000 high-resolution, full color historic maps. The core of the collection consists of property and land ownership maps. They illustrate the geographic and development history of the United States. This unique content allows genealogists, historians, and researchers to track the “residential genealogy” of families and locations.

Historic Map Works includes:

1. Over 100,000 property maps covering the development of the United States since the late 1700’s to the present.
2. Over 100,000 antique maps covering the world from the 15th to 19th centuries, drawn from the University of Southern Maine’s Osher Map Library.
3. Thousands of city directories and illustrations, images, business ads, and statistics.

Users can search HMWLE by keywords, advanced search, search within results, address, GPS, town and city, illustrations, and directory search. You can easily browse the collections using a point and click world map. Other features such as image previews, zoom in and out, and image cropping make reviewing and using the maps easy.

To bring up site help, just click on the Help button towards the top of the page. This brings up explanations on all the search methods.

The home page for HMWLE starts out with Browse the World by Continent. This is the point and click world map. By moving the mouse over the world map the continents will be highlighted and you can click on the one you want.

You want maps or atlases in North America.

1. Move your mouse so that the pointer is over North America. Click on it. It then takes you to a page where you can choose what state you want.
2. You want Indiana. Click on Indiana. It gives you an alphabetical list of all the atlases and maps it has that deals with Indiana.
3. Say you are looking for Tipton County. When you scroll down you will see that they have atlases for Tipton County for 1928 and 1967. If you look to the left you will see that for Tipton County in 1928 they have 151 maps and for 1967 they have 28 maps.
4. You want Tipton County 1967. Click on it. There is a Maps tab, an Additional Images tab, and a Landowners Index tab. The Maps tab provides you with maps of Tipton County from 1967. Additional Images give you what looks like business ads from that time period and the Landowners Index tab give you just that, a list of landowners.
5. Under the Maps tab click on the Map Image 001. Now using the mouse scroll the mouse pointer over the map. Keep clicking until it is big enough for you to read. To move the image around just left click and hold the button down. When you move the mouse the image moves also. OR you can use the up, down, side to side arrows and the + and – keys located at the bottom of the map. The + key makes it zoom in and the – key makes it zoom out. At the bottom of the page it gives you the map information.

Instead of browsing you can use the search methods. On the home page if you click the Search Tab it brings up Map and Directory Keyword Search and Advanced Search. You can also search by Address or GPS. You just have to click on the tabs.

The Illustrations search to me is pretty cool. You can type in a key word or you can click on the click here option to bring up a complete list of atlases containing illustrations.

1. Go ahead and click on click here. The illustrations are provided in order by state. Under each state the name, publisher, and date information are provided. You can find some very interesting pictures on there.

Another search option is the Directory Search. And last but not least is a new category, Points of Interest.

1. Click on the Points of Interest tab.
2. On the map provided click on Indiana.
3. It gives you points of interest for Indiana. Some of the points of interest are buildings, cemeteries, schools, and churches.

I haven’t played with this database enough to be an expert but it is fairly easy to navigate. If you are into genealogy this would be a good database to check out.

Happy Searching!

Stay tuned for next month’s tutorial on the Health and Wellness Resource Center database.

Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir

2009-04-23T16:29:00.003-05:00

Julia Cameron’s autobiography, “Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir” was published in 2005. Cameron, born March 4, 1948, is an award-winning poet, playwright, and filmmaker. She has also written many non-fiction titles, is a journalist, novelist, screenplay writer, songwriter and composer, and a strong advocate for and teacher of creativity. She has written thirty books. Among them is “The Artist’s Way”, “The Vein of Gold”, “Walking in this World”, “The Right To Write”, and “The Sound of Paper”. Cameron is most known for The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, c1992, a twelve-week program she created for artists and others to unblock their creativity. She believes in everyone becoming unblocked creatively whether you are an artist, a writer, or a business person. She based her program upon the twelve-step Alcoholics Anonymous programs.

“Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir” is a fascinating book that I read quickly. Cameron’s writing is amazingly honest and I love her depictions of her daily life as an artist. They were quite inspiring. She speaks about her first marriage to the famous film director, Martin Scorcese, her struggle with overcoming alcoholism, and in later years, dealing with a mental imbalance which had to be treated with medication, her upper-class upbringing in Libertyville, Illinois, complete with horses, her daughter by Martin Scorcese, Domenica Cameron-Scorcese who is an actress, writer, and director, her second marriage to author Mark Bryan whom she met in Chicago and who collaborated with her on “The Artist’s Way”. She also talks about her writing life, her beloved parents and siblings, the creative artists and metaphysical people she has met in the places she has lived and worked – Los Angeles and Venice Beach, California, Chicago, New York City, London, and Taos, New Mexico, how she went from writing for “The Rolling Stones” Magazine in New York City when she met Scorcese to screenplay writing in Hollywood, to being a film critic in Chicago, etc. She has mastered a number of forms of creative writing and journalism as well as in her later years, successfully working with music.

Julia emphasizes that she had always desired to be a writer. This has been her life’s dream. In “Floor Sample” she speaks about the difficulty of being accepted by the “in” people, surviving financially, finding people who believe in you, “hearing” the work, becoming creatively unblocked, and persevering as an artist. She also speaks of the disappointments when she finished her Hollywood screenplays but they were not made into films. She says it felt like they had been “aborted”. A lot of the book also speaks about her work travelling the country with Mark Bryan and other teachers, teaching “The Artist’s Way”.

I have known about “The Artist’s Way” since somewhere in the 1990’s when I lived on Maui and took “freewriting classes” from my writing teacher, Lollie Groth. She used freewriting and “The Artist’s Way” to unblock writers. A decade earlier, in my twenties, I had lived in Chicago and been a member of an organization called “Women in Film”. I was lucky enough to hear Cameron speak as part of a panel discussion about filmmaking. At that time, she left an impact on me and I never forgot about her. Little did I know that years later, I would be using the tools of her yet-to-be written book “The Artist’s Way”.

Cameron recommends three basic tools for getting creatively unblocked. The first tool is what she has termed “the morning pages” which are three one-sided 8 ½ x 11” pages of straight writing, getting the junk of your life down, and writing whatever comes to mind. The second artist’s way tool is holding a weekly artist’s date with oneself, where you take yourself somewhere that will inspire you. It could be a bookstore, a café, or a boutique. It is a way of honoring yourself as an artist. The last creative tool she talks about is taking walks. Longer walks are better but shorter walks will do. She says that walking unblocks your creativity, giving you ideas. I have heard other writers also speak of that.

Upon reading “Floor Sample”, I decided to look at the books by Cameron that I had not previously looked at. I checked a bunch out at the library. They are excellent - truly well-written. She says that “The Vein of Gold” may be hard to get through but the people that worked through it ended up having good results with it. I also ended up reading a novel she wrote that was published in 2008. It is called “Mozart’s Ghost”. I really enjoyed it. Sometimes people who speak and write about writing are not good at fiction writing. Fortunately, this is not the case with Cameron.

