Month: December 2017

Suggested Listening December 29, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, for your listening pleasure, here are our six suggested albums for the week; five streaming albums and one album on CD.

(Click on the photo of the album you’d like to hear or request)

Freegal Streaming Suggestions*

Don’t Go Baby It’s Gonna Get Weird Without You by Porter and The Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes (2017) (Genre: Country):

Porter & the Bluebonnet Rattlesnakes consisted of singer-songwriter Chris Porter, singer, mandolin player and bassist Mitchell Vandenburg and drummer Adam Nurre. The group completed this LP earlier this year; however, before it was released they were visited by tragedy. On October 19, 2017, the band was involved in an automobile accident and Porter and Vandeburg were killed. Adam Nurre was injured in the crash but survived; thus this LP is both the debut album and swansong by the group.

Songs on the LP include: Bittersweet Creek, Your Hometown, Edith, When We Were Young, November Down and East December.

At The Third Stroke by Russ Ballard (1978) (Genre: Rock):

Russ Ballard first came to prominence as the lead singer for the classic rock band Argent. While with Argent he wrote and sang one of their best known songs – God Gave Rock N’ Roll To You. And then he launched a solo career. 1978’s At The Third Stroke is his most critically acclaimed solo LP to date.

The album features the songs: Dancer, Helpless, Cast the Spirit, Look at Her Dance, What Does It Take and My Judgment Day.

Jazz on Film (Beat, Square & Cool), Vol. 1-5 by Various Artists (Genre: Jazz, Soundtracks):

This streaming collection featuring 83 songs, is just like the title says – a mixture of beat, square and cool jazz from a variety of films made during fifties and sixties.

Songs featured in the set include: The Wild One and Blues for Brando by Shorty Rogers & His Orchestra, The Crime by Los Angeles Music Festival Jazz Orchestra, Theme from I Want to Live by Gerry Mulligan’s Jazz Combo, Stakeout by Johnny Mandel & his Orchestra and Guitar Amour by Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn.

King Size! by Andre Previn’s Jazz Trio (1958) (Genre: Jazz):

On this LP, the very talented Andre Previn is working as the leader of a Jazz trio which includes Previn on piano, Red Mitchell on bass and Frankie Capp on drums.

Songs on this classic album include: You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To, It Could Happen To you, I’ll Remember Paris and I’m Beginning To See The Light.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Original Soundtrack by Various Artists (1975) (Genre: Soundtracks, Humor):

The classic soundtrack from 1975, includes the songs: Dammit Janet by Barry Bostwick & Susan Sarandon, Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul by Meatloaf, I Can Make You A Man by Tim Curry and Super Heroes by Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon & Charles Gray.

The Suburbs by Arcade Fire (2010) (Genre: Pop, Rock):

Arcade Fire is a Montreal based indie band consisting  of Win Butler and Regine Chassagne on vocals, Richard Parry on organ, Tim Kingsbury on bass and  William Butler on synthesizer and drums.

The Suburbs is their third LP released in 2010. Songs on the LP include: The Suburbs, Suburban War, Month of May, Wasted Hours, We Used to Wait and Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).

CD of the Week:

The Book of Secrets by Loreena McKennitt (1997) (Genre: New Age, Folk, Pop, International):

Canadian singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt’s music is aptly described as deep, ethereal folk music. If you’re in the mood for thoughtful, reflective music than this album is for you!

This is McKennitt’s sixth LP and it includes the songs: The Mummer’s Dance, Marco Polo, The Highwayman, La Serenissima and Night Ride Across the Caucasus.

Artist Biography & Discography Information:

The AllMusic Website:

http://www.allmusic.com/

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn (Billboard Books. New York. 2009.)

P.S. If you have any questions about how to download or stream free music through the Freegal Music service to a desktop or laptop computer or how to download and use the Freegal Music app let us know! Drop by the library or give us a call at: 607-936-3713.

*You must have a library card at a Southern Tier Library System member library to enjoy the Freegal Music Service. Your card can be from any library in the system, and the system includes all public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegheny Counties and includes our own Southeast Steuben Count Library in Corning, New York!

Library cards are free if you live in our service area. And you can obtain a card by visiting the Circulation Desk and presenting staff with a form of ID that features your name and your current address.

 

Daily Digital & Print Suggested Reads: Friday, December 29, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for today.

(Note: Click on the photo of the item you’re interested in to request it or check it out)

Our digital suggestion for today is the ebook:

The Last Cowboys of San Geronimo by Ian Stansel:

A contemporary Western debut about two brothers locked in a deadly feud, a woman on horseback trailing her husband’s killer, and the inescapable ties of home and family

When Silas Van Loy flees home on horseback to avoid capture for his brother’s murder, he is soon followed by both the police and his brother’s wife, Lena, who is intent on exacting revenge. She reluctantly lets her trusted stable assistant join her in a journey across the wilds of Northern California in the hopes of catching Silas for one final showdown. Stansel follows the chase and shares the story of the brothers’ rise from hardscrabble childhood to their reign as the region’s preeminent horse trainers, tracking the tense sibling rivalry that ultimately leads to the elder’s death.

