Roam (or Rome) If You Want To!

Lonely Planet is an awesome website whether you plan on sight-seeing or just want to see a site! This website offers users information (and inspiration!) on travel, tips to ensure an awesome vacation experience and destination information to help you plan that perfect getaway.

Lonely Planet produces not only a website, but also: travel guide books including specialist activity guides, shoestring guides and phrasebooks: a television series called Lonely Planet Six Degrees: and webisodes on their travel video site. Lonely Planet has established a valuable online community of independent travellers, allowing travellers to upload and watch their own video as well as view videos created by Lonely Planet.

Its a pretty cool site even if you plan on having a stay-cation!

New Arrival!

Do you love a good vampire story? Looking for a new series with some "bite"? Then this one's for you!

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

Book Description

The visionary creator of the Academy Award-winning Pan's Labyrinth and a Hammett Award-winning author bring their imaginations to this bold, epic novel about a horrifying battle between man and vampire that threatens all humanity. It is the first installment in a thrilling trilogy and an extraordinary international publishing event.

They have always been here. Vampires. In secret and in darkness. Waiting. Now their time has come.

In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In one month, the country.

In two months--the world.

A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Eph Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold.

In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing . . .

So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spill out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motley crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city--a city that includes his wife and son--before it is too late.

Recommendation from the Librarian

The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood.

Last night I watch this AMAZING film!

Summary
His sense of identity fading into nothingness after the spotlights dim and he experiences a close brush with mortality, a retired wrestler begins to evaluate his life while considering the comeback that could very well kill him in director Darren Aronofsky's poignant portrait of an introspective former superstar in the twilight of his career. Back in his heyday, wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) was an icon in the ring. His image immortalized in action figures and video games, he would headline arenas across the globe. Twenty years later, those glory days have passed, and Randy is forced to earn his keep by brawling before handfuls of fans in high school gyms and community centers around New Jersey. In the wake of a heart attack, the former icon attempts to earn a little extra cash while working in a deli and making an effort to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter, Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood). Yet, despite Randy's continued attempts at convincing local stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) to settle down with him in his humble trailer, the ring still calls to him. Later, when the prospect of a high-profile rematch with his longtime nemesis presents itself, Randy is forced to weigh his mortality against his desire to hear the crowd roar one last time. The Wrestler snagged two Oscar nominations, one for Best Actor (Rourke) and one for Best Supporting Actress (Tomei). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

If the summary hasn't convinced you that this is a truly great film, click here to read the outstanding review by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Roger Ebert.

Wait! What'd I Miss?!

Have you ever bumped into a friend on the street who gushed about this totally cool program that happened at his/her library? Did you get green with envy and think "Darn it! I wish I would have known about that!" Why not sneak a peak at other RI public library websites so you can find out what else is happening in this magnificent state.

Rhode Island Public Library Web Sites is the best place online to find out what is happening at your local library. The site lists the homepages for EVERY public library in Rhody. Surfers can find out information such as programs for adults, teens and tots, library hours, community events - - its all there!

Click on any one of the links to go to the website of an Ocean State library. It's safe surfing and fun ahead for all who are willing to dive into this awesome ocean!

Locals Make Documentary

Here's more proof (as if we needed it) that Rhody folks are some of THE coolest folks on the planet. This site was passed along to me by the very proud parents of an amazing Middletown photographer who's on the adventure of a lifetime with some other Rhodies! These brave men and one woman are heading to the Northwest Passage to document what is happening both environmentally and politically to this elusive maritime route through the Arctic and Canadian Archipelago.

Over 100 years after the Northwest Passage was finally transformed by Roald Amundsen from the realm of legend, it is once again being viewed as a gateway to riches. According to the U.S. Geological survey, the Arctic contains 1/4 of the world's undiscovered energy resources. The sovereignty of the Arctic is in dispute, with five countries - Canada, Russia, the United States, Norway and Denmark - being recognized under international law. A race among these nations is underway for the Arctic's fish, diamonds, shipping routes and oil.

Hole in the Wall Productions has assembled a team of sailors, divers and filmmakers uniquely suited to not only take on the challenges of an Arctic expedition, but to capture it on film in dramatic and compelling ways that highlight environmental and political issues surrounding the Passage.

The site includes a very cool blog detailing the crew's planned route, their current location, recently taken film clips and journal entries about the day-to-day happenings of this adventurous group. Don't forget to sign up to receive email news and announcements (a link is provided at the bottom of the homepage).