I would highly recommend “Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir”, particularly if you are interested in the creative life. It totally left a strong impression on me. I would also recommend “The Artist’s Way” and Cameron’s other books. They literally have the power to change your life.

Non-Fiction by Julia Cameron
The Artist’s Way
Walking in This World
Finding Water
The Right to Write
The Sound of Paper
The Vein of Gold
The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal
The Artist’s Date Book
How to Avoid Making Art (or Anything Else You Enjoy)
Supplies: A Troubleshooting Guide for Creative Difficulties
Inspirations: Meditations from The Artist’s Way
The Writer’s Life: Insights from The Right to Write
The Artist’s Way at Work (with Mark Bryan and Catherine Allen)
Money Drunk, Money Sober (with Mark Bryan)
Answered Prayers
Heart Steps
Blessings
Transitions
Prayers from a Nonbeliever
Letters to a Young Artist
God Is No Laughing Matter
God Is Dog Spelled Backwards
Floor Sample: A Creative Memoir

Fiction
Popcorn: Hollywood Stories
The Dark Room
Mozart’s Ghost

Poetry
Prayers for the Little Ones
Prayers for the Nature Spirits
The Quiet Animal
The Earth (also an album with Tim Wheater)

Plays
Public Lives
The Animal in the Trees
Four Roses
Love in the DMZ
Bloodlines
Avalon (a musical)
The Medium at Large (a musical)

Feature Film
God’s Will

Karin Olsen

Database of the Month: General OneFile

2009-03-30T13:59:00.002-05:00

Last month we learned about Literature Resource Center and this month I’m going to be talking about General OneFile. It’s another one of our many databases you can access from the library or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to http://www.lcplin.org The website looks a little different now doesn’t it? It had a little makeover.
Step Two: Instead of clicking on Magazine, Newspapers, and Databases located on the left hand side of the screen you will find Magazine, Newspapers, and Databases under the Research drop down box located along the blue bar at the top of the page.
Step Three: Click on General OneFile and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

Gale's General OneFile is a comprehensive periodical resource that puts more than 60 million articles at your fingertips with a single search query. More than 11,000 titles and back file coverage from 1980 — from mainstream to specialized sources — and an intuitive search interface make this an unequaled source for virtually every popular, business and professional topic (taken from http://www.gale.cengage.com/onefile/) .

There are four different ways you can search this database. You can do a basic search, subject guide search, publication search, and advanced search. I will be going over the subject search and publication search methods.

So let’s begin with the subject guide search. You want to find articles from Consumer Reports magazine about washing machines but you don’t have a buying guide and you are not sure what issues the articles would be in. That’s okay, by using the subject guide search you will be able to find something.

Step 1: In the find box type in washing machines.
Step 2: At the bottom of the yellow search box there is a feature that says by publication title. In the box next to “by publication title” type in Consumer Reports. If you don’t happen to remember the full title you can click on Browse Publication Title. This is a list of all the magazines in alphabetical order. You can either browse by clicking next or you can type in the magazine you are looking for to make sure it is in General OneFile. Or if you can’t remember what the title is you can type in C to go straight to the C’s or Con for the start of Consumer to jump to the magazines that start with con. They make it very easy and it’s nice to be able to see if they have the magazine on file.
Step 3: Click on Search.

Once it is done searching you will see a screen that says Subject Terms on the left side and results on the right side. Under Subject Terms it says Washing Machines and under results it says 74. General OneFile found 74 results that have to do with Washing Machines within Consumer Reports.

Step 4: Click on Washing Machines.
The results are separated under tab headings. The tab headings are Magazines, Academic Journals, Books, News, and Multimedia. Each tab shows a number in parenthesis. The Magazine tab has 74 results while the other tabs show 0. Under each tab the results are sorted by publication date starting with the most current. Each result provides you with the title of the article, the citation information, and if it is a full text file or PDF file or both. All the way to the right it tells you what type of article it is and if the article has pictures you will see a little camera icon.
Step 5: Click on result 1. By default it shows you the full text article. If you want to open it as a PDF you will need to click on PDF before you click on the title or once you have clicked on the title you will see a Tools box to the right and it says view 3 PDF files. You can click on that.

At the top of the article it gives you the title, source, and document type information. At the bottom of the article are a source citation and a Gale document number.

Step 6: To print this document you can go to File, Print or you can click on Print Preview in the Tools box located on the right hand side.

If you are doing a research paper on a subject you can just type in your topic and hit search. It will compile a list of articles that have to do with that topic and pull them from any magazine.

Now let’s talk about searching by publication.

Let’s say you have had a chance to look at the Consumer Reports Buying Guide and you know that in January and June of 2007 Consumer Reports did articles on washing machines. Unfortunately the libraries copies are no longer available. Don’t worry you can get the articles from General OneFile.

Step 1: Click on Publication Search.
Step 2: Type in Consumer Reports in the Find box. Click on Search.
Step 3: General OneFile has five different Consumer Reports magazines. Click on Consumer Reports.
Step 4: At the top you will see information about Consumer Reports. At the bottom there is a drop down box and you can choose what year you want. Choose 2007.
Step 5: At the bottom of the page are the monthly issues. Click on January. This lists all the articles in that issue. Each result has the title information and citation information. Look at the citation information. You will notice that the results are listed in order by page number. You want the article that is on page 39. Scroll down and you will see that result 20 is the article on page 39.
Step 6: Go back and repeat the process for the June issue.

What is also nice about General OneFile is they have popular magazines as well, People Weekly, Vogue, and Glamour are just to name a few. It’s like reading the magazine without pictures.

I got really excited learning about General OneFile and I hope that you do to. It really is an awesome database and I wish I would have known about when I was in college.

Happy Searching!

Stay tuned for next month’s tutorial on Historic Map Works.

Sand Art @ the Library

2009-03-19T15:01:00.009-05:00

The Hobart Library got a little sandy yesterday at the Family Sand Art program. Thirty people enjoyed decorating glass jars with glue and colored sand. We had a really good time and some got really creative with their decorating.

Holley and Bailey Bristley decorated some really cool looking jars.
Alyssa Hawkins was able to sand art her name onto the jar.

Mikala Hawkins pictured below her sister had fun making polka dots on her jar.

Flower Power Jar! We have tie dye, polka dot, and stripe jars below.

This is where all the creativity happened. Elmer's glue was painted onto the outside of a clean glass spaghetti jar and sand was sprinkled over the glue.

We're on Facebook

2009-03-16T17:29:00.002-05:00

In our attempts to keep up with technology as well as keeping our patrons up to date we recently created a Facebook fan page for the Hobart branch library.

