SSCL Digital Literacy Services Summer Reading Program Season Raffle – Week 2

Dig Lit Summer Reading Raffle Poster Week 2 July 13, 2015On deck for this week’s special Digital Literacy Services Summer Reading Program Raffle are two more prizes!

The first is the the book Summer’s End by Mary Alice Monroe — a great summer read book & here’s a summary of the plot: In the powerful and heartwarming conclusion to her bestselling Lowcountry Summer trilogy, New York Times author Mary Alice Monroe brings her readers back to the charm and sultry beauty of Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, to reveal how the pull of family bonds and true love is as strong and steady as the tides.

It is summer’s end and Sea Breeze, the family’s beloved estate on Sullivan’s Island, must be sold. It is an emotional time of transition as Mamaw and the three sisters each must face loss and find a new place in the world.

Harper, the youngest sister, arrived at Sea Breeze intending to stay only a weekend, but a rift with her wealthy, influential mother left her without direction or a home. During this remarkable summer, free from her mother’s tyranny and with the help of her half sisters, Harper discovered her talents and independent spirit.

But summer is ending, and the fate of Sea Breeze hinges on Harper’s courage to decide the course of her own life. To do so she must release her insecurities and recognize her newfound strengths. She must accept love fully into her life—the love of Mamaw, Carson, and Dora, the love of Sea Breeze and the lowcountry, and most of all, the love of a Wounded Warrior who has claimed her heart.

The third book in Mary Alice Monroe’s trilogy that brims with “stories that touch the mind and heart of her readers” (Huffington Post), The Summer’s End follows three half sisters bound by love for their grandmother and the timeless beauty and traditions of the lowcountry.

And the second prize is the new CD Currency of Man by Jazz singer Melody Gardot; and here’s a brief description of the CD:

International best-selling singer, songwriter and musician, Melody Gardot, is back with her 4th studio album, Currency of Man .The highly-anticipated Currency of Man is an intensely creative milestone, transcending musical distinctions of jazz, blues and R&B, to offer a stirring social and musical statement. On the new album, Melody joins forces again with Grammy Award-winning producer Larry Klein (their last collaboration, 2009 s My One and Only Thrill , sell over 1.5 million copies).

So  you can register for two great prizes for week 2 of the Summer Reading Program Season – drop by and check out our Makerspace, Creation Station, Tuesday between 1- 4 p.m. or Thursday between 5-8 p.m. and fill out a raffle ticket!

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Adult Services & Digital Literacy Programs @ The Librar Week of June 15, 2015

Tuesday, June 16, 2015:

Buying, Building OR Repairing Your Computer Workshop: Presented by DJ Dates; Assistant Professor in Computer & Information Science at Corning Community College. Learn how to troubleshoot, upgrade, & replace simple components in computers & notebooks, including hard drives, RAM, keyboards, screens & backlights. Learn how to prepare your working or broken older computer for recycling or reuse without worrying about losing control of your private information. Learn to identify when repairs are best left to professionals. Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Wednesday, June 17, 2015:

Microsoft Excel: Course III: Attendees must have taken “Microsoft Excel: Course I & II” or have working knowledge in basic use of Microsoft Excel 2010/2013. Learn Worksheet Basics, How to Sort Data, Multistep Formulas and How to Create a Chart in Microsoft Excel. We invite you to bring your own laptop (if you have Excel 2010/2013), and will provide laptops for those who need them. Time: 2:00 pm-4:00pm

Thursday, June 18, 2015:

Corning Area Writer’s Group: Inject some socialization into your solo writing time by join the library’s Adult Creative Writers Group for conversation, inspiration and feedback on writing projects. No sign up is required. This group meets every Thursday from 6-8 pm. On the third Thursday of the month the group meets in the library. On the other Thursdays the group meets at Soul Full Cup CoffeeHouse. For more information, please call Adult Services Director Michelle Wells at (607) 936-3713 ext 209 or email wellsm@stls.org. Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Spin a Yarn! Bring in a knitting or crochet project you are working on, get instructions or help or use club materials to make something for a greater good. For more details, call (607)936-3713. All skill levels welcome. Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Friday, June 19, 2015:

Friday Night Free Film: Words And Pictures (2013): A smart, funny, well-written, and beautifully acted romantic comedy-drama seems to be a tough order for Hollywood to fill these days, but Fred Schepisi’s charming indie Words and Pictures delivers just that. The movie stars Clive Owen as Jack, a onetime successful author who is currently the charismatic English teacher at an exclusive East Coast prep school. His style is to needle and engage his students, but his behavior has grown erratic and his writing career nonexistent as his alcoholism has worsened, and he’s informed that he might be let go after his upcoming performance review. When new art teacher Dina Delsanto (Juliette Binoche), whose rheumatoid arthritis keeps her from painting, joins the staff, he tries repeatedly to break through her shell. In order to stoke a fire in his pupils and get Dina’s attention, Jack proposes a contest in which the students debate whether words or pictures are the more powerful art form. Eventually, his playful feuding with Dina leads to a more serious connection. Working from a first-rate script by Gerald Di Pego, Schepisi and the cast strike the perfect balance between comedy and drama throughout the movie. The banter between the two teachers occasionally snaps as sharply as the dialogue in classic screwball comedies did, and the dramatic turns, especially Jack’s painful interactions with his adult son, don’t succumb to pathos because Owen has no interest in unfairly earning the audience’s sympathy. He makes sure Jack’s worst character flaws — accentuated by his drinking problem — remain on display. Clive Owen always brings a strong masculine presence to his roles — he would have made a fascinating James Bond — and while that’s certainly true here as well, he tempers it with the character’s erudite playfulness. He makes Jack charming but untrustworthy: a self-destructive, aggressive intellectual. Juliette Binoche’s Dina, on the other hand, has cut herself off from the world out of bitterness. She’s angry that she can’t make art and that she’s forced to use crutches to get around. Binoche ensures that her character doesn’t melt quickly or easily for Jack’s audacious flirtations. They may be playing English and art teachers, but this movie works so well because of their chemistry. The story here doesn’t surprise, but it works because of how well-observed the characters are. Their interactions are familiar not because we’ve seen these arcs before, but because they behave like real-life people do, in all their complex glory. The running debate in the movie is lighthearted, but the film eventually proves, both via its own quality and the love story at its center, that mixing words and pictures is far more rewarding than judging them against each other. All Movie Guide – Perry Seibert. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Run Time: 111 minutes.

Library doors open at 6:45 p.m. to admit filmgoers and the movie starts at 7 p.m. sharp.

Friday Night Free Films are shown 1st and 3rd Friday of the month from September to June.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2380331/

And here’s our Summer Monthly Science Fiction Film Schedule:

Friday, July 10, 2015: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005): Here’s the absolutely hysterical, wonderfully wild, cosmic adventure comedy THE worldwide best-selling novel, and starring an outrageous intergalactic cast, this is one ride you don’t want to miss. Seconds before Earth is destroyed to make way for a new hyperspace express route, mild-mannered Arthur Dent is whisked into space by his best friend (an alien posing as an out-of-work actor). And so the misadventures begin as he and fellow travelers, including the cool but dim-witted President of the Galaxy, the Earth girl Trillian, and Marvin the paranoid android, search for answers to the mystery of Life, the Universe, and Everything. MPAA Rating: PG. Run Time:  7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Friday, August 14, 2015: Silent Running (1972): As this science fiction classic opens, botanist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) has spent eight years aboard the space freighter “Valley Forge” preserving the only botanical specimens left from Earth under huge geodesic domes. When he receives orders to destroy the project and return home, Lowell rebels and hijacks the freighter, while plunging the craft into the gaseous Rings of Saturn. From that moment on, he has only the trees, the gardens and two “Drone” robots, Huey and Dewey, to keep him company on his greatest adventure of all. MPAA Rating: G. Run Time: 90 minutes. Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Friday, September 11, 2015: 12 Monkeys (2009): Cole (Bruce Willis) is sent back in time to save the human race from a deadly virus that has forced mankind into dank underground communities in the future. Along his travels, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) and a mental patient, brilliantly portrayed by Brad Pitt, who may hold the key to the mysterious rogue group, the Army of the 12 Monkeys, thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease. Believing he can obtain a pure virus sample in order to find a cure in the future, he is met with one riddle after another that puts him in a race with time. This sci-fi masterpiece from the genius mind of Terry Gilliam is a modern-day classic.  MPAA Rating: R. Run Time: 130 minutes.  Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

If you’d like to be added to our weekly Adult Services & Personal Technology (AKA Digital Literacy) Email notifications list just send us an email and each Monday you’ll receive an email offering information on the programs being held at the library in the upcoming week.

Have a great day!
Linda, SSCL

Feedback Requested For Times & Subjects Of Personal Technology Programs @ The Library For The Fall/Winter 2015 Season

Even though it is only June 15 we are working on planning our personal technology programs for the fall/winter season.

And we’d like your help!

If you’re game please click on the following link and take short 3-page survey and let us know what time of the day is best for you to attend personal technology programs at the library and what personal technology subject you’d like us to cover!

