The Lehigh Valley

On my way to the library today, I followed one of the new Hybrid Electric LANTA buses down Route 309 and I was curious about how much cleaner these vehicles were to drive. LANTA’s facebook page says that three are on Valley roads daily and that hybrid electric buses get 20% better fuel economy and the use of electric results in a 61% reduction in pollutants. LANTA also promises a quieter ride. LANTA bus schedules for numerous routes are available at the library or on LANTA's website.


…Lehigh Valley International Airport is also going to purchase hybrid vehicles for use servicing planes and for use in the terminal with a grant received in May from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. I have always seen the Lehigh Valley as a very green place. Here’s to hoping the area industries will help to keep it that way.

Lehigh Valley Resources at PCL:
Lehigh Valley Magazine – current issue does not circulate. Other bimonthly issues are available from 2004 to the present and have a three week check out period. Issues from 2002 – 2003 are shelved in the Local History section.
Lehigh Valley Style – Issues from 2002 forward circulate except for the current issue.

Some DVD’s of interest from the Lehigh Valley living history series produced by PBS 39:
Hollywood on Hamilton: Remembering Hess's
Bethlehem Steel: The people who built America
Carousel of memories
Football legends of Pennsylvania
The Lehigh Lafayette legacy
Make a joyful noise: The Bach Choir of Bethlehem

…And don’t miss PCL’s Local History section for a stroll down memory lane.

Environmental Pollution

Today I came across an important resource from the Political Economy Research Institute which names the top 100 toxic air polluters in the US. Incidentally BP is #25 on this list which spans a wide range of industries from paper manufacturers to electricity corporations. In the context of the BP spill, could another similar accident occur at one of these corporate facilities? The environment is still feeling the effects of past environmental disasters. How long will the Gulf cleanup take? How long until the marine life recovers? See some of these library materials to learn more.

Past global environmental disasters:
Chernobyl by David Erik Nelson
– If you prefer fiction, read Wolves eat dogs by Martin Cruz Smith, set in Pripyat, Ukraine .
Five past midnight in Bhopal - an account of the Union Carbide gas leak in India,  December 3, 1984
-For a fictional account of the effects of this disaster on lives, Animal's people
Three Mile Island: A nuclear crisis in historical perspective

For research: Environmental issues: Essential primary sources and Encyclopedia of global warming and climate change

To gain awareness on environmental issues:
*READ coverage of the Gulf oil spill in the New Orleans’ Times-Picayune on the America's Newspapers database.
*Hot, flat, and crowded: Why we need a green revolution and how it can renew America
*Red sky at morning: America and the crisis of the global environment
*Dire predictions: Understanding global warming
*Eaarth: Making a life on a tough planet

Newsweek’s photo slideshow of Eco Disasters

Take the non-fiction challenge

Everyone is now flocking to the library to pick up summer reading. Try to have a few alternate choices in mind in case the book you wanted is checked out. You can always get on the hold list, but how about trying a non-fiction book that is every bit as entertaining, action-packed, and suspenseful as fiction? You might also pick up some trivia which could come in useful if you like crosswords or practicing for Jeopardy! (like I do). I’m going to suggest one page-turner in each main Dewey category (plus biography). Take the non-fiction challenge: Read something on the list and give me your feedback here.

Collective biography (B9) – The dirt by Motley Crue

Biography (B) – High on arrival by Mackenzie Phillips

100’s - My secret: A PostSecret book

200’s – Don’t know much about mythology, another Kenneth Davis book packed with trivia.

300’s – Curtains: Adventures of an undertaker-in-training (Kim gave this one a thumbs-up)

400’s – Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's guide to better English in plain English

500’s – Wicked plants: the weed that killed Lincoln's mother and other botanical atrocities

600’s – The hot zone – Ebola, monkeys, and biological weapons will put you on the edge of your seat.

700’s – The art of Ancient Egypt by Gay Robins

800’s – Undateable : 311 things guys do that guarantee they won't be dating or having sex – This is just too funny; both the text and the pictures merit laughs. Check this promotional clip.

900’s – Paris Under Water: How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910

I'll be looking forward to your comments.

Those crazy lemurs!

I thought this was a cute news story.  I can just see these two being as funny as King Julien (see the Penguins of Madagascar below).  And to think they wound up in the library!

