Tag: videos

Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Viewing & Listening Titles May 3-5, 2013

Linda Reimer

Here is a list of select Digital Catalog e-books, audios and videos s you might enjoy reading, viewing or listening to over the weekend!

E-Books:

Amber Eyes: Eyes Series, Book 1 by Maya Banks: Their final mission will be to win her love. A beautiful, vulnerable woman appears at the high country cabin where Hunter and Jericho live between assignments. They are captivated by their stunning, reticent visitor and vow to protect her—and uncover what she’s hiding. Neither is prepared for the unbelievable. Their beautiful innocent is a cougar shifter who’s spent a lifetime alone.

In the shelter of their love, Kaya blooms, finally willing to trust—and embrace her humanity again. Then Hunter and Jericho are called away on a mission that goes terribly wrong. Now, pregnant, and alone once more, she must find her way in a world she doesn’t belong to—and hope that the two men she loves will find their way home.

Faerie Tale by Raymond Feist: Phil Hastings was a lucky man-he had money, a growing reputation as a screenwriter, a happy, loving family with three kids, and he’d just moved into the house of his dreams in rural of magic-and about to be altered irrevocably by a magic more real than any he dared imagine. For with the Magic came the Bad Thing, and the Faerie, and then the cool. . .and the resurrection of a primordial war with a forgotten people-a war that not only the Hastings but the whole human race could lose.

The French and Indian War: 1660 – 1763 by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier: History is dramatic — and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation.

Using clear and descriptive language, The French and Indian War outlines the period in which the American colonies were settled and explains how European politics helped cause the French and Indian War. Beginning in the 1670s, when England, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden all had laid claim to parts of the New World, the authors describe the evolution of the various colonies, and their relationships with each other, the Indians, and the different European governments. The inevitable conflicts led to the titular power struggle between the French and the English, ending with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, in which France gave up its claims in North America. The text is enhanced with images of historical artifacts, works by contemporary artists, and photographs of reenacted scenes

Lightnin’ Hopkins: His Life and Blues by Alan Govenar: Based on scores of interviews with the artist’s relatives, friends, lovers, producers, accompanists, managers, and fans, this brilliant biography reveals a man of many layers and contradictions. Following the journey of a musician who left his family’s poor cotton farm at age eight carrying only a guitar, the book chronicles his life on the open road playing blues music and doing odd jobs. It debunks the myths surrounding his meetings with Blind Lemon Jefferson and Texas Alexander, his time on a chain gang, his relationships with women, and his lifelong appetite for gambling and drinking. This volume also discusses his hard-to-read personality; whether playing for black audiences in Houston’s Third Ward, for white crowds at the Matrix in San Francisco, or in the concert halls of Europe, Sam Hopkins was a musician who poured out his feelings in his songs and knew how to endear himself to his audience—yet it was hard to tell if he was truly sincere, and he appeared to trust no one. Finally, this book moves beyond exploring his personal life and details his entire musical career, from his first recording session in 1946—when he was dubbed Lightnin’—to his appearance on the national charts and his rediscovery by Mack McCormick and Sam Charters in 1959, when his popularity had begun to wane and a second career emerged, playing to white audiences rather than black ones. Overall, this narrative tells the story of an important blues musician who became immensely successful by singing with a searing emotive power about his country roots and the injustices that informed the civil rights era.

E-Books For Kids:

Beyond the Firefly Field by R.E. Munzing: Living in the country seemed to present only boredom for Clayton and his friends, until one night a faraway glowing field beckoned them. What they found had been safely hidden away for over a thousand years. The kids soon became obsessed with the wonders they had discovered, as their wishes for excitement and adventure were granted. But visiting the field was beginning to change them; and as school started, their secret became harder to keep. Clayton felt torn—-like he was living in two worlds—-and he feared he would soon have to do whatever it took to kep the secret. . .or never go back to the field again.

The Dragon in the Sock Drawer: Dragon Keepers Series, Book 1 by Kate Klimo: For Magic Tree House readers who are ready for something longer, the Dragon Keepers series has the perfect length and reading level, along with the fast-paced writing, adventure, and sense of teamwork that kids love to read.

TEN-YEAR-OLD COUSINS Jesse and Daisy have always wanted something magical to happen to them. So it’s a wish come true when Jesse’s newly found thunder egg hatches, and a helpless, tiny but very loud baby dragon pops out. Soon the two kids are at the dragon’s beck-and-call, trying to figure out what to feed her.

An Internet search leads them to the library, which leads them back to the Internet, where they find a very strange Web site called “foundadragon.org.” It is here that the cousins discover that the dragon’s hatching has designated them “Dragon Keepers” and that not only do they have to feed her, but they have to keep her safe from the villainous Saint George who has kept himself alive over centuries by drinking dragons’ blood.

Hot Dog and Bb: Adventure 1: And the Seriously Scary Attack of the Evil Alien Pizza Person by L. Bob Rovetch: Bob is just an ordinary boy with ordinary friends who goes to an ordinary school, each and every day. But this is no ordinary day. Today when Bob opens his lunch box, he finds Hot Dog—a real, live, talking hot dog! Hot Dog says he’s from another planet. He’s here to save Earth. And—gulp—he needs Bob’s help! Full of humor, quirky characters, brief fast-paced chapters, and funny black-and-white illustrations on each page, Hot Dog and Bob is sure to be welcomed by beginning readers.

Albums:

A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1936-1941) by Ella  Fitzgerald:

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1 A-Tisket, A-Tasket

10 Baby Won’t You Please Come Home

11 Cryin’ Mood

12 The Darktown Strutter’s Ball

13 Stowaway: Goodnight, My Love

14 The Muffin Man

15 If Dreams Come True

16 You’re Gonna Lose Your Gal

17 If You Ever Change Your Mind

18 Undecided

2 You Showed Me the Way

3 My Melancholy Baby

4 Bei Mir Bist Du Schon

5 Saving Myself for You: (I’ve Been) Saving Myself for You

6 Music Box Revue: Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil

7 My Wubba Dolly

8 I’m the Lonesomest Gal in Town

9 MacPherson Is Rehearsin’ To Swing: MacPherson is Rehearsin’ (To Swing)

Wire Brush Stomp (1935-1940) by Gene Krupa:

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1 The Last Round-up

10 Swing Is Here

11 Oh, Please!: I Know That You Know: I Know That You Know

12 Apurksody: Apurksody (Theme Song)

13 Nagasaki

14 Quiet And Roll ‘Em

15 Wire Brush Stomp

16 The Madam Swings It

17 Jungle Madness

18 Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-Der-E

19 Blue Rhythm Fantasy

2 Jazz Me Blues

20 Drummin’ Man

3 Blues Of Israel

4 3 Little Words: Three Little Words

5 Barrelhouse

6 The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise

7 I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music

8 Mutiny In The Parlor

9 I’m Gonna Clap My Hands

Audio Books:

Inferno: Robert Langdon Series, Book 4 (unabridged) by Dan Brown: In his international blockbusters The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown masterfully fused history, art, codes, and symbols. In this riveting new thriller, Brown returns to his element and has crafted his highest-stakes novel to date.

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology, Robert Langdon, is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces . . . Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust . . . before the world is irrevocably altered.

Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph, Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Ironclads, High-Powered Weapons, and More to Win the Civil by Thomas B. Allen et al.: Thomas B. Allen’s expertise in military history and strategy is combined with Roger MacBride Allen’s knowledge of technology to reveal a lesser known yet fascinating side of the sixteenth president of the United States. Their authoritative narrative reveals Lincoln as our nation’s first hands-on commander in chief, whose appreciation for the power of technology plays a critical role in the North’s Civil War victory over the less developed South. We meet Lincoln as he exchanges vital telegraph messages with his generals in the field; we witness his inspection of new ship models at the navy yard; we view the president target shooting with the designer of a new kind of rifle; and we follow Lincoln, the man of action, as he leads a daring raid to recapture Norfolk, Virginia. The book’s historic sweep also sets Abraham Lincoln in the context of his military era: we learn about the North’s Anaconda Plan and the South’s counter strategies and how the concept of total war replaced the old Napoleonic way of fighting. Readers will come away with a rich sense of a leader who lived through one of the most exciting ages of technological and social change in America. Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War brings alive a time when the railroad brought soldiers to and from the battlefields, when hot-air balloons were used for surveillance, and when ironclad warships revolutionized naval warfare.

Videos:

Astrology and Zen: Unlocking the Secrets of the Stars: Astrology has been around ever since man looked up towards the stars and recognized an association of patterns in his own life. He saw the movement and noted times of birth. For thousands of years he refined his art. Today astrology has become a dirty word to many; unscientific and irrational. But is there still some truth to be found in its depth? Astrologer and author, Lyn Birkbeck talks candidly about his own search for the truth and reveals that there is a time coming, predicted by the stars, when great change will occur in our society. He pinpoints the era of 2020. What will become of us? The stars tell. Ray Menezes has undertaken a study of the equally ancient philosophy of Zen and he tells us how it can help us today in this materialistic world of boom and bust. Do these age-old concepts still have relevance for us today? World Wide Multi Media brings you quality video content from around the globe.

The Real Middle Earth: This fascinating documentary takes us in Tolkien’s footsteps and investigates the landscapes and buildings, the places and names that helped shape Middle Earth. Sir Ian Holm narrates this fascinating exploration into an imaginary world.

 

The STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG

Or via the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/FE5904CF-8A91-4688-A592-7A046C7988D3/10/536/en/Default.htm

And if you have an app device look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books and download them to your tablet or smartphone.

Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Linda R.

 

Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Viewing & Listening Titles May 3-5, 2013

Linda Reimer

Here is a list of select Digital Catalog e-books, audios and videos s you might enjoy reading, viewing or listening to over the weekend!

E-Books:

Amber Eyes: Eyes Series, Book 1 by Maya Banks: Their final mission will be to win her love. A beautiful, vulnerable woman appears at the high country cabin where Hunter and Jericho live between assignments. They are captivated by their stunning, reticent visitor and vow to protect her—and uncover what she’s hiding. Neither is prepared for the unbelievable. Their beautiful innocent is a cougar shifter who’s spent a lifetime alone.

In the shelter of their love, Kaya blooms, finally willing to trust—and embrace her humanity again. Then Hunter and Jericho are called away on a mission that goes terribly wrong. Now, pregnant, and alone once more, she must find her way in a world she doesn’t belong to—and hope that the two men she loves will find their way home.

Faerie Tale by Raymond Feist: Phil Hastings was a lucky man-he had money, a growing reputation as a screenwriter, a happy, loving family with three kids, and he’d just moved into the house of his dreams in rural of magic-and about to be altered irrevocably by a magic more real than any he dared imagine. For with the Magic came the Bad Thing, and the Faerie, and then the cool. . .and the resurrection of a primordial war with a forgotten people-a war that not only the Hastings but the whole human race could lose.

The French and Indian War: 1660 – 1763 by James Lincoln Collier & Christopher Collier: History is dramatic — and the renowned, award-winning authors Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier demonstrate this in a compelling series aimed at young readers. Covering American history from the founding of Jamestown through present day, these volumes explore far beyond the dates and events of a historical chronicle to present a moving illumination of the ideas, opinions, attitudes and tribulations that led to the birth of this great nation.

Using clear and descriptive language, The French and Indian War outlines the period in which the American colonies were settled and explains how European politics helped cause the French and Indian War. Beginning in the 1670s, when England, France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden all had laid claim to parts of the New World, the authors describe the evolution of the various colonies, and their relationships with each other, the Indians, and the different European governments. The inevitable conflicts led to the titular power struggle between the French and the English, ending with the 1763 Treaty of Paris, in which France gave up its claims in North America. The text is enhanced with images of historical artifacts, works by contemporary artists, and photographs of reenacted scenes

Lightnin’ Hopkins: His Life and Blues by Alan Govenar: Based on scores of interviews with the artist’s relatives, friends, lovers, producers, accompanists, managers, and fans, this brilliant biography reveals a man of many layers and contradictions. Following the journey of a musician who left his family’s poor cotton farm at age eight carrying only a guitar, the book chronicles his life on the open road playing blues music and doing odd jobs. It debunks the myths surrounding his meetings with Blind Lemon Jefferson and Texas Alexander, his time on a chain gang, his relationships with women, and his lifelong appetite for gambling and drinking. This volume also discusses his hard-to-read personality; whether playing for black audiences in Houston’s Third Ward, for white crowds at the Matrix in San Francisco, or in the concert halls of Europe, Sam Hopkins was a musician who poured out his feelings in his songs and knew how to endear himself to his audience—yet it was hard to tell if he was truly sincere, and he appeared to trust no one. Finally, this book moves beyond exploring his personal life and details his entire musical career, from his first recording session in 1946—when he was dubbed Lightnin’—to his appearance on the national charts and his rediscovery by Mack McCormick and Sam Charters in 1959, when his popularity had begun to wane and a second career emerged, playing to white audiences rather than black ones. Overall, this narrative tells the story of an important blues musician who became immensely successful by singing with a searing emotive power about his country roots and the injustices that informed the civil rights era.

E-Books For Kids:

Beyond the Firefly Field by R.E. Munzing: Living in the country seemed to present only boredom for Clayton and his friends, until one night a faraway glowing field beckoned them. What they found had been safely hidden away for over a thousand years. The kids soon became obsessed with the wonders they had discovered, as their wishes for excitement and adventure were granted. But visiting the field was beginning to change them; and as school started, their secret became harder to keep. Clayton felt torn—-like he was living in two worlds—-and he feared he would soon have to do whatever it took to kep the secret. . .or never go back to the field again.

The Dragon in the Sock Drawer: Dragon Keepers Series, Book 1 by Kate Klimo: For Magic Tree House readers who are ready for something longer, the Dragon Keepers series has the perfect length and reading level, along with the fast-paced writing, adventure, and sense of teamwork that kids love to read.

TEN-YEAR-OLD COUSINS Jesse and Daisy have always wanted something magical to happen to them. So it’s a wish come true when Jesse’s newly found thunder egg hatches, and a helpless, tiny but very loud baby dragon pops out. Soon the two kids are at the dragon’s beck-and-call, trying to figure out what to feed her.

An Internet search leads them to the library, which leads them back to the Internet, where they find a very strange Web site called “foundadragon.org.” It is here that the cousins discover that the dragon’s hatching has designated them “Dragon Keepers” and that not only do they have to feed her, but they have to keep her safe from the villainous Saint George who has kept himself alive over centuries by drinking dragons’ blood.

Hot Dog and Bob: Adventure 1: And the Seriously Scary Attack of the Evil Alien Pizza Person by L. Bob Rovetch: Bob is just an ordinary boy with ordinary friends who goes to an ordinary school, each and every day. But this is no ordinary day. Today when Bob opens his lunch box, he finds Hot Dog—a real, live, talking hot dog! Hot Dog says he’s from another planet. He’s here to save Earth. And—gulp—he needs Bob’s help! Full of humor, quirky characters, brief fast-paced chapters, and funny black-and-white illustrations on each page, Hot Dog and Bob is sure to be welcomed by beginning readers.

