Arlington Public Library News, Arlington Virginia

Truth is Stranger than Fiction Book Club

2012-01-27T17:29:00.001-05:00

Mon, February 13, 7pm – 8:30 pmCentral Library, 2nd floor meeting room, 1015 N Quincy St (map)Truth is Stranger Than Fiction book club meets the 2nd Monday of the month, 7:00 – 8:30 pm; no meeting Aug or Dec. If 2nd Monday is a holiday, another Monday will be chosen.

The book club will meet to discuss The Warmth of Other Suns- The epic story of America's Great Migration. Author: Isabel Wilkerson. For more information contact Angelica at 703-228-5945

Art at the Central Library - Westen Muntain Landscapes

2012-01-27T17:17:00.000-05:00

On display in the Central Library February 1 through 29th, this series of large-scaled landscapes is highly colored and abstracted. They are prints made through a process called reduction woodcut. Each print is hand- pulled and is therefore unique.

Friends of the Library Book Club - Central

2012-01-27T16:44:00.000-05:00

Thursday, February 23, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Arlington Central Library, Maple Tree Room (map)
The Friends of the Library Thursday Morning Book Discussion Group will meet in the 1st Floor Maple Tree room.

This month the book discussed will be Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.

In nineteenth-century England, sisters Elinor and Marianne are drawn into unhappy romances despite the cool judgment of the one and the emotional intensity of the other. Reissue.In nineteenth-century England, two sisters are drawn into unhappy romances despite the cool judgement of one and the emotional intensity of the other. In 1811, Jane Austen's first published work, Sense and Sensibility , marked the debut of England's premier novelist of manners. Believing that 3 or 4 families in a country village is the very thing to work on, she created a brilliant tragicomedy of flirtation and folly. Romantic walks through lush Devonshire and genteel dinner parties at a stately manor draw two pretty sisters into the schemes and manipulations of landed gentry determined to marry wisely and well. Neither sense nor sensibility can guarantee happiness for either as romantic Marianne falls prey to a dangerous rascal, and reasonable Elinor loses her heart to a gentleman already engaged. Wonderfully entertaining yet subtle and probing in its characterizations, Sense and Sensibility richly displays the supreme artistry of a great English novelist.

For more information contact Lenee Fry at 703-228-7689.

Library Shares in Frida Kahlo Celebration

2012-01-27T11:24:00.000-05:00

Arlington Public Library users have two more reasons to celebrate the works of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera.

Arlington County sister city Coyoacán, a suburb of Mexico City, has presented the Library with two richly illustrated guidebooks to the museums that preserve the works and history of the two famed icons of modern art. The books are not available in the United States.

Coming in February, Arlington's Artisphere will become the first and only U.S. venue to exhibit a recently cataloged collection of rare photographs taken by Kahlo throughout her complicated but thrilling life.

The books presented to the Library are now on display on the first floor of Central Library and will become part of the Library's circulating collection.

Westover Book Group - Book Whisperers

2012-01-24T17:01:00.000-05:00

When: Tuesday, February 28, 2pm – 3pm
Where: Westover Branch Library (map)

This month the group will discuss Priceless - how I went undercover to rescue the world's stolen treasures by Robert K. Wittman.
LJ Reviews 2010 August #1The theft and retrieval of priceless works of art, historic documents, or artifacts can be a Herculean law enforcement challenge. With the creation of the FBI's Art Crime Team?led by 20-year veteran special agent Wittman?the reader enters a clandestine world of criminal activities of epic proportion. Writing with investigative reporter Shiffman, Wittman unfurls a web of intrigue and danger in this rare glimpse into high-level detective work that has resulted in the retrieval of more than $225 million worth of stolen artwork and documents in the past two decades. One of the recent cases solved by the Art Crime Team was the return of one of 14 original copies of the Bill of Rights taken by Union soldiers at the end of the American Civil War (this is depicted in full in David Howard's Lost Rights: The Misadventures of a Stolen American Relic). Wittman's successes as an undercover agent, extensive training in the world of art, and skill as a lead detective and investigator are well documented in this autobiography.

The "Book Whisperers" book group meets at Westover Branch Library on the fourth Tuesday of each month - April through October - at 7 p.m. November through March - at 2 p.m.

Call 703-228-0523 for more details.

And the (Real) Caldecott Winner Is...

2012-01-24T15:54:00.001-05:00

On Monday, A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka won the coveted 2012 Caldecott Medal!

Caldecott honors were awarded to Blackout by John Rocco; Grandpa Green by Lane Smith; and Me... Jane by Patrick McDonnell.

How did Arlington's elementary school mock-Caldecott committees stack up against the official committee?

They may not have agreed on the Caldecott Medal winner, but we think their choices were excellent, And many of their choices match the official honor selections!

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 2 votes
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote
If Rocks Could Sing - 1 vote
I Want My Hat Back - 2 votes
Bone Dog - 2 votes
Little White Rabbit - 1 vote
Grandpa Green - 1 vote
Wonderstruck - 1 vote

For a complete look at the 2012 Youth Media Award winners (also announced on Monday), check out our Kids Spotlight.

Mid-Week Movies at Westover: A Change for Feb. 1

2012-01-24T13:15:00.006-05:00

As scheduled Jan. 25 will be an evening at the movies with Sean Connery, starring in "Finding Forrester," as a reclusive novelist whose notion of life and friendship is renewed when he finds himself mentoring a street-wise basketball player.

Due to availability the change will be to the movie on Wednesday Feb. 1. Instead of the previously scheduled "Blue Chips," get prepared to cheer on the1980 U.S. Olympic hocky team in "Miracle." Kurt Russell stars as the dynamic and determined coach of 20 young, mostly self-centered men who came together as a united team in an age of Soviet dominance on the ice.

Feb. 15 will begin a 7-week stanza of movies with musical themes.See the complete listing.

Friends of the Library Monday Night Book Club

2012-01-23T16:54:00.000-05:00

Monday, February 27, 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Central Library

The Friends of the Library Monday Evening Book Club meets the 4th Monday of the month (except Dec 17 and May 21) in the 2nd floor meeting room.

This month the book discussed will be Samuel Pepys' Diary - 1/1/1660-5/1/1669.
Samuel Pepys was a remarkable man who witnessed the coronation of Charles II, the Great Plague of 1665, and the Great Fire of 1666. Originally scribbled in a cryptic shorthand, Pepys's quotidian journal of life in Restoration London provides an astonishingly frank and diverting account of political intrigues; naval, church, and cultural affairs; and the sexual escapades and domestic strife of a man with a voracious, childlike appetite for living.

You will also need to bring 8 copies of your THREE POEMS for distribution to the club members.

For more information contact Lenee Fry at 703-228-7689.

New for Young Language Learners: Muzzy Online

2012-01-23T14:18:00.002-05:00

Muzzy, the award-winning language program for kids, is now available online, free with your Library card. Muzzy is a fun and interactive way to learn to learn new languages - kids don't even need to know how to read!

DVD versions of Muzzy have been available for checkout for some time, but our new online access is available 24/7 - for English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Find more language learning resources for both kids and adults.

Meet Hairspray Star Nova Y. Payton

2012-01-23T12:33:00.001-05:00

If you've seen Signature's fantastic production of Hairspray, then you've had the experience of switching from laughing to nearly crying when the amazing Nova Y. Payton, who plays Motormouth Maybelle, sings "I Know Where I've Been."

Join us Saturday, Feb. 4 at 12:30 p.m. for a conversation with Payton, whose stirring performance highlights Hairspray's central theme about desegregation in 1962 Baltimore.

Want to see Hairspray? The show has been extended through Sunday, Feb. 5, and Library card holders get 15% off tickets to Signature Theatre shows - see details.

Grab a Book, Make a Connection

2012-01-23T10:49:00.000-05:00

Join us Sunday, Feb. 19 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. for Book Dating, at the Shirlington Branch Library.

How does it work?
Grab a couple of books you'd like to share: Previous guests have brought fiction, nonfiction, and books about favorite places or interests. One young man even brought a GMAT book, which he used to tell the story of why he decided to go back to school.
Who attends?
So far, we've hosted folks ranging in age from their early 20s to early 60s. In January, we had 39 guests!
And then?
Each book date will be timed at 4 minutes (we've made then a little longer, in response to guest feedback), allowing all participants an opportunity to meet and chat about their reading. Library staff will be on hand to keep things flowing.
Read the Arlington Connection article Booking Blind Dates.

What happens next is another story - yours.

Register for Book Dating by calling 703-228-6545, or in person at the Shirlington Service Desk. Registration will be available up until the start of the program.

Light refreshments generously provided by Johnny Rockets in Shirlington Village. A drawing for a pair of Signature Theatre tickets, donated by Signature, will also take place at the end of the evening.

Book Dating is currently scheduled for the 3rd Sunday of every month, at 6:00 p.m.

Arlington Students Pick Mock-Caldecott Award Winners

2012-01-23T09:13:00.000-05:00

With the official Caldecott announcement later this morning, we wanted to share the results from two more Arlington school groups:

Students at Key Elementary selected I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen as their winner. They awarded two Caldecott honors: Grandpa Green by Lane Smith and Perfect Square by Michael Hall.

Students at Glebe Elementary School voted overwhelmingly for Wonderstruck, by Brian Selznick. They awarded honors to Hooray for Amanda and her Alligator, by Mo Willems.

The final Mock-Caldecott Winner vote tally is:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 2 votes
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote
If Rocks Could Sing - 1 vote
I Want My Hat Back - 2 votes
Bone Dog - 2 votes
Little White Rabbit - 1 vote
Grandpa Green - 1 vote
Wonderstruck - 1 vote

See all the mock-Caldecott winners.

Check back in a couple of hours for updates on all of the American Librarian Association's Youth Media Awards.

Randolph Students Chose Mock-Caldecott Winners

2012-01-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

Here are the final results from our "mock" Caldecott committees:

Randolph Elementary School selected Bone Dog by Eric Rohman for their winner.

They also picked the following honor books: Rrralph by Lois Elhert; Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator by Mo Willems; and A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka.

Final Mock-Caldecott Winner vote tally:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 2 votes
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote
If Rocks Could Sing - 1 vote
I Want My Hat Back - 1 vote
Bone Dog - 2 votes
Little White Rabbit - 1 vote
Grandpa Green - 1 vote

We'll all be watching on Monday morning to see what the real Caldecott committee chooses for this very special award. Check back tomorrow for all the details!

Long Branch, Nottingham Students Chose Mock-Caldecott Winners

2012-01-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

Here are more results from our "mock" Caldecott committees:

Long Branch Elementary School:

Caldecott Winner: Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
Caldecott honors: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney; Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes; and Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell.

