Tag: Corning NY

Suggested Reading Five: June 4, 2025

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our five suggested reads of the week!

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Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

A female astronaut in the 1980s encounters sexism and finds romance as she chases her dreams. Joan Goodwin has always been obsessed with space, which is why she became an astrophysics professor at Rice University. But then, something happens that she’s only dreamed about–NASA announces that it’s looking for female scientists to join the space program. Joan is accepted on her second try, and in 1980, she begins training with a group of male and female candidates who, while all brilliant, have a wide range of personalities. Some of the men are sexist and spend most of their time cracking offensive jokes, but Joan finds a friend in kind-hearted pilot Hank Redmond, who gives her plenty of opportunities to learn. Joan finds both camaraderie and competition among the women–there’s determined Lydia Danes, who embodies the “I’m not here to make friends” ethos, and the more supportive Vanessa Ford, who quickly becomes one of Joan’s most trusted allies. As the group trains together, they begin to feel like a family–and as Joan grows closer to Vanessa, she realizes that life on Earth may contain just as many wonders as the cosmos. The story cuts back and forth between a disaster in 1984 and the story of Joan’s journey through the space program. Reid keeps the tension high, making this perhaps her most propulsive novel yet as she balances the drama of Joan’s personal life with the fast-paced action of a catastrophe in space. Even with the high-stakes action, the touching and surprising love story is the emotional heart of the book. A heart-pounding race against the clock combined with a love story adds up to a novel that’s impossible to put down. – Starred Kikus Review 

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The Californians: A Novel by Brian Castleberry 

Beset by complicated families and the crises of their eras, artists nevertheless strive for beauty and truth over a century of American life. Displaced by an apocalyptic Northern California wildfire, down-on-his-luck Tobey Harlan is pulled into a scheme to steal valuable paintings from his rich, politically exasperating father. Famous for her haunting 1980s portrayals of AIDS patients, painter Diane “Di” Stigl underscored the country’s moral shortcomings and battled her own demons. Castleberry reaches further back, to Di’s grandfather, silent-film auteur Klaus von Stigl, who “celebrated the dark and individualistic forces” of his adopted nation while harboring personal secrets. As the artists’ stories unfold during the turbulent twentieth century, their trajectories intertwine in complex and bewildering ways, yet the artistic striving and loss they represent is unambiguous. Fire, representing creativity and destruction, becomes a recurrent motif. Is theft the key to freedom, loss the key to renewal? Castleberry (Nine Shiny Objects, 2020) animates his characters’ lives with a longing for meaning and a commitment to historical detail. The result is a novel as ambitious, beautiful, and precarious as the Golden State itself. – Booklist Review  

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The Causative Factor by Megan Staffel 

An accident links the lives of two lovers in Staffel’s novel. Rachel Goodwin first sees Rubiat Elsayem when they attend a New York college together and meet in a performance art class called Body Expression. They’re partners on a project in which each must define the other’s essential quality. They fall in love over a 24-hour period before finding themselves on a long hike at Stony Brook State Park. Rachel watches Rubiat impulsively dive from a cliff and assumes (incorrectly) that he’s dead. She tries desperately to move on from the shock. The novel is split into two halves: The first follows Rachel through the aftermath as she builds her career as an artist and language teacher in Queens, eventually meeting someone new. The second follows both Rachel and Rubiat. Rachel unpacks her deep feelings for Rubiat, and he explores his issues with impulse control and pressure in the wake of leaving Rachel in such a spectacularly weird way. Staffel also incorporates perspectives from Dusty, Rachel’s boyfriend, whom she meets through her friend Angela, who’s Chinese American. The book movingly depicts the complexity of human psychology, such as Rachel’s inability to forget Rubiat. Other weighty themes, like Angela’s exoticization by her German boyfriend, are glossed over–a missed opportunity. Ultimately, the novel becomes a fascinating portrayal of identity, expanding on the moment that brought Rachel and Rubiat together (which lends its name as the title), explained by their teacher as an exercise that would guide the participants toward finding “their deepest motivation, the hidden foundation of their character, that quality that makes them the person they are.” A suspenseful plotline, sometimes slowed by flat secondary characters, continues to investigate the cast’s motivations, and Staffel probes Rachel’s and Rubiat’s personalities right until the final page. A gripping, unusual romance fueled by an ongoing mystery. – Kirkus Review 

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The English Masterpiece: A Novel by Katherine Reay 

At the gala opening of a Picasso exhibition at the Tate Modern, Lily Summers (the recently promoted assistant to curator Diana Gilden) does something unforgivable. Looking at a recently discovered painting hanging in the show, she exclaims, “It’s a forgery.” The ensuing scandal ignites a firestorm in the 1970s London art world and beyond. Lily looks up to Diane, even mimicking her fashion style and taste in art but eventually learns precisely who and what her mentor is. In the search for the painting’s provenance, secrets are revealed, alliances are formed, and lives are threatened. Amid all the chaos, Lily looks hard at her own life and choices and rediscovers her artistic aspirations. Reay’s (The London House) intricately woven tale combines an intriguing art mystery with one young woman’s journey of self-discovery. Her descriptions of 1970s food, art, fashion, and luxurious interiors are evocative, the story is fast-paced, and the dialogue fizzy.

VERDICT A stylish historical that will appeal to art-loving readers and fans of strong women characters.–Library Journal Review  

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Polybius by Collin Armstrong 

One damp California day in October 1982, Polybius strangely becomes the most popular game in Tasker Bay. With wildly advanced graphics and mesmerizing gameplay, it’s magnetic. Electronics-obsessed high-schooler Andi is in charge of the Home Video World’s arcade, and she notices things aren’t quite right with Polybius. The game was purchased used, with no marquee sign or markings, and Andi finds no way to reach the manufacturer when players slowly start to become infected with fugue states, go on violent rampages, and begin to take revenge. Debut author Armstrong taps into the urban legend of the eponymous game that mysteriously flickered in and out of existence in the early 1980s, rumored to be a government conspiracy. As Andi connects with fellow student Ro, the two team up to figure out why everyone is so affected by playing the game. Andi might have a secret weapon against Polybius’ hypnotic pull, while Ro’s helpless descent into its depths may be his downfall. Polybius is retro and atmospheric; fans of The God Game (2020), by Danny Tobey, or Rabbits, by Terry Miles (2021), will find enjoyable parallels. – Booklist Review 

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Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Suggested Reading Five posts are published on Wednesdays.

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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

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Information on the four library catalogs

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.

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Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

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Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders!

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV).

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.

–

Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

–

Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Listening April 11, 2025

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Suggested Listening postings are published on Fridays; and our next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, April 18, 2025.