Albums:

A-Tisket, A-Tasket (1936-1941) by Ella  Fitzgerald:

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1 A-Tisket, A-Tasket

10 Baby Won’t You Please Come Home

11 Cryin’ Mood

12 The Darktown Strutter’s Ball

13 Stowaway: Goodnight, My Love

14 The Muffin Man

15 If Dreams Come True

16 You’re Gonna Lose Your Gal

17 If You Ever Change Your Mind

18 Undecided

2 You Showed Me the Way

3 My Melancholy Baby

4 Bei Mir Bist Du Schon

5 Saving Myself for You: (I’ve Been) Saving Myself for You

6 Music Box Revue: Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil

7 My Wubba Dolly

8 I’m the Lonesomest Gal in Town

9 MacPherson Is Rehearsin’ To Swing: MacPherson is Rehearsin’ (To Swing)

Wire Brush Stomp (1935-1940) by Gene Krupa:

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1 The Last Round-up

10 Swing Is Here

11 Oh, Please!: I Know That You Know: I Know That You Know

12 Apurksody: Apurksody (Theme Song)

13 Nagasaki

14 Quiet And Roll ‘Em

15 Wire Brush Stomp

16 The Madam Swings It

17 Jungle Madness

18 Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-Der-E

19 Blue Rhythm Fantasy

2 Jazz Me Blues

20 Drummin’ Man

3 Blues Of Israel

4 3 Little Words: Three Little Words

5 Barrelhouse

6 The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise

7 I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music

8 Mutiny In The Parlor

9 I’m Gonna Clap My Hands

 

Audio Books:

Inferno: Robert Langdon Series, Book 4 (unabridged) by Dan Brown: In his international blockbusters The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown masterfully fused history, art, codes, and symbols. In this riveting new thriller, Brown returns to his element and has crafted his highest-stakes novel to date.

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology, Robert Langdon, is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces . . . Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust . . . before the world is irrevocably altered.

Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph, Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Ironclads, High-Powered Weapons, and More to Win the Civil by Thomas B. Allen et al.: Thomas B. Allen’s expertise in military history and strategy is combined with Roger MacBride Allen’s knowledge of technology to reveal a lesser known yet fascinating side of the sixteenth president of the United States. Their authoritative narrative reveals Lincoln as our nation’s first hands-on commander in chief, whose appreciation for the power of technology plays a critical role in the North’s Civil War victory over the less developed South. We meet Lincoln as he exchanges vital telegraph messages with his generals in the field; we witness his inspection of new ship models at the navy yard; we view the president target shooting with the designer of a new kind of rifle; and we follow Lincoln, the man of action, as he leads a daring raid to recapture Norfolk, Virginia. The book’s historic sweep also sets Abraham Lincoln in the context of his military era: we learn about the North’s Anaconda Plan and the South’s counter strategies and how the concept of total war replaced the old Napoleonic way of fighting. Readers will come away with a rich sense of a leader who lived through one of the most exciting ages of technological and social change in America. Mr. Lincoln’s High-Tech War brings alive a time when the railroad brought soldiers to and from the battlefields, when hot-air balloons were used for surveillance, and when ironclad warships revolutionized naval warfare.

Videos:

Astrology and Zen: Unlocking the Secrets of the Stars: Astrology has been around ever since man looked up towards the stars and recognized an association of patterns in his own life. He saw the movement and noted times of birth. For thousands of years he refined his art. Today astrology has become a dirty word to many; unscientific and irrational. But is there still some truth to be found in its depth? Astrologer and author, Lyn Birkbeck talks candidly about his own search for the truth and reveals that there is a time coming, predicted by the stars, when great change will occur in our society. He pinpoints the era of 2020. What will become of us? The stars tell. Ray Menezes has undertaken a study of the equally ancient philosophy of Zen and he tells us how it can help us today in this materialistic world of boom and bust. Do these age-old concepts still have relevance for us today? World Wide Multi Media brings you quality video content from around the globe.

The Real Middle Earth: This fascinating documentary takes us in Tolkien’s footsteps and investigates the landscapes and buildings, the places and names that helped shape Middle Earth. Sir Ian Holm narrates this fascinating exploration into an imaginary world.

 

The STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG

Or via the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/FE5904CF-8A91-4688-A592-7A046C7988D3/10/536/en/Default.htm

And if you have an app device look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books and download them to your tablet or smartphone.

Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Linda R.

Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Viewing & Listening Titles April 27-28, 2013

Linda Reimer

Here is a list of select Digital Catalog e-books, audios and videos s you might enjoy reading, viewing or listening to over the weekend!

Suggested E-Books:

Congo Dawn by Jeanette Windle: While former Marine lieutenant Robin Duncan is no stranger to corruption or conspiracy, she has always been able to tell the good guys from the bad, and the Congo jungle at first seems no different. But as her security team tries to track down an insurgent killer, Robin has to face a man who broke her trust years ago, and she discovers the gray areas extend farther in this jungle wilderness than she anticipated.

A ruthless global conspiracy begins to surface, run by powerful men who can’t afford to leave any witnesses. Her life at stake, Robin doesn’t know who to trust and wonders how she can help protect innocent people. Why is God silent amid all the pain and injustice? And how do these people of faith continue to rejoice in their suffering?

Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham: An object of desire? Or of fear? It was stolen from a New Orleans grave–the centuries-old bust of an evil man, a demonic man. It’s an object desired by collectors–and by those with wickedness in their hearts.

One day, its current owner shows up at Danni Cafferty’s antiques shop on Royal Street, the shop she inherited from her father. But before Danni can buy the statue, it disappears, the owner is found dead…and Danni discovers that she’s inherited much more than she realized. In the store is a book filled with secret writing: instructions for defeating evil entities. She’d dismissed it as a curiosity…until the arrival of this statue, with its long history of evil and even longer trail of death.

Michael Quinn, former cop and now private investigator, is a man with an unusual past. He believes that doing the right thing isn’t a job–it’s a way of life. And the right thing to do is find and destroy this object weighted with malevolent powers. He and Danni are drawn together in their search for the missing statue, following it through sultry New Orleans nights to hidden places in the French Quarter and secret ceremonies on abandoned plantations.

Cafferty and Quinn already know that trust in others can be misplaced, that love can be temporary. And yet their connection is primal. Mesmerizing. They also know that their story won’t end when this case is closed and the dead rest in peace once again.

Return of the Gypsy by Philippa Carr: In early-nineteenth-century England, a woman risks scandal, disgrace, even her own life for a forbidden passion From the moment the handsome, raffish stranger with the gold earring throws her a kiss, Jessica Frenshaw is enchanted. Rumored to be a half-Spanish wanderer who can predict the future, Romany Jake is unjustly put on trial for murder. After the verdict banishes him from England, Jessica despairs of ever seeing him again. But one fateful day, Jake Cadorson returns to reclaim what he has lost—including the woman who saved him from the gallows. From the ballrooms and lavish estates of Regency England through the bitter bloodshed of the Napoleonic Wars, Return of the Gypsy weaves a spellbinding tale of blackmail, murder, and illicit passion as a woman risks everything for the man she loves—a man who isn’t what he seems. 