To access our page you must become a member of Facebook which is quick and simple. Hey, you might even reconnect with old friends. Facebook boasts over 175 million users. www.facebook.com

Once you are a member of their site, search "Hobart Branch of the Lake County Public Library" in the search for friends box. Hopefully you will find us quickly. We intend to post upcoming programs, updates at the library, news you may find helpful and useful and other little odds and
ends. We are even trying to add some applications which may be fun to share with other users.

So check out our page. It's a great way to stay in touch.

Teen Tech Week Starts Monday

2009-03-06T15:44:00.003-06:00

Teen Tech Week March 9-14. What is Teen Tech Week you ask? Teen Tech Week (or TTW) is a week dedicated towards teens and technology in the library. Teens are already familiar with the Internet but what about all the other new resources and opportunities technology provides?

This week we challenge our teen patrons to show us how they use technology. We're looking for blog submissions, book reviews, Twitter followers, Facebook users, texting coaches, and GoodReads friends. We want to see what you can do with free websites such as http://www.bighugelabs.com/ or http://www.gimp.org/ (a free & open source Photoshop like program).

Are you an expert Facebook user? Help us create a Facebook account for our library. Or better yet, help us modernize our blog. The little blue flowers are nice, but can you make it better?

Are you a gamer? Have you ever tried to create your own game? Try the free game design programs at these sites: http://3das.noeska.com/, http://www.yoyogames.com/gamemaker/, and http://tkool.jp/products/rpgxp/eng/. Save your games and bring them to the library in April when we have our next gaming day (April 8). We'll try them out!

Since TTW is all about technology, you can send me your comments, pictures, ideas, whatever via this blog. Follow us on Twitter, too. Of course, once we have a FB account, you can leave messages for me there (working on that page!). Won't that make things easier? Stay tuned for more info!

Crispy Chicken Wraps

2009-03-06T12:03:00.003-06:00

This month for the cooking class I made Crispy Chicken Wraps and they were so good. Instead of cooking them in a pan I used my Black and Decker 4 in one grill and it worked wonderfully. I sprayed the grill with a little cooking spray and it crisped up the tortilla and gave it nice grill marks. If you like spicy heat than you may want to add more hot sauce or even jalapenos. Happy Eating!

1/3 cup mayo, light or regular
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced very thin
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
2 teaspoons hot sauce (this does not make them spicy but adds great flavor!)
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite sized pieces (about 3 cups), could use shredded chicken breast or chicken from the can
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (12-inch) flour tortillas

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to combine.2. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.3. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

Get to know our Databases - Literature Resource Center

2009-03-02T11:13:00.002-06:00

Literature Resource Center is just one of the many online databases that Lake County Public Library has to offer their patrons. You can access the databases from home or from your home computer. To access the databases from home you will need a valid Lake County Public Library card and know your four digit pin number.

Step One: Go to www.lakeco.lib.in.us.
Step Two: Click on Magazine, Newspapers, and Databases located on the left hand side of the screen.
Step Three: Click on Literature Resource Center and you will be prompted to type in your library card number and pin.
Step Four: Start Searching!

Literature Resource Center is a comprehensive online source for literary criticism and other information about authors, their works, and literary topics.
In Literature Resource Center, you’ll find:
• Literature Criticism from academic journals and books
• Biographies
• Topic and Work Overviews
• Literary Reviews and News
• Primary Sources and Literary Works, including poems, short stories, and plays
• Multimedia—pictures of authors and links to reliable Web sites that offer interviews, readings, and more

LRC provides dictionaries, has tips for searching, a help center, and a guided tour. You can do a basic search, advanced search, can search by the work, and it has a Gale literary index.

Take the guided tour for an in depth tutorial on how to fully use LRC.

How to do a basic search:

You are doing a paper on Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. You need literary criticisms and biography information.

The basic search box is in yellow.

In the Find box type Sinclair and Jungle. You want to put both terms in because if you search by just Jungle you are going to get about two thousand results.

Under the find box there is a “search for words in” option and you can choose from Person, Name of Work, Keywords or All Text. Keyword is the default selection and you want to keep it that way. Start by using Keywords to search and when you become more familiar with LRC use Person or Name of Work and they will narrow your search more. All text searches everything and will give you many results but is not as selective.

You can also limit what you search by using the limit results functions. You can limit to peer-reviewed publications only. You can limit by publication date, publication century, by content type, or by publication title. Since you only want biographies and literature criticism you can uncheck mark the other four options or you can leave all check marked.

Now that you have selected what you need for your basic search click on search.

The results are compiled under tabs. There are 34 results under Literature Criticism and 13 results under Biographies. The results are put in order by relevancy. Each result gives you the title, author, and citation information.

Click on the first title.

The record gives you the title, author, other names used, source where it came from, document type, and copyright information. Below that is the full text article. If you scroll to the bottom it gives you the source citation.

To get to the biography results simply click on the biography tab. The information is listed the same.

Happy Searching!

Stay Tuned for Next Month’s tutorial on General OneFile.

February 16th Gaming Event Canceled

2009-02-09T17:54:00.002-06:00

The teen gaming program scheduled for February 16th at the Hobart Branch library was canceled. We recently learned the kids will be in school to make up a snow day.

The gaming program will be rescheduled for sometime in April during Hobart's spring break.

Lasagna Roll Ups

2009-02-09T10:11:00.002-06:00

For the second cooking class on Feb. 2, 2009 I made lasagna roll ups. Lasagna roll ups are so easy to make and they are delicious. What's nice is you can put so many different filling combinations together and it would still taste great. For my roll ups I used a filling of ricotta cheese, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and spices. You can easily add spinach or chicken or anything else you would like.

Here is the recipe:
1 box of lasagna noodles, cook until almost done, my pan holds 14 roll ups so cook as many as you need
1 large container ricotta cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
¼ cup Italian cheese blend
Oregano, basil, and garlic powder, you want enough to flavor it but not over power it
2 jars spaghetti sauce or homemade sauce
1 bag of mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven at 350.
In large bowl mix ricotta, Parmesan, Italian cheese, and spices together. In a 9X13 pan spread 1 jar of sauce on the bottom of pan. Lay out a noodle and spread a portion of the ricotta mixture over the noodle. Roll the noodle up. Place noodle seam side down in the pan. Repeat until all noodles have been rolled. Pour the second jar of sauce over the top and cover with cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is all bubbly and melted.

Really good served with garlic bread.

Bookfair Voucher now available

2009-02-01T13:39:00.003-06:00

Did you see the post below about our upcoming bookfair at Barnes and Noble? If not, scroll down to the previous post to read about our Valentine's Day event.

If you're ready to attend and planning your purchases, click here for a printable voucher:
http://www.lakeco.lib.in.us/bkvoucher.htm

We hope to see you at Barnes and Noble in Merrillville on February 14th!

Barnes and Noble Valentine's Day Special

2009-01-24T10:28:00.001-06:00

Love books? Love your library? Visit the Merrillville Barnes and Noble on February 14 between 9am and 10pm for a special Book Fair.