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Last week we listened to a collection of songs by the great bluesman Muddy Waters, who was born April 4, 1915 (or 1913 – there is some question about the year); and this week we will listen to a collection of songs by a variety of other artists who were born during the month of April.  

 

The Little Old Lady (From Pasadena) by Jan & Dean (Jan Barry was born April 3, 1941) 

 

Found on the LP: Jan and Dean’s Greatest Hits (1991) 

 

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Ramrod by Duane Eddy (Duane Eddy was born in Corning, on April 26, 1938) 

 

Found on the Album: Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel (1958) 

  

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I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye (Born April 2, 1939) 

 

Found On The Album: In The groove (1968) 

 

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Let’s Stay Together by Al Green (Born April 13, 1946) 

 

Found on the Album: Let’s Stay Together (1972) 

  

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Flying Home by Lionel Hampton (Born April 20, 1908) 

 

Found On The Album: Flying Home (1965) 

  

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Cantaloupe Island by Herbie Handcock (Born April 12, 1940) 

  

Found On The Album: Empyrean Isles (1964) 

  

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What A Little Moonlight Can Do by Billie Holiday (Born April 7, 1915) 

 

Found On The Album: The Essential Billie Holiday  (2010) 

 

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Dedicated To You by Freddie Hubbard (Born April 7, 1938) 

 

Found On The Album: The Body And The Soul (1964) 

 

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Oh, Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison (Born April 23, 1936) 

 

Found On The Album: The Essential Roy Orbison (2006) 

 

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St. Louis Blues by Bessie Smith (Born April 15, 1894) 

 

Found On The Album: The Essential Bessie Smith (2013) 

 

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Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Information on the four library catalogs

The Digital Catalog aka Libby: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.

–

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

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Kanopy Catalog: https://www.kanopy.com/en

The Kanopy Catalog features thousands of streaming videos available on demand.

The Kanopy Catalog is available for all Southern Tier Library System member library card holders, including all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders!

You can access the Kanopy Catalog through a web browser, or download the app to your phone, tablet or media streaming player (i.e. Roku, Google or Fire TV).

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StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.

–

Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios or streaming videos)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

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Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Read In At Library Tomorrow Friday, April 11 – Join Us!

Linda Reimer

For additional information visit the Read In program description on our website

https://ssclibrary.org/event/library-read-in-in-support-of-libraries/

Have a great day,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Suggested Reading Five: January 22, 2025

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our five suggested reads of the week!

Weekly Suggested Reading Five postings are usually published on Wednesdays, unless Monday is a holiday and then they are published later in the week.

And the next Suggested Reading posting will be published on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.

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Boudicca by P. C. Cast  

After the death of her husband, Boudicca is crowned queen of the Iceni tribe. In Roman-occupied Britannia, the idea of a woman ruler is one of weakness, and the Roman tax collector Catus Decianus leads an attack on the tribe’s stronghold, to deadly and personally damaging results. However, instead of folding, Boudicca calls a war council, determined to strike back at the Romans. With the help of childhood friend and Druid seer Rhan and horse master Maldwyn, Boudicca finds strength, her goddess’s support, and love. With success in brutal attacks against wealthy Roman-held cities, the Iceni prepare to wait out the icy winter and plan their final attacks. When traitors emerge and destiny is bleak, Boudicca must place her faith in the powers beyond to ensure the survival of her people.

VERDICT The real history of the red-haired warrior queen is given new life in Cast’s (Out of the Dawn) well-told reimagining and worldbuilding, with prose that allows readers to see both a battle-hardened leader and a mother fighting for those she loves. – Library Journal Review 

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The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

“A stunning and accomplished debut, with hugely relatable characters and an addictive storyline that kept me turning the pages well into the night. Bravo!” —BA Paris, New York Times bestselling author 

“Wow, The Business Trip was nonstop twists and turns. I loved the unusual way that the story was told, and I kept reading all day long because I couldn’t wait to see how it ended!” — Freida McFadden, New York Times bestselling author 

THE BUSINESS TRIP is the gripping, page-turning debut from author Jessie Garcia. 

Stephanie and Jasmine have nothing and everything in common. The two women don’t know each other but are on the same plane. Stephanie is on a business trip and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. After a few days, they text their friends the same exact messages about the same man—the messages becoming stranger and more erratic. 

And then the two women vanish. The texts go silent, the red flags go up, and the panic sets in. When Stephanie and Jasmine are each declared missing and in danger, it begs the questions: Who is Trent McCarthy? What did he do to these women— or what did they do to him? 

Twist upon twist, layer upon layer, where nothing is as it seems, The Business Trip takes you on a descent into the depths of a mastermind manipulator. But who is playing who? 

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Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor  

Disabled, disinclined to marry, and more interested in writing than a lucrative career in medicine or law, Zelu has always felt like the outcast of her large Nigerian family. Then her life is upended when, in the middle of her sister’s lavish Caribbean wedding, she’s unceremoniously fired from her university job and, to add insult to injury, her novel is rejected by yet another publisher. With her career and dreams crushed in one fell swoop, she decides to write something just for herself. What comes out is nothing like the quiet, literary novels that have so far peppered her unremarkable career. It’s a far-future epic where androids and AI wage war in the grown-over ruins of human civilization. She calls it Rusted Robots. 

When Zelu finds the courage to share her strange novel, she does not realize she is about to embark on a life-altering journey—one that will catapult her into literary stardom, but also perhaps obliterate everything her book was meant to be. From Chicago to Lagos to the far reaches of space, Zelu’s novel will change the future not only for humanity, but for the robots who come next. 

A book-within-a-book that blends the line between writing and being written, Death of the Author is a masterpiece of metafiction that manages to combine the razor-sharp commentary of Yellowface with the heartfelt humanity of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Surprisingly funny, deeply poignant, and endlessly discussable, this is at once the tale of a woman on the margins risking everything to be heard and a testament to the power of storytelling to shape the world as we know it.  

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The Last Room on the Left by Leah Konen  

The latest from the author of Keep Your Friends Close (2024) is set at a remote motel that Kerry, a struggling author, has agreed to look after while she attempts to make progress on her latest novel. Kerry is also hiding from the break-up of her marriage to Frank; her split with her best friend, Siobhan; and the cause of both of those ruptures, her struggle with alcoholism. Kerry arrives at the Twilite Motel at the beginning of February and finds much more than she bargained for when she sees the hand of a dead woman sticking out of the snow. With no cell service, Kerry seeks the help of the two closest neighbors, only to learn they’re both in a land dispute with the motel’s owner. Once Kerry returns to the motel, she discovers not only that the body has been moved, but that, to her horror, the dead woman is someone she knows. Though Kerry’s reliability, particularly concerning the victim’s identity, stretches credulity at times, this is a fast-paced and engrossing read. – Booklist Review 

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Three Wild Dogs (and the Truth): A Memoir by Markus Zusak  

In this poignant, funny, and disarmingly honest memoir, one of the world’s most beloved storytellers, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book Thief, tells of his family’s adoption of three troublesome rescue dogs—a charming and courageous love story about making even the most incorrigible of animals family. 

