Save the Library Posters

Phil Bradley, a world-class library blogger, has done it again. Libraries are under budget attack in the UK perhaps even more than in its former colony. To aid their savelibraries campaign Phil photoshopped a set of World War I posters changing the message from support-the-war-effort to save our libraries. They're on flickr. Take a look.
--RL

Struggle for Democracy

While we witness the struggle for democracy in the Middle East during the past few weeks, our thoughts are with the protesters and their families during this time of triumph and tragedy. Many of us claim to have scant knowledge of the history and government of countries such as Yemen, Tunisia and Bahrain. Visit the library and become better educated about current world affairs. Pictured are just two excellent reference sources.


The CIA World Factbook 2008 and The World Today Series : The Middle East and South Asia are available for use in the library. Come to the reference desk on the second floor and we will direct you circulating books and online resources as well.

Comment on this blog to share your thoughts on this and other historic events around the globe. We look forward to hearing from you!

-DB

Find Wellesley Free Library on the Web

Do you want to keep up with what is happening at the Wellesley Free Library OR learn about what is new and interesting in the book and movie world?

We have some places on the web you can check us out to stay up to date:







WELLESLEY FREE LIBRARY WEB PAGE—http://www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org
Find information regarding the library, its policies, events, technology classes, reading lists, online resources, how to sign up for our monthly E-Newsletter, and much more.


LIBRARY BLOGS




WELLESLEY FREE LIBRARY REFERENCE BLOG—http://wellesleyreference.blogspot.com/
Check our blog regularly for news about Reference services, new books, websites, booklists, authors, and library happenings!


WFL STAFF READS BLOG—http://wellesleystaffreads.blogspot.com/
Librarians blog about their favorite books, audiobooks, movies, and music.


WFL KIDS BLOG—http://www.wflkids.blogspot.com/
Short reviews of books for Grades 6-12 that Children’s Department staff are reading.







WFL FACEBOOK PAGE--http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wellesley-Free-Library/49999845750
Check out library events, photos, videos, and helpful information from the library staff.






WFL on TWITTER--http://twitter.com/WellesleyLib/
Receive instant messages on a wide range of topics including upcoming events, computer classes, Online Resources, helpful information from the Reference and Children’s Departments, and more.

SH

6 Must Use FREE eBook & Audiobook Websites

If you’re anything like me you have or know someone who has an e-reader. Each device lets you easily buy books from the associated stores. But, you are not limited to purchasing titles for your e-reader. You can get free eBooks to read on your Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and other devices.

Below you will find my 6 must use free eBook and audiobook websites. Each of them provides free content that you can read on your e-readers or listen to on your mp3 players.

Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
-Has eBooks at http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/
-Has Audiobooks at http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/categories/1
-Many different formats (HTML, EPUB, and Kindle for eBooks. MP3, iTunes, Ogg Vorbis, and Speex for audiobooks)
-Many different languages
-No signup
-Largest collection of free public domain books
-Proofread by dedicated volunteers = good quality texts.
-Lots of “classic” literature
-The eBooks are available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch via free app Stanza

Internet Archive
http://www.archive.org/
-Public domain titles
-Has eBooks at http://www.archive.org/details/texts
-Has Audiobooks at http://www.archive.org/details/audio_bookspoetry
-Many different formats (PDF, Kindle, EPUB for eBooks. MP3 and Ogg Vorbis for audiobooks)
-No signup

Feedbooks
http://www.feedbooks.com/
-Has eBooks for free or to buy
-Has public domain titles at http://www.feedbooks.com/publicdomain
-Has original works at http://www.feedbooks.com/original
-Has for sale titles at http://www.feedbooks.com/store
-Used by well-known authors like Cory Doctorow (free titles)
-EPUB, Kindle, and PDF formats
-No signup for free titles
-Easy to search and get titles in formats for popular eReaders (Kindle, Nook, Sony Reader, iPad)