E-Books For Kids:

The Berenstain Bears and the Wild, Wild Honey by Stan Berenstain & Jan Berenstain: When Papa Bear goes honey-hunting, trouble is sure to follow

There are chores to be done around the house, but all Papa Bear can think about is honey. There is no finer honey than the kind made by the bees that live in the gnarled old tree in the depths of the dark forest. Papa would be the happiest bear in the land if he could get his paws on some of that honey, but there’s one big problem—the bees won’t share!

Papa Bear has tried everything—asking, sneaking, hiding—and all he’s gotten for his trouble is a pawful of bee-stingers. But today he’s come up with a foolproof plan to get the wild, wild honey, and he’s determined to carry it out. Papa Bear is either going to have honey for dinner—or stingers for dessert!

Paddywack by Stephanie Spinner & Daniel Howarth: Paddywack is a petite nine hands high, and every pony inch is packed full of spunk. It hasn’t been easy, but he now has his rider, Jane, well trained. He’ll trot. He’ll canter. He’ll jump the jumps. He’s a perfect pony . . . when she gives him treats. But on the day of the big horse show, Jane is so nervous she forgets his treats. Will Paddywack dig in his hooves? Or can he rise to the occasion?

This sweet story is sure to capture young horse-lovers’ hearts.

Secret of the Time Capsule, Casebusters Series, Book 6 by Joan Lowery Nixon: Inside a time capsule, Brian and Sean discover a decades-old mystery

In 1918, the people of Redoaks buried a time capsule full of messages for the future. Besides all the grown-up stuff, the fourth-graders of 1918 included a packet of letters to the fourth-graders of today—which means Sean Quinn is about to get a letter straight from the past! But when it comes time to crack the capsule’s seal, Sean and his brother Brian learn that its contents could change the town’s future forever.

Boris Vlado, the only surviving member of the fourth-graders of 1918, warns the boys that the time capsule holds a dangerous secret. But when they open the capsule, there’s nothing inside! To find out why, Brian and Sean will have to solve a historic mystery that involves bank robbery, corruption, and the most valuable stamp collection Redoaks has ever seen.

Suggested Albums:

Now That’s What I Call Classic Rock by Various Artists:

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1. We Will Rock You (2001 Digital Remaster) (Queen)

2. Barracuda (Album Version) (Heart)

3. Bad To The Bone (George Thorogood And The Destroyers)

4. The Spirit Of Radio (Rush)

5. My Generation (The Who)

6. Fire (Jimi Hendrix Experience)

7. More Than A Feeling (Album Version) (Boston)

8. Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas)

9. Renegade (Styx)

10. Cold As Ice (Foreigner)

11. Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple)

12. We’re An American Band (Grand Funk)

13. Mississippi Queen (Album Version) (Mountain)

14. Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival)

15. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

16. The Joker (Steve Miller Band)

17. Rebel Rebel (1990 Digital Remaster) (David Bowie)

18. Surrender (Album Version) (Cheap Trick)

19. Show Me The Way (Live/Single Version) (Peter Frampton)

20. Rock And Roll All Nite (“Alive” Version) (Kiss)

 

The Very Best of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself                                                                                                                                    Digital Audio Download Includes:

1. Dancing With Myself (EP Version) (2001 Digital Remaster) (Generation X)

2. Hot In The City (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

3. White Wedding – Part 1 (2001- Remaster) (Billy Idol)

4. Rebel Yell (1999 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

5. Eyes Without A Face (1999 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

6. Flesh For Fantasy (1999 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

7. Catch My Fall (Edit) (Billy Idol)

8. To Be A Lover (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

9. Don’t Need A Gun (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

10. Sweet Sixteen (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

11. Mony Mony (2001 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

12. Cradle of Love (2001 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

13. L.A. Woman (Single Edit) (2001 Digital Remaster) (Billy Idol)

14. Shock To The System (2001 – Remaster) (Billy Idol)

15. Speed (Album Version) (Billy Idol)

16. World Comin’ Down (Billy Idol)

17. John Wayne (Billy Idol)

18. New Future Weapon (Billy Idol)by Billy Idol 

Suggested Audio Books:

Cries & Whiskers, Theda Krakow Mystery Series, Book 3 by Clea Simon & Tavia Gilbert: Music-journalist Theda Krakow is caught up in investigating the rise of a dangerous new designer drug that threatens the musicians and fans of her beloved club scene. But she puts her story on hold when she learns of an animal-rights activist who was killed in a hit-and-run accident while trying to rescue feral cats from a ferocious winter storm.

Theda feels moved to help out with the effort. But as she and her buddy, Violet, race to save the half-wild felines from the freezing New England winter, they uncover simmering tensions among the extremist organization that make the activist’s death seem more than accidental. Theda tries to hang onto her journalistic objectivity, but when the threats become more personal and her beloved cat Musetta goes missing, she will risk her reputation, her career, and possibly her life to solve these mysteries once and for all.

Thirty-Three Teeth, Dr. Siri Paiboun Series, Book 2 by Colin Cotterill & Clive Chafer: Feisty Dr. Siri Paiboun is no respecter of persons or party; at his age he feels he can afford to be independent. In this, the second novel in the series, he travels to Luang Prabang, where he communes with the deposed king who is resigned to his fate: it was predicted long ago. And he attends a conference of shamans called by the Communist Party to deliver an ultimatum to the spirits: obey party orders or get out. But as a series of mutilated corpses arrives in Dr. Siri’s morgue, and Nurse Dtui is menaced, he must use all his powers—forensic and shamanic—to discover the creature—animal or spirit—that has been slaying the innocent.

Suggested Videos:

Aaron Bacon Troubled Youth Collection: Aaron Bacon Troubled Youth Collection presents four award-winning featurettes with stunning production values and star making performances. AARON BACON (starring Stephen Michael Kane) is inspired by the book “Help at Any Cost” by Maia Szalavitz, based on the true story of a 16 year-old kid who dies at the hands of malpractice and abuse in the tough-love, wilderness drug-treatment facility. BED RIDDEN (starring Joel Moore and Alan Tudyk) describes a day in the life of a drug addicted young man, as he escapes his parent induced entrapment at home and travels the length of Los Angeles, chained to his bedpost, to meet with his fixer. FLIGHT TO SINAI is a musical coming of age film, in the tradition of “GLEE” and “High School Musical,” describing the coming out of Jack Strong, a teen raised by religiously conservative parents, and the reactions of his friends, teachers, girlfriend and his religiously conservative parents. THE BABYDADDY, inspired by true events, is the coming of age story about a troubled sixteen-year-old girl (Kether Donohue) struggling to cope with her Vietnam-Veteran father’s illnesses. Official Selection of the HBO Sponsored G.I. Film Festival. Each describes in their own way, physical and mental pressures, abuse and ultimately violence, against youth, struggling to find their way in this world. These are more than shorts, as each film is 25-30 minute long, but what they all have in common are quality thought-provoking productions, by and about youth, together representing a true talent discovery

Cuba Today! by International Film and Video: Travel with award-winning filmmaker, Marlin Darrah, as he explores present-day Cuba. From the capital city of Havana to the beautiful seaport of Santiago de Cuba, you will marvel at the forbidden natural beauty of Cuba. Travel to Pinar del Rio and visit the lush tobacco fields that produce the most sought-after cigars in the world. See as sugar plantations and colorful towns unfold before your eyes, then walk the beaches of Matanzas and Cuba’s colorful coastline. Cuban people welcome visitors with open arms and their society, with its blend of races and cultures, overflows with a friendly and easy-going hospitality. Finally, after 50 years, visitors can experience the splendor of the Caribbean only 90 miles south of the United States. Soon, Cuba will compete with the Bahamas and Jamaica as the Caribbean vacation destination for Americans, so see it today!

The STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG

Or via the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/FE5904CF-8A91-4688-A592-7A046C7988D3/10/536/en/Default.htm

And if you have an app device look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books and download them to your tablet or smartphone.

Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Linda R.

 

Online Library Fitness Videos & Logitech’s New Harmony Universal Remote Is Truly Universal

Linda Reimer

Online Library Fitness Videos: If you’re ready to workout you should check out the fitness videos in the STLS Digital Catalog! You can download them to your PC and spice up your workout with some new routines!

The library owns the following E-Fitness videos:

A.M. Yoga for Your Week by Rodney Yee

Budokon For Beginners by Cameron Shayne

Dance: Core Cross Train by Patricia Moreno

Easy Home Message: A Step by Step Video Guide

Easy Yoga

Foot Reflexology

Guided Relaxation For Sleep hosted by Dr. James Rouse

Guided Relaxation For Stress hosted by Dr. James Rouse

Healing Yoga by Rodney Yee

All these videos may be checked out via the STLS Digital Catalog for details click on the catalog link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/EF139C11-E181-4009-B6CA-079BACA7E9F2/10/50/en/Default.htm

Logitech’s New Harmony Universal Remote Is Truly Universal: Logitech has come out with a new smart remote, well actually two new smart remotes one The Harmony Universal features a 2.4” touchscreen and the other the Harmony Smart Control. Both remotes allow you to control up to 15 devices including the Xbox, PS3 & Wii game condoles and lamps with a certain type of Phillips light bulbs and offer cell phone integration (translation you can do more with the remotes if you have a smart phone that takes apps). These remotes bring new meaning to the word “universal” allowing you to do much more with them than your typical universal remote  — and they are cool but they are also rather pricey! The Harmony Ultimate (the one with the touch screen) costs $349 and the Harmony Smart Control (the one without the touch screen) costs $129. Hopefully we’ll see a cheaper truly universal remote sometime soon! In the meantime here’s a link to a PC article, titled Logitech’s New Harmony Universal Remotes Link Up to Your Smartphone, on the new and cool high tech Logitech Universal Remotes:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2417819,00.asp

Have a great day!

Linda R.

References

Milot, Stephanie. (2013, April 16). Logitech’s New Harmony Universal Remotes Link Up to Your Smartphone. PC Mag. Online. 

Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Viewing & Listening

Linda Reimer

Here is the list of suggested digital reading, viewing and listening titles for this weekend!

Suggested E-Books:

The Armageddon Rag by George R.R. Martin: Onetime underground journalist Sandy Blair has come a long way from his radical roots in the ’60s–until something unexpectedly draws him back: the bizarre and brutal murder of a rock promoter who made millions with a band called the Nazgûl. Now, as Sandy sets out to investigate the crime, he finds himself drawn back into his own past–a magical mystery tour of the pent-up passions of his generation. For a new messiah has resurrected the Nazgûl and the mad new rhythm may be more than anyone bargained for–a requiem of demonism, mind control, and death, whose apocalyptic tune only Sandy may be able to change in time . . . before everyone follows the beat.

Edwin of the Iron Shoes: Sharon McCone Mystery Series, Book 1 by Marcia Muller: The book that launched the massively popular series! It’s Sharon McCone’s first case as staff investigator for All Souls Legal Cooperative. She knows nothing about antiques, yet she has an affection for Salem Street with its charming mix of antique and curio shops. Now elderly dealer Joan Albritton has been found dead, stabbed with an antique dagger. Her neighbors are shocked. Recurring vandalism has them frightened. And McCone’s introduction to Lieutenant Gregory Marcus doesn’t help matters. Ferreting out the facts will take Sharon from the chaotic jumble of the junk dealer’s establishment to a museum where San Francisco’s most elegant socialites gather.

Silverlock: Silverlock Series, Book 1 by John Myers Myers: Clarence Shandon was just an MBA from Wisconsin before a shipwreck transported him to the shores of the fantastic Commonwealth of Letters. He journeys through history and myth, meeting unforgettable names from Circe to Robin Hood along the way. But the journey changes him from the studious, conceited academic to a legend in his own right: Silverlock.

Suggested Album:

Almanac Singers: Talking Union (1941-1942) by various artists including Millard Lampell, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, et. al. (Note: this is classic American folk music!)

Digital download includes the following songs:

1 The Strange Death of John Doe

2 Plow Under

3 Ballad of October 16th

4 Liza Jane

5 Billy Boy

6 C for Conscription: ‘C’ for Conscription

7 Washington Breakdown

8 Talking Union

9 Union Train

10 Which Side Are You On?

11 Get Thee Behind Me, Satan

12 Union Maid

13 All I Want

14 Song for Bridges

15 Babe O’ Mine

16 Dear Mr. President

17 Belt-Line Girl

18 Round and Round Hitler’s Grave

19 Side by Side

20 Deliver The Goods

21 The Sinking of the Reuben James

Suggested Audio Book:

Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History (unabridged) by Antonio Mendez, Matt Baglio, Dylan Baker: “The true account of the 1979 rescue of six American hostages from Iran

On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and captured dozens of American hostages, sparking a 444-day ordeal and a quake in global politics still reverberating today. But there’s a little-known footnote to the crisis: six Americans escaped. And a midlevel agent named Antonio Mendez devised an ingenious yet incredibly risky plan to rescue them. Armed with foreign film visas, Mendez and an unlikely team of CIA agents and Hollywood insiders—directors, producers, and actors—traveled to Tehran under the guise of scouting locations for a fake film called Argo. While pretending to find the perfect scenery and backdrops, the team succeeded in contacting the escapees and smuggling them out of Iran without a single shot being fired.

Antonio Mendez finally details the mind-bogglingly complex and dangerous operation he led more than three decades ago. A true story of secret identities and international intrigue, Argo is the gripping account of this history-making collusion between Hollywood and high-stakes espionage.”

Suggested Video:

The Lost World (1925): A world wide sensation when it opened on February 15, 1925, “The Lost World” is a story of living dinosaurs from the Jurassic age written by the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and starring a cast of stegosaurus, allosaurus, brontosaurus, triceratops, and pterodactyl under the technical direction of Willis H. O’Brien (King Kong, Mighty Joe Young) and a cast of actors under the direction of Harry O. Hoyt.

The STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG

Or via the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/FE5904CF-8A91-4688-A592-7A046C7988D3/10/536/en/Default.htm

And if you have an app device look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books.

Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Linda R. 

New E-Books, Albums, Videos & Audio Books Available In Digital Catalog Today!

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, just a quick FYI our new order of titles for the Digital Catalog has been placed and processed! So you’ll find new e-books, album, music and videos available in the Digital Catalog this afternoon.

Check them out!

Here’s a direct link to the catalog, which you can browse on your PC as well as via your tablet or smartphone (via the OverDrive Media Console app):

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/EAD73E20-5D6B-4230-8638-C1FE4AAF3812/10/50/en/Default.htm

If aren’t familiar with the Digital Catalog let me know!

If you’re interested in reading e-books in languages other than English – please let me know that too and I’ll check into what titles are available for the Digital Catalog.

Have a great day!

Linda R. 

Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Viewing & Listening For The Weekend of March 22-24, 2013

Linda Reimer

If you haven’t checked out the Digital Catalog recently – the platform software has been updated and it has a whole new and more modern look so check it out!

