New Stuff!

Look at all the NEW STUFF we are putting on the shelves today!  This is just a sampling!

E-book Websites

Franklin County Library has had many requests for e-books.  This is something we desperately want to bring to the library, but right now we are still working out issues such as funding and logistics.  In the meantime, though, I thought I would let you know about a couple of websites that might help you find e-books for FREE or for less than "new book" prices.

www.dailycheapreads.com
 

Daily Cheap Reads is just what is says.  They only list books that are less than $5.00.  This is an Amazon affiliated site, but very often books that are cheap at Amazon are cheap at other book retailers as well.  Daily Cheap Reads also posts a free app of the day for Kindle or Android devices.






www.ereaderiq.com

 

eReaderiq.com is a way to track the prices on books you want.  For example, if I know that I want to purchase an e-book, but the price is more than I want to pay, I just enter it on eReaderiq.com and the site e-mails me when the book's price drops to the level I set.  They also list price drops, and free books. eReaderiq.com is also an Amazon affiliated site.








www.Gutenberg.org

 

Project Gutenberg is a good source for books whose U.S. copyright has expired.  That makes it a good place to find classic books for free.  They have a few other books whose copyright holders have allowed them to distribute their books for free.  Project Gutenberg books can be downloaded in a variety of formats for your different devices.

These are just the sites that I am familiar with.  There are probably many more out there.  If you find a good one let me know, and I'll post it as well.

Libraries

Ice Cream on the Square

 

Our annual ice cream day on the square was today.  We served ice cream sundaes on the plaza.  Brookshires and Bluebell donated ice cream cups and the Friends of the Library provided cups, spoons, and toppings.  We had sprinkles, chocolate syrup, whipped topping, cherries, and many more ice cream toppings. 

 

Summer Reading Splash Day!

Today was the end of summer reading.  We always celebrate with a Summer Reading Splash Day!

Top Readers for 2013

 
 The kids together read more than 5000 books this summer.  Way to go!!

Summer Schedule - What's Left

Tomorrow is the end of Summer Reading.  We will have a celebration in the back parking lot with several different water slides.  If your child has participated in Summer Reading, don't miss out on this last day.  Mrs. August will be handing out prizes for top readers as well.

2012 Water Day

 

2012 Water Day

Then later in the week, on Thursday at 10:00, the Friends of the Library will be sponsoring an ice-cream sundae day on the plaza.  We'll supply all the fixings, you just have to come and make your sundae.

Next up is Watermelon Day on August 2nd at 10:00.  We will have lots of ice cold watermelon on the plaza.

Finally, we will finish up the summer with "Twice Upon a Time" storytelling on August 9th.  We will be partnering with the Franklin County Arts Alliance to bring two shows.  The kids show will be at 2:00 and the Adult show will be at 6:00.

Call us at 903-537-4916 for more information about any of our events.

We hope your summer has been TERRIFIC and hope you finish it out with us!

James Wand : Spy Magic

The sinister Dr. No No tried overtaking the Power of the Alphabet at the Franklin County Library, but have no fear! Secret agent Wand, James Wand kept us (and the books) safe from utter destruction. Using his powers of illusion, trickery and humor, the amazing James Wand captivated children and adults alike.

What does Franklin County Library mean to you? - responses (group 1)

"The Franklin County Library is one of the first places we visited when we moved to Mt. Vernon last year.  I love libraries and could spend all day browsing the shelves for great books to read.  I usually end up finding more books to take home than I can even read in two weeks.  Our children love to visit the library, too.  We try to stop in at least once a week.  They have something for the whole family, and the staff are always friendly and welcoming." - Barbara Cox

"To me the library means a sense of community and outreach.  The people who work here bring an attitude of good cheer and are ever helpful, friendly, and supportive.  Few people realize that a library is an efficient way to connect a town and help it grow." - Adriana Lopez

"For me the library means meeting people and playing on the internet." - Kevin Yepez, age 12

"While traveling I enjoy listening to books on CD's.  This library has given me many hours of listening pleasure.  The staff is courteous and friendly and always helpful.  We are blessed to have such a wonderful resource for this community.  It serves so many needs for citizens of all ages." - Susan Bass

"A day out of the house with the kids. :) Social time for my 3 year old so she can talk and meet other children her age." - Djura Cline

"It is a place my daughter Anabella and I can go to find new books and meet up with our cousin.  Anabella loves to look at all the new books, and is excited each time we check out new ones." - Amber and Anabella Talsma

"I have an 8 year old granddaughter that has learned to read.  The library has been a God send, allowing her to improve her reading.  She loves all kind of books.  Thanks from the bottom of my heart." - Ken Pepper

Tech Tips and Tricks

Recently, while scrolling through Pinterest, I found a helpful little chart.  It lists the keyboard shortcuts for all types of special symbols.  For example, I can insert ∞, ░, Ω, ™, ♫, Œ, è, â, ♣, and ♥ into this text.  Some of the symbols would be especially helpful if you have to type in a language other than English, or occasionally use words that require an accent on a letter.   I see symbols often on Twitter as well, and never knew how to make them. 