Nottingham Elementary School:

Caldecott Winner: Blackout by John Rocco
Caldecott honors: Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg; Stars by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee

Mock-Caldecott votes so far:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 2 votes
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote
If Rocks Could Sing - 1 vote
I Want My Hat Back - 1 vote
Bone Dog - 1 vote
Little White Rabbit - 1 vote
Grandpa Green - 1 vote

The official Caldecott Award will be announced on Monday, Jan. 23, along with many other youth media awards. Stay tuned for more mock-Caldecott winners, and the actual results!

Barrett and Barcroft Students Chose Mock-Caldecott Award Winners

2012-01-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

Here are more results from our "mock" Caldecott committees:

Barrett Elementary 2nd graders:

Caldecott Winner: Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann
Caldecott honor: Perfect Square by Michael Hall

Barcroft Elementary 3rd graders:

Caldecott Winner: Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes
Caldecott honors: Rrralph by Lois Ehlert and Perfect Square by Michael Hall

Mock-Caldecott votes so far:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 1 vote
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote
If Rocks Could Sing - 1 vote
I Want My Hat Back - 1 vote
Bone Dog - 1 vote
Little White Rabbit - 1 vote

The official Caldecott Award will be announced on Monday, Jan. 23, along with many other youth media awards. Stay tuned for more mock-Caldecott winners, and the actual results!

Drew and Key Students Chose Mock-Caldecott Award Winners

2012-01-21T21:29:00.000-05:00

Here are more results from our "mock" Caldecott committees:

Drew Elementary School:

Caldecott Award: If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet by Leslie McGuirk.
Caldecott honors: to Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic by Robert Burleigh, paintings by Wendell Minor; Blackout by John Rocco; and Grandpa Green by Lane Smith.

Key Elementary School:

Caldecott Award: I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Caldecott honors: Grandpa Green by Lane Smith and Perfect Square by Michael Hall.

Mock-Caldecott votes so far:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 1 vote
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote
If Rocks Could Sing - 1 vote
I Want My Hat Back - 1 vote

The official Caldecott Award will be announced on Monday, Jan. 23, along with many other youth media awards. Stay tuned for more mock-Caldecott winners, and the actual results!

Carlin Springs and Claremont Students Chose Mock-Caldecott Award Winners

2012-01-21T21:23:00.000-05:00

Here are more results from our "mock" Caldecott committees:

Students at Claremont Elementary School chose Blackout by John Rocco for their Caldecott winner.

Over at Carlin Springs, the students gave Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator by Mo Willems the top spot.
Honors went to Dot by Patricia Intriago; Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg; and Bumble-ardy by Maurice Sendak.

Mock-Caldecott votes so far:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote
Blackout - 1 vote
Hoorah for Amanda and Her Alligator - 1 vote

The official Caldecott Award will be announced on Monday, Jan. 23, along with many other youth media awards. Stay tuned for more mock-Caldecott winners, and the actual results!

Ashlawn Students Chose Mock-Caldecott Award Winners

2012-01-21T21:18:00.000-05:00

Here are more results from our "mock" Caldecott committees:

Ashlawn Elementary School 4th graders:

Caldecott Award: A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis by Matt De La Péna, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Caldecott honors: Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes; Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg; Rrralph by Lois Elhert; Blackout by John Rocco

Ashlawn Elementary School 5th graders (after 9 rounds of voting!):

Caldecott Award: Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson
Caldecott honors: Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes; Grandpa Green by Lane Smith; Blackout by John Rocco; Stars by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee

Mock-Caldecott votes so far:

Perfect Square - 1 vote
A Nations's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Lewis - 1 vote
Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans - 1 vote

The official Caldecott Award will be announced on Monday, Jan. 23, along with many other youth media awards. Stay tuned for more mock-Caldecott winners, and the actual results!

Sundance Selections, Available at the Library

2012-01-21T09:34:00.018-05:00

The best of current independent movies up for awards are on display now at the Sundance Film Festival January 19th - January 29th in Park City, Utah.

But you don't have to be there to enjoy some amazing independent films from the library's collection of previous Sundance Film Festival winners, Sundance Selects, and Sundance channel films.

Our collection includes:

Wasteland [2011]
Buck [2011]
Bass ackwards [2010]
Restrepo [2010]
and much more

Loving Libraries, Cherrydale-style

2012-01-20T15:25:00.000-05:00

If the winter weather has you down, take a trip back to that wonderful Saturday last July when the Cherrydale community celebrated 50 years of our great little branch on the hill.

Branch volunteer-extraordinaire Greg Embree has captured the day's festivities for our friends at the American Library Association.

Thanks Greg!

Patrick Henry Students' Choice for Caldecott

2012-01-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

Over the last several months, students at Patrick Henry Elementary School have been studying and discussing several books to determine which should win the coveted Caldecott Award, which recognizes the most distinguished picture book for children.

Their winner? Perfect Square by Michael Hall.

They also awarded a Caldecott Honor to Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic by Robert Burleigh, with paintings by Wendel Minor.

The official Caldecott Award will be announced on Monday, Jan. 23, along with many other youth media awards. Stay tuned for more mock-Caldecott winners, and the actual results!

Retired Teacher-Volunteers Wanted

2012-01-18T09:10:00.002-05:00

Columbia Pike Branch Library is looking for teachers with classroom experience, to volunteer as tutors to help local children with their homework and reading skills, one-on-one.

Each volunteer will be paired with one student, and would meet once a week. Sessions could be Fridays 3:40-5:00 p.m. or Tuesdays 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Consenting to a background check is required.

Interested? Visit the Library's volunteer page to fill out an online application.

What's Going on with the Internet Today?

2012-01-18T08:41:00.001-05:00

A number of high-profile websites will be unavailable on Wednesday, Jan. 18 in protest to bills pending in Congress regarding Internet copyright issues.

What are the bills - and the protests - all about?

A quick reference guide to explain the bills and how they would affect online access, from the American Library Association.
What Is SOPA Anyway? A Guide to Understanding the Online Piracy Bill, from today's Wall Street Journal.

Winter Weather: Are You Ready?

2012-01-17T12:46:00.000-05:00

When the snow start to fall, do you know where to look for winter weather info?

Find links to school closure info, power outage maps, road conditions, snowstorm statistics and even avalanche awareness on the Winter Weather page of our Research Portal.

Library Staff Spot Missing Woman, Help Reunite Her with Family

2012-01-13T14:07:00.001-05:00

Arlington Public Library staff know their community.

ARLNow.com has details on how Central Library reference librarians and Library security came to the aid of an elderly woman who had been missing for several days and helped see her reunited with family.

That's the kind of dedication Arlington Public Library is known for, whether it's explaining technology, guiding a job search, telling a story, finding the right fact or simply looking out for a neighbor.

You can count on it.

Happy Birthday Steven Soderbergh!

2012-01-13T11:53:00.015-05:00

Windy, cold weather keeping you inside? Stay indoors and celebrate Steven Soderbergh's birthday this weekend by watching one of his films.

Soderbergh, born January 14th, 1963, is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his movies such as Erin Brockovich and Ocean's Eleven as well as his Oscar winning film Traffic. Check out the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) for a full filmography.

Enjoy one of Soderbergh's film today!

Financial Education Series Designed for Women

2012-01-12T15:50:00.001-05:00

5 week Financial Education for Women Series: Smart Money Management
Central Library, 2nd Floor Meeting Room
Wednesdays, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

This course teaches the basics of smart money management for the unique financial needs of women. Topics covered:

Financial Basics - Wednesday, Jan. 25
Are You Covered? Insurance Basics - Wednesday, Feb. 1
Investing Basics - Wednesday, Feb. 8
Investing for Retirement - Wednesday, Feb. 15
Planning for Future Life Events - Wednesday, Feb. 22

There is a non-mandatory $25 cost for materials per person but the materials are not required. To register, email jabel@vt.edu or call 703-228-6417.

Co-sponsored by the Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Arlington Public Library. Find more about the Library’s online resources for investing, and books about women and investing, investments, insurance, financial security and retirement.

Conversando sobre libros - Spanish book club

2012-01-12T14:39:00.000-05:00

Meets Tuesday, January 17, 7pm – 8pmCentral Library, 1015 N Quincy St - Maple Tree Room (map) The book club, which discusses books in Spanish and is open to all, will discuss Demasiados Heroes by Laura Restrepo.
Lorenza returns to Argentina with her son Mateo in search of Mateo's father, Ramon, but while Lorenza is interested in recalling her idealistic and politically engaged youth during Argentina's "Dirty War," apolitical Mateo only wants to know the man himself.

For more information contact Angelica at 703-228-5945

Columbia Pike Book Club discusses The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

2012-01-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

Wed, January 18, 7:30pm – 8:30pm Columbia Pike Branch Library, 816 S Walter Reed Drive (map)

The group will discuss The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. After her "stand-in mother," a bold black woman named Rosaleen, insults the three biggest racists in town, Lily Owens joins Rosaleen on a journey to Tiburon, South Carolina, where they are taken in by three black, bee-keeping sisters. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love--a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.
The club generally meets the third Wednesday of the month. For more information contact Anne-Marie Dittman at 703-228-7762.

Book Clubs- Columbia Pike Branch

2012-01-11T16:11:00.001-05:00

Wed, February 15, 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Columbia Pike Branch Library, 816 S Walter Reed Drive (map)

The group will discuss The Woman Behind the New Deal by Kirstin Downey.

Frances Perkins was the first female member of a presidential Cabinet, and as such she made many contributions to American labor policy, including Social Security and unemployment benefits. As author Kirstin Downey points out, "Factory and office occupancy codes, fire escapes, and other fire-prevention mechanisms are her legacy. About 44 million people collect Social Security checks each month; millions receive unemployment and worker's compensation or the minimum wage; others get to go home after an eight-hour day because of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Very few know the name of the woman responsible for their benefits." Downey brings some much-deserved attention to this political pioneer in The Woman Behind the New Deal: Frances Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience.Perkins was a mixture of idealist and agile politician. She might have disagreed with Tammany Hall tactics, but when she needed their support for legislation, she had no hesitation about courting them. She was also aware of how most men viewed women in politics and modified her behavior accordingly, allowing them to view her as a mother figure instead of a career woman. But she was a politician on a mission: she cared about the poor and made it clear to Roosevelt that he would have to agree to her agenda before she would sign on as secretary of labor.Downey presents a balanced picture of the woman who changed the conditions for working America. The average working person today owes a debt to Frances Perkins, and she certainly deserves to be better known than she is.
The club generally meets the third Wednesday of the month. For more information contact Anne-Marie Dittman at 703-228-7762.