And without further ado here’s the list of suggested listening, reading and viewing digital titles for the weekend.

Albums: Perfect relaxation tunes for the weekend!

Mad Men Music from The TV Series by Various Artists

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1. On The Street Where You Live (Vic Damone)

2. Volare (The McGuire Sisters)

3. Lipstick (David Carbonara)

4. P.S. I Love You (Bobby Vinton)

5. Botch-A-Me (2004 Digital Remaster) (Rosemary Clooney)

6. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) (Julie London)

7. Caravan (Instrumental) (1996 Digital Remaster) (Gordon Jenkins)

8. Manhattan (Ella Fitzgerald & The Buddy Bregman Orchestra)

9. I Can Dream, Can’t I? (The Andrews Sisters)

10. Shangri-La (Robert Maxwell)

11. Babylon (David Carbonara)

12. Mad Men Suite (David Carbonara)

13. A Beautiful Mine (Aceyalone & RJD2)

Symphonic Sixties by 101 Strings Orchestra

Digital Audio Download Includes:

1. Stop! In The Name Of Love (101 Strings Orchestra)

2. I Hear A Symphony (101 Strings Orchestra)

3. Mrs. Robinson (101 Strings Orchestra)

4. California Dreamin’ (101 Strings Orchestra)

5. Yesterday (101 Strings Orchestra)

6. Scarborough Fair (101 Strings Orchestra)

7. A Whiter Shade Of Pale (101 Strings Orchestra)

8. My Cherie Amour (101 Strings Orchestra)

9. Up, Up And Away (101 Strings Orchestra)

10. Wichita Lineman (101 Strings Orchestra)

11. Close To You (101 Strings Orchestra)

12. Good Vibrations (101 Strings Orchestra)

13. I Want To Hold Your Hand (101 Strings Orchestra)

14. Hawaii Five-O (101 Strings Orchestra)

15. Baby Elephant Walk (101 Strings Orchestra)

16. Spinning Wheel (101 Strings Orchestra)

17. Eleanor Rigby (101 Strings Orchestra)

18. The Sound Of Silence (101 Strings Orchestra)

19. King Of The Road (101 Strings Orchestra)

20. California Girls (101 Strings Orchestra)

Audio Books: A character study and fun filled romance!

Among The Missing by Morag Joss: A pregnant woman, believed killed in a bridge accident in the Scottish Highlands, seizes her chance to disappear from her uncaring husband. Determined to safeguard her baby’s future and reinvent herself, she befriends illegal immigrant Silva, whose husband Stefan and daughter Anna, as she alone knows, have died in her place. As the bridge is rebuilt, the two women build a precarious existence in a makeshift home by the river. While Silva waits for Stefan and Anna’s return and the pregnant woman awaits the birth of her child, they are helped by the boatman, Ron, whose devotion to them masks his guilt for a past disaster for which he must atone.

Each of them having crossed some bridge in retreat from the world, each seeking an ever-elusive peace of mind and struggling with displacement and grief, together the three exiles conjure an unstable mix of trust and distrust, compounded by love and jealousy, both parental and sexual. With the discovery of Stefan’s and Anna’s bodies in the river, the tension in their uneasy triangle mounts inexorably and unbearably. With the birth of the new baby only days, then hours away, it finally breaks.

Love In A Nutshell by Janet Evanovich: Number one bestselling author Janet Evanovich teams up with award-winning author Dorien Kelly to deliver a sparkling novel of romantic suspense, small-town antics, secretive sabotage, and lots and lots of beer Kate Appleton needs a job. Her husband has left her, she’s been fired from her position as a magazine editor, and the only place she wants to go is to her parents’ summer house, The Nutshell, in Keene’s Harbor, Michigan. Kate’s plan is to turn The Nutshell into a Bed and Breakfast. Problem is, she needs cash, and the only job she can land is less than savory. Matt Culhane wants Kate to spy on his brewery employees. Someone has been sabotaging his company, and Kate is just new enough in town that she can insert herself into Culhane’s business and snoop around for him. If Kate finds the culprit, Matt will pay her a $20,000 bonus. Needless to say, Kate is highly motivated. But several problems present themselves. Kate despises beer. No one seems to trust her. And she is falling hard for her boss. Can these two smoke out a saboteur, save Kate’s family home, and keep a killer from closing in…all while resisting their undeniable attraction to one another? Filled with humor, heart, and loveable characters, Love in a Nutshell is delicious fun.

E-Books:

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell: Now a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant, and directed by Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer

Includes a new Afterword by David Mitchell

A postmodern visionary who is also a master of styles and genres, David Mitchell combines flat-out adventure, a Nabokovian love of puzzles, a keen eye for character, and a taste for mind-bending philosophical and scientific speculation in the tradition of Haruki Murakami, Umberto Eco, and Philip K. Dick. The result is brilliantly original fiction that reveals how disparate people connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky.

Headhunters by Jo Nesbo: With Headhunters, Jo Nesbø has crafted a funny, dark, and twisted caper story worthy of Quentin Tarantino and the Coen brothers. FIRST TIME PUBLISHED IN THE U.S. NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM MAGNOLIA PICTURES.

Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he’s a master of his profession. But one career simply can’t support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife’s fledgling art gallery. At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, who is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that’s been lost since World War II–and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve’s apartment, he finds more than just the painting. And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to Roger Brown.

Mystic Island, Nikki O’Connor Series Book 1 by Jan Evan Whitford: Looking for mystery, romance, humor and a category-5 hurricane? Nikki O’Connor, an attractive single mom – who also happens to be an intelligent and resourceful environmental cop-competes with a U.S. Presidential candidate in the search for a valuable letter FDR sent to Hitler back in 1945. During her quest, she encounters lobster rustlers, passionate romance, betrayal, murder, a catastrophic hurricane, self-awareness and plenty of laughs.

Silent Fall, Sanders Brothers Series, Book 2 by Barbara Freethy: Dylan Sanders is attending a wedding in the mountains when his trip takes a terrible turn. A former lover appears out of nowhere, demands a private conversation, and lures him into the woods, then leaves him there, drugged and disoriented. The next morning, the woman has disappeared, and Dylan is accused of her murder.

Catherine Hilliard, a beautiful psychi haunted by her own dark past, is reluctant to offer up her cryptic visions to help skeptical Dylan figure out what’s going on, but she can’t leave her best friend’s brother-in-law on his own … or deny the powerful, inexplicable connection between them.

It soon becomes clear that a wily and ruthless mastermind has targeted both of them, with a motive that’s very personal. Soon their race to expose the truth is no longer about staying out of jail but about staying alive …

E-Books for Children: Some new adventures just for kids!

The Emerald Atlas, The Books of Beginning Series, Book 1 by John Stephens: Called “A new Narnia for the tween set” by the New York Times and perfect for fans of the His Dark Materials series, The Emerald Atlas brims with humor and action as it charts Kate, Michael, and Emma’s extraordinary adventures through an unforgettable, enchanted world.

These three siblings have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.

Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

Until now.

Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey through time to dangerous and secret corners of the world…a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And–if an ancient prophesy is correct–what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right. (Ages 8 and up).

Lexie by Audrey Couloumbis: Ten-year-old Lexie used to love going to the shore. For as long as she can remember, she’s spent every summer there with her parents, eating hamburgers, swimming in the ocean, and combing the beach for treasure. This summer is going to be different though. Lexie’s Mom and Daddy are divorced, and for the first time Mom won’t be there. To make matters worse, Daddy has a surprise–his new girlfriend, Vicky, and her two sons are coming to stay with them for a week! Now Lexie has to share her house with perky Vicky, Vicky’s moody teenage son Ben, and messy three-year-old Harris. The little beach house just doesn’t seem big enough for so many people. Is there still room for Lexie?