There’s a madman dog beside me, and the hounds of memory ahead of us . . . It’s love and beasts and wild mistakes, and regret, but never to change things. 

What happens when the Zusak family opens their home to three big, wild, street-hardened dogs—Reuben, more wolf than hound; Archer, blond, beautiful, destructive; and the rancorously smiling Frosty, who walks like a rolling thunderstorm? 

The answer can only be chaos: There are street fights, park fights, public shamings, property damages, injuries, hospital visits, wellness checks, pure comedy, shocking tragedy, and carnage that must be read to be believed. 

There is a reckoning of shortcomings and failure, a strengthening of will, but most important of all, an explosion of love—and the joy and recognition of family. 

Three Wild Dogs (and the Truth) is a tender, motley, and exquisitely written memoir about the human need for both connection and disorder, a love letter to the animals who bring hilarity and beauty—but also the visceral truth of the natural world—straight to our doors and into our lives and change us forever. 

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Happy reading!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Note: Book summaries are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

–

Information on the three library catalogs

The Digital Catalog: https://stls.overdrive.com/

The Digital Catalog, is an online catalog containing eBooks, eAudiobooks, and digital magazines. You can use your library card and checkout content on a PC; you can also use the companion app, Libby, to access titles on your mobile devices; so you can enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks on the go!

All card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can check out items from the Digital Catalog.

–

Hoopla Catalog: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

The Hoopla Catalog features on demand checkouts of eBooks, eAudiobooks, comic books, albums, movies and TV shows. Patron check out limit is 10 items per month.

Hoopla is a Southeast Steuben County Library service available to all Southeast Steuben County Library card holders.

The Hoopla companion app, also called Hoopla is available for mobile devices, smart TVs & media streaming players.

–

StarCat: The catalog of physical/traditional library materials: https://starcat.stls.org

Card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries can access StarCat to search for and request materials available at libraries through out the Southern Tier Library System.

–

Have questions about how to access Internet based content (i.e. eBooks, eAudios)? Feel free to drop by the Reference Desk or call the library and we will assist you! The library’s telephone number is: 607-936-3713.

–

Tech & Book Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Listening: December 27, 2024

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Suggested Listening postings are published on Fridays; and our next Suggested Listening posting will be out on Friday, January 3, 2025.

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And here are the 10 recommended songs of the week, in keeping with the season, this week we have a New Year’s collection – Enjoy!

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Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians

From The Album: Auld Lang Syne (1993)

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The Best Is Yet To Come by Frank Sinatra

From The Album: Nothing But The Best (2008)

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Blue Champagne by Anita O’Day

From The Album: The Complete Anita O’Day Verve-Clef Sessions (1999)

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Bringing In A Brand New Year by Charles Brown  

From The Album: Cool Christmas Blues (1994)

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Celebration by Kool & The Gang

From The Album: Celebration: The Best of Kool & the Gang 1979-1987 (1994)

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Feeling Good by Nina Simone

From The Album: I Put A Spell On You (2000)

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Let The Good Times Roll by Louis Jordan

From The Album: Let The Good Times Roll: The Anthology 1938 – 1953 (1999)

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Let’s Start The New Year Right by Bing Crosby  

From The Album: Bing Sings The Irving Berlin Songbook (2014)

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The Party’s Over by Nat King Cole 

From The Album: Let’s Face The Music (1994)

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What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? by Ella Fitzgerald

From The Album: Ella & Louis Wish You A Swinging Holiday (Deluxe) (2024)

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Hoopla Album of the Week 

Beethoven Blues by Jon Batiste

Beethoven Blues

And from the album the song:

Für Elise 

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Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

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

–

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

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

–

The Libby App

Libby

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

–

Hoopla

A catalog of instant check out items, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, TV shows and movies for patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.

–

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Listening December 6, 2024

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, welcome to our Suggested Listening posting for this week!

Suggested Listening postings are published on Fridays; and our next Suggested Listening posting will be posted on Friday, December 13, 2024.

–

And here are our  recommended songs of the week!

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Cold Weather Blues by Muddy Waters

From The Album: Folk Singer (1964)

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The Dark Night of The Soul by Loreena McKennitt

From The Album: The Mask And Mirror Live (2024)

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The Frost Is All Over by The Chieftains

From The Album: Voice Of Ages (2012)

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It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry

From The Album: Highway 61’ Revisited (1965)

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Kisses From The Falling Snow by David Arkenstone

From The Album: Winterlude (2023)

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Like The Weather by 10,000 Maniacs 

From The Album: In My Tribe (1987)

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Shoot The Moon by Norah Jones

From The Album: Come Away With Me (2002)

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Snowfall by Claude Thornhill

From The Album: Snowfall (2002)

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Skating In Central Park by Modern Jazz Quartet

From The Album: The Complete Last Concert (1974)

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Snowy Morning Blues by James P. Johnson

From The Album: Snowy Morning Blues (1991)

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Sometimes In Winter by Blood, Sweat & Tears

From The Album: Blood, Sweat & Tears (1968)

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Winter Lady by Leonard Cohen 

From The Album: Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)

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Winter Moon by Stan Getz

From The Album: Stan Getz With Guest Artist Laurindo Almeida (1963)

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Winter Song by Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles

From The Album: Snowfall EP (2017)

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Hoopla Album of the Week: 

The Winter Winds (2009) by P. E. Hewitt Jazz Ensemble  

image

And from the album:

The Winter Winds 

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Have a great weekend,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Online Catalog Links:

StarCat

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

–

The Digital Catalog, web version of Libby

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

–

The Libby App

Libby

Libby is the companion app to the Digital Catalog and may be found in the Apple & Google app.

–

Hoopla

A catalog of instant check out items, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, comic books, TV shows and movies for patrons of the Southeast Steuben County Library.

–

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

New York Times Bestsellers: November 17, 2024

Linda Reimer

All titles can be requested/checked out through the library.

If you’d like to go the traditional route to request a title on this list and drop by the library, or give us a call – please do!

Our telephone number is: 607-936-3713

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New York Times Bestseller lists are shared via blog post on Sundays. And the next NYT blog post will be posted on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

THE BESTSELLERS

FICTION

1. THE GREY WOLF  by Louise Penny: The 19th book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. Shifting alliances complicate the frenzied pursuit of a sinister threat. 

2. IN TOO DEEP by Lee Child and Andrew Child: The 29th book in the Jack Reacher series. Reacher wakes up in a precarious position with no memory of how he got there. 

