Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Harry Potter hits the eWorld

You read the books, you've seen the movies...what could possibly be missing from your Harry Potter experience? Until now Harry Potter had not yet entered the digital realm.

They're here! Finally the wildly popular Harry Potter series is available in eBook and eAudiobook format. Starting March 29th they will be available for download from the Herrick District Library through our OverDrive collection. Download Harry's adventures and take him with you on your eReader or MP3 player. And may the odds....oops wrong one.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Library eHolds @ Herrick March 27 Noon-1pm


We're talking library eHolds at today's eReader User Group meeting. We will meet from Noon-1pm in the lower level auditorium. Grab your eReader/tablet/laptop and join us.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

From Page to Screen -- The Host

Hey--
Remember when we all went crazy over Edward and Bella? And we all became diehard fans of Stephenie Meyer?
Good! Because it wasn't that long ago and I'd be worried if you didn't.
More to the point of a blog post, though, here's the good news for the Meyer devotees: her other book, The Host, is currently in movie production!


Some of Meyer's fans were disappointed by the book, in comparison to her wildly popular Twilight series, but others swear that The Host is superior in every possible way.
What do you think? Warning: try not to decide based just on the movie trailer. Because honestly? Could it be anymore vague???
Happy Reading!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Go green and plant a free tree seedling!

Pick up your free tree seedling on April 27, 2012 at Herrick District Library. While you are here, enter a drawing for your chance to win a potted weeping cherry.
Check our website at www.herrickdl.org, or call reference at 355-3720, for more details.

Need a Holland Recreation Spring-Summer bulletin?



Stop by Herrick District Library to pick one up. From youth sports to concerts in the park, you are bound to find something fun to do.

Latest on Lynda

Welcome
View this entire course and more in the lynda.com Online Training Library®.


View many Lynda training videos here.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Newly Notable -- The Expats

I'm not recommending The Expats--primarily because I haven't read it yet--but I'm intrigued. How often do books get almost uniformly good reviews? But if I were to recommend it prematurely, it would be because of something the author (Christ Pavone) said: "I think most people have no idea what their spouses do all day long. It's not a question of adultery I'm talking about, but just the reality that you live this life of 40, 50, 60 hours a week doing something completely divorced from your family and it's possible that it's just completely no what the other person thought it would be." Interesting, no?
With that in mind, here's the premise: Kate, married to Dexter, is the working mother of twins. Dexter thinks that Kate puts in long administrative hours. In truth, she is a CIA operative. The novel opens with Dexter getting offered a job in Luxembourg, which he accepts and will require Kate to leave her job. She is happy until she begins to settle into her new life, when she begins to question the quiet lives of those around her. Are they what they seem? Or are they pulling the same charades that she did for so long?
I'm intrigued. A psychological spy novel? Count me in!
Happy Reading!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Latest on Lynda

Welcome




View this entire Facebook course and more in the lynda.com Online Training Library®.

View many Lynda training videos here.

Newly Notable -- The Flight of Gemma Hardy

I will be the first to admit that I am usually wary of retellings. I, who have never written or published a word for mass market consumption, am an unbearable snob about certain topics and this is one of them. My line of thinking usually goes like this: Really? You're trying to improve on Charlotte Bronte's work? You think that you can do Charlotte Bronte better than Charlotte Bronte did Charlotte Bronte? And then I snort at the arrogance that seems to be so inherent in human beings.
But I digress.
Here's what Margot Livesey did: she took Jane Eyre, (which, in the name of full disclosure, is one of my favorite books), moved her to the 1950s/60s in Scotland, and allowed the wise young woman to run rampant in an era of less stringent sexual taboos, wider-ranging opportunities for women, and a collective mentality of self-absorption. That may sound like a bad thing, but what happens is that the very wise Jane becomes a flawed and occasionally flighty, but more realistic woman; her evil aunt has a backstory and, while no less detestable, becomes a little more understandable (did anyone else ever wonder why Jane's loving and tender uncle married such a shrew? Livesey has a pretty good theory!); and Mr. Rochester gets some baggage that creates a whole new depth of character for one who seems to become easily obsessed and besotted.
While these enhancements won't please everyone and the setting certainly changes a great deal of the possible twists to the story, Livesey does create a likable rendition of a more modern Jane; certainly one who is more empowered and more willing to take control of her circumstances.
Happy Reading!