You’ll also have the opportunity to join our weekly Adult Services & Personal Technology (AKA Digital Literacy) program of the week email list and then a listing of the program for the upcoming week will appear in your Inbox each Monday.

Here’s the link to the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Q6BVQ68

Thanks for your help!
Linda, SSCL

Monthly Science Fiction Film @ The Southeast Steuben County Library

Hi everyone, we’ll be showing our Monthly Science Fiction Film at the Library tomorrow evening – Friday, June 12, 2015.

Here’s a summary of the film:

This Island Earth (1955): Prepare to blast off from planet Earth in one of the most popular classic sci-fi films of all time! When atomic scientist Dr. Meacham (Rex Reason) is chosen to take part in a top-secret research experiment in a remote lab, he quickly discovers that he is really involved in an evil scheme by alien Metalunans to take over Earth. After he and the gorgeous Dr. Adams (Faith Domergue) make their escape shortly before the lab explodes, they are whisked away in a flying saucer to Metaluna, where they are blamed for the destruction. Will interstellar negotiation save the day or will the scientists be forced to take part in a treacherous battle to the death? Featuring incredible special effects that were 2 1/2 years in the making, this is one adventure that you have to see to believe! MPAA Rating: Un-rated (film was released prior to the establishment of the rating system), Run Time: 1 hour 26 minutes.

Library doors open at 6:45 p.m. to admit film goers and the movie starts at 7 p.m. sharp. Join us!

Also join us for our Monthly Science Fiction Films in July & August!

On Friday, July 10th we’ll be showing:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005): Here’s the absolutely hysterical, wonderfully wild, cosmic adventure comedy THE worldwide best-selling novel, and starring an outrageous intergalactic cast, this is one ride you don’t want to miss. Seconds before Earth is destroyed to make way for a new hyperspace express route, mild-mannered Arthur Dent is whisked into space by his best friend (an alien posing as an out-of-work actor). And so the misadventures begin as he and fellow travelers, including the cool but dim-witted President of the Galaxy, the Earth girl Trillian, and Marvin the paranoid android, search for answers to the mystery of Life, the Universe, and Everything. MPAA Rating: PG. Run Time: 90 minutes.

And on Friday, August 14 we’ll be showing:

Silent Running (1972): As this science fiction classic opens, botanist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) has spent eight years aboard the space freighter “Valley Forge” preserving the only botanical specimens left from Earth under huge geodesic domes. When he receives orders to destroy the project and return home, Lowell rebels and hijacks the freighter, while plunging the craft into the gaseous Rings of Saturn. From that moment on, he has only the trees, the gardens and two “Drone” robots, Huey and Dewey, to keep him company on his greatest adventure of all. MPAA Rating: G. Run Time: 90 minutes.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047577/

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

DIGLIT@STLS.ORG

Adult Services & Digital Literacy (AKA Personal Technology) Programs Week of June 1, 2015

Tuesday, June 2, 2015:

Computer Security & Privacy Workshop: Computer Science expert D. J. Dates will host this program. Workshop attendees will gain insight on how to safely travel around their computer and the Internet. D. J. will also discuss Encryption and Script Blocking!

Registration is required for this program. To register please call us at: 607-936-3713 or send an email to us at: DIGLIT@STLS.ORG

Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Microsoft Excel: Course I: Learn the latest features of Microsoft Excel 2010. This tutorial will walk you through Cell Basics and how to Modify Columns, Rows and Cells. We invite you to bring your own laptop (if you have Excel 2010), and will provide laptops for those who need them.

Registration is required for this program. To register please call us at: 607-936-3713 or send an email to us at: DIGLIT@STLS.ORG

Time: 2:00 pm-4:00pm

Thursday, June 4, 2015:

Corning Area Writer’s Group: Inject some socialization into your solo writing time by join the library’s Adult Creative Writers Group for conversation, inspiration and feedback on writing projects. No sign up is required. This group meets every Thursday from 6-8 pm. On the third Thursday of the month the group meets in the library. On the other Thursdays the group meets at Soul Full Cup CoffeeHouse. For more information, please call Adult Services Director Michelle Wells at (607) 936-3713 ext 209 or email wellsm@stls.org.

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Spin a Yarn! Bring in a knitting or crochet project you are working on, get instructions or help or use club materials to make something for a greater good. For more details, call (607)936-3713. All skill levels welcome.