DVD's just for fun

Penguins of Madagascar

Madagascar

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Magill's Literary Annual 2010 - new in reference

PCL now has electronic access to Magill’s Literary Annual 1977 – 2010. This reference work covers fiction and non-fiction books that appeal to general readers, represent trends in publishing, and are commonly taught in literature courses. This database can access 33 years of past annuals - over 6,900 reviews. Essays are indexed by author, title, and category and are illustrated as well. See the 2 volume print 2010 Annual in the Reference section.

Magill's Literary Annual is published by Salem Press

Answers to Friday's Brain Teasers

Brain Teasers


1. The ball costs .05.  The bat costs $1.00 more at $1.05.  Together they add up to $1.10.
2. The number of lily pads on day 47 covered half the pond.  They doubled and completely covered the pond by day 48.

3. Each machine is making 1 widget per minute.  100 machines making 100 widgets will still only take 5 minutes.

4. He is a midget and cannot reach his button. When it is raining, he has his umbrella to push the button.

These stumped Adam!

Try to twist your brain around these puzzles. Answers will be posted on Monday.

1. A bat and ball together cost $1.10. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?

2. A cluster of lily pads is growing in a pond. Each day the cluster doubles in size covering more of the surface of the pond. If the pond is completely covered in 48 days, how many days does it take for the pond to be half covered?

3. If 5 machines take 5 minutes to make 5 widgets how long will it take 100 machines to make 100 widgets?

4. There is a man that lives on the top floor of an 11 story building. Everyday he gets the elevator down to the ground floor to leave the building to go to work. Upon returning from work though, he always travels on the elevator only up to the 7th floor and walks the stairs the rest of the way. unless it is raining. Why does he do this (it is not because he needs the exercise)?

For more visit WebRiddles.com or check out these PCL titles-
The lady or the tiger? : and other logic puzzles, including a mathematical novel that features odel's great discovery
The Oxford A-Z of word games

Have a great weekend!

The end is near?

You have the amount of time shown above to read up! Here are some pre-apocalypse materials at PCL:

The real history of the end of the world: Apocalyptic predictions from Revelation and Nostradamus to Y2K and 2012 - I really wanted to like this book (I really, really did!), but try as I may it was like wading through wet sand. This is a very comprehensive work starting with beliefs at the beginning of recorded time. It is also diligently and painstakingly researched with copious footnotes (which I enjoy – I’m one of those geeks who reads the footnotes) and Newman obviously has a deep understanding and passion for the subject. You might consider reading a few chapters that may hold a special interest, but I found it dry (in spite of humor peppered throughout). My favorite chapters were on the Shakers, the Branch Davidians, and Y2K.


For some more insight on end of the world, read Nostradamus's own words… The complete prophecies of Nostradamus ... and Nostradamus: The millennium and beyond

A history of the end of the world: How the most controversial book in the Bible changed the course of Western civilization-referring to the book of Revelation

There have been quite a few checkouts on the recently added The complete idiot's guide to 2012. Want to put a hold on this item?


And finally, there is the Hollywood version. The movie 2012 portrayed an idea of the end including earthquakes, meteors, giant arks, and a bit of fluff that really outsmarted her arrogant Russian sugardaddy. I really enjoyed this (Adam thinks I'm nuts), although not in an it can happen sort of way. There is a much greater chance of Will Smith & his dog being totally alone in Manhattan.

Just remember to return all your library materials before the countdown clock runs out!

Art Appreciation 101: Renoir

The Late Renoir exhibit opens today at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This traveling exhibition is comprised of more that 80 pieces by the Impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir including paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The exhibit will run through September 6th and Philadelphia is its only East Coast stop. The same exhibit was a well-reviewed success in Paris last fall where the WSJ noted it was “the most keenly anticipated show of the season.” For more information see: http://www.philamuseum.org/. Through museum membership it is possible to get free tickets for this show.


Girl in a Red Ruff, 1896

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, French

Oil on canvas

PCL resources to help viewers appreciate Renoir:
*Pierre Auguste Renoir
*Renoir and his art
*Impressionism (Recent NF)– This is an art book from Taschen with the standard full page photos and easy to read descriptions. It give an overview of the late 19th century Impressionist art movement in which artists such as Mary Cassatt, Degas, Monet, and Seurat captured moments of modern bourgeois society in reflective light and with soft edges. PCL has several new Taschen art books on the recent non-fiction shelves.
*Painting the impressionist landscape : lessons in interpreting light and color (Recent NF)– Contains explanations of technique and exercises to help painters learn the skills recalling the impressionist movement.