A fully realized tale that challenges notions of the modern West, The Last Cowboys of San Geronimo will satisfy fans of Kent Haruf, Larry McMurtry, Molly Gloss, and Smith Henderson, and establish Stansel as a new voice in this grand tradition.

And our print suggestion for today is:

Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas:

 

 Ireland is no promised land in 1846. It is wracked by a crippling potato blight, and people are dying. But Valentia McDowell doesn’t know that. From her father’s prosperous farm in Ohio, young Valentia is haunted by tales of an abandoned family and a lost heirloom. She travels to her grandmother’s homeland with her brother, Conor, and two servants, to find both. Her delight in the exciting journey on one of the first steam ships to cross the Atlantic is shattered by a horrible tragedy. What she encounters upon her arrival in Ireland is both more and less than she had hoped. Valentia finds both enemies and allies, amid horrors and delights, and a small bit of magic. She finds a richer heritage than she had ever imagined, but it comes with a price. When she finally reaches her goal, a terrible price is demanded. She must pay or forfeit, and both decisions have strong consequences for her and her friends.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

You can request physical items, i.e. print books, DVDs & CDs, online via StarCat:

or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc.

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

Freegal Music Service

This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day:

RBDigital

Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available.

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Non-Fiction DVD Recommendations December 29, 2017

Linda Reimer

Here are our two recommended non-fiction DVDs for this week!

(Click on the photos to request the DVDs)

The Art of Critical Decision Making:

Description: Whether simple or complex, private or public, decisions are an essential part of your life. Not only do decisions affect your own life for good or ill, they can also affect the lives of your friends, your family, and your community. Indeed, the ability to make wise, educated decisions is essential to living a successful and fulfilled life.

Making a good decision and avoiding a horrible one is not a chance act. It’s a skill—one that can be learned, honed, and perfected. Mastering the art of critical decision making is the key to improving your life at home, at work, or in your community. When you understand the necessary components of a smart decision, you can examine mistakes you might have made in the past and sidestep potential mistakes in the future. And when you know the underlying psychological, social, and emotional components that influence decision making—whether they are your own decisions or the decisions of others—you can make sounder choices that produce better results.

Now you can learn to approach the critical decisions in your life with a more seasoned, educated eye with The Art of Critical Decision Making, a fascinating 24-lecture course that explores how individuals, groups, and organizations make effective decisions and offers you tips and techniques to enhance the effectiveness of your own decision making. Taught by award-winning Professor Michael A. Roberto of Bryant University—a scholar of leadership, managerial decision making, and business strategy—this dynamic course is an engaging and practical guide to one of the most fundamental activities in your life.

Dewey Decimal Number: DVD 658.403 ART

Memory and the Human Lifespan:

Description: What if your memory suddenly vanished? What if you could no longer summon up any recollections of your mother’s embrace, a best friend’s confidences, or the moment you first met your spouse? What if you couldn’t even remember yourself—not your name, your school, where you worked, or even the face of the total stranger staring back at you from the mirror?

If all of these memories were gone, would “self” even have a meaning?

The truth is that while you may think of human memory as a capacity—a way to call up important facts or episodes from your past—it is much, much more.

Your various memory systems, in fact, provide the continuity of consciousness that allows the concept of “you” to make sense, creating the ongoing narrative that makes your life truly yours. Without those systems and the overall experience of memory they make possible, you would have no context for the most crucial decisions of your life. You would have to make—without the benefit of experience and knowledge—the decisions that determine not only your quality of life, but your very survival. And your ability to learn, or even to form the personality that makes you unique, would similarly be set adrift.

In Memory and the Human Lifespan, Professor Steve Joordens of the University of Toronto Scarborough, who has been repeatedly honored as both teacher and researcher, leads you on a startling voyage into the human mind, explaining not only how the various aspects of your memory operate, but the impact memory has on your daily experience of life.

His 24 riveting lectures carefully explain

the different kinds of systems that come together to make memory possible;

how those systems work together to build and access memories of specific events, solve problems, learn basic tasks like brushing your teeth, or acquire the skills to play a musical instrument;

the kinds of memory deficits that result when various parts of the brain are damaged or deteriorate;

how memory shapes not only your experience of the past but also of the present, as well as your expectations of the future;

how your memory systems develop throughout your life; and much more.

Moreover, by understanding how the brain organizes and encodes information, you can better harness its extraordinary powers to fine-tune how it works for you and use this information to help reshape your very experience of being alive.

Dewey Decimal Number: DVD 153.12 MEM

Understanding Modern Electronics:

Description: In the last 100 years, the world has undergone a tremendous revolution made possible by advances in modern electronics. Electronic devices—which manipulate electrons or their associated fields in fundamental ways to produce a useful effect—have provided us with ubiquitous, massive computational power; allow us to communicate nearly instantly with loved ones across the globe; can flawlessly record, safeguard, and display information; and provide us with tremendously precise control of manufacturing devices and medical instruments. They are fundamental to our global economy, improve our lives immeasurably, and underlie virtually every aspect of modern life. Yet very few of us have any idea of how electronic devices actually work.