In an effort to raise funds for the Lake County Public Library, Barnes & Noble will contribute a percentage of every sale made when a Lake County Public Library Book Fair Voucher is redeemed. Vouchers may be used with the purchase of books, music and food. Vouchers will soon be available online at the library’s website and at all eleven Lake County Public Library locations.

The Lake County Public Library will also have a wish list of book titles on display that people can purchase for the library’s collection.

Then, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Lake County Public Library Staff will present two special Valentine Story Times. Children and their families are welcome to come and listen to Valentine Stories that highlight love, reading and libraries.

Be a library valentine and support the Friends of the Lake County Public Library by shopping at Barnes & Nobles, 2240 East 80th Avenue, Merrillville, Indiana on Saturday, February 14th. Bring a book fair voucher or say:

“The Lake County Public Library sent us”.

For more information and voucher watch our website: http://www.lakeco.lib.in.us/

GoodReads

2009-01-20T15:55:00.003-06:00

Have you heard about this site? Goodreads is a website where you can select books you've read or are reading and share them with your friends. You can also write down your thoughts to create a book review for others to see.

But what exactly is Goodreads? "Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world. We have over 1,700,000 members who have added over 40,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they've read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more. Goodreads was launched in December 2006" quoted directly from the Goodreads website.

Library staff is in the process of creating an account so we can all share our love of reading. Similar to our "Staff Recommends" shelf, Goodreads is our online sharing opportunity. If you're interested in viewing our virtual book shelf leave me a comment with your email address. I'll add you as a friend.

Happy Reading!

DogEared

2009-01-13T15:22:00.005-06:00

I just recently discovered this blog created by National Geographic Kids. Tweens are often asking us for good things to read. And although I read plenty of teen books, sometimes we just need another source to find new titles.

Enter DogEared. Six kids between the ages of 8-11 are the book reviewers. Their posts are well written with personal thoughts on why they enjoyed the story (or in the case of some, why they didn't enjoy it). Click on the link http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/dogeared/ and peruse the blogs. You might just find something new to read!

Soups On!

2009-01-06T18:50:00.004-06:00

Hello everyone. For those of you who did not join me Monday Jan. 5th for the first cooking class of the year you really missed out on a great pot of soup. I love to make soup during the cold months. To me nothing is better. Nothing is better than browning some hamburger and throwing it and all the ingredients into a crock pot and letting it cook on low all day. Coming home to a house smelling so good and knowing you are only seconds away from eating a hot bowl of soup is wonderful. The recipe I choose was Paula Dean's Taco Soup.

2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chilies
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chilies
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

Corn chips, for serving, Sour cream, for garnish, Grated cheese, for garnish Chopped green onions, for garnish, Pickled jalapenos, for garnish (All Optional)

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chilies, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

What's nice about this recipe is you can omit what you don't like and it will still taste great. Serving this soup over corn chips with cheese and sour cream is really tasty.

The next cooking class is February 2. Hope to see you there.

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T13:31:00.005-06:00

The start of a new year is always a good time to reconnect with your library. Some have lost touch with their library and now is a good time to return. We are planning several new programs at both Hobart and Lake Station-New Chicago. 2009 is a special year for all of us with the Lake County Public Library system as we celebrate 50 years of library service!

On January 15, 10:00am, at the Hobart branch, we have a chance for residents to come in and record their library memories. Through my years of experience I've often heard in passing how the library has helped. Now I'm hoping to record a history for future library users to read in another 50 years. Coffee and donuts will be on hand during this casual, conversational environment.

Cooking classes will resume January 5 with Lacey demonstrating simple and delectable recipes.
And gaming events will be back on the board once Hobart's lower level meeting rooms are ready to handle the crowds.

Meanwhile, head over to the Lake Station-New Chicago branch for your gaming fun. Kids 11-17 will have another chance to play Wii and PS2 games on Friday, January 16 at 2pm (some kids have no school that day!) We'll have our newest game: Guitar Hero World Tour set up for kids to sing, drum or strum to some great songs! I'll also be sharing a few of my newest Wii games, too.

English as a Second Language classes begin again on January 12th at 6:30pm. This is a wonderful group where people learn to converse in English as well as making new friends.

On Thursday, January 15th at 1:00pm join other adults in discussing the book The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Althought I have not yet read this myself, numerous patrons have told me it's an excellent read. Check out http://www.memorykeepersdaughter.com/ for a summary of the book.

Our basic computer classes will begin again on January 29th. The classes will continue throughout February and focus on learning the mouse, understanding the internet and creating a free email account.

Throughout 2009 keep an eye out for our other programs. There will be classes in healthy eating and nutrition; South Shore Arts sponsored programs, and hopefully (and here I'm keeping my fingers crossed) a Guitar Hero tournament. So tune your RSS readers to our site so you can stay in touch with the library.

Gaming at Lake Station

2008-12-21T13:06:00.005-06:00

Friday was a fun afternoon for the kids in Lake Station. A bunch of us tried out the library's newest game: Guitar Hero World Tour. If you have never played this game before I highly recommend you find an opportunity to give it a whirl. World Tour lets gamers play as part of a band or solo on one of three methods: guitar, drums or vocals.

My personal favorite are drums. You have your own set along with the foot pedal and play along to some great songs from the 90's and 00's. It takes a song or two to get used to the feel of the drums, at least for one who's never played drums before. But once you have it down you feel like a pro.

The guitar that comes with the kit is far better than your average GH guitar. It has more of a real guitar feel. I loved it but didn't have too much of a chance to play it. The kids took over.

Singing, on the other hand, is best reserved for those who can hold a tune. Although it's not necessary to know the words to each song, as the words are on the screen, it's easier to just hum (and softer on the ears). The downside to this is when playing as a band. If the drummer and guitarist are on top of their game but your singing is poor, you'll be booed off the stage. Not fun for your bandmates.

The next chance for teens to play at Lake Station will be Friday, January 16th. We'll also have our Wii and other PS2 games available. If the Hobart meeting rooms are ready with new TVs we'll be playing there on Monday, January 19. Call 942-2243 for more information.

It's a Mickey Christmas at the Hobart Library

2008-12-01T16:04:00.005-06:00

Hello everyone! It's the start of the Christmas season. Every year ladies from the Hobart Garden Club graciously decorate the library's tree with festive hand crafted ornaments and decorations. The theme for 2008 is Mickey Mouse.

Normally, at the end of every Christmas season, the Garden Club places their decorations in storage for future years. This year the club has chosen to give away their Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dolls to two lucky winners.

Children, ages 10 and under, who have (or register for) a resident Lake County Public Library card are eligible to enter the contest. At least one book must be checked out to receive an entry form. And only one entry per child is permitted.

Winners will be chosen on December 23.

Good Luck Everyone

Lake Station-New Chicago Branch News

2008-12-01T14:06:00.002-06:00

Winter is fast approaching. Here is a list of things you can do at the library when cabin fever sets in.