In a voice that’s sharp, funny, and sincere, Newbery Honor-winning author Audrey Couloumbis tells the story of a girl discovering that if you pay attention, sometimes you can find treasure in the most unlikely places. (Ages 8 and up)

Sky Lights, A Tale of Magic, Mystery and Mayhem by Barclay Baker: When characters from a well-loved book appear in the real world, Jack is confused. Fact and fiction can’t mix. Can they?

His sister’s chance remark on Facebook sparks a chain of events that sucks them into a plot involving celestial travel, blood-thirsty pirates seeking revenge, a brilliant scientist who performs miracles, a man-eating crocodile under investigation, and a life and death kidnapping situation.

Add a touch of fairy dust and the merest trace of gunpowder for an explosive mix that will have you turning the pages so fast, sparks will fly.

That’s Sky Lights.

Videos: Learn about dinosaurs or check out some relaxation and yoga tips!

Absolute Beginners: Guitar: This easy-to-follow guitar video tutor will take you step by step from first day exercises to playing along with a professional backing track. Learn how to tune your guitar, develop techniques using fingers or a pick, practice your sense of rhythm, play essential chord shapes, and perform your first complete guitar solo. Includes a 32-page booklet matching the exercises on the video.

All About Dinosaurs: Want to learn more about dinosaurs and what paleontologists do? Paleontologists are people who dig for fossils and study them in a lab. Dinosaurs lived for millions of years. Learn about the first dinosaurs in the Triassic Period, 230 million years ago. What kind of dinosaurs lived in the Jurassic Period? Not the Tyrannosaurus Rex or the Triceratops! They came much later in the Cretaceous Period. Dinosaurs vanished around 65 million years ago and no one knows for sure what happened to them. They may be gone, but they are not forgotten. As we dig deeper in the past, what we know about them will grow! Learn how you can unlock the hidden answer found in fossils.

Guided Relaxation for Sleep: Guided Relaxation for Sleep offers quick relief to help you achieve a restorative, restful night’s sleep. Through calm, soothing instruction, you’ll learn to let go of the day’s frustrations, quiet your mind and focus on the moment to fall into a deep, sound sleep.

Healing Yoga: The healing art of yoga has been practiced for millennia to enhance both physical and mental well-being. Filmed on the serene island of Maui, Healing Yoga features internationally acclaimed yoga teacher Rodney Yee, who offers you five yoga solutions that use restorative poses to help relieve stress, back pain, indigestion, fatigue and headache. Take time for yourself and discover the healing power of yoga and the rewards it brings to your life.

All descriptions are from the respective publishers unless otherwise specified.

The STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of http://ssclibrary.org/

Or via the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/FE5904CF-8A91-4688-A592-7A046C7988D3/10/536/en/Default.htm

And if you have an app device look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books.

Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.

Have a great weekend!

Linda R.

New E-Books, Audio Books, Music & Videos Available In The STLS Digital Catalog Later Today

Linda Reimer

Hi everyone, just as an FYI for all the consumers of digital content out there! There will be a multitude of new items appearing in the STLS Digital Catalog this evening. The new items include audio books in the swashbuckling Horatio Hornblower series, albums by Pink Floyd and videos on a variety of subjects including non-fiction titles on genealogy and gardening, children’s videos including Thomas The Tank Engine, All About Cowboys, All About Dinosaurs & Mr. Sherman & Peabody, Season 1. Other new video titles include: Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, Budokon For Beginners, Night Train – Pociag, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, Derailed and American in World War II.

You can access the entire Digital Catalog by going to the library’s home page (SSCLIBRARY.ORG) or clicking on the following link:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/5654A588-8683-4527-A797-407FB5E8710C/10/536/en/default.htm

And if you’d rather check out e-books, music, videos or audio books categories directly please click on anyone of the following links:

All E-Books:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/5654A588-8683-4527-A797-407FB5E8710C/10/536/en/SearchResults.htm?SearchID=7457576s&SortBy=CollDate

All Music:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/5654A588-8683-4527-A797-407FB5E8710C/10/536/en/SearchResults.htm?SearchID=7457568s&SortBy=CollDate

All Videos:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/5654A588-8683-4527-A797-407FB5E8710C/10/536/en/SearchResults.htm?SearchID=7457555s&SortBy=CollDate

New Audio Book Editions:

http://stls.lib.overdrive.com/5654A588-8683-4527-A797-407FB5E8710C/10/536/en/SearchResults.htm?SearchID=31706431&SortBy=CollDate

Note: To check on format compatibility with your device click on the following link which will take you to the OverDriveDeviceResourceCenter page:

http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/

Also of note, as of January 2013 you can download all OverDrive Content to a PC and OverDrive E-Books to most e-readers and tablets. A/V materials can be downloaded to PCs and a handful of portable devices from Creative Zen and Colby. Reportedly OverDrive (that is the name of the STLS Digital Catalog platform vendor) will be ushering a new streaming system for all e-books, audio books, music and videos in the catalog which will mean that you’ll be able to stream content to most smart phones, tablets and PCs in the near future. We’ll update our website, Facebook page and the SSCL Tech Talk blog site with that information as soon as that update occurs.

And if you have any questions about the items in the Digital Catalog and how you can access them please ask the staff; we are here to help!

Have a great afternoon!

Linda R.

What On Earth Is The STLS Digital Catalog Anyway? & Why Is It Exciting? Part I of II!

Linda Reimer

We do quite few tech programs here at the library. And one of the ones that I’m hosting this week is a part of our Wednesday One Hour Tech* series – it is titled STLS Digital Catalog. Now that is a very bland name from an entertainment perspective…very bland indeed; however, I assure you the Digital Catalog is both cool and exciting! And if you want to find out more about it you can come to the workshop – it is tomorrow from 2-3 PM and I’ll answer any questions you have about the catalog. And for more information right now – please read on!

The short answer to the very valid question: “What on Earth is the Digital Catalog?” is that the Digital Catalog is essentially an e-library that is open twenty four hours a day and 365 days a year. A library where patrons can go, via the Internet, and check out e-books, e-audio books, e-videos and e-music — on demand — whenever it is convenient for them; whether that time happens to be before ones 6 AM run, late into the evening after a very long day or smack dab in the middle of a week day afternoon .

So let me see if I can add some color and depth to the explanation of what that bland name “Digital Catalog” means while further illustrating why it is exciting to be able to access digital content on demand. And I’ll start by offering a brief definition of what I mean when I say “e-books, e-audio books, e-videos and e-music titles.”

E-books are the best known of the four formats mentioned and they are simply versions of print books offered for people to read on PCs, Macs, e-readers, tablets, MP3 players like the iPods and smartphones like the iPhone 5.

The term E-Audio Books refers to audio book titles that may be checked out via the Digital Catalog and downloaded and/or transferred to a PC, smartphone, tablet or other portable device. So you can listen to e-audio books on your PC, iPod, MP3 player, iPhone and most other smartphone and tablets.

E-videos are videos that may be downloaded from the Digital Catalog to a PC and then watched on that PC.

And e-music titles are albums that may be downloaded from the Digital Catalog to a PC and then listened to on that PC or transferred to supported portable devices so you can take the music on the go.