Cherrydale Book Discussion

2012-01-11T16:00:00.001-05:00

When: Monday, February 13, 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Where: Cherrydale Branch library (map)

The group will read The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery, first published in France in 2006. . "An acclaimed literary work, The Elegance of the Hedgehog has been considered by critics and press alike as a publishing phenomenon. [The novel] has earned Barbery the 2007 French Booksellers Prize, the 2007 Brive-la-Gaillarde Reader's Prize, and the Prix du Rotary International in France. The Elegance of the Hedgehog has been adapted into the film Le hérisson (2009)." --Wikipedia.
"Clever, informative and moving. . . .[T]his is an admirable novel which deserves as wide a readership here as it had in France." --The Observer (London) "Renée Michel is the dumpy, nondescript, 54-year-old concierge of a small and exclusive Paris apartment building. Its handful of tenants include a celebrated restaurant critic, high government officials and members of the old nobility. Every day these residents pass by the loge of Madame Michel and, unless they want something from her, scarcely notice that she is alive. As it happens, Renée Michel prefers it that way. There is far more to her than meets the eye. "Paloma Josse also lives in the building. Acutely intelligent, introspective and philosophical, this 12-year-old views the world as absurd and records her observations about it in her journal. She despises her coddled existence, her older sister Colombe (who is studying at the École normale supérieure), and her well-to-do parents, especially her plant-obsessed mother. After careful consideration of what life is like, Paloma has secretly decided to kill herself on her 13th birthday. "These two characters provide the double narrative of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, and you will -- this is going to sound corny -- fall in love with both. . . .[T]his is a very French novel: tender and satirical in its overall tone, yet most absorbing because of its reflections on the nature of beauty and art, the meaning of life and death."-- Washington Post Book World
For more information contact Suzanne Embree at suza1@comcast.net *******************************************

Friends of the Library - Thursday Morning Book Club

2012-01-11T14:52:00.000-05:00

Thursday, January 26, 10:30am – 12:00pm
Where: Arlington Central Library, 1015 N Quincy St (map)

This month the book discussed will be March by Geraldine Brooks.
Brooks's luminous second novel, after 2001's acclaimed Year of Wonders, imagines the Civil War experiences of Mr. March, the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. An idealistic Concord cleric, March becomes a Union chaplain and later finds himself assigned to be a teacher on a cotton plantation that employs freed slaves, or "contraband." His narrative begins with cheerful letters home, but March gradually reveals to the reader what he does not to his family: the cruelty and racism of Northern and Southern soldiers, the violence and suffering he is powerless to prevent and his reunion with Grace, a beautiful, educated slave whom he met years earlier as a Connecticut peddler to the plantations. In between, we learn of March's earlier life: his whirlwind courtship of quick-tempered Marmee, his friendship with Emerson and Thoreau and the surprising cause of his family's genteel poverty. When a Confederate attack on the contraband farm lands March in a Washington hospital, sick with fever and guilt, the first-person narrative switches to Marmee, who describes a different version of the years past and an agonized reaction to the truth she uncovers about her husband's life. Brooks, who based the character of March on Alcott's transcendentalist father, Bronson, relies heavily on primary sources for both the Concord and wartime scenes; her characters speak with a convincing 19th-century formality, yet the narrative is always accessible. Through the shattered dreamer March, the passion and rage of Marmee and a host of achingly human minor characters, Brooks's affecting, beautifully written novel drives home the intimate horrors and ironies of the Civil War and the difficulty of living honestly with the knowledge of human suffering. Agent, Kris Dahl. 10-city author tour. (Mar. 7) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Description: The Friends of the Library Thursday Morning Book Discussion Group meets the 4th Thursday of the month in the 2nd floor meeting room For more information contact Lenee Fry at 703-228-7689.

Westover Book Club - Book Whisperers

2012-01-11T14:44:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, January 24, 2pm – 3pmWestover Branch Library (map)

Discussion of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.
This Pulitzer Prize-winning book is Robinson's first work of fiction in more than 20 years. John Ames, a 76-year-old preacher who lives in Gilead, Iowa, serves as narrator of the novel. The year is 1956, and Ames, now in his second marriage, has a seven-year-old son. Through a letter addressed to the boy, he recounts his life, backtracking to include the histories of his father and grandfather. Ames also tells of the death of his first wife and child, and he weaves into his personal account newsworthy events of the times, including the First and Second World Wars and outbreaks of Spanish influenza. Over the years, he has struggled to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, an impassioned preacher who had visions and became involved in the abolitionist movement in Kansas. Ames' pacifist father, as it turns out, was at odds with the family, and a recurring theme in the novel is friction between fathers and sons. Robinson writes eloquently about that tension and about the ways in which family conflicts endure from generation to generation. Ever-present in the book are the punishing landscape and unforgiving elements that characterize the Midwest. A rich meditation on faith, the novel is an unforgettable account of one man's spiritual journey and the moments of transcendence that occur along the way.

The "Book Whisperers" book group meets at Westover Branch Library on the fourth Tuesday of each month - April through October - at 7 p.m. November through March - at 2 p.m. Call 703-228-0523 for more details.

What to Read after "The Hunger Games"

2012-01-11T14:34:00.002-05:00

"I just finished the Hunger Games trilogy, and I LOVED it... What should I read next?"

Your friendly YA librarians are here to answer this question, since we've been hearing it a lot from many of our Adult Fiction Readers. We think these books will help to satisfy your need for awesome, genre blending sci-fi/fantasy, that's full of interesting characters:

Divergent by Veronica Roth

When Tris (born Beatrice) turns 16 she chooses to leave her family and the only way of life she's ever known to join the Dauntless clan, known for their bravery and laughter in the face of danger. The rest of the novel is filled with breathtaking and heart stopping sequences as Tris struggles with friendships and rivalries during an intense initiation process before realizing that everything she has been through is trivial compared to a larger battle looming with forces that want her dead. (from this post).

Also recommended: Enclave, by Ann Aguire

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

In a book about people being cryogenically frozen to be awakened in 300 years when their spaceship reaches the planet they will colonize, something is bound to go wrong. And it does when Amy is unfrozen about fifty years too soon. Apparently, all is not well on the spaceship that the teenage Elder will come to lead. Who is unfreezing the bodies? And why? Will Elder and Amy join forces? Read this engaging thriller and enjoy a wild ride! (more on this book)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium is the first book in a trilogy about 17-year-old Lena who unsurprisingly lives in a future version of the United States. In Lena’s future the government has mandated that every citizen at the age of 18 undergo a procedure that prevents them from experiencing the delirium of love and leads to a safe and predictable life, free of suffering and sadness. Having lost her mother to the delirium, Lena can’t wait to find safety in the arms of the cure. But life has a way of interfering with our best laid plans, and ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, Lena meets Alex. And falls in love... (from this post)

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

A witch and a vampire walk into a library... What sounds like a strange library joke is actually the first book in a seriously romantic and literary trilogy. Diana Bishop comes from a long line of witches, but would much rather rely on her own wit and intellect to get by. When she requests the wrong book from the Bodleian library she suddenly becomes the number one most wanted by many different magical communities, and that's not the sort of attention you want to have. Luckily, she also garners the attention of Matthew Clairmon a very old and respected vampire who may be able to offer her the protection she is seriously in need of. Of course, first she'll need to admit that she needs it.

The Passage by Justin Cronin

In 2018, a top-secret government project gone wrong unleashes a virus that wipes out most of the population, leaving few survivors and millions of so-called virals. A small band of survivors keeps the hordes of virals at bay through a system of lighting, but it is becoming clear that the aging batteries will soon be spent. When a strange young girl who shares some of the virals’ characteristics and seems able to communicate with them shows up at the colony, everything changes. No ordinary vampire novel, PEN/Hemingway Award winner Cronin significantly raises the bar with this gripping, sweeping, post-apocalyptic epic, the first in a projected trilogy. Exquisite writing, engrossing and engaging characters, and a remarkable storyline will have you compulsively turning all 776 pages of this outstanding book.

And if you've already tried all of these suggestions, check out What's Next? where you'll find an ever-evolving list of our read-alike suggestions.

Arabic Conversation Class - Now at the Central Library

2012-01-10T18:40:00.003-05:00

Arabic Conversation Class is now being offered in the Central Library.

The group meets in the 1st floor Maple Tree Room at 11:15 on Saturday. It is open to all, no registration necessary and all levels of conversation skill are welcome.

Paintings by Julie Hart at Central

2012-01-10T17:53:00.003-05:00

Julie Hart
Paintings on display at the Central Library during the month of January, 2012.

"I paint colorful, representational, oil paintings that capture a moment in mood, light, or composition. My subjects center around landscapes and other discovered items. Wherever I go I am open to possible subject matter for a painting. Oftentimes, this is close to home, in my suburban neighborhood.

I take photos and make mental notes about what I want to paint later. An idea usually starts with something that captures my eye like the interaction of angles and lines or an interesting texture or light quality. I’m not always captured by a beautiful scene, but by bits of that scene: reflections in the water, an interesting window, or an arrangement of rocks.

I usually compose images in my sketchbook after cropping images on the computer. After I decide what size suits the image I want to paint, I make my own custom-sized, wood panels to get the exact proportions I want. I like to apply a base color before painting. I choose this color based on what the painting is and what colors I want peeking through the top layers. Then I apply impasto paint in slightly exaggerated colors.

I like texture in my work and use a palette knife and brush, along with a scraper. The scraper allows me to draw into or remove some of the top layers of paint and expose the under-painting, incorporating sgraffito.My subjects focus on landscapes and still lifes.

I also started painting homeless animal portraits in correlation to my volunteering for an animal rescue group. Within this range of subjects, the same things attract me to an image. Usually the most important is great light, which I inherited from my background in photography. Another important element for me is good composition. The other element I concentrate on is conveying a mood or a personality."

Ron Cogswell's Wired Photography at Cherrydale

2012-01-10T17:39:00.001-05:00

The Wired Photography of Ron Cogswell will be on display in the Cherrydale Library from Wednesday, Jan. 4 - April 2, 2012.

Ron Cogswell is the Chief Operating Officer of the Civil War Trust, the nation's largest nonprofit devoted exclusively to the preservation of Civil War battlefields endangered by sprawl.

With a lifelong interest in film photography but usually lacking a darkroom for photo processing, he learned digital photography in Smithsonian Associate courses taught by Eliot Cohen, starting in 2001. Mr. Cogswell now uses a Nikon D80 digital single-lens reflex camera with a wide-angle zoom lens (a Tamron 17-50 mm F/2.8), occasionally supplemented by a Pentax Optio A10 digital point-and-shoot compact camera. Adobe Photoshop substitutes nowadays for a darkroom.The Photoshop effects he applied to the images in this exhibit are the program's "glowing edges" and "photocopy" effects.