Psycho

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the premier of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Its memorable score and unforgettable shower scene have marked its place as an American classic.  Bernard Herrman was the composer of the anxious music accompanying the rainy night drive and of the shrill piercing strings which mixed with a running shower conveyed pure terror. Psycho was based on the Robert Bloch novel of the same name (which in turn was based on the crimes of serial killer Ed Gein). Psycho is called the first slasher film, stirred fright in viewers, and influenced countless films.


I must admit, though, that my favorite Hitchcock movie will always be Rear Window. Did you ever notice just how tiny Grace Kelly’s waist was? I think I liked it because there were so many interesting vignettes independent of each other although connected through the common apartment building… And of course for Grace Kelly’s comment “A woman never goes anywhere but the hospital without packing makeup, clothes, and jewelry.”

Check out these Hitchcock related resources at PCL:
DVDs - Psycho, Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, The man who knew too much, The birds, The lady vanishes, Lifeboat, Rebecca, Rope, Strangers on a train, Vertigo

Music from the films - Psycho [compact disc] : great Hitchcock movie thrillers.

Non-fiction - The art of Alfred Hitchcock : fifty years of his motion pictures,

The dark side of genius : the life of Alfred Hitchcock

Short stories - Alfred Hitchcock presents stories not for the nervous.

Alfred Hitchcock presents stories that go bump in the night.

Alfred Hitchcock presents stories to be read with the lights on.

Alfred Hitchcock presents stories to be read with the door locked.

Do you have a favorite Hitchcock film?  Comment on this post.

Has anyone else noticed the uncanny resemblance of the Hometree to the PCL logo tree?

My name came up on the hold list and I got to take home Avatar this weekend. I watched it last night and was riveted to Pandora’s flora and fauna. Equally interesting were the military vehicles, map systems, and weaponry. I found this really entertaining & thought provoking, even if the plot was a bit predictable. Science fiction and futuristic movies usually elicit this type of reaction from me as I find imagining inventions and innovations difficult when reading text and much prefer to see James Cameron’s or Steven Spielberg’s interpretations brought to life by dazzling effects. PCL’s selection of DVDs is well rounded and offers something for every taste (thanks to Erin who researches and purchases DVDs). While waiting for your turn to see Avatar, check out these library resources on science fiction films and books.

For movie recommendations check VideoHound’s golden movie retriever with category lists such as Alien Beings (benign and vicious subcategories), Comedy Sci-fi (think Spaceballs), Future Shock, and Sci-fi Westerns(????). Also - Leonard Maltin’s 2010 movie guide offers summaries, stars, and warnings for BOMB (Bottom of the Barrel) movies .

An accurate and reliable online source is Imdb (Internet Movie database). This is great to check out all the films in which your favorite actor has had roles (Guilty, I’ve checked Jonathan Rhys Meyers more than once).

Help in choosing sci-fi books-

The science fiction and fantasy readers' advisory : the librarian's guide to cyborgs, aliens, and sorcerers

– offers titles and brief annotations in classic science fiction (the stuff of the 60’s that was brought to life by the 90’s and considered old school by 2010), time travel, and alternate planet tales.

Book lust : recommended reading for every mood, moment, and reason offers notable titles in groups such as astronomical ideas, cyberspace, the moon’s my destination, science fiction and fantasy, and techno-thrillers.

The World Fantasy Award Winners can be found on the PCL homepage.

Comments and suggestions on sci-fi books or movies are welcome.

Tales of shopping...free at the library

I saw a skirt I really liked in Glamour this month. I have a pair of shoes that would look just awesome with it. So, I went online to see where I could get one. I wasn’t prepared for the $740 price tag. By the time I saved enough to buy it, it wouldn’t be the right season and would probably be completely out of style. However, what if I was a shopping addict? I’d probably be writing this looking very fashionable in my new skirt. Two non-fiction books come to mind on this topic…


Spent: Memoirs of a shopping addict, released in May by author Avis Cardella, took a look at this increasing prominent disorder which has driven compulsive shoppers even beyond bankruptcy. The NYT book review this past Sunday didn’t really have a positive or negative spin on Spent. I believe compulsive shopping is a form of addiction. I think everyone feels like buying something new every now and again. The ones who purchase the designer goods for hundreds or thousands of dollars are the ones labeled shopping addicts; the rest of us are just poor budgeters. Cardella explains the root of her addiction is that she believed people would judge her by her clothing and not for her personality. It sounds like a self-confidence and peer pressure issue to me. Even though I haven’t bought (and will not be buying) the $740 skirt and won’t have a huge credit card bill I can’t pay, it is sad that some adults still have a problem with peer pressure. You would have thought we would have outgrown it by now.