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Friday, June 5, 2015:

Friday Night Free Film: 50/50 (2011): Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen team up to beat the odds in a film that Rolling Stone calls achingly hilarious and heartfelt. Diagnosed with spinal cancer, 27 year old Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) navigates the road to recovery with the sometimes overbearing support of his crude best friend (Rogen), his smothering mother (Angelica Huston) and an inexperienced therapist (Anna Kendrick). Inspired by a true story of writer Will Reiser, 50/50 is an honest yet hysterically funny account of a young man’s journey toward healing. MPAA Rating: R. Run Time: 100 minutes.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1306980/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Also…

The Library offers One-On-One Personal Technology Assistance Sessions by Appointment:

  • If you have questions about any of the material we cover in our Digital Literacy programs

 

  • If you can’t make a program but would like to know more about the subject we’re covering in a program

 

Or

 

  • If you have questions about how to use a new tablet, smartphone, e-reader or a piece of software —

 

You can make an appointment with a member of our Digital Literacy Services staff to come to the library at a time that is convenient for you and we’ll answer your tech usage questions or go over the material we cover in any of our tech programs!

 

It is a free service the library offers!

 

You can make an appointment in person at the library, by telephoning 607-936-3713, or by sending an email to our Digital Literacy Services Department at: DIGLIT@STLS.ORG

HBO al la carte Coming In April To Apple TV Streaming Box

One of the big  announcements Apple made at its press event last week was about a deal with HBO which will now allow you to purchase HBO al la carte, as in without subscribing to a cable package through your local cable TV provider!

Of course, there is a caveat, you have to have an Apple TV streaming box (and Internet access) to access the HBO Now library of programs.

The Apple TV box now sells for $69 and the HBO Now monthly subscription price will be $14.99 a month; however, this is a huge, huge deal as far as video fans being able to watch TV shows and movies wherever and whenever they want to because for the first time ever a major cable channel is offering a subscription to their video offerings that does not require you to purchase a cable TV package!

Hopefully now that HBO has put a crack in the walled in garden of TV Packaged the flowers of stand alone TV subscriptions will grow!

Here are links to two articles on this subject the first from The Wall Street Journal and the second from NPR:

http://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2015/03/10/with-apple-tv-deal-hbo-frays-the-cord/

http://www.npr.org/2015/03/10/392041850/new-hbo-now-streaming-service-shows-consumers-will-is-king

And if you’d like to see how an Apple TV streaming box works — let us know! We do have one at the library we can show you!

Have a great day!

Linda, SSCL

FYI Amazon Announcing New & Probably Low Cost Smartphone Today

Hi everyone, just FYI Amazon is holding a press conference as I’m writing this at 1:47 p.m. EST — and is widely expected to announce a brand new and low cost smartphone.

They’ll be a ton of news coverage about this new phone — but just to sum it up — here’s a link to a brief USA Today article on the subject:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/18/amazon-smartphone/10751663/

Have a great day!

Linda R.

SSCL

P.S. Update at 3:14 p.m. — Amazon has indeed launched a new smartphone called the Fire Phone — here’s a link to the Amazon Fire Phone description page where you can find more details:

http://goo.gl/LG95Ap

And a link a recorded Re/code blogging of the Amazon Press conference that announced the even earlier today:

http://recode.net/2014/06/18/coming-up-amazons-smartphone-unveiling-liveblog/

New Low Cost Smartphone Features Corning’s Gorilla Glass

Long time tech columnist & reviewer Walt Mossberg reviews and relatively inexpensive new smartphone on the Re/Code site this week and in his video/print review he mentions that this new phone, the Motorola “Moto E,” which is an entry level Android smartphone that costs $129 and can be used via AT&T & T-Mobile, and he mentions in his review that:

  1. The phone is a solid step up from feature non-smart phones and is recommended to people that haven’t had a smartphone before but who don’t want to pay mega bucks for one either up front or as part of a 2-year contract;
  2. And that the phone is using Corning’s Gorilla display glass!

Here’s a link to the article should anyone be thinking of ditching their old feature cell phone and dipping their toes in the smartphone water:

http://recode.net/2014/05/21/what-you-get-in-a-smartphone-that-costs-just-129-unsubsidized/

Have a great day!

Linda R.

 

 

New Titles Available In STLS Digital Catalog

Newly Added E-Books, E-Audios & Streaming Videos (available via the OverDrive app and seen in the STLS Digital Catalog found at the following link: http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/

Digital Audio Books:

Title:                                                                                                Author/Creator:

The Cairo Affair                                                                               Olen Steinhauer, Edoardo Ballerini

Proven Guilty: The Dresden Files Series, Book 8                      Jim Butcher, James Marster

The Ruby In the Smoke                                                                Philip Pullman, Anton Lesser

The Shadow In the North                                                             Philip Pullman, Anton Lesser

The Tiger In the Well                                                                    Philip Pullman, Anton Lesser

 

E-Books:

Title:                                                                                                Author/Creator:

Acts of God: Why Does God Allow So Much Pain? Bob Russell, Rob Suggs, Kyle Idleman

Awaken the Highland Warrior                                                    Anita Clenney

Awakening                                                                                      Elene Sallinger

Benno and the Night of Broken Glass                                         Meg Wiviott, Josée Bisaillon

Bitter Thistle, Sweet Rose                                                          Ruth Glover

A Bride for Noah: Seattle Brides Series, Book 1                      Lori Copeland, Virginia Smith

Cascade: The River of Time Series, Book 2                            Lisa T. Bergren

Changing Course: Women’s Inspiring Stories of                    Yitta Halberstam

Clammed Up: Maine Clambake Mystery Series, Book 1           Barbara Ross

Dating Games #1: The First Date                                                Melody Carlson

David Pogue’s Digital Photography: The Missing Manual        David Pogue

Dominican Republic & Haiti Travel Guide                                   Lonely Planet

The Dunwich Horror                                                                      H. P. Lovecraft

Eat to Defeat Menopause                                                              Karen Giblin

Embrace the Highland Warrior                                                   Anita Clenney

The Everything Guide to Algebra                                              Christopher Monahan

Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing                              Hod Lipson

Following Your Heart                                                                  Jerry S. Eicher

Forget Me Knot                                                                           Mary Marks

The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest…                     Michio Kaku

Galileans: A Novel of Mary Magdalene                                    Frank G. Slaughter

Holy Brother: Inspiring Stories and Enchanted Tales about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach

Various authors

Hormones and Hot Flashes                                                       Barbara Kantrowitz

iBooks and ePeriodicals on the iPad: The Mini Missing Manual

J. D. Biersdorfer

Last Telegram                                                                            Liz Trenow

Menopause Sucks                                                                      Joanne Kimes

Missing Your Smile: Fields of Home Series, Book 1             Jerry S. Eicher

Never Too Late                                                                          Betty Neels

No One to Trust: A Novel                                                        Lynette Eason

The One-Way Bridge: A Novel                                               Cathie Pelletier

Outside Barry                                                                           Lopez, Barry

Pelican Point                                                                             Donna Kauffman

Placebo                                                                                       Steven James

The Pride of the Peacock                                                         Victoria Holt

Proven Guilty                                                                            Mia Watts

Return to Me                                                                             Lynn Austin

The Rich Are with You Always                                              Malcolm Macdonald

Shining Light                                                                            Ruth Glover

The Shivering Sands                                                                Victoria Holt

A Single Thread: Cobbled Court Series, Book 1                    Marie Bostwick

Singularity: Jevin Banks Series, Book 2                                   Steven James

Staying Sane When You’re Going Through Menopause        Pam Brodowsky

A Strange Period.: Insights into the Bizarre Experiences of Perimenopausal Women

Sheryl Gurrentz

The Talmud: A Biography                                                        Harry Freedman

Texas Blood Feud                                                                       Dusty Richards

This Ain’t No Picnic: Your Punk Rock Vegan Cookbook        Joshua Ploeg

Torrent: The River of Time Series, Book 3                             Lisa T. Bergren

Vanished: Private Justice Series, Book 1                                 Irene Hannon

View and Manage Your Photos on the iPad: The Mini Missing Manual

J. D. Biersdorfer

Waterfall: The River of Time Series, Book 1                           Lisa T. Bergren

Where Love Grows: Fields of Home Series, Book 3              Jerry S. Eicher

The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health During the Change

C. Northrup

World from Rough Stones                                                         Malcolm Macdonald

 

Streaming Videos:

Anansi and the Moss Covered Rock                                         Eric Kimmell

Anansi Goes Fishing                                                                    Eric Kimmel

At War with the Army                                                                Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis

Back to the Garden                                                                     Kevin Tomlinson, Kevin Tomlinson

Catch .44                                                                                       Aaron Harvey

The Ethics of Fracking                                                                Scott Cannon

Highlander, Season 1                                                                   Dennis Berry

Klunkerz: A Film about Mountain Bikes                                 Billy Savage

McLintock!                                                                                  John Wayne, M. O’Hara

One Man One Cow One Planet                                                  Tom Burstyn

The Red House                                                                           Delmer Davis

Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Season 1                                      Rick Jacobson

Trashed with Jeremy Irons                                                     Candida Brady

WWI, Prohibition, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression, WWII & the Cold War: History

And as WordPress does challenging things with the formatting of text when copying and pasting — here’s a link to a PDF that features the same titles all lined up!

Newly Added STLS Digital Catalog Titles April 29, 2014

Have a great day!

Linda R.