In fact, these increasingly complex devices, which seem nearly magical to us, operate on a few basic principles that are both fascinating and easy to understand. Now, in Understanding Modern Electronics, award-winning Professor of Physics Richard Wolfson provides a working explanation of the principles that govern electronic circuits, then shows these principles in action with devices you use every day. In 24 clear and easily accessible lectures, Professor Wolfson combines his academic expertise, including many years of teaching electronics at Middlebury College, and his lifelong avocation as an electronics hobbyist to examine how these remarkable devices work, bypassing much of the higher mathematics without sacrificing functional and theoretical understanding. Whether you’re an aspiring engineer, an enthusiastic tinkerer, or simply intellectually curious, this course will demystify the behavior and inner circuitry of electronic devices and inspire you to see technology in a whole new light.

Dewey Decimal Number: DVD 537.5 UND

Note: Just an FYI for browsers, we now have a solid selection of Great Courses DVDs thus they are now housed in their own separate section. Ask the staff for details!

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

Daily Digital & Print Suggested Reads: Thursday, December 28, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for today.

(Note: Click on the photo of the item you’re interested in to request it or check it out)

Our digital suggestion for today is the ebook:

The Locals by Jonathan Dee:

Mark Firth is a contractor and home restorer in Howland, Massachusetts, who feels opportunity passing his family by. After being swindled by a financial advisor, what future can Mark promise his wife, Karen, and their young daughter, Haley? He finds himself envying the wealthy weekenders in his community whose houses sit empty all winter.

Philip Hadi used to be one of these people. But in the nervous days after 9/11 he flees New York and hires Mark to turn his Howland home into a year-round “secure location” from which he can manage billions of dollars of other people’s money. The collision of these two men’s very different worlds—rural vs. urban, middle class vs. wealthy—is the engine of Jonathan Dee’s powerful new novel.

Inspired by Hadi, Mark looks around for a surefire investment: the mid-decade housing boom. Over Karen’s objections, and teaming up with his troubled brother, Gerry, Mark starts buying up local property with cheap debt. Then the town’s first selectman dies suddenly, and Hadi volunteers for office. He soon begins subtly transforming Howland in his image—with unexpected results for Mark and his extended family.

Here are the dramas of twenty-first-century America—rising inequality, working class decline, a new authoritarianism—played out in the classic setting of some of our greatest novels: the small town. The Locals is that rare work of fiction capable of capturing a fraught American moment in real time.

And our print suggestion for today is:

Dear Martin by Nic Stone:

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.

Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

You can request physical items, i.e. print books, DVDs & CDs, online via StarCat:

or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc.

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

Freegal Music Service

This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day:

RBDigital

Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available.

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Daily Digital & Print Suggested Reads: Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for today.

(Note: Click on the photo of the item you’re interested in to request it or check it out)

Our digital suggestion for today is the ebook:

Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan:

When a bookshop patron commits suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this fiendishly clever debut novel from an award-winning short story writer.

Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves.

But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore’s upper room, Lydia’s life comes unglued. Always Joey’s favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?

As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia’s life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. Bedazzling, addictive, and wildly clever, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a heart-pounding mystery that perfectly captures the intellect and eccentricity of the bookstore milieu and will keep you guessing until the very last page.​

The Twelve-Mile Straight by Eleanor Henderson:

*An Entertainment Weekly “Must-Read” Book for Fall*

From New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Henderson, an audacious American epic set in rural Georgia during the years of the Depression and Prohibition.

Cotton County, Georgia, 1930: in a house full of secrets, two babies-one light-skinned, the other dark-are born to Elma Jesup, a white sharecropper’s daughter. Accused of her rape, field hand Genus Jackson is lynched and dragged behind a truck down the Twelve-Mile Straight, the road to the nearby town. In the aftermath, the farm’s inhabitants are forced to contend with their complicity in a series of events that left a man dead and a family irrevocably fractured.

Despite the prying eyes and curious whispers of the townspeople, Elma begins to raise her babies as best as she can, under the roof of her mercurial father, Juke, and with the help of Nan, the young black housekeeper who is as close to Elma as a sister. But soon it becomes clear that the ties that bind all of them together are more intricate than any could have ever imagined. As startling revelations mount, a web of lies begins to collapse around the family, destabilizing their precarious world and forcing all to reckon with the painful truth.

Acclaimed author Eleanor Henderson has returned with a novel that combines the intimacy of a family drama with the staggering presence of a great Southern saga. Tackling themes of racialized violence, social division, and financial crisis, The Twelve-Mile Straight is a startlingly timely, emotionally resonant, and magnificent tour de force.

And our print suggestion for today is:

Legacy of Hunger by Christy Nicholas:

Ireland is no promised land in 1846. It is wracked by a crippling potato blight, and people are dying. But Valentia McDowell doesn’t know that. From her father’s prosperous farm in Ohio, young Valentia is haunted by tales of an abandoned family and a lost heirloom. She travels to her grandmother’s homeland with her brother, Conor, and two servants, to find both. Her delight in the exciting journey on one of the first steam ships to cross the Atlantic is shattered by a horrible tragedy. What she encounters upon her arrival in Ireland is both more and less than she had hoped. Valentia finds both enemies and allies, amid horrors and delights, and a small bit of magic. She finds a richer heritage than she had ever imagined, but it comes with a price. When she finally reaches her goal, a terrible price is demanded. She must pay or forfeit, and both decisions have strong consequences for her and her friends.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

You can request physical items, i.e. print books, DVDs & CDs, online via StarCat:

or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc.