A more frightening book on overspending is Save Karyn: one shopaholic's journey to debt and back. This one is a bit older (2003) and I came across it while dusting and straightening in the stacks. Relaying her own experience, the author, Karyn Bosnak, relates how every moment of her day was consumed by the need to purchase things and services, and the struggle to pay for them and keep up appearances. This book was more frightening because Bosnak made a good salary and simply continually overspent. Her situation gets so dire that she moves, sells items she has acquired, and actually begs the general public (in a unique way) to help her out of her self-created mess. I preferred this book (over Spent) for its attention to details – this woman can tell a shopping story so descriptively you can feel the lush fabrics and smell leather, and the meticulous tally of funds she kept both in her head and on paper just trying to keep her bank balances positive is astounding. Bosnak’s issue seems more like an addiction, although I (with no $740 skirt) can’t drum up very much sympathy for either of their situations.

Reader comments are welcome.

Carol Higgins Clark and the creative art of the mystery novel

As the reference librarian at PCL, I order and mainly read non-fiction. When the recent fiction books have long lists of holds, I often ask if I can interest you in a non-fiction book instead (try it - you might be surprised!).  PCL's 2010 Summer Celebrity was fiction writer Carol Higgins Clark. I attended last evening's event and was impressed by her warmth, sense of humor, and obvious pride in Regan Reilly, the main character of her mystery fiction novels. I was curious about her writing techniques - how? when? where? what? - the process of artistic creation. CHC gave some excellent writing tips and stressed perseverance when seeking an agent and subsequent publisher. As she explained the inspirations for her novels during the program, I realized it must be much more difficult to create fictional works (as opposed to non-fiction). CHC stressed the importance of research for believability & accuracy in her portrayals of characters and settings, much of which she has done in fantasy locations (the QE2 - I wish!). Good naturedly, she also noted that her audience is quick to spot inaccuracies.


For any aspiring writers of fiction or non-fiction keep in mind the library is a great place to begin. With hard work and probably a little luck, in future years the Summer Celebrity could be you!

Here are some sources available at PCL to get you started:

The Writer's market - specifically mentioned by CHC as a good starting guide.

Writer's Digest - a monthly periodical. PCL holds 1 year of back issues which can be checked out for the standard 3-week circulation period.

What's the usage? The writer's guide to English grammar and rhetoric

How to write a damn good novel, II : advanced techniques for dramatic storytelling

How to write short stories

This year you write your novel

Writing fiction : an introduction to the craft

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is going on now through August 7th at DeSales University. In its 9th year, this local event with national talent will feature 6 productions –


June 16 - July 3 The Playboy of the Western World


June 23 - July 11 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum


July 14 - August 8 The Merry Wives of Windsor


July 21 - August 8 Romeo & Juliet


June 4 - August 7 Robin Hood


July 28 - August 7 Shakespeare for Kids


June 28 The Screwtape Letters


July 26 Underneath the Lintel

The mission of the festival is to bring Shakespeare’s works to the attention of a wide audience and promote further interest through outreach and education. 
Need a drama refresher? Check out these items at PCL:

READ... the Playboy of the Western World by J.M. Synge in these volumes: Five great modern Irish plays & Masterpieces of the modern Irish theatre.

SEE... A funny thing happened on the way to the forum on DVD.

READ...The merry wives of Windsor in these collections:  Plays & Sonnets of Shakespeare, vol. 2 & the Complete works of Shakespeare

READ...Romeo & Juliet or LISTEN... Romeo & Juliet CD BOOK

READ...about Robin Hood in The merry adventures of Robin Hood or WATCH the original film on DVD...The Adventures of Robin Hood (1939).

READ...The Screwtape Letters

READ THE REVIEW...of Underneath the lintel in the NYT on the NewBank database.