3. THE BOYFRIEND by Freida McFadden: A series of recent deaths causes Sydney Shaw to become suspicious of the handsome doctor she started dating. 

4. THE WAITING by Michael Connelly: The sixth book in the Ballard and Bosch series. Bosch’s daughter, Maddie, becomes a new volunteer on the cold case unit. 

5. FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros: Violet Sorrengail is urged by the commanding general, who also is her mother, to become a candidate for the elite dragon riders. 

6. THRONE OF SECRETS by Kerri Maniscalco: The second book in the Prince of Sin series. As danger grows, the Prince of Gluttony and a journalist turn to each other. 

7. THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah: In 1965, a nursing student follows her brother to serve during the Vietnam War and returns to a divided America. 

8. THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden: Troubles surface when a woman looking to make a fresh start takes a job in the home of the Winchesters. 

9. THE BLUE HOUR by Paula Hawkins: After a discovery is made in a London art gallery, a woman living alone on an island that once was the home of a famous artist gets a visitor. 

10. COUNTING MIRACLES by Nicholas Sparks: A man in search of the father he never knew encounters a single mom and rumors circulate of the nearby appearance of a white deer. 

11. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros: The second book in the Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail’s next round of training might require her to betray the man she loves. 

12. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas: After killing a wolf in the woods, Feyre is taken from her home and placed inside the world of the Fae. 

13. THE STRIKER by Ana Huang: A former prima ballerina gets close to a controversial and well-known footballer whom she must train over the summer. 

14. THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET by Freida McFadden: The second book in the Housemaid series. The sound of crying and the appearance of blood portend misdeeds. 

15. LIGHTS OUT by Navessa Allen: As Aly and Josh live out their dark fantasies, someone with sinister intentions impinges on them. 

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NON-FICTION

1. MELANIA by Melania Trump: The former first lady describes her work as a fashion model, marriage to Donald Trump and time in the White House. 

2. FRAMED by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey: Our criminal justice system viewed through the struggles of 10 wrongfully convicted people to achieve exoneration. 

3. WAR by Bob Woodward: The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist looks at our contentious time through battles in Ukraine and the Middle East and for the American presidency. 

4. BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS by Ina Garten: A memoir by the cookbook author and Food Network host known as the Barefoot Contessa. 

5. REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT by Malcolm Gladwell: Through a series of stories, Gladwell explicates the causes of various kinds of epidemics. 

6. FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough: Presley’s memoir, completed by her daughter, explores her relationships and challenges. 

7. THE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates: The author of “Between the World and Me” travels to three locations to uncover the dissonance between the realities on the ground and the narratives shaped about them. 

8. THE ANXIOUS GENERATION by Jonathan Haidt: A co-author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” looks at the mental health impacts that a phone-based life has on children. 

9. CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard: The conservative commentator evaluates the legacies of American presidents. 

10. PATRIOT by Alexei Navalny: A posthumously published memoir by the late Russian political opposition leader and political prisoner who began writing this after his near-fatal poisoning in 2020. 

11. BROTHERS by Alex Van Halen: The drummer of the iconic rock band Van Halen shares stories about his partnership in life and music with his late brother Edward. 

12. HILLBILLY ELEGY by J.D. Vance: The Yale Law School graduate and 2024 Republican vice presidential nominee looks at the struggles of the white working class through the story of his own childhood. 

13. AMERICAN HEROES by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann with Tim Malloy: A collection of stories of soldiers who served in conflicts overseas. 

14. THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE by Bessel van der Kolk: How trauma affects the body and mind, and innovative treatments for recovery. 

15. NEXUS by Yuval Noah Harari: The author of “Sapiens” delves into how societies and political systems have used information and gives a warning about artificial intelligence. 

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Have a great Sunday!

Linda

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THE CATALOGS:

Catalog 1: StarCat

StarCat is the catalog of physical materials including print books, DVDs, audiobooks on CD etc. StarCat is available to all patrons of all public libraries in the Southern Tier Library System*

Starcat can be found online at: https://starcat.stls.org/

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Catalog 2: The Digital Catalog

The Digital Catalog (and its companion app Libby) offers all Southern Tier Library System member library patrons access to eBooks, eAudiobooks & eMagazines via a lending model known in Library-ese as “one copy/one user;” that library speak means that eBooks & eAudiobooks found in The Digital Catalog/Libby are like print books found on library shelves, only one patron can check out a copy of a title at a time.

Exception: Magazines found in the digital catalog are available via a different lending model known as simultaneous access. And that fancy library speak means that magazines are available for all patrons to check out at the same time, i.e. if you and all your family and friends wish to read the latest digital edition of Newsweek, all of you can check out the e version of the magazine and read it at the same time.

The Digital Catalog/Libby checkout limit is 5 titles a time.

The Digital Catalog is found online at: https://stls.overdrive.com/

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Catalog 3: Hoopla

The Hoopla Digital Catalog (and its companion app, also called Hoopla) offers Southeast Steuben County Library patrons access to a second digital catalog with an on-demand lending model. In library speak, this lending model, like The Digital Catalog/Libby’s magazine lending model, is known as “simultaneous access.” The difference is, the Hoopla catalog offers access to more formats: eBooks, eAudiobooks, eComics, digital albums, TV shows & movies – and all items, in all those formats, are available  for patrons to checkout immediately. The Hoopla check out limit is ten titles per month.

Hoopla Formats: All Hoopla content can be accessed on a computer or mobile device, and TV shows and movies can be accessed on computers, mobile devices, smart TVs and media streaming players, i.e. Roku or  Apple TV.

The Hoopla Catalog is found online at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/

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*The Southern Tier Library System includes the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler & Allegheny counties.

Suggested Listening December 2019 – January 2, 2020

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, as it is the holiday season and everyone is so busy, this suggested listening posting will cover two weeks, from this Friday 12/20 through next 12/27, and will feature holiday music. The first Suggested Listening posting of 2020 will be up on Friday, January 3.

Also, in the next few days I’ll be putting out a Un-Holiday suggested listening posting for those that don’t celebrate the holidays, and those who might be just the tiniest bit tired of hearing Christmas music!

Getting back to this posting, this week I’m going highlight one holiday podcast and albums and playlists from the Freegal Music Service which, for now, is available for free to all library card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries including ours!

The Freegal Music Service allows you to stream and download music and has been very popular with a small group of patrons. However, the eBooks and downloadable audiobooks available through OverDrive & Libby are much, much more popular so Freegl will be discontinued late in the spring of 2020 – so listen for free while you can!

And just a reminder, you can play Freegal music on a PC or Mac and also, via the Freegal Music app, on your smartphone or tablet.