Mr. Cogswell served in the US Navy from 1969 to 1972 and now resides in Arlington with his wife Beth.

Mid-Week (Basketball) Movies at Westover

2012-01-10T16:20:00.002-05:00

Join us at the Westover Branch Library for Wednesday night movies in January that just might jump-start the restored NBA basketball season.

Glory Road - Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30pm
Hoosiers - Wednesday, Jan. 18, 6:30pm
Finding Forrester - Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6:30pm

Change in feature movie Feb. 1, in honor of another mid-winter sport:

Miracle - Wednesday, Feb.1, 6:30pm

February 15 will begin a 7 week stanza of movies with musical themes. Watch for more Westover movie listings.

Westover's Mid-Week Movies, February and March

2012-01-10T16:17:00.022-05:00

"There's music in the air" during Westover Branch Library's Mid-Week movies in February and March. If you're looking for drama, high-comedy, singing or dancing you are in for a treat when you join our Wednesday night movies.

The Producers- Wednesday February 15, 6:30pm. When two down-on-their luck producers try to bilk investors with a sure-to-offend musical, they end up making a surprise sensation. Full of fun and comedy. PG-13

The Pianist- Wednesday February 22, 6:30pm. The dramatic true story of a Polish Pianist who must use his musical passion to survive the horrors of the Warsaw ghetto. R

August Rush- Wednesday February 29, 6:30pm. Unique inherited musical talent is what a young August Rush uses to try to find his parents, from whom he was separated at birth. PG

Shall We Dance- Wednesday March 7, 6:30pm. When an overworked Japanese salary-man is smitten by a beautiful dance instructor he takes beginning dance classes in order to get closer to her. PG

Singin' in the Rain- Wednesday March 14, 6:30pm. The Gene Kelly/Debbie Reynolds classic that will have you singing along! NR

The Soloist- Wednesday March 21, 6:30pm. Just as LA Times columnist Steve Lopez is in dire need of a story he happens upon a street musician with extraordinary talent. Lopez is drawn to write the story of this skid-row schizophrenic man, and in the process both cope with deep anxieties and frustrations. Based on a true story. PG13

Dreamgirls- Wednesday March 28, 6:30pm. When three young women are chosen as back up singers to James "Thunder" Early, music careers are made and broken. PG13

See the complete listing of films at Westover.

Business Reference Highlight: Plunkett's Games, Apps & Social...

2012-01-10T15:37:00.003-05:00

Are you an entrepreneur, investor or job seeker interested in the gaming, mobile application development and social media industry?

Don't miss Plunkett's Games, Apps and Social Media Industry Almanac 2012: Gaming Industry Market Research, Statistics, Trends and Leading Companies

Get the latest:

Industry overview and trends
Market research data and market forecasts
In-depth profiles of over 200 leading private and public companies
Industry associations, government agencies and career resources
An industry glossary

You'll find Plunkett's Games, Apps and Social Media Industry Almanac 2012 in the non-circulating Reference Collection on the 2nd floor at the Central Library (which means it's always available to read in the Library).

David Amoroso - Art at Central Library

2012-01-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

David Amoroso: Paintings
December 2011- January 31, 2012
Central Library, 2nd floor

David Amoroso demonstrates his admiration for Latin culture through his artwork. His artistic passion is divided between painting, photography, and block and screen prints.

Although the majority of David’s work is dedicated to painting iconic portraits of everyday people, he also represents Mexican pop culture through his work.

Excited about the Movie? Get the Book! Jan/Feb 2012 Edition

2012-01-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

Go ahead, be the person who can say, "Hey, I read the book that movie was based on!"

Red Tails - Movie opens January 20

Read more about the Tuskegee Airmen in Red Tails, Black Wings: The Men of America's Black Air Force.

Coriolanus - Movie opens locally January 20

Based on the play Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare

One for the Money - Movie opens January 27

Based on the first Stephanie Plum novel, One for the Money, by Janet Evanovich

Albert Nobbs - Movie opens January 27

Based on the short story Albert Nobbs by Irish author George Moore

The Woman in Black - Movie opens February 3

Based on the play adapted from the book The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill

In Darkness - Movie opens February 10

Based in part on The Righteous: The Unsung Heroes of the Holocaust, by Martin Gilbert

The Secret World of Arrietty - Movie opens February 17

This Japanese film in based on the classic children's stories of The Borrowers, by Mary Norton

The Lady - Movie opens February 17

Based on the biography The Lady: Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Laureate and Burma's Prisoner, by Barbara Victor

Winter Lettuce Update

2012-01-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

On January 7, Don Weber updated us on how the Central Library's vegetable garden has handled the recent cold weather:

"In spite of about 15F temps on early Wednesday morning, lettuce survived inside the cold frames, which were covered with flannel sheets. Lettuce outside the frames mostly survived, but the outer leaves were frozen. All of the garlic, swiss chard, broccoli, cabbage, collards, and kale survived! So did the herbs such as chives and sage, and strawberries and mint, all of which are perennials."

Thank you Don!

January eBook and eReader Classes

2012-01-07T15:52:00.001-05:00

eBooks and eReaders: Learn about your Library's Online Digital Collections
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Shirlington Branch Library
Explore the Library's eBook collections, learn to identify available eBooks and manage your eAccount, understand loan periods and eBook Holds, and walk through the process of downloading eBooks to a Kindle and a Nook. Required Skills: Able to use keyboard and mouse; comfortable using the Internet.

Downloading eBooks - Questions and Answers
Saturday, Jan. 21, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Central Library
Do you have an eReader and need help to download books from the Library's website? Join other eBook readers in the Q&A session. Required Skills: Able to use keyboard and mouse; comfortable using the Internet.

Learn all about using eBooks from the Library on our Help and Troubleshooting page.

See our full Tech Class schedule.

Columbia Pike Volunteer Spotlight

2012-01-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

Ever wondered how much work it takes to get all those books, CDs and DVDs onto the Library's shelves?

Elaine Mills knows. Two years ago, she decided to volunteer at the Columbia Pike Branch Library because she and her family have patronized the Branch for almost 30 years.

Elaine's work includes checking items in that have been returned, preparing items to go to other Arlington Library locations, pulling expired items from the hold shelf, and special projects as needed.

Celebrate Elvis with Prose-Out-Loud

2012-01-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Take a break from your busy day and join us for a story, read aloud for you by Library staff.

In celebration of Elvis Presley's birthday, a special guest will read from Elvis: Word for Word on Monday, Jan. 9 at 12:00 p.m. Guest are welcome to bring lunch!

Prose-Out-Loud is held on the second Monday of each month at the Shirlington Branch Library, from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

For more information, please contact Dyann Bishop at 703-228-0328 or dsbishop@arlingtonva.us.

Kids and Money: An Economic Video Storytime at Central

2012-01-04T16:40:00.002-05:00

You never know who you'll run into at Arlington Public Library--or what you might learn.

Watch Why a Lesson in Money Plus Math Equals Financial Stability on PBS.
See more from PBS NewsHour.

Take a look at a recent conversation PBS NewsHour economics correspondent Paul Solman had with Sheila Bair, former chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The two met up in the Central Library's Youth Services area.

The FDIC is the agency designed to maintain stability and public confidence in the banks. Ms. Bair is also the author of a children's book about avoiding financial troubles, Rock, Brock and the Savings Shock.

Book Whisperers Titles for 2012

2012-01-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

The Westover Branch Library's Book Whisperers meet monthly on the 4th Tuesday. We meet April through October at 7 p.m., and November through March, at 2 p.m.

January: Gilead, Marilynne Robinson
February: Priceless, Robert K. Wittman
March: Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese
April: Manhunt: The 12-Day Hunt for Lincoln's Killer, James L. Swanson
May: The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery
June: Agent ZigZag, Ben Macintyre
July: BYOB, Bring Your Own Book Choice for Discussion
August: Two Short Novels- So Long See You Tomorrow, William Maxwell and The Third Man, Graham Greene
September: One Thousand White Women: the Journals of May Dodd, Jim Fergus
October: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
November: In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larson
December: The Help, Kathryn Stockett

When is the next Westover Book Whisperers Meeting? Check the Library's Book Group calendar for the exact date.

Cancelled Due to Illness: Down Stage Center: Speak No More

2012-01-04T11:09:00.000-05:00

UPDATED 1/9--THE JAN. 9 PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELED DUE TO ILLNESS.

Join us Monday, Jan. 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium for Down Stage Center with Synetic Theatre's Speak No More Touring Company, which performs physical but silent Shakespeare.

Future Down Stage Center artists include:

Monday, March 12 - Synetic - Director Mienka Cechova and Patta Tsikurishvili discuss “Light in the Darkness”Monday,
April, 16 - WSC:Avant Bard, The Bacchae and Tooth of the Crime (designer & or cast)
Monday, May 14 - Synetic Paata Tsikurshvili and Salma Qarnain discuss “Home of the Soldier” and the upcoming season.
Monday, June 4 -WSC:Avant Bard The Baachae & Tooth of the Crime (cast member and Christopher Henley to talk about the upcoming season)

For more information email amdittmann@arlingtonva.us or call 703-228-7762.

ESL Group Meets Tuesdays at Westover

2012-01-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

Do you know someone who would like to join an English Conversation Practice Group?

The Westover Branch Library's English Conversation Group for non-native speakers will return next week, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 10.

The Westover group meets weekly on Tuesday nights, from 7:30-8:30pm in the small study room.

The Library offers English Conversation Practice at several locations and times - learn more.

Start a Great Conversation With a Book Date

2012-01-03T14:38:00.002-05:00

Looking for a "novel" way to connect with other singles in the area? Join us Sunday, Jan. 15 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. for Book Dating, at the Shirlington Branch Library.

How does it work?
Grab a couple of books you'd like to share: Previous guests have brought fiction, nonfiction, and books about favorite places or interests. One young man even brought a GMAT book, which he used to tell the story of why he decided to go back to school.
Who attends?
So far, we've hosted folks ranging in age from their early 20s to early 60s.
And then?
Each book date will be timed at 4 minutes (we've made then a little longer, in response to guest feedback), allowing all participants an opportunity to meet and chat about their reading. Library staff will be on hand to keep things flowing.

What happens next is another story - yours.

Register for Book Dating by calling 703-228-6545, or in person at the Shirlington Service Desk. Registration will be available up until the start of the program.

Light refreshments generously provided by CakeLove in Shirlington Village. A drawing for a pair of Signature Theatre tickets, donated by Signature, will also take place at the end of the evening.

Book Dating is currently scheduled for the 3rd Sunday of every month, at 6:00 p.m.