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

Freegal Music Service

This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day:

RBDigital

Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available.

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Viewing: Monday & Tuesday, December 25 & 26

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, as the library is closed on Monday and Tuesday in observance of the Christmas holiday, and in lieu of recommending books to read, I’m going to do something different and recommend some videos you can stream for free from the Digital Catalog — they’re perfect for watching on your new mobile device –  no app required!

Just click on the photo of the video you’re interested in, you’ll be prompted to enter your library card number and PIN (by default the last four digits of your phone number) and, if the title is available you’ll be able to instantly watch the video! If the video is checked out you’ll be able to place a hold on it).

(Note: Click on the photo of the video you’re interested in to request it or check it out)

And if you’d like to stream some additional  titles – here’s a link to the Streaming Video section of the Digital Catalog:

 

Here are our suggested titles including some holiday favorites and some just plain fun to watch movies.

First the holiday titles:

BIG Adventure, The BIG Christmas Tree:

  

A Holiday Special!

Watch as the perfect Christmas tree is found by helicopter for the world-famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration! See how the giant tree is transported to New York City and decorated with over 26,000 lights!

Learn the story of the Christmas Tree and how it came to be a holiday tradition! Meet a man with 14 Christmas Trees and over 20,000 ornaments! Even visit a Christmas tree farm!

Discover the magic and lights of the holidays in this Little Mammoth Holiday Special for kids 3 to 100!

Casper’s First Christmas (1979):

 

 Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, Huckleberry Hound and more Hanna-Barbera characters get lost and decide to spend Christmas by vising Casper, the friendly ghost. But soon they encounter a not-so-friendly ghost.

Christmas Trade (2015):

Just days before Christmas, an LA real-estate lawyer (William Baldwin)and his eleven-year-old son magically swap bodies. As they walk in each other’s shoes, from a cutthroat law firm and the frightening days of sixth grade, the father and son rediscover what it means to be family

A Doggone Christmas (2016): 

It’s a canine caper when Murphy (Just Jessie the Jack), a charming pup with telepathic abilities, escapes a government scientist (Dominique Swain, Face/Off) and runs straight into the loving arms o two young brothers (Walker Mintz, Nessie & Me; and Jayden Hedden, Betrayed). But the Washington brass won’t give up their secret weapon so easily, and with a no-nonsense special forces agent hot on Murphy’s trail (Lauren Parkinson, Avengers Grimm), the boys and their school buddies must hide the pint-sized Jack Russell Terrier from helicopters and drones–and their mom and dad (Amy Holt, I Am Singh, and Rib Hillis, General Hospital), who’ve forbidden them to have a pet! Can this unexpected team of heroes, armed with only their wits, their bikes, and a strong bond with Murphy, channel the real spirit of Christmas to save the day?

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Live (2012):

 

Mannheim Steamroller’s music is incredibly moving by itself, but add an enthusiastic live performance by some very animated musicians and an intense multimedia presentation and the result is even more powerful. This 56-minute Christmas concert features many favorite numbers from the album Christmas in the Aire, but “Joy to the World” perhaps best epitomizes that distinctive Mannheim Steamroller sound: powerful synthesized melodies and harmonies, an intense drive and pathos, and skillful ornamentation. The accompanying fireworks on a huge, over-stage screen add a striking visual dimension to the song. Several Renaissance-inspired numbers like “In dulci Jubilo” and “Wassail, Wassail” showcase unusual Renaissance instruments and are paired with a rich, on-screen portrayal of a Renaissance feast. The instrumental, theatrical, and multimedia performances are beautifully, effectively done. The album ends, as Mannheim Steamroller tradition dictates, with “Going to Another Place,” an all-time fan favorite. 

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964):

A film this bad has never looked so good! Horizon Movies proudly presents a fully restored edition (from HD elements) of the notorious holiday classic. The Martians are irked that their children spend so much time watching TV shows from Earth that sing the praises of Santa Claus, so they decide to make a trek to the planet to capture Mr. Claus. During their mission, they also abduct two children who lead the aliens to the North Pole and Santa. The Martians take all three earthlings back to Mars, where, with the help of a native, they manage to spread Christmas cheer throughout the red planet. SCCTM took on newfound fame in the 1990’s after being featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and became a holiday staple on Comedy Central in the years following its 1991 premiere, becoming one of the series’ most popular episodes.

And on to the just plain fun to watch movies!

Brave Girl (2014) (Genre: Kids Videos):

 

When Clara arrived in America, she couldn’t speak English. She didn’t know that young women had to go to work, that they traded an education for long hours of labor, that she was expected to grow up fast. But that didn’t stop Clara. She went to night school, spent hours studying English, and helped support her family by sewing in a shirtwaist factory. Clara never quit, and she never accepted that girls should be treated poorly and paid little. Fed up with the mistreatment of her fellow laborers, Clara led the largest walkout of women workers the country had seen. From her short time in America, Clara learned that everyone deserved a fair chance. That you had to stand together and fight for what you wanted. And, most importantly, that you could do anything you put your mind to. Animated.