This chart has all kind of symbols, but is by no means a comprehensive list.  I played with different number combinations while holding the Alt key and found several more.  They only seemed to work for me when I used the keypad on the right of the keyboard rather than the numbers at the top of the keyboard. 

The image is a little hard to see, but if you click on the picture it will take you to a larger image on our Pinterest page.

Tom's Two Cents : The Great Gatsby

An American Classic

A bit hard to believe it, but in 2025 Scott Fitzgerald's most famous novel, "The Great Gatsby," will be one hundred years old.  It has long since achieved the status of an American classic, one virtually on a par with the masterworks of Mark Twain, Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Not so, originally--contemporary critics called the novel a "dud," a "trifle," and "no more than a mere anecdote."  A grievous response indeed to the man who had worked harder and longer on this, his third novel, than any he had written before.  Nowadays in the contemporary triad of Faulkner, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, he seems to rise above the other two, and on the strength of this one work.  I'm not so sure.

The principal reason I'm recommending this work is that it's a good short read.  What you get out of it personally is up to you.  In many ways it's slight, and I'm using that word purely in a descriptive sense.  It's slight in length, in plot, in characterization and perhaps even in theme, though the latter is certainly debatable.  What it's long on is the two big "S's" in fiction, style and setting.  The recent film adaptation captured both those qualities superbly in its set and costume design and photography and in the unusual way it interwove the actual text of the novel into scenes on screen.  For whatever else it may not have, "Gatsby" has style, in fact it has some of the most beautiful and evocative prose ever written in any American novel.

What it's about could be the subject of an entire classroom or book club discussion.

Literally it concerns an ambitious young man's attempts to "recapture rapture" (a clichéd but true expression in this case), specifically to win back his lady love in a youthful past experience from her rich but brutal husband of the present.  A modern fairy tale?  Yes indeed, and one that is destined to end very badly!  On a more symbolic level the character of Jay Gatsby represents the materialistic achievement of the American Dream--work hard, get rich, and live happily ever after.  On an even deeper level, Gatsby and Nick Carraway, his friend, neighbor and the narrator of his story, are both caught up in a vast illusion that ultimately destroys one and brings the other finally to a catharsis, or recognition,  of what "success," at least in American terms, can mean.

Do you need to comprehend all that just to have a good read?  Probably not.  Always remember that the first rule of a good book is to take you to another place and time.  If it does a lot more than that, consider yourself lucky!

What does Franklin County Library mean to you?

We want to know what the library means to you.  Do you come here to study? to use the internet? for books? for movies? for children's programs? newspapers?  What benefits do you receive from Franklin County Library?  What changes do you want to see at the library? 

Let us know what the library means to you and your family and you might see your comments on this blog, on our website, or in an ad in the local newspaper. 

There are several ways to leave feedback.  We will have a sheet of paper at the front desk that you can leave your comments on, you can leave a comment on this blogpost, or you can tweet your response @fclmv. 

We would very much appreciate your participation.  The library is here for you and we want it to be the best that it can be.  You can help us achieve that.

Chance's Corner: Texas Traveler

Have you still not taken that much-needed summer vacation you've been hoping for? Don't want to hassle with the touchy-feely TSA? Lucky for you, Texas is a sprawling vacationland waiting to be explored without breaking the bank or your comp time.

 

A lot of my travels have been right here in Texas. Very recently I took a three-day trip to Austin and the Hill Country near the Dripping Springs - Johnson City area. I've been to that area before to Pedernales Falls, but I had never been to one of the area's "best-kept secrets" called Hamilton Pool. In magazines it seemed majestic and beautiful, but I approached the trip with skepticism. I mean, filters and Photoshop can make a sewer plant look exciting.

 

With floaties and cameras in tow, I arrived at Hamilton Pool early because they only allow 75 vehicles in at a time to preserve the natural beauty of the area. It only cost me $10 to get in ($10 a vehicle). From the parking area it's a 1/4 of a mile trek down, down, down into what increasingly seemed to be the exact location where Jurassic Park was filmed. And then... BAM... I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.