From Our Back Pages: An Adventuress in Arlington

2012-01-03T13:36:00.002-05:00

Princess Agnes Salm-Salm

Agnes Elizabeth Winona Leclerc Joy was born in Franklin, Vermont, on December 25, 1844, the daughter of General William Leclerc Joy.

Agnes is described as a beautiful red-haired Indian woman, who worked in a circus as an equestrienne and an actress in Cuba, rode with her husband and nursed troops during the Civil War, and helped found the Red Cross in Europe.

In 1861 Agnes came to visit her sister who was living in Washington, D.C., where her beauty and riding style drew attention and she became part of Washington society.

Read more about Princess Agnes on Our Back Pages.

Don't Let Old Yearbooks Clutter Your Closets...

2012-01-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Sandra Bullock and Shirley MacLaine were both cheerleaders, and Warren Beatty played football at Washington-Lee. Katie Couric was a cheerleader at Yorktown. Want to see their high school photos? The Virginia Room's archive contains copies of many Arlington high school yearbooks--but not all of them.

Help us complete our archive - if you have an Arlington high school yearbook from any year between 1951 and 2010, consider donating it to the Virginia Room.

As of November 2011, we are missing the following yearbooks:

Wakefield -Missing 1954, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Washington-Lee - Missing 1930, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010
Yorktown -Missing 1982, 1984, 1985, 1993, 1997, 2010
Hoffman-Boston -Missing All Except 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954
Bishop Denis J. O'Connell -Missing All Except 1977, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998
H.B. Woodlawn - We don't have ANY yearbooks

We're looking for yearbooks in good condition (no mold or mildew please), but we don't care if they include inscriptions. We also accept duplicates.

Walk-in donations are happily accepted. For more information, call 703-228-5966 or email the Virginia Room.

Make Your Own Paper Snowflakes

2011-12-30T15:47:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the large snowflakes hanging over the Central Library Reference Desk? They were created by members of the Reference staff.

Here's how you can make your own!

Winter in the Vegetable Garden

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Don Weber and Puwen Lee have been busy getting the Central Library vegetable garden ready for winter.

Two weeks ago, they transplanted the mixed lettuce seedlings (originally planted as seeds in the raised bed garden in August), both inside and outside of the two cold frames. The weather was still mild and rainy, so they were able to leave the glass up until this week, when the temperatures dropped. Check out the rest of the December 2011 vegetable garden photos on our flickr page.

Compost bins (free from the Arlington County Department of Environmental Services) have also been set up. Now we can recycle our garden waste, instead of dumping it in the trash!

All of the produce harvested from our vegetable garden goes to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). Learn more about AFAC in this video, from VOA News:

Mightier and Cheaper Than the Sword

2011-12-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

Public libraries are known for collecting the words of others. But our staff sometimes have to write their own--and in the old-fashioned way, with pen and paper.

Thank you to our friends at ARLnow.com, for giving us a big box of brand-new blue ballpoints, orphaned in a promotional sense because of a logo mix-up.

We're fine with the aesthetics. And who doesn't like to read or write the words "recycling" and "savings"?

5 Fun Websites for Kids and Families

2011-12-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

Looking for a few fun websites for your kids during the winter break? Try these suggestions from the Association for Library Service to Children:

The Old Farmer's Almanac for Kids - Fun facts about weather, star gazing, puzzles, history, and more.
Great Group Games - Just in time for family gatherings!
Smarty Games - Offers everything from simple coloring pages to sudoku, maze, and memory games for older kids.
Oh Marbles! - All about the classic game, with a 21st century update, of course.
Highlights for Kids - Fun stories, "hidden pictures," jokes, and craft ideas.

Winter / Spring Programs for Kids

2011-12-23T11:01:00.002-05:00

Can't wait to get back to Kids Club or Storytime? Our spring schedules are here, and they're full of old favorites and fun new programs!

For Preschoolers, drop-in storytimes for newborns through 5 year olds, start January 9.
See the full preschool storytime schedule.

For Elementary school age kids, Kids Club, Paws-to-Read, Family Gaming, and Fairies, Fables and Funny Folktales start up in January and February. We'll also hold a Valentines Day Party in February, a Magic Tree House Book Party in April, and Fiesta con Libros in May. See the full elementary program schedule.

Looking for something new for kids during the winter break? Check out our latest recommendation of 5 Fun Websites for Kids and Families.

Our Favorite Books from 2011

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

We asked the Library staff to share some of the best books they read in 2011:

KIDS BOOKS:

Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
Someone gave me a set of Dr. Seuss books this year to read with my grandson, and Green Eggs and Ham is our favorite.
- Darren, Shipping and Receiving

The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg
Because I believe in Christmas.
- Julia, Children's Librarian

Waking Beauty, by Leah Wilcox
My daughters are 4 and 6 years old, and they love this book. It's a comedic Sleeping Beauty story, and the pictures are funny.
- Chris, Shipping and Receiving

Octopus Soup, by Mercer Meyer
A very talkative picture book, with no words. I bought it for a high school age relative in Japan, to help practice English.
- Yoko, Magazine Desk

The Hidden Gallery (the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, book 2) by Maryrose Wood and illustrated by Jon Klassen; audiobook read by Katherine Kellgren
Loved this in audiobook - it sly, pithy, and full of wonderful howling noises and more.
- Rachel, Youth Services Collection Development Librarian

The Night Fairy, byLaura Amy Schlitz
My first pick for my 8-year old daughter's bookclub. A beautifully illustrated story, with a strong female character and good life lessons.
- Stacia, Reference Librarian

Body of Water, by Sarah Dooley
This is the story of a family forced to flee from their trailer home due to a fire. 12 year old Ember suddenly must act grown up, put on a "good face" and help her sister and her parents through difficult times - scrounging for food and the daily fee for the campsite. Includes side themes: wicca, arson, discrimination & loss.
- Desiree, Columbia Pike Children's Librarian

YOUNG ADULT AND TEEN BOOKS:

Jasper Jones, by Craig Silvey
On the surface this book is about a boy who gets dragged into a murder mystery by a local outcast kid - but it's about so much more as Charlie faces the racism his best friend endures, the crumbling of his parents' marriage, and a family's horrible secret.
- Michelle, Youth Services Collection Development Librarian

Unwind by Neal Shusterman
A thought provoking novel that makes you contemplate extreme potentialities and eventualities of human society.
- Lori, Cataloger

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
A bevy of "Miss Teen Dream" beauty queens falls from the sky. Onto a deserted (or is it?) tropical island. There is mystery, terror, irony, self-realization, pirates—very hot pirates, romance (see pirates), a pinch or so of politics, and hilarity. A bitterly funny satire with kick butt girl power.
- Pat, Youth Services Technology Librarian

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor
I loved the way Daughter of Smoke and Bone draws you into its strange and different world, and makes the fantastical and unbelievable seem possible.
- Julia, Children's Librarian

NON-FICTION FOR ADULTS:

Making an Exit: From the Magnificent to the Macabre - How We Dignify the Dead, by Sarah Murray
It has a cool cover, and it turns out to be a really interesting look at how different cultures deal with this inevitable part of life.
- Lydia, Bibliographic Services Librarian

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
The book really made me think about the ethics of medical treatment and medical testing and how much these ethics have evolved over time.
- Anne, Head of the Materials Management Division of the Library

Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell
Makes you look at regular things from an economist's viewpoint, and shows you why certain success stories happen the way they do.
- Jeff, Library Technology

Shiny Objects: Why We Spend Money We Don't Have In Search of Happiness We Can't Buy, by James A. Roberts
An examination of consumerism, with historical context, and practical approaches to living within your means.
- Alexandra, Business Librarian

A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship and the Things That Really Matter, by William Deresiewicz
It turns out that Austen's books aren't just "good reads", but the source of several lessons about to live life happily. Some of them I already knew, but others I needed to learn.
- B, Reference Librarian

Brave Girl Eatingby Harriet Brown
A journalist's straightforward account of her family's struggle with anorexia. Reading her story changed how I parent my daughter, and opened my eyes to a disease I knew little about.
- Stacia, Reference Librarian

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe, by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
When everything in Afghanistan started to go backwards for women, this is the story of one woman who started and grew a successful business in order to take care of her family.
- Suchitra, Books by Mail Librarian

FICTION FOR ADULTS:

The Space Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar
I was fascinated by the insight this book gave me into Indian society. And it's extremely well written.
- Rae, Adult Collection Development

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
Because it's important to always be prepared.
- Amiel, Interlibrary Loan

Contest by Matthew Reilly
Great escapist reading about a father and daughter saving the world from scary bad monsters. I loved that it's a bit of sci-fi, a bit of a mystery, and all adds up to a rockin' action thriller. But the real reason I picked it up? The "contest" is set in the New York Public Library - lots of fun for bibliophiles.
-S., Reference Librarian

Anything by James Lee Burke
I discovered Burke this year, and I've been reading everything he's written.
- Justin, Library Supply Manager

Buried Prey, by John Sanford
The series has been going for a while, so I really enjoy the supporting cast dynamics and the humor. Sanford also write good, believable villains.
- Ron, Reference Librarian

A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness
This book has everything I love: vampires, history, a scholarly plot, eccentric aunts, and a house with magical attributes. And of course, witches.
- Jennifer, Reference Librarian

The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown
It's set in DC, so I liked learning about local history, the Free Masons and their symbolism.
- Chris, Shipping and Receiving

"Syoshin", meaning "Suttee", written by Jayakanthan and translated from Tamil into Japanese
This is a collection of short stories, and my favorite is "Dareno tameni naita noka (in Japanese)", meaning "For Whom Did He Cry/Wail?" I got the book from the Friend's Sale, and it will be added to our Japanese Collection (we'll add a link once it's cataloged).
- Yoko, Magazine Desk

Doc by Mary Doria Russell
I'm not a particular fan of westerns, but the streets of Dodge City, Kansas came alive for me in an absolutely fresh way in this engrossing novel about Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, and the the Texas cattle trade in 1878. Seriously. Russell is a masterful researcher and excellent writer and I dare you to start this book and not want to just curl up and read til you finish--it's that good.
- Pat, Youth Services Technology Librarian

The Sense of an Ending, by Julian Barnes
A unanimous two thumbs up from our couples book group. This elegantly spare, intense novella reveals the pitfalls of memory from the point of view of an aging Brit looking back on people and events of his youth.
- Margaret, Central Library Supervisor

The Help, by Katherine Stockett
An honest portrayal of what it was like to be "the help" during this era, with a full range of emotions experienced by the characters.
- Lenee', Reference and Book Clubs Librarian

Blackveil, by Kristin Britain
Book 4 of the Green Rider series, this is an excellent tale of magical adventure.
- Amiel, Library Technology

HUMOR:

The Devil's Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce
One of the great and ALWAYS AVAILABLE downloads from Project Gutenberg--FREE through the Library's website. Aspiring writers like Dickens, Lincoln and James Joyce also give their stuff away on Project Gutenberg.
- Peter, Public Information Officer

The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson
A fascinating hoax perpetrated on leading neurologists around the world inadvertently leads into the world of those deemed mad and those who study and treat them. Armed with his newly-acquired psychopath-spotting skills, journalist Ronson heads into the corridors of power to test the hypothesis that many high level politicians and CEOs are clinical psychopaths. It's a fascinating and very fun ride from the author of The Men Who Stare at Goats.
- Pat, Youth Services Technology Librarian

Anonymous Donor Visits the Book Sale

2011-12-22T13:11:00.001-05:00

A Library regular turned into an Anonymous Donor at the Shirlington Branch Library's book sale this week.