And to access any of the recommended music titles simply click or tap on the album or playlist photo.

 

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The Recommended Podcast:

The podcast I’m recommending is Richard Taylor’s Roots Rock Radio 2019 Christmas Special Edition podcast.

I’ll admit I love roots rock, AKA traditional rock or classic rock!

And if you like roots rock music too – then this is the podcast for you!

You can access the free podcast, which features new roots rock music from around the country, and comes out several times a year, by going to the Richard Taylor’s Roots Rock Radio website located at https://rrradio.com/ or, by subscribing to the podcast through the podcast app on your smartphone or tablet.

The link for the Christmas podcast is right on the RR Radio homepage and, again, the website address for the podcast is:

https://rrradio.com/

And once Richard Taylor has finished his introduction you get to listen to two hours of commercial free, new indie roots rock music!

I haven’t listened to all the songs yet but the songs I’ve listen to so far are full of humorous cheer!

The songs include All I Want For Christmas Is A Carburetor and Down In Christmas Prison (where you wind up if you are naughty instead of nice!)

And on to the Freegal Streamable Music!

Classical & Traditional Holiday Albums & Playlists:

Classical Christmas by Various Artists

Traditional Christmas music by the Rias Chamber Chorus & Rias Sinfonietta & Virtuosi Saxoniae

 

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Classical Christmas by Festive Harp

Festive Harp plays thirty Christmas favorites including Sleigh Ride, White Christmas, Silver Bells, Oh, Christmas Tree and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

 

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English Folk Carols by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band,Sneak’s Noyse

English folk carols including the songs The Sans Day Carol, Oh, Christmas Now Is Drawing Near at Hand, Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child, English Dance & The Boar’s Head.

 

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Country Holiday Albums & Playlists:

Brad Paisley Christmas by Brad Paisley

Brad sings Winter Wonderland, Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, Penguin, James Penguin and other holiday favorites.

 

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Christmas 16 Biggest Hits by Various Artists

Christmas classics by classic country artists including Gene Autry, Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson.

 

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Country Christmas Playlist

A 78 song Christmas playlist by country artists old and new including Patty Loveless, Alabama, Sara Evans, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chet Atkins & Kenny Chesney.

 

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Jazz, Swing Holiday & World Music Albums & Playlists:

The Classic Big Band Christmas Album Various Artists

A terrific collection by Christmas music by vintage big band artists including Benny Goodman, Peggy Lee, Eddy Duchin, Isham Jones, Sammy Kaye & Woody Herman

 

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Ella At Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald

Ella sings songs of holiday cheer with grace and gusto! Songs include: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? and Good Morning Blues.

 

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Christmas With Louis Armstrong & Friends by Louis Armstrong & Various Artists

The various artists in this World War II era collection include Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, The Andrew Sisters, Perry Como, Vera Lynn, Judy Garland, Glenn Miller, Les Brown & Lena Horne.

 

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A Jazzy Wonderland Various Artists

This 14 song Christmas set features modern jazz artists including Harry Connick Jr., Nancy Wilson, Grover Washington, Marlon Jordan, Wynton Marsalis & Keith Whalum.

 

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Solstice Live by Paul Winter Consort

Timely songs from the PWC include Fanfare, Tomorrow Is My Dancing Day, Fog On The Hill, Shaman and Buena Nueva.

 

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Pop, Rock & R&B Rock Holiday Albums & Playlists:

Christmas a Go-Go by Various Artists

The eclectic collection of songs features classic rock artists and a few comedians! Artists/comedians include Soupy Sales, Joe Pesci, The Ramones, The Kinks, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Rufus Thomas & The Electric Prunes.

 

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Classic Christmas, Vol. 2 by Various Artist

This album features the type of easy listening music I heard at my grandparents house when I was a kid. I wasn’t fond of it then – but boy is it relaxing now! Artists include Frankie Laine, 101 Strings, June Christy, Stan Kenton, Dana Serenaders, Lionel Hampton & Mel Blanc.

 

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The Classic Christmas Album by Elvis Presley

This “classic” Christmas album features music from Elvis’s Classic Christmas album and two duets, which were made in recent years, I’ll Be Home For Christmas with Carrie Underwood & Blue Christmas with Martina McBride.

 

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A Christmas Gift for You (1963) by Phil Spector & Various Artists

Phil Spector’s early Wall of Sound artists Darlene Love, The Ronettes, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans & The Crystals offer a cozy collection of early sixties pop-Christmas music.

 

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Christmas Goes Gospel: ‘Tis the Season by Various Artists

A Gospel collection featuring Hezekiah Walker, CeCe Winans, Vicki Winans, Jonathan Butler, The Temptations and Take 6.

 

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Christmas Jazz & Blues by Various Artists

This blues and jazz collection features Lightnin’ Hopkins, The Swing Cats, Ray Charles, Oscar McLollie, Freddy King, Bib John Greer, Ronnie Aldrich and Otis Redding.

 

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Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano

Everyone has heard the title track from this album, Feliz Navidad, and indeed it has become a perennial classic in the years since its 1970 release. And here, for your enjoyment is the entire album!

 

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The Glory of Christmas by 101 Strings

Classic instrumental Christmas music by the masters of 1950s and 1960s easy listening music.

 

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The Golden Age of Light Music: Christmas Celebrations by Various Artists

Christmas music by Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra, Percy Faith & His Orchestra, The Melachrino Orchestra, Angela Morley & Her Orchestra, The Boston Pops and Mantovani & His Orchestra.

 

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Jermaine Dupri Presents Twelve Soulful Nights Of Christmas by Various Artists

Featuring Kenny Lattimore, Xscape, K-Ci & JoJo, Alicia Keys, Voices of Soul, Chaka Khan & Faith Evans.

 

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Kwanzaa by Various Artists

Artists include Miriam Makeba, Nathan Mdledle, Mahalia Jackson, Teddy Greaves, Paul Robeson & Bob Marley.

 

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The Magic Of Hanukkah by The Magic Of Hanukkah band

Songs in the collection include The Latke Song, Candle Blessings (Chanukah Blessings), My Dreidel (I Have A Little Dreidel), Al HaNisim & Hanerot Halalu.

 

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Rock This Christmas by The John Lindberg Trio

A collection of roots rock Christmas music including the songs A Good Thing Coming, Rudolph, Christmas Honeymoon, I Want Your Love For Christmas and Stuck With The Sleigh.