Having said that here are some scenarios that illustrate why accessing content from the Digital Catalog can be both fun and very convenient!

Regarding On Demand Library E-Books: Consider These Scenarios: E-Book Scenario 1: It has been a hectic Tuesday and it is 7 o’clock at night as you sit down ready to read. As you go to sit down in your favorite chair glass of wine or cup of favorite tea in hand, you realize you’re ten pages from the end of the mystery you’ve been reading…

 So what do you do?

You could get in your car and drive to the library to pick out another book or you could buy another e-book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble…

Or you could just go to the Digital Catalog and search for a new e-book to read without even leaving your house and be reading it in less than minute*1. You might out one of those spicy paranormal books by Lara Adrian, a new Susan Mallery book or perhaps if you’re in the mood for something really light one of the Sophie Kinsella books that you haven’t read yet. And low and behold, via the Digital Catalog, your relaxing reading evening is saved!

E-Book Scenario 2: You’re stuck in the airport in BoiseIdaho. You’re flight has been delayed for three hours and you’re bored straight out of your tree. What do you do? You might get out your Nexus 7 or Motorola Zoom tablet, open the STLS Digital Catalog app (aka OverDrive)*2 and download a new e-book to read or e-audio to listen to so you can pass the time more pleasantly. And what do you know, those three hours pass quickly!

E-Book Scenario 3: You’re on vacation at the beach, or ski lodge, and have run out of reading material. It is so nice to be able to just sit there in the sun or in the chair by the cracking fire of the ski lodge hot toddy in hand, that you don’t want to get up and go out to get a book.

So what do you do? You take your iPad out of your bag and open the STLS Digital Catalog (OverDrive) app and search for an e-book by your favorite author to read; if you’re in the mood for romantic reading perhaps a Debbie Macomber or Susan Mallery title? Or perhaps you’d like something more in a suspense vein like an e-book by John Grisham, James Patterson, Lisa Jackson or Karin Fossum? Or just perhaps you’re in the mood for a biography…You might check out Barbara Eden’s bio Jeannie Out of the Bottle, Lois Banner’s bio of Marilyn Monroe – The Passion and the Paradox…or if you’re in the mood for a more historical works you might check out Marc Seifer’s of Nikola Tesla, Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla or Wade Davis’s book Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest.

E-Book Scenario 4: It is Saturday afternoon and your fifth grader just told you he has a book report due on Monday on a biography that he hasn’t read yet. You’ve got plans for the evening and for all day Sunday so what do you do? You might access the Digital Catalog on your family’s PC*3 because you know that sports fan that your son is – if he really has to write a book report on a biography than one of the Matt Christopher sports bios for kids might be just the ticket! The Matt Christopher bios in the catalog include ones on: Tony Hawk (skate boarding), Derek Jeter (baseball) and Jeff Gordon (obviously NASCAR!). So your son picks his sports bio of choice and begins eagerly reading the e-book! He is just engrossed enough that you think he will actually finish the book and the book report by Monday!

E-Book Scenario 5: It is 6 PM and as you’re getting ready for dinner your teenage daughter, who is a voracious reader, complains that she’s read all the print books she checked out of the library earlier in the week. You suggest she hop on her laptop and check out the e-books in the Digital Catalog. She finds two new e-books by Rachel Vincent! And she sees there is an e-book edition of the Hobbit so she can read it again – this time as an e-book. She then transfers all three titles to her Nook and begins reading. So you’re tops in your daughters book! She has something new to read without either of you having to leave the house – how cool is that? Of course, you may have to do the dishes yourself but at least your daughter is happy.

Regarding On Demand Library E-Audio Books: Consider These Scenarios: Scenario 1: You’re going on a vacation and driving from the Southern Tier of New York to Maine to visit friends. It is early on a crisp fall day with a bright blue sky and not a cloud in sight. What could go wrong? The car is packed and you’re ready to go with a cup of coffee in one hand and a library CD audio book set in the other. You put your coffee cup in your cup holder and the CD in your CD player and down the road you go. And after about 20 minutes you realize you’ve already read the book you’re listening to on CD.

Major league bummer!

So what do you do?

You could turn around and go home to get another audio that you’ve already listened to or you could drive back to town and wait an hour for the library to open…

Or you might pull out your iPhone or other smartphone, open the STLS Digital Catalog (OverDrive) app and look for a new e-audio to listen to. You might check out the audio version of Baltimore Blues (Tess Monaghan series, book 1)by Laura Lippman since your sister has been telling you to read it; or perhaps you should try that Blaine Harden book, Escape from Camp 14, you heard about on NPR the one about the Korean prisoner who escaped from a work camp. Or you just might be in the mood to listen to the War Horse audio by Michael Morpurgo as you never got around to seeing the movie and the books are always better than the movies anyway. And if you’ve got kids with you the entire Harry Potter series is available in e-audio format and you could always listen to one or two of those audios again. So which ever e-audio you download to your phone – you should be all set as far as entertaining listening goes and you don’t have to turn the car around to go home and get another audio nor do you have to buy a new one!

Scenario 2: You’re getting ready to go out on your morning run and realize you finished the audio book you were listening to on your iPod or MP3 player, yesterday. You fire up your PC and check the Digital Catalog for newly added e-audios and find the new Ken Follett audio The Winter of the World is available; so you download the Follett e-audio book to your PC and quickly transfer it to your iPod or MP3 player and away you go! Of course, if you’re not in the mood for historical fiction you might try out one of the Hunger Games trilogy of audios, one of the E.L. James audios or perhaps something in the mystery or suspense vein by Joss Morag or James Patterson…and with the new library e-audio on your iPod you wind up so engrossed in the story that you run two extra miles for a definite fitness plus!

Scenario 3: It is 6 PM on a Wednesday and you’re dropping an item off for an elderly relative who has difficulty reading and loves audio books. It seems she’s listened to all the audio books you checked out of the library for her last week. Fortunately, she has a library card! So you fire up her laptop, go to the Digital Catalog and download three new audios for her to listen to on her laptop while she is knitting. You found her the Gone Girl audio by Gillian Flynn, a Julia Quinn romance she missed – What Happens in London and one of Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone cozy mysteries – Chocolate Covered Murder. And needless to say you are a big hit with your relative! You made her day!

And as I’ve typed a longer blog post than I intended I’m going to leave a discussion of the exciting aspects of downloading e-videos and e-music titles for tomorrow!

And if you have any questions about the STLS Digital Catalog let us know! You can call the library at: 607-936-3713 and press extension 502 which will get you the tech savvy folks at the Reference Desk or you can send us me an email at: REIMERL@STLS.ORG

Have a great afternoon!

Linda R.

*1) You can download free library e-books directly to a number of tech devices including the iPhone, the iPad most Android tablets and most smartphones. If you have a dedicated e-book reader the process is a bit different but essentially if you have a Kindle you go online to the Digital Catalog click on an available e-book you would like to read and follow the prompts – the e-book will then be sent to your Kindle and you can read it. If on the other hand you have any of B&N’s Nooks you will have to download the e-book to your PC and then transfer it to your Nook. As the staff for details about this process!

*2) The free STLS Digital Catalog app, which once installed allows you to download e-books and some e-audio books to your iPad, other tablet or smartphone, is called OverDrive and is available from most App Stores.

*3) All the formats in the STLS Digital Catalog – e-books, e-audio books, e-videos and e-music titles can be downloaded to a PC – so you don’t need an e-reader to read e-books on! You can bring up that bio for your fifth grader on your PC and let him have at it – as the expression goes…