After observing another customer meticulously selecting books from the Friends of the Library Book Sale, she approached Library staff and asked to pay the other patron's entire Booksale bill - anonymously!

Having been impressed by recent news stories of anonymous angels paying other people's toy bills and layaway costs, we're delighted that someone decided to do this at the Library!

Lonely Planet Travel eBooks are Always Available

2011-12-22T12:35:00.001-05:00

We've just added 75 new Lonely Planet eBooks to our downloadable collection, in both EPUB and Kindle format.

The Lonely Planet titles include regional, country, state and city guides, to international and US destinations.

They also include Lonely Planet's highly regarded Discover series, the Trips series (for regional US travel planning) and several of the 48 Hours In… (major US cities) series.

These new eBooks are especially cool because you can check them out at a moments notice - they're always available, to multiple users!

Going Global Sourcebook

2011-12-21T09:53:00.001-05:00

Are you ready to take your small business to the international market? Don't miss Going Global: An Information Sourcebook for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.

Author Susan C. Awe breaks the book down into sections that will help you work through all the aspects of successfully entering international trade, including:

Why Get Into International Trade?
Market Analysis/Competitive Strategy
Approaches to Exporting and Importing
Basics to Setting Up and International Business
The Internet and Selling Globally
International Franchising

You will find one copy of Going Global in the non-circulating Reference Collection at Central Library (which means it's always available to read in the Library), and a second copy in our regular collection, available to check out or place on hold.

Welcome New eReaders!

2011-12-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

Want to know how to get free Library eBooks on your new eReading device?

First, see which eReaders are compatible with the Library's downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks.

New to eBooks? Visit our Help and Troubleshooting page for printable step-by-step instructions, to help you get started.

How about a class? We offer free tech classes on eBooks and lots more.

More questions? Read our FAQ for Library downloads and eReaders.

And did you know that aspiring writers like Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and James Joyce give their eBooks away for free on Project Gutenberg?

Finally, happy eReading!

Tell Arlington's Story Comes to Shirlington

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Janet Wamsley

The winning photos from our Tell Arlington's Story: My Neighborhood, My Library photo contest will be on display from January 1-31 at the Shirlington Branch Library.

Tell Arlington's Story is Arlington County's initiative to gather stories that demonstrate Arlington's rich cultural diversity. 24 photos - representing the work of 12 photographers - were chosen, printed and framed for the exhibit.

Henry Gallucio

The winners are:
David Batten, Joan Britt, Tedla Tibebe Desta, Jay Dunn, Greg Embree, Maja Evans, Henry Gallucio, Ingrid Kauffman, Diane Kresh, Roger Mola, Janet Wamsley, and Alex Zealand.
The photos will travel to other Library branches over the upcoming months.

View a selection of the winning photos on flickr.

Joan Britt

Pennies for Picture Books Thank You

2011-12-20T15:18:00.001-05:00

Over the past two months, Arlington Public Library locations have been collecting change to contribute toward replacing the children's book collection at the Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay, N.Y. The entire picture book collection was lost due to flooding as a result of Hurricane Irene.

Westover Branch Library staff send thanks to patrons who contributed over $125 in change.

Collections in the library have come to an end, however, there are still ways you can help. See author Kate Messner's blog for information.

Give a Cool Gift: Friends of the Library Flash Drives

2011-12-20T09:30:00.001-05:00

Need to save a document? Looking for a last minute gift?

Thanks to the Friends of the Library, you can now buy flash drives at all Library locations. Each 512 MB USB storage device comes with a lanyard, and costs $5.00.

All sales proceeds go to the Friends.

UPDATE: Library / County Holiday Hours

2011-12-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

Friday, Dec. 23

The Plaza Library & Arlington Shop will close at 2 p.m., as the building will be inaccessible for the remainder of the day. (All other Arlington Public Library sites will be on a regular Friday schedule, closing at 5 p.m.)

Saturday, Dec. 24

All Library locations will close early--at 2:00 p.m.--for Christmas Eve.

Sunday, Dec. 25

All Library locations CLOSED - Christmas

Monday, Dec. 26

All Library locations CLOSED - official County holiday

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012

All Library locations CLOSED - New Year's Day

Monday, Jan. 2, 2012

All Library locations CLOSED - official County holiday

Full County Holiday Schedule

** UPDATED 12/19 to include new Dec. 24 information.
**UPDATED 12/21 to include new Dec. 23 information regarding Plaza Library.

Westover's Celebration of Captain Underpants

2011-12-17T11:35:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, Dec. 14, Arlington students celebrated Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants series at the Westover Branch Library.

Kids from kindergarten to fifth grade made underwear hats, answered trivia challenges, and competed in the toilet toss game.

The finale was a mad lib where students practiced their knowledge of parts of speech. This is the hilarious result:

Captain Underpants vs. the Evil Monster

One day in Science class, Mr. Banana accidentally spilled some stinkystein poison on a pile of underpants. Suddenly,the pile morphed into a squishy fanny that ate all the pencils. "Help!" cried Freddy Finkelstein. Instantly, Captain Underpants seemed to run through the wall. He grabbed a gloomy paper and picked his nose while kicking the monster on its hand. "Ouch!" said the monster, and it picked up some invisible water and tried to jump it at Captain Underpants. The mixture splashed on Captain Underpants' arm and turned him back into Mr. Krupp. Mr. Krupp gave him a look that made him slimy and he ran away to Chicago where he lived for one year.
THE END.

Do you know any kids who love Captain Underpants? Try this mad lib with them, then share yourresults in the comments below:

CaptainUnderpants vs. the Evil Monster

One day inScience class, Mr. _____________ accidentally spilled some

1(funny name)

_________________ _______________ on a pile of ___________________.

2 (grossadjective) 3 (liquid) 4(things)

Suddenly, thepile morphed into a/an ________________ _________________

5 (adjective) 6(noun)

that ate allthe ________________. "Help!" cried ______________________.

7 (school supplies) 8 (name)

Instantly,Captain Underpants seemed to ______________ through the wall.

9 (verb)

He grabbed a ______________ ______________ and ________________

10 (adjective) 11 (noun) 12 (verb)

the monster onits _________________. "Ouch!" said the monster, and it

13(body part)

picked up some________________ ________________ and tried to _____________

14(adjective) 15 (liquid) 16(verb)

it at CaptainUnderpants. The mixture splashed on Captain Underpants'

________________and turned him back into Mr. Krupp. Mr. Krupp gave him a

17 (body part)

look that madehim _____________ and he ran away to

(18) adjective

________________where he lived for ___________________.

19 (place) 20 (length of time)

THE END.

Mark 50 Years of the Rolling Stones

2011-12-15T13:35:00.002-05:00

Bill German was just a high school kid from Brooklyn in the late 1970s when he developed an unstoppable interest in the Rolling Stones.

The fact that Mick, Keith and Ronnie Wood were living, working and cavorting in nearby Manhattan made it easy for the teenager to become a one-man Stones information service, following his idols around New York City and publishing the ultimate pre-Internet fanzine, "Beggars Banquet."

German eventually traveled the world with the Stones, was welcomed into their homes and witnessed up-close the concerts, recording sessions and fights that almost tore the band apart.

On Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., Bill German will speak at Arlington Central Library Auditorium. He'll share his high-flying tales, explain how he avoided the rock lifestyle himself and show rare photos. 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones as a group and there are rumors the band may embark on yet another historic tour.

Copies of Under Their Thumb will be available for sale and signing, courtesy of Barnes & Noble, Clarendon Market Commons.

From the Teen Blog: 12 Days of YA Lit

2011-12-14T14:20:00.000-05:00

Mermaids, Cowboys, Bands, Looking into the post-graduation abyss, and more - what were the biggest trends in Young Adult Literature this year?

Over on the Teen Blog, our reviewers navigate the new directions of YA novels, and share their favorites from each trend:

Preschool Storytimes Resume Jan. 9

2011-12-14T13:22:00.000-05:00

Our regular preschool storytime schedule will resume on January 9, 2012. Get a complete printable storytime schedule [pdf]

All of our storytimes are drop-in, and no registration is required. Because we have limited seating space in some locations, they are also first-come-first-serve, until capacity is reached.

Weather Reminder: If Arlington Public Schools are closed or close early due to weather conditions, storytimes are also automatically cancelled.
Questions about whether the Library is open? Check our website, or call 703-228-5946 .

Library/County Hours During the Holidays

2011-12-13T15:22:00.003-05:00

Updated 12/19 to add Dec. 24 information--

All Arlington Public Library locations will be closing early on:

Saturday, Dec. 24 - closing at 2 p.m.

All Arlington Public Library locations will be CLOSED on:

Sunday, Dec. 25 - Monday, Dec. 26
Sunday, Jan.1 - Monday, Jan. 2.

Meet Jack, Outstanding Volunteer at Cherrydale

2011-12-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

Jack Chellman, a sophomore at The Bullis School, has volunteered practically every Saturday at the Cherrydale Branch Library since October 2009.

Jack has always loved reading, so when he saw the request for volunteers, he immediatelyresponded with his in-person support.

Jack enjoys working on finding items on the holds list, and if he finishes early, he'll always plunge into shelving whatever most needs to beshelved.

Staff members at Cherrydale are always cheeredby his smile and willingness to help!

Best Recs for Holiday Reading

2011-12-09T10:04:00.001-05:00

Great books to keep you in the holiday spirit -

Looking for tales that bask in the spirit of the season and rejoice in family, faith and second chances? Like your holiday fun on the edgier side? Or do you love your holidays steeped in history and traditions?

Previously Adult Storytime, Now Prose-Out-Loud

2011-12-07T17:13:00.001-05:00

Adult Storytime has a new name: Prose-Out-Loud.