So check it out! WHOO HOO! Rhody folks are so terribly cool!

On Order Now!

Amateur Barbarians by Robert Cohen

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Artfully juxtaposing two contrasting personalities (as he did in Inspired Sleep), Cohen explores the terrain of male middle age in a novel that keenly observes the dissatisfactions of contemporary life. Teddy Hastings, the 53-year-old principal of a New England middle school, yearns for a grand adventure that would celebrate his manhood. Restless and impulsive, Teddy unwittingly causes a scandal that lands him briefly in jail. Disgraced and forced to take a sabbatical, Teddy leaves his wife, Gail, behind and flies to Ethiopia, where his college dropout daughter is working with orphans. Meanwhile, Oren Pierce, the younger man appointed in Teddy's absence, skitters through life in the same manner he has always done: perennially uncommitted, congenitally irresolute, though he is eventually forced to confront the limits of his desultory lifestyle. (Gail comes into play, as well.) Teddy's sojourn in Africa is the most dynamic part of the book, though it is Gail who acts as the novel's fulcrum; witty, sensual, focused and centered in reality, she remains an indelible figure as the two men in her orbit are diminished by the collapse of their dreams and expectations.

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"I'm BORED!"

Now that summer is finally, truly here (ignore today's weather) are you looking for some memorable activities to do with the Short People*?

The Rhode Island Family Guide is a website and FREE guide book that gives families in RI listings of resources for fun, adventure and well-being here in the Ocean State.

The site and guide books offer sections on family fun destinations, activities, health care, safety & emergency, shopping, camping and MORE!

The 2009 guide books are available at many state institutions including this awesome library. So stop by our Circulation Desk and ask for your free copy.

*Definition of Short People: The adorable, sweet faced little people who live in your house and constantly announce their boredom despite having access to a room full of toys and a backyard the size of a wildlife preservation.

See a Book, Take a Book. Have a Book, Give a Book.

Longtime patrons know about the Paperback Honor Books. For those of you who don't, lemme tell ya about 'em!

Our Paperback Honor Books are books that anyone (patrons and non-patrons) can take out without checking out. That's right! Simply walk over to our THREE spinning book carousels (located near the reference computers) and grab paperback copies of recent bestselling titles by today's most popular authors. And since there is no check-out, you are not required to have a library card. What a great option for when you forget your library card or have out-of-state, book-loving guests!

You may be asking yourself, "If I don't check these books out, how do I know when they are due?" This is the AWESOME part! These books are due whenever you want to return them. 2 days? 2 months? Never? Whenever! There's no late fee or charges.

And if this inspires you, we welcome you to donate your gently used paperbacks so we can keep this collection growing.

Funny Fun Fact

I couldn't resist this.

Did you know that Booksellers Magazine (this is an awesome geek mag geared towards all book lovers) runs an annual Oddest Book Title contest?

Here's the BRILLIANT list of this years nominees!

• 'Baboon Metaphysics' by Dorothy L Cheney and Robert M Seyfarth.

• 'Curbside Consultation of the Colon' by Brooks D Cash.

• 'The Large Sieve and its Applications' by Emmanuel Kowalski.

• 'Strip and Knit with Style' by Mark Hordyszynski.

• 'Techniques for Corrosion Monitoring' by Lietai Yang.

And the *winner* is (drum roll please!)....

• 'The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-milligram Containers of Fromage Frais' by Professor Philip M. Parker.

And if that wasn't enough silliness for you check out some of the "unlucky" titles that failed to make the list:

'Excrement in the Late Middle Ages'
'Tiles of the Unexpected: A Study of Six Miles of Geometric Tile Patterns on the London Underground',
'All Dogs Have ADHD' (This one is my PERSONAL favorite and it was clearly robbed of it's spot on the top six!)

While we don't carry any of these titles in the OSL system, email me at ChristinaWolfskehl@yahoo.com and I will gladly order you them through our out-of-state interlibrary loan service. I mean this. Honestly! I REALLY want to see that 'All Dogs Have ADHD' book!

Be Creative @ Your Library

There are some really wonderful things happening RIGHT NOW at our library.

AWESOME PRIZES!

1. You can "Be Creative @ Your Library" by reading 5 books or more. For older kids, reading 100 pages counts as 1 book.

2. Write the title of every book that you read into your folder. Roll the dice to get your question number. When you've answered your question, put a color dot on your paint palette!