We will be having classes starting in January on computer skills: surfing the Internet, how to use a mouse, and how to email. Just sign up at the circulation desk or give us a call 962-2409.

Our book discussion on January 17: we will be discussing THE MEMORY KEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Kim Edwards. Join us and make some new friends.

We are looking for people willing to teach classes in knitting, crocheting, quilting, and tole painting. Are you a volunteer willing to share your skills with others?

If you don’t have any creative talents that is OK, you can still volunteer. We need people to Adopt a Shelf. The Adopt a Shelf program is where you pick an area in the library, come in for 1 or 2 hours a week and make sure the books are in order and in good shape. Good volunteers are always wanted.

If volunteering does not appeal then we need to hear from you: what sort of programs are you looking for at your local Library? Send us a note.

We're Open!

2008-10-13T19:45:00.002-05:00

The Hobart library is once again open and ready to answer your reference questions or loan you a new release DVD.

After two long weeks coinhabiting with staff at the Lake Station-New Chicago branch, Hobart staff is pleased to be home and back to normal hours and procedures. Plus, it has been nice to see our regular patrons excited about Hobart's reopening. We've heard lots of stories about the flood and how awful is was to not have the library open.

Although our lower level meeting room will not be ready to use for at least a few more months, the rest of the library is in perfectly good condition.

Several of our teen and adult programs had to be canceled but the children's story hours are in full swing. Miss Karin has exciting stories and crafts planned for the rest of the month.

So stop in and say hello and grab a book or two!

Rain Rain Go Away

2008-09-19T12:36:00.004-05:00

The steady rain that fell over the weekend caused the town of Hobart and the surrounding areas a lot of trouble. Water was everywhere and due to roads being closed we had to do some creative driving. The Hobart library suffered 4 feet of water in the basement and much damage was done. Thankfully the water did not get into the main floor of the library so the books and other library materials were safe. The library will be closed until further notice.

To all our Hobart Patrons the Lake Station New Chicago library welcomes you. Due to Hobart being closed the Lake Station New Chicago branch hours have been extended.

Hours:

Monday-Thursday 10-8:30pm
Friday 10-6pm
Saturday 9-5pm

Address and Phone #:

2007 Central Ave
Lake Station, IN 46405
(219) 962-2409

The Hobart staff will be working over at Lake Station so you will see familiar friendly faces and you will meet new friendly faces. We are looking forward to seeing you at our temporary home.

Long Time No Post

2008-08-13T13:53:00.002-05:00

I can't believe I haven't done a post in over two months. But that just goes to show how busy we were this summer. We had over 800 kids participate in the summer reading program alone. That was beyond awesome. Between the Fear Factor, Ice Cream Social, Taste of India, Story Hours, School Age programs, and Gaming we had little time to breathe. It was worth it. We are looking forward to a little down time. The kids will be going back to school soon and then we will have a different kind of busy.

Some of the programs we have planned for the next few months are gaming days for our patrons that are 55 and older. We have the Wii system and we look forward to doing a little bowling and playing other games. We're not leaving out the teens we will have gaming for them as well. In September kid's programs will start back up and September is Cool Kid's Get a Library Card Month. Pre-schoolers will be encouraged to color Clifford and the older kid's can make comic strips about the library or reading. We also have programs for the whole family. I will be doing a program on donuts. We will make, decorate, and then eat them. What is better then a fresh donut? I can't think of anything right now.

Just because summer is over the programs and the fun will still be going on. Don't forget to visit us! We look forward to seeing you.

Last Cooking Class

2008-05-29T15:03:00.010-05:00

The last cooking class was on May 19th at the Lake Station Library. We had a potluck. I hope to have more cooking classes next year.

Taco Dip

1 container sour cream

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 cup shredded cheese

Mix sour cream and taco seasoning together.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This allows the onions in the mix to soften.

Spread the dip into a baking dish. Top with cheese, lettuce, and tomato.

Serve with chips.

Strawberry Mess

1 pkg of pound cake or angel food cake, cut up in small pieces

1 large container of cool whip

1 large container of strawberries in sugar (frozen dept.)

Mix all together and enjoy.

Cherry Cheese Danish
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 egg white
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can (20 oz.) cherry pie filling
3 Tbsp. milk
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Unroll 1 of the cans of crescent dough into 2 long rectangles. Place in greased 13x9-inch baking pan; press onto bottom of pan to form crust, firmly pressing seams together to seal.
BEAT cream cheese, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the egg white and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread onto crust; cover with pie filling. Unroll remaining can of crescent dough; separate into 2 long rectangles. Pat out to form 13x9-inch rectangle, pressing seams together to seal. Place over pie filling to form top crust. BAKE 25 to 30 min. or until golden brown; cool slightly. Gradually add milk to remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating with wire whisk until well blended. Drizzle over warm dessert. Cut into 24 rectangles to serve. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Egg Salad

1 dozen eggs (boiled)

3 heaping TBS. of Mayo

1 heaping TBS. mustard

salt and pepper to your liking

Mix all together

Corn in a Cup

3lbs. of frozen corn cooked as directed on bag

Put a serving into a cup add butter, Parmesan cheese, mayo, and cayenne pepper. Stir and enjoy

Peanut Brittle

3 cups sugar
1 cup peanuts

1 tsp. vinegar

Melt sugar in pan with vinegar stirring as little as possible. Pour into a buttered pan. Let cool. Break Up.

8th Cooking Class

2008-05-06T15:03:00.006-05:00

May 5th was the 8th cooking class. I can't believe we only have one more left. This week we made Curried Chicken Salad and White Bean and Roasted Chicken Salad. I had never made these before and they were both very good.

Curried Chicken Salad

3 cups of torn up-bite size pieces of a roast chicken
2 cups of red seedless grapes cut in half
¾ cup of slivered almonds
¾ cup of yogurt
½ tablespoon of curry powder
½ teaspoon of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste. Combine in a bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste.

White Bean and Roasted Chicken Salad

Salad: 2 cups coarsely chopped roasted chicken
1 cup chopped tomato
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup sliced fresh basil
2 cans cannellini beans or
other white beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing: ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1. To prepare salad, place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stir gently to combine.To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad, tossing gently to coat.

7th Cooking Class

2008-04-30T15:30:00.004-05:00

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

2 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
Cooking spray
2 ½ cups ricotta cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt and pepper
1 (10 oz.) pack frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 large egg yolk
24 cooked jumbo pasta shells

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce over the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.Combine ricotta and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons filling into each pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in prepared dish, spread with 1 ½ cups spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

May is just around the corner. Actually it's tomorrow. I can't believe it. Time is going by so fast. The 7th cooking class was on April 28th. I made stuffed shells and they were delicious. The next two cooking classes will be at the Lake Station Library and they will be May 5th and May 19th.

6th Cooking Class

2008-04-16T13:56:00.006-05:00

Wow it is already mid-April! When did this happen. We only have three more cooking classes to go. I can't believe it. For this class I made three different kinds of Bruschetta. Two tomato based and one that is good for breakfast or dessert.