Take a break from your busy day and join us for a story, read aloud for you by library staff. .

On Monday, Dec.12 at 12:00 p.m., we will read a surprise tale for the winter season.

Prose-Out-Loud is held on the second Monday of each month at the Shirlington Branch Library, from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact Dyann Bishop at 703-228-0328 or dsbishop@arlingtonva.us

Final Kids Club to Feature Guest from Chincoteague

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Our final fall Kids Club meeting will feature a special guest from the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

Central Library
Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 4:00 p.m.

Chincoteague, setting for the beloved book Misty of Chincoteague, is an island refuge located on the southern end of Assateague Island in Virginia. Jenny Howard Owen, an education expert and the Volunteer Coordinator for the refuge, will talk to us about the wildlife on the island, and the work of the refuge.

The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943 for the protection of migratory waterfowl habitat with emphasis on conserving the greater snow goose. The refuges’ more than 14,000 acres of beach, maritime forest, saltmarsh, and freshwater marsh habitats are home to a spectacular variety of migratory birds, plants, and other animals.

Owen joins us through a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Teen Craft: Help Share Holiday Cheer

2011-12-06T16:08:00.001-05:00

On Thursday, Dec. 8, teens in junior high and high school are invited to make a reindeer pin for themselves, and another to send to a child at Children's Hospital.

Central Library Youth Services, from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Come join us, and help spread some cheer!

Check out TATAL for teen info and book recommendations, and find more teen events on the Library calendar.

Give a Great Book

2011-12-06T14:03:00.001-05:00

Looking for a great gift for the young reader in your life? We have lots of recommendations:

Holiday Books and Gift Ideas for Children - find these and more

Gift Ideas for Teens - find these and more

Volunteer: Books on the Move to Cherrydale

2011-12-06T12:38:00.000-05:00

Books and audio-visual items are constantly moving between Arlington’s Central Library and its seven branches in order to serve the needs of our customers and Cherrydale Branch Library is a favorite destination. When the materials arrive at their destination, they are taken out of the delivery crates, checked in at a computer terminal, sorted and put in their proper place.

There is a two-hour shift available on Saturday morning. A two-month commitment is requested.

We are looking for people who are dependable, and enjoy working on detailed projects. They must be able to bend and stretch and wheel carts of materials around. A background check for those 18 years and older is required.

Interested? Visit the Library's volunteer page for a complete job description, and to fill out an online application.

Cherrydale Staff Greet Winter with Good Cheer

2011-12-06T09:08:00.001-05:00

Will we get any snow this winter? If we do, the Cherrydale Branch Library staff will be dressed appropriately!

BT, Carolyn, Tim and Diane (left to right) show off their reading enthusiasm during the winter chill - because there's never a bad time to read!

Discoveries in the Stacks- Books in Spanish

2011-12-05T14:30:00.000-05:00

Discoveries in the Stacks is the Westover Branch Library's occasional exploration of our collection, delving into areas that you may not have visited.

In addition to the kid's shelves of books in Spanish and the language learning books and media, Westover has a robust collection of fiction and non-fiction books in Spanish for adults. Where possible, these titles are in the original Spanish, coming directly from Mexico or Spain.

A sampling:

La Isla Bajo El Mar, Isabel Allende SPA F ALLEN
Conquistadora, Esmeralda Santiago SPA F SANTI
El ruido de las cosas al caer, Juan Gabriel Vasquez SPA F VASQU
La Niebla Herida, Joaquin M. Barrero SPA F BARRE
El cielo llora por mi, Sergio Ramierz SPA F RAMIR
Criptonomicon, Neal Stephenson SPA F STEPH

Hierbas Que Curan, Edmund Chessi SPA 615.321 CHESS
Pediatria Para Todos, Watson, Jaime Cortina SPA 618.92 WATSO
iPod, iPhone y iTunes, Hart-Davis, Guy SPA 006.5 HARTD

Books in Spanish can be found at all branches, but in addition to Westover, Central and Columbia Pike have the largest collections.

We'll see you next time in another part of the stacks!

Montana DeBor - Art at Central Library

2011-12-05T12:56:00.001-05:00

Montana DeBor: illustrations from Annabelle the Angler Fish

December 1-31, 2011
Central Library, 2nd floor

Montana DeBor is an artist living in Arlington Virginia. She has studied watercolor painting privately for many years and completed many solo professional shows. This exhibit has illustrations from her new children's book "Annabelle the Angler Fish."

Ruth Krulfeld - Art at Central Library

2011-12-05T12:41:00.001-05:00

Ruth Krulfeld: New Work (Art: A Hedge Against Pain)
December 2011
Central Library, 2nd floor

About this work:

"Engagement in creative expression can transport the artist from a dark place to one of color, form, and joy. This happened to me. As I began to suffer severe spinal pain and sciatica which were not helped by medications, I started drawing with felt-tipped markers on paper at times when the pain was at its worst.

The involvement with my art was so engrossing that the pain, while present, was ignored. Art helped me greatly—so much so that I could call this exhibit “Art: A Hedge against Pain.”"

Who Are We Thankful For?

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

In this season of giving, we're especially thankful to YOU for using the Library and giving us your support. If you're thankful for your Library, it's due to our fantastic staff.

Folks like Nico, Chris, Darren, Michelle and Suchitra:

Happy 65th Birthday David McCaulay!

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Friday, Dec. 2 is the birthday of author and illustrator David McCaulay.

Macaulay is the author and illustrator of many books on architecture and design including the famous The Way Things Work. His titles break down complex engineering and architectural processes to make them understandable and fun for kids who are interested in how their world is put together. Each of his books are painstakingly researched and illustrated, and he has won many awards for his work including, a Caldecott Medal, the Boston-Globe Book Horn Award,the Christopher Award, an American Institute of Architects Medal, and theWashington Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award.

This Friday celebrate McCaulay's birthday by learning something new about how things work!

Grab a Book, Find a Date!

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Looking for a "novel" way to connect with other singles in the area? Join us Sunday, Dec. 18 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. for the Shirlington Branch Library's third Book Dating event.

How does it work?
Grab a couple of books you'd like to share: favorites, disappointments, readings-in-progress or even books you're planning to read. Bring your own books, or use the Library's.

And then?
Each book date will be timed at 3 minutes allowing all participants an opportunity to meet and chat about their reading. Library staff will be on hand to keep things flowing.

What happens next is another story - yours.

Register for Book Dating by calling 703-228-6545, or in person at the Shirlington Service Desk. Registration will be available up until the start of the program.

Light refreshments generously provided by Capitol City Brewing Company in Shirlington Village. A drawing for a pair of Signature Theatre tickets, donated by Signature, will also take place at the end of the evening.

Book Dating is currently scheduled for the 3rd Sunday of every month, at 6:00 p.m.

Take Time to Paws-to-Read

2011-11-29T16:02:00.001-05:00

Could your child use a reading treat during the chaotic and sometimes stressful holiday season? Paws-to-Read is a Library program that invites elementary school aged children to practice their reading skills by reading to trained therapy dogs:

Parents can register kids for a 15 minute time slot by phone:

Central Library - 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 703-228-5946
Columbia Pike Branch Library - 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 703-228-5710
Shirlington - 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 703-228-6545
Westover - 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 703-228-5260

Thank You for Learning with Us

2011-11-29T15:56:00.001-05:00

County Board Chairman Christopher J. Zimmerman
presents the 2011 ABBIE award to
Library Director Diane Kresh.

For the third straight year, Arlington Public Library has been voted the "Best Place to Learn Something New" in the Arlington Best Business Awards (ABBIES).

As we've said before, any honors are a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of the Library's remarkable staff.

We are also eternally grateful for the tremendous support of a community that values its library system and the never ending process and joy of learning.

Thank you for supporting Arlington Public Library.

December Open House for Kids and Families

2011-11-29T11:30:00.000-05:00

The Central Library will hold a Winter Open House in the Youth Services area on Thursday, Dec. 15, from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

We will have winter-themed crafts available in the children's room, refreshments in the Rabbit Hole, and the librarians will share a winter story and song every half hour.

Come join us!

From Our Back Pages: Arlington Rocks Pt. 4: "United Mutation"

2011-11-29T10:50:00.001-05:00

In punk rock lore, the Washington D.C. area scene has always occupied a unique and significant place in both the history and ongoing development of the genre.

This is primarily due to the presence of Dischord Records and the bands most commonly associated with the storied label such as Minor Threat, Fugazi, Scream and countless others.

In many ways, Arlington's own United Mutation represented a sort of highly idiosyncratic flipside to the Dischord coin, with an attitude and sound that refused to be pigeonholed. Mixing in many musical influences not normally associated with punk, from California-style psychedelia to near free-jazz soundscapes, the band proved to be adept composers as well as a visceral aural thrill.

Read more on Our Back Pages.

A Christmas Carol: Tonight at Shirlington

2011-11-26T14:21:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, Dec. 20, 6:30 p.m. at the Shirlington Branch Library:

A Christmas Carol [1938]

A Shirlington Screens series presentation of the 1938 Reginald Owen version of the Dickens holiday classic.
Spoiler alert: Scrooge has some issues with Christmas.
Not rated, 69 minutes.

Trailer #1
A Christmas Carol— MOVIECLIPS.com

Don't Touch That Screen: Fourth Annual Good Tidings and Tunes Yule Blog

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-05:00


©Lloyd Wolf /Arlington Photographic DocumentaryProject

Each year, the Christmas season seems to arrive a little earlier. A few weeks ago, it was not yet Halloween and Macy's at Pentagon City was setting up its Christmas shop.

Ever the stickler for tradition, for me the season still begins with Santa's wave, signaling the end of the Macy's Day parade in New York and the start of the year-end count down. Only then do I allow myself to feel the gravitational pull toward my favorite songs of the season and reach for my sacks of little round discs (yes, I still have them) to drive the cold winter away.

So here are some of my favorites holiday songs. Let us know YOURS by posting a comment below. And celebrate the rest and best of the season, be it Christmas, Eid, Pongol, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, the Solstice or any other.

From our house to your house, for a bright 2012.

1. "The Wexford Carol" from "Songs of Joy & Peace, Yo Yo Ma & Friends," Alison Krauss, vocals. Spare and radiant.

2. "Merry Christmas Baby," title track from "Charles Brown and Friends." Bluesy and swinging; a perfect accompaniment to a warm cuppa cheer.

3. "Run Rudolph Run," Keith Richards. We know him as one half of the Glimmer Twins (Mick Jagger being the other), but what we didn't know, until he released his highly readable "Life" last year, is that as a child growing up in Kent, England, he wanted to be a librarian, saying that "The library was the only place around where I willingly obeyed the rules." Rocking and rollicking good fun, both this cover and the book between the covers.

4. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," from Bill Evans' "Trio 64." (Evans, piano, Paul Motian--sadly he passed away Nov. 22, 2011, drums--and Gary Peacock, bass). A Dec. 18, 1963 session was likely the reason for this seasonal classic. Hardly album filler, it's a classic example of post-bop.

5. "Christmas Time is Here" from Shawn Colvin's "Holiday Songs and Lullabies." The Vince Guaraldi classic by one of my very favorite singers.

6. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from She and Him's (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward's) "A Very She & Him Christmas." This year's nominee for re-imagined standards, cue "zone out" on your iPod (or whatever device you have ) and chill after a long day of doing whatever it is you do to make the season bright. Zooey's singing voice is as deadpan sardonic as many of her best film performances ("The Good Girl," "All the Young Girls," both terrific and underrated films). She also duets with and marries Buddy the Elf.

7. "Greensleeves" by Mason Williams. The composer of "Classical Gas" (which he quotes in the middle of this piece and which I used as the soundtrack for a Super 8 film montage I made in high school), he was also a comedy writer for "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" and introduced Steve Martin to the world. He was also the brains behind the Pat Paulsen for president candidacy in the turbulent election year of 1968. In the midst of assassinations, Chicago and Viet Nam, there was Pat Paulsen deadpanning for president and leaving all to wonder--was he or wasn't he?

8. "Baloo, Lammy (Hush My little Lamb)," from "Song of Solstice," featuring Sue Richards with the Jennifer Cutting Ocean Orchestra. A shout out to a former colleague of mine at the Library of Congress. Jennifer Cutting, one of the finest musicians I know. A winter solstice album for anyone who loves Celtic, Renaissance, classical and pop music.

9. "Dadme Albricias" from "Navidad Renacentista" by Capella De Minitrers/Carles Magraner. A sumptuous recording by the early music group formed in 1987 in Valencia, Spain. Dedicated to celebrating Valencian musical culture.

10. "Go Where I Send Thee" from "The Weavers' (Lee Hays, Pete Seegar, Fred Hellerman and Ronnie Gilbert) at Carnegie Hall." The gold standard for the folk music revival of the 1950's and 60's. Begun in 1948 out of the disbanded Almanac Singers (Seegar and Hellerman), the Weavers personified the unification of folk music and political activism. The concert in New York City on Christmas Eve 1955 was the group's sold-out triumphal return to the stage and a comeback of sorts for one of the few musical entities blacklisted during the McCarthy hearings. Seegar's "release" from television's blacklist didn't end however until the late 60s when he appeared on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" in 1968 (see number 7 above).

11. "Rise Up Shepherd and Follow," performed by the St. Olaf Choir on "Songs from My Heart: Choral Music of André Thomas." Gorgeous.

12. "All I Want for Christmas is You," from Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas II You." Sans the Bieber (thankfully), the tune gets the Carey treatment: plenty o' sass and spunk.

13. "Mr. Santa," from Suzy Boggus's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." A holiday version of the popular hit "Mr. Sandman," penned by Pat Ballard, first recorded by the Chordettes (whose other big hit was "Lollipop") in 1954. Youngsters out there will recall the cover of "Mr. Sandman" by Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt from "Trio."

14. "Sleigh Ride" by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. For the tuxedo clad Dino/Sammy/Frank-o-philes out there. Silly and fun.

15. "Winter Wonderland" from Rockapella's "Christmas." Bop shoo op.

16. "The Christmas Song" from the New York Latin Jazz Allstars off "Feliz Navidad." Roasting hot.

17. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," Patti LaBelle, "Christmas at Miss Patti's." Wistful and nuanced.

18. "Oublions l'an passé (Let's Forget the Old Year)," the Washington Revels featuring Riki Schneyer, from "Le Temps des Fetes." Spirited delivery of a traditional French Canadian tune authentically presented by the Washington Revels, under the musical direction of Elizabeth F. Miller. The Revels are dedicated to reviving and celebrating cultural traditions from across the glove through music, dance, storytelling, drama and ritual.

19. "Peace" by Norah Jones on "A Very Special Acoustic Christmas." Nice. Really, really nice...

20. "Star of Wonder," by the Roches on "We Three Kings." Shimmering harmony from a trio of quirky sibs.

Bonus Tracks!
21. "Carol." Chuck Berry. If the song title fits, include it.

22. "What's So Funny 'bout Peace Love and Understanding." Elvis Costello sings Nick Lowe on "Armed Forces." Nothing. Nothing at all.

Happy 137th Birthday L. M. Montgomery

2011-11-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, November 30th is the birthday of beloved children's author author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Montgomery is best known for her enchanting series detailing the adventures of Anne Shirley, the free-spirited red-head who is sent from her orphanage to live in Green Gables with siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. The books follow her from her days as a mischievous youth through adulthood as she tries to raise six children of her own. The titles have been read and re-read by readers young and old alike all around the world.

This Wednesday celebrate Montgomery's birthday by checking out one of the books following Anne's life and adventures:

Book Whisperers Discuss "The Lost City of Z"

2011-11-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

All are welcome to join the Westover Branch Library's Book Whisperers discussion of The Lost City of Z by David Grann, on Tuesday Dec. 27, at 2:00 p.m.

After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, acclaimed "New Yorker" writer Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the 20th century: what happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett and his quest for the Lost City of Z

The "Book Whisperers" book group meets at Westover Branch Library on the fourth Tuesday of each month - April through October - at 7 p.m.
November through March - at 2 p.m.

Call 703-228-0523 for more details.

From Page to Stage with Hairspray's Carolyn Cole

2011-11-22T17:28:00.001-05:00

Signature Theatre is “dark” on Mondays, but the lights are on at the Shirlington Branch Library.

On Monday, Dec. 5, at 7:00 p.m., we'll speak with Carolyn Cole, who is making her Signature Debut as Tracy Turnblad, the lead character in Hairspray.

From Page to Stage's conversations with guest artists and Signature staff take place the first Monday of the month.

Trying to Choose an eReader?

2011-11-22T15:43:00.001-05:00

Nook Tablet, Kindle Fire or iPad2? Wireless download or USB? Touchscreen or Keyboard? There are so many Library-compatible eReaders these days, it can be hard to choose!

Luckily, we've compiled a list of useful articles, charts and lists to help you decide what kind of eReader or Tablet is right for you - or that special someone. And check out our FAQ about eBooks and your Library.

Are you relatively new to eReaders? We recommend you start with TeleRead.com's Buying an eReader Checklist - a series of questions to help determine what you want in an eReader.

Latest eReader Reviews:

ConsumerReports.org [free access via the Library website when you log into your Library account] - eBook Reader Guide added Nov. 23, 2011
cnet.com - Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which eBook Reader Should You Choose? - Choosing an eBook Reader Updated Nov. 23, 2011 - a quick cheat sheet on what you need to know about new Kindles, New Sony Wifi, Apple iPad with iOS 5.
PaidContent.org - Comparing E-Readers—And Tablets | November 2011 - Updated Nov. 22, 2011. All the models listed here are compatible with the Library's free downloadable eBooks.
PCWorld - Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: Which Should You Buy? Updated Nov. 18, 2011
ElderGadget.com reviews individual eReaders with an eye towards elder-friendly features

And in interesting recent eReader News:

The Sony Reader WiFi is the first dedicated eReader which allows Library downloads "over the air." It even includes a button to access your public library directly from the device. Read the cnet review of the Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1.

What devices are compatible with downloadable eBooks from the Library? Make sure to check OverDrive's Device Resource Center to see a list of devices that work with the EPUB or Kindle format.

*Update: eBooks from Penguin Restored for Kindle

2011-11-22T14:42:00.001-05:00

** Updated Thursday, Nov. 24 - OverDrive reported today on their blog:

"‘Get for Kindle’ for all Penguin eBooks in your [OverDrive] catalog has been restored as of this morning.

Penguin titles are available for check out by Kindle users and the Kindle format will be available for patrons who are currently on a waiting list for a Penguin title. Upcoming releases remain unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience this caused for your library and patrons.

At this time, no further information is available. We hope to share more details in the near future."

Original post, Tuesday Nov. 22 -
We're sorry to report that OverDrive (one of our eBook suppliers) has temporarily removed public library access to Kindle eBooks from the publisher Penguin Group USA.

This does not affect the remaining 3,297 eBooks available for download to the Kindle.

If you have a hold on the Kindle version of a Penguin eBook, you will no longer see it in the eHolds section of your eAccount. We hope that OverDrive will be able to get these titles restored as soon as possible, and we'll keep you posted as we learn more.

This action affects all public libraries supplied by OverDrive.

For more details, read this morning's blog post from OverDrive as well as related articles in the Christian Science Monitor and School Library Journal.

BizLaunch Seminar: Starting a Business

2011-11-22T10:30:00.001-05:00

BizLaunch presents a seminar on Starting a Business on Monday, Dec. 12 at 6:00 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium.

Thinking about starting your own business? Attend this seminar and learn everything you need to know to start a business in Arlington. You'll learn how to get a business license, a certificate of occupancy and state registration. From licensing requirements to marketing to financing options - this seminar covers all the fundamentals you'll need to do business successfully in Northern Virginia.

This seminar is FREE, but Online Registration is Required.

Co-sponsored by the Library and BizLaunch. For more information, please contact: Jennifer Howell, 703-228-0862 or email: jhowell@arlingtonva.us.

Preschool Storytime on Hiatus Nov. 19 - Jan. 9

2011-11-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

Our preschool storytimes are now on hiatus - we'll resume a regular storytime schedule in the new year, starting January 9, 2012.

During our hiatus, storytimes will continue at the Glencarlyn Branch Library on the following dates:

Under 2s -Mondays, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec.12; 10:30 a.m.
Family Storytime - Wednesdays, Nov. 30, Dec. 7 and Dec.14; 6:30 p.m.

And join librarian Miss Desiree for preschool stories with a holiday theme at the Penrose Square Giant on:

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 14, 10:30 a.m.

Daycare classes are also welcome to attend the holiday storytimes at Penrose Square.

Columbia Pike Book Club Discusses "A Girl named Zippy"

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

All are welcome to the Columbia Pike Branch Library's book club discussion of A Girl named Zippy by Haven Kimmel, Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

When Haven Kimmel was born in 1965, Mooreland, Indiana, was a sleepy little hamlet. Nicknamed "Zippy", she possessed big eyes and even bigger ears. In this loving memoir, Kimmel takes readers back in time to when small-town America was still in the innocent postwar period and treats readers to an appealing, and knowing, heroine.

The Columbia Pike Book Club usually meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm, with no meetings from June - August. Call 703-228-5710 for more information.