Dark Shadows, Volume 1: (Genre: Fantasy):

In late 1960s Maine, handyman Willie Loomis releases vampire Barnabas Collins from his coffin.

Barnabas then goes to the Collin’s Family estate, Collinwood, claiming to be a relative from England. Although noticing Barnabas’ resemblance to his “ancestor” in the foyer portrait, the Collins family does not realize he is the same Barnabas who lived at Collinswood in the 18th Century. As Barnabas moves into the Old House on the property, those around him are unaware of the horrors that will soon follow.

 If you find you like Dark Shadows – there are other episodes of the series in the Digital Catalog so you can find out what happened to Barnabas and company!

Jack Frost (Genre: Kids Videos, Nostalgic Videos):

A 1979 Rankin-Bass, stop-motion animated program similar to Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jack Frost is a classic winter tale of good and evil, hope and despair, and love and sacrifice that will captivate viewers 5 and older. Narrated by Pardon-me-Pete Groundhog (Buddy Hackett) and framed as an exploration of the tradition of Groundhog Day, the music-filled Jack Frost is actually the story of young sprite Jack Frost who, under Father Winter’s leadership, is responsible for bringing winter weather to the world. Felt, but never seen, a lonely Jack begs to become human when he falls in love with January Junction resident Elisa. Father Winter grudgingly grants Jack Frost a winter of humanity, warning that in order to remain human forever, he must acquire the four essentials of a home, horse, bag of gold, and wife by springtime. Finding these essentials requires that Jack Frost overthrow the evil King of the Cossacks Kubla Kraus, a mission that is difficult and dangerous. Even with the help of fellow sprites Snip the snowflake maker and Holly the snowflake gypsy, Jack must make a very significant personal sacrifice in order to remove Kubla Kraus from power and ensure the continued well-being of Elisa and January Junction. Tami Horiuchi, Amazon Review.

The King’s Speech (Genre: Historical, Drama):

After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, “The King’s Speech” follows the Royal Monarch’s quest to find his voice.

Lucky Texan (1934) (Genre: Western):

 

Gold miners Wayne and Hayes strike it rich. Before they can cash in their claim, John is falsely accused of the robbery and murder of Gabby. However, Gabby shows up at the trial in disguise in order to spring an trap on the real bad guys. Yakima Canutt was the stunt double for for virtually all the actors in the cast. Good fun for Wayne fans.

The Magnificent Seven (1960) (Genre: Western):

Spectacular gun battles, epic-sized heroes and an all-star cast that includes Academy Award winners Yul Brynner and James Coburn, together with Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach and Charles Bronson, make The Magnificent Seven a legend among westerns.

The Seven Samurai is “a hard-pounding adventure” (Newsweek) and “an enduringly popular” (Leonard Maltin) cinematic classic. Merciless Calvera (Wallach) and his band of ruthless outlaws are terrorizing a poor Mexican village, and even the bravest lawmen can’t stop them. Desperate, the locals hire Chris Adams (Brynner) and six other gunfighters to defend them. With time running out before Calvera’s next raid, the heroic seven must prepare the villagers for battle and help them find the courage to take back their town or die trying!

Planet of the Apes (1968): (Genre: Fantasy):

A bewildered astronaut (Charlton Heston) crash-lands on a strange planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Starring Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowell.

The Philadelphia Experiment (1984):

The origins of this story are not science-fiction – they are science-fact. In 1943 the U.S. Office of Naval Research conducted a series of tests at the Philadelphia Naval Yard to develop a sophisticated camouflage system to make ships invisible to radar. During the final test aboard the destroyer the Battleship Eldridge, something went wrong – very wrong. This film explores beyond reality to ask the question “what if…” Two young seamen get caught in a violent tornado-like vortex and fall through a time warp to a different era – 1984. Desperately they struggle to find a way back to their own time, but their efforts become all the more vital as the rift in time threatens to suck present-day earth back to the past. Michael Pare (Streets of Fire, Eddie and the Cruisers) and Nancy Allen (Carrie, Dressed to Kill) star in this psychological sci-fi hit.

The Quiet American (1958):

A love triangle brews amidst a growing political tempest in this “brilliantly intellectual” (Los Angeles Times) film in which nothing is quite as it seems. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Graham Greene, Academy Award-winning writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s screenplay “delivers dialogue that not only sparkles but bites deep with the irony of truth” (Citizen-News). In 1952, Saigon is caught between the corrupt colonial powers and the Communist uprising. An idealistic young American (Audie Murphy) champions a shadowy Third Force, but cynical British journalist Thomas Fowler (Michael Redgrave) is concerned only with the American’s interest in his mistress. When jealousy forces Fowler to take sides at last, the personal and political consequences are devastating.

Red Balloon (1956) (Genre: Children’s Videos, Nostalgic Videos):

Winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar 1956

Winner of the Palme d’Or 1956 Cannes Film Festival (short film)

A Boy makes friends with a seemingly sentient balloon, and it begins to follow him. It follows the boy to school, to the bus, and to church. Boy and balloon play together in the streets of Paris and try to elude a gang of boys that wants to destroy the balloon. Winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and there is almost no dialog spoken in the film.