 

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Videos Of The Week:

Christmas Oratorio, Sinfornia In G Major by Virtuosi Saxoniae

 

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Sonata Natalis In C Major by Virtuosi Saxoniae

 

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Christmas Carols by Kings College Cambridge

 

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The Christmas Song by Festive Harp

 

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The Twelve Days of Christmas by Festive Harp

 

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Oh, Christmas Now Is Drawing Near At Hand / We’ve Been Awhile a-Wandering / The Waits by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band,Sneak’s Noyse

 

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On Christmas Night by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, Sneak’s Noyse

 

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Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday by Brad Paisley

 

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Winter Wonderland by Brad Paisley

 

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Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry

 

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Santa Claus is Coming To Town by Merle Haggard

 

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Bells Are Ringing by Mary Chapin Carpenter

 

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Winter Weather by Benny Goodman & His Orchestra with Peggy Lee

 

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Let It Snow by Woody Herman & His Orchestra

 

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Highland Heaven by The Paul Winter Consort

 

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Tomorrow Is My Dancing Day by The Paul Winter Consort

 

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Christmas Songs by Ella Fitzgerald

 

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Christmas In New Orleans by Louis Armstrong

 

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White Christmas by Bing Crosby

 

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Blue Christmas by Grover Washington Jr.

 

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Winter Wonderland by Wynton Marsalis

 

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Santa Drives A Hot Rod by The Brian Setzer Orchestra

 

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Santa Claus Is Surfin’ To Town by Soupy Sales

 

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We Wish You A Merry Christmas by 101 Strings

 

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Merry Christmas Baby by Elvis

 

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Blue Christmas by Elvis

 

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Frosty the Snowman by The Ronettes

 

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Here Comes Santa Claus by Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans

 

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Doo Wop Christmas by Kem

 

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Carol Of The Bells by Mary Mary

 

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Deck The Halls by The Mexicali Brass

 

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Christmas Tears by Freddie King

 

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A Five Pound Box Of Money by Pearl Bailey

 

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Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano

 

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Jingle Bells by Jose Feliciano

 

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It Came Upon A Midnight Clear by 101 Strings

 

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The Twelve Days Of Christmas by 101 Strings

 

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We Three Kings by Percy Faith & His Orchestra

 

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Good King Wenceslas by George Melachrino & His Orchestra

 

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In Love at Christmas by K-Ci & JoJo

 

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The Little Drummer Girl by Alicia Keys

 

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Afro Blue by Cal Tjader

 

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Swahili Song by Teddy Greaves

 

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The Latke Song by The Magic of Hannukkah

 

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S’veevone (S’vivon, Sov Sov Sov) by The Magic of Hanukkah

 

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Christmas Honeymoon by The John Lindberg Trio

 

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A Good Thing Coming by The John Lindberg Trio

 

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Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee

 

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The Joys of Christmas by Chris Rea

 

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Twisted Christmas by The Bob Rivers Comedy Troup

 

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Ten Hours Of Crackling Logs (Fireplace w no music)

 

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Instrumental Christmas Music with Fireplace 24/7

 

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Yulesville by Edward “Kookie” Burns

 

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Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney & Wings

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Have a great weekend & holiday season!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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REFERENCES:

Print References

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn

Online References

Africa Speaks Review written by Thom Jurek, AllMusic, https://www.allmusic.com/album/africa-speaks-mw0003268513

AllMusic: https://www.allmusic.com/

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.

ABOUT LIBRARY APPS: Libby & RBDigital:

You can access digital library content on PCs, Macs and mobile devices. For mobile devices simply download the Libby and/or the RBDigital app, to check out eBooks, downloadable audiobooks and on-demand magazines, from your app store to get started. If you have questions call the library at 607-936-3713 and one of our tech coaches will be happy to assist you.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Listening Feburary 1, 2019

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our lucky seven musical streaming* suggestions for the week.

(Click on the photo of the albums to stream them)

Recommended Freegal Streaming Albums & Playlists (Genre: Many!):

Black History Month Playlist featuring Various Artists:

February is Black History Month, offering us the opportunity to learn more about the history and rich cultural heritage of African Americans, and by extension the history and cultural heritage of America itself; as America is a nation of many diverse peoples who contribute their individual threads of culture and history, that when joined together create the tapestry that is the United States.

With that in mind, Freegal is featuring a Black History Month playlist. The list runs more than six hours and features 92 songs. Most of the songs are by great vintage artists including: Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Harry Belafonte, Louis Jordan, Aretha Franklin and Dinah Washington; although the collection also includes some contemporary artists including, Bad Brains, Michael Jackson, A Tribe Called Quest, Alicia Keys and John Legend.

And Martin Luther King Jr. is also featured in the collection. He gives a short speech titled We Shall Overcome.

Songs in the collection include: Wade In The Water by The Staple Singers, Me And The Devil Blues by Robert Johnson, No More Auction Block For Me by Odetta, Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday and A Change Is Gonna Come by Same Cooke.

It is a great playlist – check it out!

 

El Sofisticado Jazz & Lounge De Cocktail Inn (2009) by Cocktail Inn (Genre: Jazz, Cocktail Music, Pop, Instrumental):

I couldn’t find any information online about the group “Cocktail Inn.” What I can tell you is that their collection titled El Sofisticado Jazz & Lounge De Cocktail Inn features 14 cool lounge songs – perfect for background music during dinner, cocktail parties or during a cold weekend afternoon!

And I can tell you that according to Google, the English title of the album is Sophisticated Jazz & Lounge by Cocktail Inn.

The songs on the LP are all lounge classics including: Brief And Breezy, Days Of Wine And Roses & The Pink Panther Theme written by Henry Mancini, Corcovado, Wave and The Girl From Ipanema composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim, The Way You Look Tonight written by Jerome Kern and Green Onions originally written and performed by Booker T. & the MGs.

 

Live in Atlantic City (2019) by Heart (Genre: Rock):

The classic band Heart, led by sisters Ann & Nancy Wilson, offers us a live LP, Live In Atlantic City, for this their twenty-third album.

The group plays their greatest hits accompanied by some terrific guests including: Carrie Underwood, Jane’s Addiction founding member and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro, country singer-songwriter Gretchen Wilson, singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright and the band Alice In Chains.

Songs in the set include: Crazy On You, Bébé Le Strange & Straight On (w. Dave Navarro), Lost Angel & Rock n’ Roll (w. Gretchen Wilson), Dog & Butterfly (w. Rufus Wainwright), Rooster (with Alice In Chains) and Barracuda (w. all guests artists).

This is a fun album and perfect for weekend listening! The songs are all familiar but with the guest artists joining in they have an extra spark that makes them even more enjoyable to listen to.

 

Out of Sight (1968) by Maxine Brown (Genre: R&B, Pop, Vocal):

Out Of Sight is classic album by the sixties R&B singer Maxine Brown.

Brown really is a top notch singer and should be much better known today than she is. This album is from the pivotal year 1968 and features the following songs: Sugar Dumplin’, I Wish It Would Rain, I’m In Love, In My Entire Life & When A Man Loves A Woman.