Basil & Tomato Feta Bruschetta
1 loaf French Bread, cut into 36 slices
1 big can Basil, Garlic, and Oregano diced tomatoes, drained
1 pkg. Feta finely crumbled
½ cup chopped red onions
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped pitted ripe olives, optional
Preheat broiler. Place bread on baking sheet. Broil 2-3 min. on each side or until lightly toasted on both sides.
Mix tomatoes, cheese, onions, parsley, and pepper together.Spoon about 2 tsp. of the tomato mixture onto each toast slice just before serving.

Quick Bruschetta

1 pint quartered cherry tomatoes
1 8 oz. finely shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package finely shredded parmesan cheese
½ cup light Italian dressing
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 small garlic clove finely minced

1/2 small red onion chopped
1 loaf French bread sliced (about ¼ inch thick each), toasted
Combine the first six ingredients.Spoon evenly over bread just before serving.

Tropical Breakfast Bruschetta

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
½ cup chopped strawberries
1 medium banana sliced
1 loaf pound cake, cut into
16 (1/2 inch thick) slices, toasted
½ cup Philadelpia cream cheese spread
Toss fruit in small bowl.
Spread cake slices evenly with cream cheese spread, using about 1-1/2 tsp. of the cream cheese on each slice. Top each with about 2-1/2 Tbsp. of the fruit mixture.Serve immediately.

Edible Book Fest Results

2008-04-07T13:44:00.017-05:00

For our first edible book fest I think we did well. Three excited partcipants entered their food masterpieces and then later on they were consumed. Next year we hope to have a lot more partcipants.

The 1st entry was by Angela.
Her edible masterpiece was Humpty Dumpty.
She made the wall using graham crackers, marshmellow fluff,
and chocolate icing. Humpty was constructed out of marshmellows.

The 2nd entry was by Mary. The bible is made
out of bark chocolate and yellow icing.

The 3rd entry was by Shelley.
She made a cheese ball that looked like
Mickey Mouse's head.

Edible Book Fest: Eat Your Words

2008-04-03T12:34:00.004-05:00

Hobart Library's First Annual Edible Book Fest

Eat Your Words

April 5th, 2008

What is an Edible Book you ask?

It’s just what it sounds like. It can look like a book, pun on a title, refer to a character, or just have something to do with books. Whatever the inspiration, it must be edible. Edible Book Festivals take place all over the world on or around April 1st. Participants (you!) create edible masterpieces that are exhibited, documented and then consumed.

How does the festival work?
•Register as soon as you know you’re bringing an edible book – just email (lklemm@lakeco.lib.in.us) or call (942-2243) and give us your name, contact info, and the title(s) of your edible book(s). Even if you don’t know the title(s) yet we want to know if you are bringing an entry.

•Bring your entry/entries to the Library between 1-2pm.
•The entries will be viewed and admired from 2-3pm.
•Winners will be announced at 3pm (categories and prizes yet to be decided).•Eating of the books (with coffee and lemonade) will begin at 3:30pm.

5th Cooking Class

2008-04-03T12:18:00.004-05:00

March 31st at the Lake Station Library was the 5th cooking class. In April the cooking classes will be at the Hobart Library.

At this class I had 6 people and we made chicken empanandas and banana chocolate empanadas. The chicken empanadas were outstanding. The banana chocolate would have been better dipped in powdered sugar or cinnanmon.

Here are the recipes:

Wontons Stuffed with Chocolate and Bananas

1 bag Hershey kisses
16 wonton wrappers
2 bananas, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the edges of the wonton wrappers with water. Place one Hershey kiss and one banana slice in the center of each wonton wrapper. Fold the wonton making a triangle and press the sides together. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Chicken Empanadas

3 cups cooked chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 package wonton wrappers
1 tablespoon cumin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the chicken, cheese, cream cheese, red pepper, jalapeno, cumin, salt, and pepper. Brush edges of wonton wrappers with water. Spoon 1 Tbsp. filling into the center of each; fold in half and press to seal. Place empanadas on baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

Teen Idol Results!

2008-03-24T15:23:00.011-05:00

Wow, what an exciting afternoon. Today the Hobart branch held the First Ever Teen Idol competitions. We had three participants who all sang so well. The judges and I enjoyed the music and had fun comparing results and choosing a winner.

Songs included Shenadoah, Lean on Me and I Gotta Go My Own Way (from High School Musical 2). Maltese, Kyle and Laurentia were good sports with nerves of steel. Results were as follows: Kyle, first place; Maltese, second place; Laurentia, third place. I admire anyone who can stand in front of a crowd of family and strangers to sing these songs. Congrats on singing so well.

I'm hoping that we can repeat this program next year with a bigger crowd and more participants. So spread the word and start practicing those songs!

The Book Nook

2008-03-18T13:55:00.008-05:00

Working in the library does have it perks. And one of the perks is being able to see all the new titles that arrive in thousands of different subjects. Although we do not have time to read at work, most of us do read as much and as often as we can in our spare time. It may be magazines, teen books, mysteries, cookbooks, etc. but we are always coming across titles that we thoroughly enjoyed.

So Lacey created the Book Nook. The Book Nook is a place for us to record our "book reviews" or summaries. A chance for you to read a little something about the book and decide if it matches your interests.

We will also rate the books based on a five point rating system. Five "book lovers" means the book was so good we would read it over and over and over. One "book lover" means we did not enjoy the book.

So, check out our new blog: The Book Nook. http://hobartlibrarybooknook.blogspot.com/

Maybe you'll see something new to read!
Carol

4th Cooking Class

2008-03-18T09:47:00.004-05:00

I know what your thinking, 4th cooking class, what happened to the 3rd? Well I was sick for the third and had to cancel. I hated to disappoint people but no one wanted me cooking for them. This week I was all better and excited to do my first cooking class at the Lake Station library. Yesterday was St. Patrick's day so I wanted to incoporate green into the food. I made Stuffed Pepper Soup. It was really good. For those who couldn't make it you missed out on a treat.

Don't forget the next cooking class. It's on March 31st @ Lake Station Library.

Here's the recipe:

Stuffed Pepper Soup

1 lb ground chuck
1 big onion chopped
2 green peppers, seeds removed and chopped
1 cup uncooked minute rice
Large V8 juice

COOK ground chuck until no longer pink. Drain the fat and set aside. In the same pan sauté the green peppers and onions together until softened. Add the ground chuck back in the pan along with the rice and V8 juice. Bring to boil and let simmer for at least 45 minutes.

2nd Cooking Class

2008-02-27T13:53:00.007-06:00

The 2nd cooking class of the year was on President's Day. Most schools were out so I had a mix of kids and adults. We made English muffin pizza's and a Hot Dog cake. You are reading this right, we made a hot dog cake. Is everyone groaning and saying gross? Because that is what all the kids said and there wasn't any hot dog cake left. The next class is March 3 at the Lake Station Library, 1pm. I hope to see you there.