Stolen (2012):

STOLEN follows Will Montgomery (Nicolas Cage), a master thief who has been sent to prison for eight years after being double-crossed in a heist gone awry.  Upon his release, he s ready to leave his criminal past behind and rebuild his relationship with estranged daughter, Alison Loeb (Sami Gayle). Montgomery’s former criminal cohorts and FBI agent Tim Harlend (Danny Huston), are all convinced that the $10 Million dollars was hidden away by Montgomery before he was sentenced. In order to get his hands on it, former partner in crime, Vincent (Josh Lucas), kidnaps Alison and demands the missing loot as ransom; giving Montgomery one day to deliver. Montgomery is left with only one choice: To trust his instincts and join forces again with another old partner in crime, the beautiful, sexy and smart Riley Jeffers (Malin Akerman).  Together they must pull off one more heist so he can get his daughter back… before it’s too late.

Tidal Wave (2009):

A deep-sea earthquake occurs creating a tidal wave that is headed straight for Haeundae, a popular vacation spot on the south coast of Korea, which draws visitors from all over the world. During its peak season, more than a million vacationers pack onto its narrow one-mile strip of sand. While tracking offshore seismic activity, Professor Kim (Kyung-gu Sol), a marine geologist, recognizes the impending danger of a mega tsunami. He desperately attempts to warn authorities and alert the unknowing vacationers of the 500 MPH destructive force of nature headed their direction.

 Tomorrow we’ll resume our regular daily suggested reading recommendations!

You can request physical items, i.e. print books, DVDs & CDs, online via StarCat:

or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc.

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

Freegal Music Service

This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day:

RBDigital

Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available.

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Non-Fiction DVD Recommendations 12 23 2017

Linda Reimer

Here are our two recommended non-fiction DVDs for this week!

(Click on the photos to request the DVDs)

The Everyday Gourmet: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking (The Great Courses):

Description: Rediscovering the Lost Art of Cooking is a course of 24 highly visual and instructional lessons in which you’ll get a first-hand education in the essentials of cooking from an expert who’s not just entertaining, but trained to teach how to actually cook. Chef Briwa has devoted his entire career to showing audiences around the world the craft behind cooking, gastronomy, and flavor dynamics. A former chef at several California restaurants, he’s also spoken, presented, and judged at professional cooking conferences and competitions, including the International Association of Culinary Professionals Conference and the National Restaurant Association Show. Learn the culinary secrets of CIA-trained chefs. Explore in depth each of the major cooking techniques any chef must know. Learn how to work with unique tastes and ingredients to expand your palate. Rediscover the joy of cooking and eating. 24 – 30 minute lectures

Dewey Decimal Number: DVD 641.5 EVE

The World’s Greatest Geological Wonders: 36 Spectacular Sites (The Great Courses): 

Description: Geological wonders are like great works of art. They are impressive, beautiful, mysterious, and surprising. Whether you are planning your next vacation or exploring the world from home, this course is your gateway to an unrivaled adventure. By the time you complete this course, you will have experienced more than 200 different geological wonders in nearly 120 countries.

Dewey Decimal Number: DVD 550 WOR

Note: Just an FYI for browsers, we now have a solid selection of Great Courses DVDs thus they are now housed in their own separate section. Ask the staff for details!

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

Suggested Listening December 22, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, for your listening pleasure, here are our six suggested albums for the week; a baker’s five streaming albums and one album on CD.

(Click on the photo of the album you’d like to hear or request)

Freegal Streaming Suggestions*

The Essential “Weird Al” Yankovic (Genre: Comedy, Spoken)

Weird Al Yankovic was born in California in 1959, was a huge fan of radio personality Dr. Demento and, in the 1980s, launched a very successful career of playing paradoies of pop culture songs and complimentary parody videos which got great play on MTV>

His hits, and their inspiration song, include: Another One Rides the Bus (Another One Bites the Dust – Queen), Ricky (Mikey – Toni Basil), Eat It (Beat It – Michael Jackson), King of Suede (King of Pain – Police), I Lost On Jeopardy (Jeopardy – Greg Kihn Band) and Smells Like Nirvana (Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana)

Little Queen by Heart (Genre: Rock, Classic Rock):

Little Queen (1977) is the follow up album to the wildly popular 1976 album Dreamboat Annie, and features sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson at the height of their musical powers. They play with gusto on the LP and also co-wrote all the songs on the LP.

This is album full of great music including the songs: Barracuda, Kick It Out, Little Queen, the Love Alive and Cry To Me.

Open Book Winter Album by Justin Furstenfeld (Genre: Rock, Acoustic):

Singer-songwriter Justin Furstenfeld is best known as the leader of the Texas band Blue October and I’ll admit I’d never heard of him before doing the research for this posting – there is something of a Cat Steven sound to his voice and this album features 19 sparse, acoustic and emotional songs including: Italian Radio, Amnesia, Ugly Side, Into the Ocean, We Know Where You Go and Home.