Explicit & Exotic

Whip Smart is a cracking good tale detailing the author Melissa Febos’ life as herself and as ‘Justine’, a well-paid dominatrix. This is not a book for modest, naïve, or easily nauseated readers. It is frankly startling as the author reveals how she has made a living, what clients have paid her to do, and her conflicting feelings about her own behavior. As her clients who repeatedly pay for abuse and humiliation, ‘Justine’ has her own addictions: to substances, lifestyle, and the sadomasochistic job that keeps her returning to the ‘dungeon’ to enthusiastically deliver biting remarks and twisted torture. After deciding to break ties, she suffers dominatrix withdrawal, loss of the power of dominant oppression over men, and relationship issues. I didn’t find it surprising that this type of behavior held a certain addictive quality for the author. I did find surprising that Febos had the audacity to perform the acts she describes and even more surprising that she has publicly revealed her actions as a dominatrix (I don’t think I could even write about behavior like this without feeling completely embarrassed). No matter if you are shocked or sickened by the subject matter, this book is beyond the imagination of even the most vivid minds and definitely difficult to put down.
See what Elle has to say about Whip Smart

Some girls: My life in a harem – Jillian Lauren had an alter ego which she would slip into (or out of, as the case may be) when she arrived at the royal palace in Brunei. Paid to live on the estate of one of the richest sultanates for months at a time, Lauren would check her own emotions and desires as she became one of a herd of foreign women handsomely compensated to be at the beck and call of the Sultan’s brother, Prince Jefri. Lauren’s exhausting jet-setting travel to exotic locales with her Louis Vuitton luggage would rival the itinerary of Lara Croft. In an atmosphere of privileged boredom, catty female behaviors reminiscent of New York Housewives Bethenny and Kelly, is the daily forecast for Brunei. Jealousy in the harem abounds over jewelry, designer clothes, and the favor of the prince. In learning the best way to please the prince, Lauren learns important lessons about herself, her attitudes about love, and her values. Like Pretty Woman is to Cinderella, a movie of this tale would be the modern version of The King of Siam.

Put Some girls: My life in a harem on hold

Web Favorites & Patent Searching

I love trivia and interesting statistics. Here is a listing of the most visited sites (as of June 2, 2010) compiled by Google.

1. Facebook – never heard of it, although I read somewhere recently that by 2013 it is estimated that everyone in the online community will have an account (maybe by 2013, I’ll actually want one, or not)
2. Yahoo
3. Live.com – a personalized homepage like iGoogle or My Yahoo (anybody using this?)
4. Wikipedia.org – great for beginning research…As a librarian I do use it (for crossword puzzle clues)…but please don’t cite Wikipedia articles (it makes the librarians cringe!)
5. MSN.com
6. Microsoft
7. Blogspot – which I am certain is happy to be hosting the PCL Reference blog
8. Baidu.com – a Chinese and Japanese search engine
9. QQ.com – IM service in China
10. Mozilla.com

Free access to patent materials
A joint effort between Google and the US Patent & Trademark office offers users free access of patents and applications from 1790 forward. This may be a great resource for those thinking about next year’s history day project. Type of information offered includes:

* Patent grants and published applications
* Trademark applications
* Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) proceedings
* Patent classification information
* Patent maintenance fee events
* Patent and Trademark assignments

Search Google patents (for more focused results use the advanced patent search)

The above information provided by Resource Shelf, A daily newsletter with resources of interest to information professionals, educators and journalists.

Free patent searching is also available at http://www.freepatentsonline.com

Advanced Patent Search

Both of these patent resources will be listed on PCL's
History Day wiki as well as the Science Fair wiki.

Rare: Portraits of America's Endangered Species

The new book by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore Rare: Portraits of America’s Endangered Species has arrived at PCL.
Stunning photographs with brief passages of carefully worded text emphasize the plight of the plants, animals, and insects portrayed. The cute fuzzy baby birds and docile Woodland Caribou are likely to garner more sympathy than the snakes or creepy crawly bugs, but the message for all these creatures is the same: they are all vital within the food chain, in which we, as humans, are critically involved, both as caretakers and consumers.

Currently 1,101 domestic species are on the endangered list and 301 are classed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act. Passed by President Nixon in 1973, this act was the result of increased environmental awareness stemming from exposure like Rachel Carson’s 1962 Silent Spring and the 70’s public service announcement featuring the teary Indian.

Sartore’s book begins with one of the last of a species, Bryn, the Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit. She died in 2008, shortly after being photographed and her companion followed her with months. Following this is the Dusky Seaside Sparrow, photographed in a jar labeled ‘Last One.’ This species was declared extinct in 1987. The images in this volume are important in maintaining high environmental concern and working toward the greening of the Earth.