English Muffin Pizzas

English muffins
pizza sauce
mozzarella
any topping you want
Take an English muffin and cut it open. Layer sauce, toppings, and then cheese.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 or 400 degrees.

Hot Dog and Fries Cake taken from http://www.familyfun.go.com/

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 baked loaf cake
2 Twinkies
1 cup hot-dog red frosting (red and brown mixed)
Yellow icing in a tube
Red icing in a tube
Green fruit slices or gumdrops, diced (optional)

1. To make the hot dog bun, cut the loaf sides as shown, saving the extra cake for the French fries. Remove the cake center and place the two Twinkies in the "bun."

2. Frost them hot-dog red. Add a squirt of mustard (yellow icing) ketchup (red icing), or relish (diced gumdrops or fruit slices).

3. Tip: Save the decorating for your child's party and invite guests to squirt the cake with ketchup and mustard frosting.

Teen Idol Library Style

2008-02-08T11:51:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought you were American Idol material? Your chance to compete against other teens in the area is coming. Teens, ages 12-17, will have an opportunity to compete in our preliminary rounds on either March 24 (at the Hobart library) or on March 27 (at the Lake Station-New Chicago branch library).

Four winners will be chosen from each round to compete at our final show on April 11 at the Lake Station-New Chicago branch library.

The Rules:
1. Participants must be within the ages of 12-17 in order to audition and compete. Bring proof of age as it may be required on audition day.
2. Contestants must be able to sing a cappella (without music).
3. Contestants will have an opportunity to sing one song during the audition.

4. Contestants must pre-register by calling 942-2243. Your name, age, song title and phone number are required.
5. Song titles must be given at the time of registration.
6. Songs must not contain offensive language such as profanity, sexual content, etc.
7. Library staff reserve the right to deny an audition based on song content.

8. A maximum number of 30 contestants will be allowed to compete in the auditions at each branch.
9. Contestants may not audition at both locations.
10. Four finalists will be chosen from Hobart and four from Lake Station-New Chicago to compete in the final round on Friday, April 11.

11. Judges will consist of library personnel and volunteers
12. Finalists will be chosen by the judge’s panel.
13. Finalists should prepare to sing two songs (but may only have a chance to sing one).
14. The grand prize winner will be chosen by the audience members.
15. The grand prize winner will receive a gift card to (TBD). The runner up will receive a (TBD) gift card.
16. Grand prize winner must have parental permission to be photographed for library and newspaper publicity.

17. In the event of a tie, a tie breaker round will be held.
18. The audience and judges will choose a winner.
19. Judges may be called upon to choose a winner. The decision of the judges is final.

20. Library personnel reserve the right to disqualify and or exclude any individual from any auditions due to inappropriate behavior, song content, violation of rules and or procedure at any time.
Good Luck!

First Cooking Class of the Year!

2008-02-04T16:32:00.001-06:00

Today was our first cooking class of the year. I made Hash Brown Quiche and those who attended got to eat it. It was very good.

Monday Feb. 18th is the next class at 1pm. I think we will be making kid friendly pizzas. The 18th is Presidents Day so if the kid's are out of school go ahead and bring them. This cooking class will be fun for the family.

Today's Recipe:

3 cups frozen loose-pack shredded
hash browns, thawed
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crumbled fully cooked bacon
or ham or sausage
2 eggs
1 cup milk

PRESS hash browns between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Press hash browns into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.

COMBINE the bacon and the cheese; spoon mixture over the hash brown crust. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk. Pour mixture over all. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow quiche to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Story Hour @ Lake Station-New Chicago Starts Soon

2008-02-04T16:05:00.000-06:00

Preschool Storyhour is six weeks of fun for children age 3 to 5 years. Each week children listen to stories, move to the music, and complete a craft. Storyhour books are chosen for their fun stories and outstanding illustrations.

Music is an integral part of the program as it helps ease the wiggles children get while being still. Songs that encourage movement and participation are a break between the quiet reading times. After the stories and music each child completes a simple craft to take home reminding them of the stories they heard that week.

While children participate in storyhour adult caregivers remain in the building. Adults can use this free time to find books, relax in one of our comfortable chairs and read a magazine or use the internet. At the end of each storyhour children and parents have the opportunity to choose books to check out for home use.

The Lake Station – New Chicago Branch Library holds Preschool Storyhour on Wednesday’s. This free program begins on February 13th and concludes six weeks later on March 19th. Sessions are at 1:00pm or 6:00pm and registration is required.

Chocolate Covered Everything!

2008-01-30T16:29:00.000-06:00

Everything tastes better covered in chocolate. Children 4th grade and up are invited to come and enjoy chocolate covered everythings this Valentines day. Please Register.

When: February 13, 2008
What Time: 4pm

Calling All You Cooks Out There!

2008-01-30T16:19:00.000-06:00

Last year I did a four week cooking program. This year starting in February I'm kicking it up a notch. For four fabulous months we will be cooking up a storm here at Hobart and at Lake Station. Every other Monday at 1pm I will be teaching a new recipe that I hope everyone will enjoy and repeat in their own homes. So come and join us.

In Feburary we will be making Hash Brown Quiche and Pizzas.

Every other Monday at 1pm

2/4/2008 & 2/18/2008 The 18th is Presidents Day so if your kids are out of school bring them along. It will be fun for them as well. Will be making Kid Friendly Pizzas.
@ Hobart Library
3/3/2008, 3/17/2008 & 3/31/2008
@ Lake Station Library
4/14/2008 & 4/28/2008
@ Hobart Library
5/5/2008 & 5/19/2008
@ Lake Station Library

After each class I will post the recipe so all of you can enjoy it as well!

Teen Tech Week: YouTube It!

2008-01-06T16:07:00.000-06:00

During Teen Tech Week (March 2-8) create a YouTube video about what you like about the library or why you love the library or your favorite book, author, etc.
Be creative and start working on your movie now!

Here's how to enter:

1. Contest is for ages 12-17 (but you can certainly have adults help).
2. Video should be no longer than 5 minutes in length.
3. Profanity, nudity, violence and sexual content are not permitted.
4. Upload video to YouTube (you may need to create a free account) and email the URL to cdaumer@lakeco.lib.in.us. In the subject field: enter "TTW YOUTUBE ENTRY".

5. In the email message, include the URL, your name, phone number and library card number.
6. Staff will review the video for content, then post the link on our blog.
7. Deadline for video submissions is Saturday, March 8.
8. Approved entries will be posted to this blog by March 13.
9. There will be two winners: one chosen by public vote and one by library staff.
10. Library staff will choose one winner based on creativity and content.
11. Voting will begin on March 13 and end on April 13.
12. Winners will be chosen and announced during National Library Week on April 18.
13. Prizes will be awarded to the two winners and are yet to be determined.
14. Library staff reserve the right to refuse video entries due to inappropriate content.