Black Jack by Dale Watson (2017) (Genre: Country, Rock):

Blackjack is hard country rocker Dale Watson’s new LP.

The album, Watson’s 26 release, features 21 songs including: One Memory at a Time, Truck Stop in La Grange, Louie’s Lee’s Liquor Lounge, Honky Tonkers Don’t Cry and Don’t Let the Screen Door Hit Ya.

We Got A Good Thing Going by Hank Crawford (1972) (Genre: Jazz, Easy Listening)

Hank Crawford was a talented blues and jazz saxophonists who first stepped in the national lime light as a member of Ray Charles’s band.

He released many solo albums from 1960 to 2007, and this one, released in 1972, was one of his best. This is a great album to relax and unwind to or to have playing in the background during dinner.

Songs on the album include: We’ve Got a Good Thing Going, The Christmas Song, Alone Again (Naturally), I’m Just a Lucky so and So, Winter Wonderland, Dirt Dobbler and Betcha By Golly Wow.

Songs of Joy & Peace by Yo-Yo Ma & Friends (2008) (Genre: Classical):

Cellist sensation Yo Yo Ma’s holiday album features a host of guest players including: Diana Krall, Dave Brubeck, Matt Brubeck (Dave’s son), Paquito d’Rivera, Natalie MacMaster, Mark O’Connor and more.

Songs on the LP include: You Couldn’t Be Cuter, The Wassail Song/All Through the Night, A Christmas Jig, The Wexford Carol, Improvisation on “Dona nobis pacem,” My Favorite Things, This Little Light of Mine and Happy Christmas (War Is Over).

CD of the Week:

Stereotypes by Black Violin (2015) (Genre: Classic, Rap, R&B):

Black Violin is a duo consisting of violinist Kevin Sylvester (“Kev Marcus) and violist Wilner Baptiste (“Will B”).

Stereotypes is their second LP and features a cool blend of musical styles — if you like classical music and modern pop you should check it out.

Songs on the LP include: Stereotypes, Invisible, Another Chance, Addiction, Send Me A Sign, Walk On By and Magic.

Videos of the Week:

Weird Al Yankovic – Smells Like Nirvana

Kick It Out by Heart

I Want It by Justin Furstenfeld 

A Long Truckin’ Day by Dale Watkins

We’ve Got A Good Thing Going by Hank Crawford:

Dona Nobis Pacem by  Yo Yo Ma

Artist Biography & Discography Information:

The AllMusic Website:

http://www.allmusic.com/

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn (Billboard Books. New York. 2009.)

P.S. If you have any questions about how to download or stream free music through the Freegal Music service to a desktop or laptop computer or how to download and use the Freegal Music app let us know! Drop by the library or give us a call at: 607-936-3713.

*You must have a library card at a Southern Tier Library System member library to enjoy the Freegal Music Service. Your card can be from any library in the system, and the system includes all public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegheny Counties and includes our own Southeast Steuben Count Library in Corning, New York!

Library cards are free if you live in our service area. And you can obtain a card by visiting the Circulation Desk and presenting staff with a form of ID that features your name and your current address. 

 

Daily Digital & Print Suggested Reads: Friday, December 22, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for today.

(Note: Click on the photo of the item you’re interested in to request it or check it out)

Our digital suggestion for today is the ebook:

The Starlit Wood edited by Dominik Parisien and Navah Wolfe:

Once upon a time. It’s how so many of our most beloved stories start.

Fairy tales have dominated our cultural imagination for centuries. From the Brothers Grimm to the Countess d’Aulnoy, from Charles Perrault to Hans Christian Anderson, storytellers have crafted all sorts of tales that have always found a place in our hearts.

Now a new generation of storytellers has taken up the mantle that the masters created and shaped their stories into something startling and electrifying.

Packed with award-winning authors, this “fresh, diverse” (Library Journal) anthology explores an array of fairy tales in startling and innovative ways, in genres and settings both traditional and unusual, including science fiction, western, and post-apocalyptic as well as traditional fantasy and contemporary horror.

From the woods to the stars, The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales takes readers on a journey at once unexpected and familiar, as a diverse group of writers explore some of our most beloved tales in new ways across genres and styles.

Contains stories by: Charlie Jane Anders, Aliette de Bodard, Amal El-mohtar, Jeffrey Ford, Max Gladstone, Theodora Goss, Daryl Gregory, Kat Howard, Stephen Graham Jones, Margo Lanagan, Marjorie Liu, Seanan McGuire, Garth Nix, Naomi Novik, Sofia Samatar, Karin Tidbeck, Catherynne M. Valente, and Genevieve Valentine.

And our print suggestion for today is:

The Amber Shadows: A Novel by Lucy Ribchester:

During the dangerous days of World War II, Honey Deschamps is spending her days transcribing decrypted messages at Bletchley Park, when she starts to receive bizarrely coded packages. When everyone is keeping secrets, who can you trust?

Bletchley Park, 1942: As World War II rages on, Honey Deschamps sits at her type-x machine, tediously transcribing decrypted signals from the German Army, doing her part to assist the British war effort. Halfway across the world, Hitler’s armies are marching into Leningrad, leaving a trail of destruction and pillaging the country’s most treasured artworks, including the famous Amber Room―the eighth wonder of the world.