 

Liberty: Piano Songbook (2018) by Lindi Ortega (Genre: Piano, Popular Music, Instrumental, Country):

Lindi Ortega is an award winning Canadian singer-songwriter whose previous five albums clearly showcase her great voice and country music style. With her Liberty: Piano Songbook, which is an instrumental album, she changes pace completely and shows, that in addition to being a great singer/songwriter, she is also a fine pianist.

Songs on the LP include: You Ain’t Foolin Me, Til My Dyin Day, Forever Blue, Pablo, The Comeback Kid and Nothing’s Impossible.

 

Somewhere in Between (2018) by Adam Hood (Genre: Country, Americana): 

Somewhere in Between is Nashville singer-songwriter Adams Hood latest LP. And on the LP Hood shows off his relatable-slice-of-life songs and his laid back Americana style.

Songs on the album include: Easy Way, Locomotive, Alabama Moon, Downturn, Easy Way and Heart of a Queen.

 

Standards: What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life? (2018) by Alexander Claffy (Genre: Jazz):

According to his hip website, Alexander Claffy is a New York City based bassist and bandleader.
Standards is his new album and it offers a collection of Jazz standards, obviously!  – the songs are indeed standards and thus great songs!

Songs in the set include: Blues on the Corner, You Must Believe in Spring, Michelle, Just One of Those Things & So in Love.

 

Videos of the Week:

What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue by Louis Armstrong:

Poor Man’s Blues by Bessie Smith:

Oh, Freedom by Harry Belafonte:

The Bourgeois Blues by Leadbelly (aka Lead Belly):

Am I Asking Too Much? by Dinah Washington:

Saturday Night Fish Fry by Louis Jordan:

To Be Young Gifted And Black by Nina Simone:

 

Hard Times by John Legend & The Roots:

 

Blue Moon by Cocktail Inn:

 

Crazy On You by Heart with David Navarro:

 

I Wish It Would Rain by Maxine Brown:

 

The Comeback Kid by Linda Ortega:

 

Easy Way by Adam Hood:

 

Blues On The Corner by Alexander Claffy with Kurt Rosenwinkel & David Kikoski:

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

REFERENCES:

AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/

Alexander Claffy’s Official Website https://www.claffy.me/

The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Witburn

About Freegal: 

Freegal is a free streaming music service available for free to library card holders of all Southern Tier Library System member libraries. STLS member libraries include all the public libraries in Steuben, Chemung, Yates, Schuyler and Allegany counties — including our own Southeast Steuben County Library.

You can download the Freegal music app to your mobile device or access the desktop version of the site by clicking on the following link:

*The Freegal service offers library card holders the option to download, and keep, three free songs per week and to stream three hours of commercial free music each day.

Tech Talk is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Suggested Reading December 10, 2018

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, here are our recommended titles for the week, five digital titles available through OverDrive and five print titles available through StarCat.

(Note: Click on the photo of the item you’d like to request or check out)

Digital Suggestions Of The Week:

Beastie Boys Book written by Michael Diamond & Adam Horovitz (Format: Downloadable Audiobook):

A current New York Times Bestseller!

A panoramic experience that tells the story of Beastie Boys, an audiobook as unique as the band itself.

Formed as a New York City hardcore band in 1981, Beastie Boys struck an unlikely path to global hip hop superstardom. Here is their story, told for the first time in the words of the band. Adam “ADROCK” Horovitz and Michael “Mike D” Diamond offer revealing and very funny accounts of their transition from teenage punks to budding rappers. For more than thirty years, this band has had an inescapable and indelible influence on popular culture.

With a style as distinctive and eclectic as a Beastie Boys album, Beastie Boys Book upends the typical music memoir, featuring a collection of voices reminiscent of your favorite mixtape.
Photo Credit © 1987 Lynn Goldsmith

Audiobook Cast Includes:
Steve Buscemi
Ada Calhoun
Bobby Cannavale
Exene Cervenka
Roy Choi
Jarvis Cocker
Elvis Costello
Chuck D
Nadia Dajani
Michael Diamond
Snoop Dogg
Will Ferrell
Crosby Fitzgerald
Randy Gardner
Kim Gordon
Josh Hamilton
Adam Horovitz
LL Cool J
Spike Jonze
Pat Kiernan
Talib Kweli
Dave Macklovitch
Rachel Maddow
Tim Meadows
Bette Midler
Mix Master Mike
Nas
Yoshimi O
Rosie Perez
Amy Poehler
Kelly Reichardt
John C. Reilly
Ian Rogers
Maya Rudolph
Rev Run
Luc Sante
Kate Schellenbach
MC Serch
Chloe Sevigny
Jon Stewart
Ben Stiller
Wanda Sykes
Jeff Tweedy
Philippe Zdar

Advance praise for Beastie Boys Book

“This entertaining look at Beastie Boys history is as innovative and raucous as the band’s music.”—
Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Beastie Boys fans will devour this book, as will anyone interested in the early days of hip-hop, the art/music/street life of New York City in the 1980s, and the alternative-nation zeitgeist of the ’90s.”—Kirkus Reviews

Day of the Dead: A Frieda Klein Novel by Nicci French (Format: eBook):

LOUISE PENNY says the Frieda Klein novels are “fabulous.”

JOSEPH FINDER says they’re “in the rich vein of Kate Atkinson.”

And TAMI HOAG calls them “truly unique.”

Now the final book in this extraordinary series is here. And it’s an ending you’ll never forget.

A decade ago, psychologist Frieda Klein was sucked into the orbit of Dean Reeve — a killer able to impersonate almost anyone, a man who can disappear without a trace, a psychopath obsessed with Frieda herself.

In the years since, Frieda has worked with — and sometimes against — the London police in solving their most baffling cases. But now she’s in hiding, driven to isolation by Reeve. When a series of murders announces his return, Frieda must emerge from the shadows to confront her nemesis. And it’s a showdown she might not survive.

This gripping cat-and-mouse thriller pits one of the most fascinating characters in contemporary fiction against an enemy like none other. Smart, sophisticated, and spellbinding, it’s a novel to leave you breathless.

The books in the series are:
1. Blue Monday
2. Tuesday’s Gone
3. Waiting for Wednesday
4. Thursday’s Children
5. Friday on my Mind
6. Dark Saturday
7. Sunday Silence

Hot Winter Nights, Made in Montana by Debbi Rawlins (Format: eBook):

Montana in December is cold. Still, struggling actress Lila Loveridge is committed to the independent movie they’re shooting—despite frigid temperatures, an empty wallet and a sneaking suspicion that her acting career has frozen in its tracks. Good thing there’s a Montana cowboy hot enough to keep her warm.