Wanted: Teen Library Idol Judges

2008-01-02T18:08:00.000-06:00

We're looking for teens ages 12-17 to help us judge our "Teen Idol" contest on either March 24 (at Hobart), March 27 (at Lake Station) or April 11 (at Lake Station). If you think you would make a fair and objective judge here's what you need to do:

1. Submit an essay detailing your qualifications in 100 words or less.
2. Include your name, age and phone number.
3. Submit your essay via email to cdaumer@lakeco.lib.in.us, through the blog or drop it off at the Lake Station-New Chicago or Hobart branches.
4. Deadline: February 29.
5. Chosen judges must have parental permission to be photographed for library and newspaper publicity.

If your entry is chosen you will be notified by phone before March 14.

Good Luck!

Lake Station-New Chicago Branch Library is Now Open

2007-12-14T16:16:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Lake Station-New Chicago Library. The moving process began in September of 2006 with cleaning and packing of the Lake Station and New Chicago branch libraries. The actual move took place at the end of October 2007.

Doors opened on Tuesday, October 30. Mayor Wadding was the first person to cross the threshold of the new library. Pictures were taken to commemorate the occasion and can be viewed in our display case. Over the next few days the community slowly realized we had opened and began to come in and admire the new library.

On Saturday, November 3 the Grand Opening was held. The American flag was raised in a ceremony presented by the American Legion Post 100, American Legion Post 454 and the VFW Post 9323. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by four students representing the Lake Station and River Forest schools. Speeches were given, the ribbon was cut and refreshments were served. Staff members were on hand to give tours of the new library.

Since November 3 the communities of Lake Station and New Chicago have shown their interest in the library. Many made the first visit out of curiosity. Most are amazed at the beautiful architecture, the vast reading space and up to date technology. The kids are enjoying it too spending many an afternoon playing Runescape or socializing with friends in the new teen booths.

If you have yet to visit we hope to see you soon.
M. Churley, Assistant Librarian

Teen Fantasy Book Discussion Movie

2007-11-07T12:41:00.000-06:00

December 12th, 2007
6pm

Teens 12 and over are invited to a screening of Gremlins, a PG film about an unusual Christmas present. Munchies will be provided.

Christmas Cookie Exchange

2007-11-07T12:36:00.000-06:00

December 10th, 2007
1pm

Interested participants should bring at least two dozen cookies along with copies of the recipes to share with others. Pre-register.

Hope to see you there!

Lacey

Holiday Drawing Contest

2007-11-07T12:25:00.000-06:00

The holiday's are just around the corner. Hobart Branch Library is extending a challenge to all its patrons. Bust out your favorite pens, pencils, or computer programs and create a Holiday drawing that has to do with the library or reading. Participants will have from December 1st to December 20th to get in their entries. Entry groups will consist of grades K-3, 4-6, 7-12, and adults 18 and over. The entries will be voted on by the public. The winners will be announced during a program on January 2nd at 6pm. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Contest Rules and Regulations:

1. All entries must be rated G for General Audiences.
2. Contents must be about the library or reading.
3. No offensive language or pictures.
4. No violence.
5. All entries will be reviewed by library staff before being displayed for the public.

If you have any questions call 942-2243 and ask for Lacey.

Teen Fantasy Book Discussion

2007-10-04T11:39:00.001-05:00

Teens (14 and up) don't forget about our teen fantasy book discussion on October 17th, 4pm. We will be discussing Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. We will also be watching snippets of the movie. Refreshments will be provided.

Having fallen for a human boy, a beautiful teenage werewolf must battle both her packmates and the fear of the townspeople to decide where she belongs and with whom.

Vivian is a mysterious young woman living in Bucharest with her family who holds a strange and terrible secret, they are members of a rapidly shrinking colony of werewolves. When Vivian learns that she must marry their leader Gabriel she rebels and takes off with a new man and must decide between loyalty and true love.

Sweet Sixteen

2007-10-04T11:34:00.000-05:00

Can't wait to turn 16? Have you turned 16 and had a fabulous party? Come join us Wed. November 14th, 2007 at 4pm for a screening of "Sixteen Candles" rated PG. Share your stories about turning 16 or wanting to turn 16 while watching the movie and snacking on party food. Please Register.

Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, John Cusak, Joan Cusak
Universal Pictures; Directed by John Hughes
Rated PG; 93 minutes; 1984

Samantha’s (Molly Ringwald) sixteenth birthday should be the most wonderful day of her life, but it’s all but forgotten because of her spoiled older sister’s wedding. To top it off, Samantha has fallen for the hottest guy at school, but, of course, he’s dating the most popular girl in this hilarious gen-x romantic comedy.

You Are Invited to a

2007-10-04T11:04:00.000-05:00

Masquerade Ball

Teens 14 and up please join me (Lacey) on Sat. November 10th, 2007 at 2pm for an afternoon of fun, food, and mystery. Each person in attendance must wear a mask or will be provided one.

Trivia questions about Melissa De La Cruz’s book, “Masquerade: A Blue Bloods Novel” will be asked and prizes awarded to the teens with the right answers.

Last Cooking Class

2007-10-04T10:01:00.000-05:00

If you weren't able to come the last four weeks for the cooking classes you missed out on some really yummy food and really nice people. For the last class I made Black Bottom Cups and a Baked Cream Cheese Appetizer. The BB cups recipe was provided by a patron coming to the class. I found the appetizer recipe on http://www.kraftfoods.com/. I will be having cooking classes again starting next year. On Dec. 10th at 1pm the Hobart library is having a cookie exchange. Bring two dozen cookies and the recipe. It promises to be a fun afternoon.

BAKED CREAM CHEESE APPETIZER

1 pkg. (4 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1 egg white, lightly beaten

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Unroll dough on lightly greased baking sheet; press seams together to form 12x4-inch rectangle.

SPRINKLE cream cheese with dill; lightly press dill into cream cheese. Place cream cheese, dill side up, in center of dough. Bring dough up over cream cheese to completely enclose cream cheese; press edges together to seal. Brush with egg white.

BAKE 15 to 18 min. or until lightly browned. Serve with your favorite NABISCO Crackers, French bread slices or cut-up fresh fruit.

BLACK BOTTOM CUPS

CUPCAKE BATTER

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FILLILNG*

8 ounce cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup minature semisweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Optional: 1/2 cup nuts (I used pecans)

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

IN a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

IN a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

BAKE in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

*Filling makes way more than what you need.

Enjoy!

Stay current in gaming news

2007-09-27T16:34:00.001-05:00

Visit our gaming blog to stay up to date on all the gaming news, dates and events happening at the library.

The blog and wiki are a work in progress. Here we will post the good stuff on upcoming tournaments, latest scores, commentary (if there is some) and what ever else we can think of related to gaming.

Check it out: http://htwpgaming.blogspot.com