As reports begin filtering into Bletchley Park about the stolen loot, Honey receives a mysterious package, hand-delivered from a man that she has never seen before who claims that he works at the Park as well. The package is postmarked from Russia, and inside is a small piece of amber. It is just the first of several such packages, and when she examines them together she realizes that someone, relying on her abilities to unravel codes, is trying to tell her something.

Honey can’t help but fear that the packages are a trap set by the authorities to test her loyalties―surely nothing so valuable could get through the mail during a time of war. And yet, something about the packages reminds her of stories that her brother used to tell her about her absent father, and when her brother is found brutally murdered on his way to visit Honey, she can’t help but assume that the events are connected. But at Bletchley Park, secrecy reigns supreme, and she has nowhere to turn for help….

As a holiday FYI the library is open our regular hours on Saturday, December 23: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The library will be closed on Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday.

We’ll see you on Wednesday, December 27!

Linda, SSCL

You can request physical items, i.e. print books, DVDs & CDs, online via StarCat:

or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc.

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

Freegal Music Service

This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day:

RBDigital

Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available.

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Daily Digital & Print Suggested Reads: Thursday, December 21, 2017

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for today.

(Note: Click on the photo of the item you’re interested in to request it or check it out)

Our digital suggestion for today is the ebook:

The Book of Swords edited by Gardner Dozois:

New epic fantasy in the grand tradition—including a never-before-published Song of Ice and Fire story by George R. R. Martin!

Fantasy fiction has produced some of the most unforgettable heroes ever conjured onto the page: Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian, Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné, Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Classic characters like these made sword and sorcery a storytelling sensation, a cornerstone of fantasy fiction—and an inspiration for a new generation of writers, spinning their own outsize tales of magic and swashbuckling adventure.
Now, in The Book of Swords, acclaimed editor and bestselling author Gardner Dozois presents an all-new anthology of original epic tales by a stellar cast of award-winning modern masters—many of them set in their authors’ best-loved worlds. Join today’s finest tellers of fantastic tales, including George R. R. Martin, K. J. Parker, Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch, Ken Liu, C. J. Cherryh, Daniel Abraham, Lavie Tidhar, Ellen Kushner, and more on action-packed journeys into the outer realms of dark enchantment and intrepid derring-do, featuring a stunning assortment of fearless swordsmen and warrior women who face down danger and death at every turn with courage, cunning, and cold steel.

FEATURING SIXTEEN ALL-NEW STORIES:
“The Best Man Wins” by K. J. Parker
“Her Father’s Sword” by Robin Hobb
“The Hidden Girl” by Ken Liu
“The Sword of Destiny” by Matthew Hughes
“‘I Am a Handsome Man,’ Said Apollo Crow” by Kate Elliott
“The Triumph of Virtue” by Walter Jon Williams
“The Mocking Tower” by Daniel Abraham
“Hrunting” by C. J. Cherryh
“A Long, Cold Trail” by Garth Nix
“When I Was a Highwayman” by Ellen Kushner
“The Smoke of Gold Is Glory” by Scott Lynch
“The Colgrid Conundrum” by Rich Larson
“The King’s Evil” by Elizabeth Bear
“Waterfalling” by Lavie Tidhar
“The Sword Tyraste” by Cecelia Holland
“The Sons of the Dragon” by George R. R. Martin

And an introduction by Gardner Dozois

“When fine writer and expert editor [Gardner] Dozois beckons, authors deliver—and this surely will be one of the year’s essential anthologies.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

And our print suggestion for today is:

Who Can You Trust?: How Technology Brought Us Together and Why It Might Drive Us Apart by Rachel Botsman:


If you can’t trust those in charge, who can you trust?

From government to business, banks to media, trust in institutions is at an all-time low. But this isn’t the age of distrust–far from it.

In this revolutionary book, world-renowned trust expert Rachel Botsman reveals that we are at the tipping point of one of the biggest social transformations in human history–with fundamental consequences for everyone. A new world order is emerging: we might have lost faith in institutions and leaders, but millions of people rent their homes to total strangers, exchange digital currencies, or find themselves trusting a bot. This is the age of “distributed trust,” a paradigm shift driven by innovative technologies that are rewriting the rules of an all-too-human relationship.

If we are to benefit from this radical shift, we must understand the mechanics of how trust is built, managed, lost, and repaired in the digital age. In the first book to explain this new world, Botsman provides a detailed map of this uncharted landscape–and explores what’s next for humanity.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

You can request physical items, i.e. print books, DVDs & CDs, online via StarCat:

or by calling the library at: 607-936-3713 x 502.

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

The catalog of physical materials, i.e. print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc.

The Digital Catalog (OverDrive)

The catalog of e-books, downloadable audiobooks and a handful of streaming videos.

Freegal Music Service

This music service is free to library card holders and offers the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day:

RBDigital

Digital magazines on demand and for free! Back issues are available and you can even choose to be notified by email when the new issue of your favorite magazine is available.

About Library Apps:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the OverDrive, Freegal or Zinio app from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at: 607-936-3713 and one of our Digital Literacy Specialists will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.