3. When you've got at least 5 colors, you qualify for a READING CERTIFICATE, a PAPERBACK BOOK and a BAG of PRIZES to boost your creativity!!

FREE PROGRAMS!
Tickets will be available beginning the Monday one week prior to each performance:

Monday 7/20 Keith Munslow, Artist/Musician
Friday 7/31 Great Baldini, Magician
Thursday 8/13 Creative "Mad Scientist"

All shows begin at 10:30am

FREE CRAFTS!
Limited enrollment! Sign up the week before each workshop.

Wednesday 7/22 "Be Creative" with Origami
Wednesday 7/29 "Be Creative" with Beads

All programs begin at 10:30am

Free Passes!
To Roger Williams Zoo, Providence Children's Museum, Green Animals, Casey and Watson Farms, Quonset Air Museum, Butterfly Zoo, South County Museum, Audubon Society of RI, Fort Adams, First Beach Carousel, McDonald's Restaurants and MORE!

New Arrival! (This Just In!)

My Abandonment by Peter Rock

Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The engaging but limited perspective of 13-year-old Caroline, the hillbilly girl that lived in the park, reveals a highly circumscribed world. When first met, Caroline and Father are scavenging for materials to make a shelter in the forest park outside of Portland, Ore., where they seem to be hiding out. They make cautious trips into the city to the supermarket and the library, but a lapse by Caroline brings police attention, and they are taken into custody. Jean Bauer, whose profession is unclear, helps Father secure employment and brings pots and pans and school clothes for Caroline. Who are these two? Caroline walks past posters with my face on them, my old name, and no one sees me. Father says: If I weren't your father... how could I have walked right into your backyard and walked away with you and no one said a word? This is a tale of survival, of love and attachment, of mystery and alienation. It is an utterly entrancing book, a bow to Thoreau and a nod to the detective story. Every step of this narrative, despite providing more questions than answers, rings true. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Library Journal (Starred Review)
[A] deeply unsettling and finely wrought tale....Rock deftly ratchets up the uncertainties, and the idyllic edges past the unusual toward the unthinkable and the tragic. My Abandonment is a haunting story, masterfully told. -- Booklist. The novel has many uneasy moments and allusions to stories left untold in Caroline's life, but Rock's insight into his characters' worries and hopes propels the story to its emotional conclusion. A compelling read; recommended for all fiction collections.

New Arrival! (This Just In!)

Connect to the Catalogue

Our homepage is down, but will be up soon, we promise! (Hey, have I ever broken my word to you?) Until then if you want to check out our amazing and ever-growing collections please go to: http://catalog.oslri.net/. You'll be able to search the Ocean State Libraries Catalog for books, videos, CDs, periodicals, eBooks, and more!

YA Summer Reading: Nip It in the Bud!

Hey there all you tweens and teens! I know summer has just begun and the last word you want to hear out of anyone's mouth is "homework"...but you know you do have some summer reading to do, right?

Why not start now? It's a perfect time to get this done. It's raining cats and dogs and there's only so much Wii one can play on any given day. Plus waiting until the last second will guarantee all copies of the book are checked out. (BOO!) Then you'll have to spend that hard-earned summer-job money buying a copy of the book at B&N. (Double BOO!)

And it's so ridiculous easy to get that summer reading book. Seriously, I'm talking 4-steps easy. Just grab your library card and dial 846-1573. (That's the library's phone number so no prank calls you cheeky lads and lasses!)

1.) Tell the librarian you would like to order a book.
2.) Give the librarian the title and author.
3A.) If it's available in the library, ask that it be pulled and left at the Circulation Desk for pick-up.
3B.) If it's not available in the library, ask that a copy of the book is shipped to MPL.
4.) Thank your super-awesome and very humble librarian.

So until Mother Nature figures out RI is not WA, use these soggy days as inspiration to stay indoors and get that summer reading done!

New Arrival!

Here's a delightful chick lit novel for you. Heartbreak, betrayal and humor. How can you resist?

The Penny Pinchers Club by Sarah Strohmeyer

Summary
When Kat discovers that her husband, Griff, has been hiding a secret bank account, her joyful consumerism suddenly loses its appeal. Are their fights about money more serious than she understood? Is he, as her friends suggest, preparing for a divorce? Just in case, Kat decides it's time to start saving and she joins an eclectic but lovable group of savers called the Penny Pinchers Club who teach her that saving time with family is as important as saving money. An irresistible and wonderfully warm-hearted novel about the unexpected ways hardship can lead to happiness.

To learn more about the author, visit her website!