Rancher Clint Landers is one tall, lean and sizzling specimen, and before long, Lila is shivering with pleasure. Their chemistry is impossible to resist. But while every night is deliciously wicked, every day is a reminder that they can’t have a future together. Because in order for Lila to follow her dream, she’ll have to leave her sexy cowboy behind…

Winter at the Door: A Novel by Sarah Graves (Format: eBook):

Perfect for fans of Jenny Milchman, Linda Castillo, and Lisa Gardner—the first book in a suspenseful new crime thriller series featuring the tough but haunted police chief Lizzie Snow, a big-city cop with a mission, taking on a small town with a dark side.

Moving from Boston to remote Bearkill, Maine, isn’t homicide cop Lizzie Snow’s idea of a step up. But breaking away from tragedy and personal betrayal is at least a step in the right direction. Her dead sister’s fate still torments her, as does her long-missing niece’s disappearance. Lizzie hopes to find the mysteriously vanished child here, amid the coming ice and snow. But in the Great North Woods, something darker and more dangerous than punishing winter is also bound for Bearkill.

The town is a world apart in more than distance—full of people who see everything, say little, and know more than they’ll share with an outsider. The only exceptions are the handsome state cop who once badly broke Lizzie’s heart and desperately wants another chance—and Lizzie’s new boss, sheriff Cody Chevrier, who’s counting on her years of homicide experience to help him solve his most troubling case, before it’s too late.

A rash of freak accidents and suicides has left a string of dead men—all former local cops. Now the same cruel eyes that watched them die are on Lizzie—and so is the pressure to find out what sort of monster has his hooks in this town, what his ruthless game is, and just how brutally he’ll play to win. Whatever the truth is, its twisted roots lie in the desolate backwoods of Aroostook County: where the desperate disappear, the corrupt find shelter, and the innocent lose everything. It’s there that a cunning and utterly cold-blooded killer plans the fate of the helpless lives at his mercy—one of whom may be the lost child Lizzie will do anything to save. As a blizzard bears down, and Bearkill’s dark secrets claw their way to the surface, Lizzie gears up for a showdown that could leave the deep, driven snow stained blood red.

Winter Stroll written by Elin Hiderbrand read by Erin Bennett (format: Downloadable Audiobook):

The Quinn family celebrates their most dramatic Christmas yet in this enchanting sequel to Elin Hilderbrand’s bestselling Winter Street. Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn and his family busily preparing for the holiday season. Though the year has brought tragedy, the Quinns have much to celebrate: Kelley has reunited with his first wife, Margaret; Kevin and Isabelle have a new baby; and Ava is finally dating a nice guy. But when Kelley’s estranged wife, Mitzi, shows up on the island, along with Kevin’s devious ex-wife Norah and a dangerously irresistible old fling of Ava’s, the Inn is suddenly overrun with romantic feuds, not to mention guests. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it’s going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns-and the Inn-through the holidays intact.

Print Suggestions Of The Week:

Of Blood And Bone by Nora Roberts:

They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed. Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before — the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted — and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden. In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

The Enemy Of My Enemy by W. E. B. Griffin:

Special agent James Cronley Jr. finds that fighting both ex-Nazis and the Soviet NKGB can lead to strange bedfellows, in the dramatic new Clandestine Operations novel about the birth of the CIA and the Cold War. A month ago, Cronley managed to capture two notorious Nazi war criminals, but not without leaving some dead bodies and outraged Austrian police in his wake. He’s been lying low ever since, but that little vacation is about to end. Somebody–Odessa, the NKGB, the Hungarian Secret Police?–has broken the criminals out of jail, and he must track them down again. But there’s more to it than that. Evidence has surfaced that in the war’s last gasps, Heinrich Himmler had stashed away a fortune to build a secret religion, dedicated both to Himmler and to creating the Fourth Reich. That money is still out there in the hands of Odessa, and that infamous organization seems to have acquired a surprising–and troubling–ally. Cronley is fast finding out that the phrase “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” can mean a lot of different things, and that it is not always clear which people he can trust and which are out to kill him.

The Labyrinth Index by Charles Stross:

The arrival of vast, alien, inhuman intelligences reshaped the landscape fo human affairs across the world, and the United Kingdom is no exception. Things have changed in Britain since the dread elder god Nyarlathotep ascended to the rank of Prime Minister. Mhari Murphy, recently elevated to the House of Lords and head of the Lords Select Committee on Sanguinary Affairs (think vampires), finds herself in direct consultation with the creeping chaos, who directs her to lead a team of disgraced Laundry personnel into the dark heart of America. It seems the Creeping Chaos is concerned about foreign relations. A thousand-mile-wild storm system has blanketed the midwest, and the President is nowhere to be found. In fact, for reasons unknown the people of America are forgetting that the executive branch ever existed. The government has been infiltrated by the shadowy Black Chamber, and the Pentagon and NASA have been refocused on the problem of summoning Cthulhu. Somewhere, the Secret Service battle to stay awake, to remind the President who he is, and to stay one step ahead of the vampiric dragnet that’s searching for him

The People’s Republic of Everything by Nick Mamatas:

Welcome to the People’s Republic of Everything―of course, you’ve been here for a long time already. Make yourself at home alongside a hitman who always tells the truth, no matter how reality has to twist itself to suit; electric matchstick girls who have teamed up with Friedrich Engels; a telepathic boy and his father’s homemade nuclear bomb; a very bad date that births an unforgettable meme; and a dog who simply won’t stop howling on social media.

The People’s Republic of Everything features a decade’s worth of crimes, fantasies, original fiction, and the author’s preferred text of the acclaimed short novel Under My Roof.

Raylan Goes To Detroit: A Novel by Peter Leonard:

After an altercation with his superiors in Harlan County, Kentucky, Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens is offered two choices. He can either retire or finish his career on the fugitive task force in the crime-ridden precincts of Detroit. Acting on a tip, Raylan and his new partner, deputy marshal Bobby Torres, arrest Jose Rindo, a destructive and violent criminal. Rindo is also being pursued by the FBI, who arrive shortly after he is in custody. Raylan bumps heads with a beautiful FBI agent named Nora Sanchez, who wants Rindo for the murder of one of their own. When Rindo escapes from the county jail and is arrested in Ohio, Raylan and FBI Special Agent Sanchez drive south to pick up the fugitive and bring him back to stand trial. Later, when Rindo escapes again, Raylan and Nora–still at odds–are reunited and follow the elusive fugitive’s trail across Arizona to El Centro, California, and into Mexico, where they have no jurisdiction or authority. How are they going to bring Rindo, a Mexican citizen, across the border without anyone knowing?

Have a great week!

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.