Google Books
http://books.google.com/ebooks
-Has eBooks for free at http://books.google.com/books
-Has eBooks to buy at http://books.google.com/ebooks (some free too)
-Has public domain titles, previews of other titles
-Provides links to booksellers and libraries
-Download titles to iPhone/iPad with appropriate app, or Android devices with appropriate app
-EPUB and PDF formats work with Sony eReader, BN Nook, Kobo eReader
-Not compatible with the Kindle
-No signup for free titles, but need to download an app for iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, Android, and Nook and Sony devices

Baen Free Library
http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm
-Science Fiction titles (i.e. 1812 by Eric Flint)
-Multiple formats (EPUB/Nook, Mobi/Palm/Kindle, Microsoft Reader, Sony Reader, Rich Text, etc)
-No signup

BookShouldBeFree
http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/
-Has free audiobooks
-MP3 and iPod/iTunes formats
-Suggests similar titles to the one you are browsing
-No signup
-Download the titles to your computer and then sync them with your MP3 player via software like iTunes.

JR

New Books for March

Live Wire by Harlan Coben

When former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, encounter an anonymous Facebook post questioning the paternity of their unborn child, Lex runs off, and Suzze - at eight months pregnant - asks Myron to save her marriage, and perhaps her husband's life. But when he finds Lex, he also finds someone he wasn't looking for: his sister-in-law, Kitty, who along with Myron's brother abandoned the Bolitar family long ago.As Myron races to locate his missing brother while their father clings to life, he must face the lies that led to the estrangement - including the ones told by Myron himself. If we thought we knew Myron Bolitar, Coben now proves we didn't.

Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein

In the latest thriller in Linda Fairstein's bestselling series, Alex Cooper dives deep into the byzantine, sinister world of New York City's powerful religious institutions.It's the middle of the night. Prosecutor Alexandra Cooper is called to Harlem's Mount Neboh Baptist Church, a beautiful house of worship originally built as a synagogue. But the crowd gathered there isn't interested in architecture, or even prayer. They've come for the same reason Alex has: to find out why the body of a young woman has been decapitated, set on fire, and left burning on the church steps.

Troubled Man by Henning Mankell

The much-anticipated return of Henning Mankell’s brilliant, brooding detective, Kurt Wallander.On a winter day in 2008, Håkan von Enke, a retired high-ranking naval officer, vanishes during his daily walk in a forest near Stockholm. The investigation into his disappearance falls under the jurisdiction of the Stockholm police. It has nothing to do with Wallander—officially. But von Enke is his daughter’s future father-in-law. And so, with his inimitable disregard for normal procedure, Wallander is soon interfering in matters that are not his responsibility, making promises he won’t keep, telling lies when it suits him—and getting results. But the results hint at elaborate Cold War espionage activities that seem inextricably confounding, even to Wallander, who, in any case, is troubled in more personal ways as well.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people—even those she loves and trusts most—don't want that to happen.
Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood.

maf

It's Tax Time Again!

Yes, it's that time of year again, where we turn away from the unpleasant task of shoveling out from under massive snow falls and turn to the even more unpleasant task of filing our tax returns.

This year both the federal government and our state government have decided to make this time easier on their budgets and draw back from printing and mailing forms to individuals, so a lot of you may be left without the forms you need to get the job done. Never fear, the library's here!

We do our best to get the most frequently requested tax forms for you, but delays in legislation and printing have led to a dearth of forms in the library. But as of this Tuesday, we now have most of the forms and instructions you need, so come on down and pick up what you need--they're held behind the Reference Desk on the second floor, in the alcove behind the desk. If you need any other forms that we haven't ordered, we'll be happy to print them for you at the low, low cost of 15 cents a page. We may not be able to make your trip to the dentist any easier, but we endeavor to make tax time as painless as possible for you!


MW

A Second Opinion on Health Sites

An article in yesterday's New York Times Magazine looked at two different health information sites; The Mayo Clinic Health Information site, and the popular WebMD, and examined how similar sites can provide different content. Virginia Heffernan's article, A Prescription for Fear, does a great job of examining how factors such as money from drug companies influences content on the two sites. Not all web content is created equally, and this article is an interesting look at why.

ACL

Featured WFL Online Resource for February--Get your facts straight with Opposing Viewpoints in Context

Opposing Viewpoints in Context brings together primary documents, videos, academic journal articles, statistics, charts, text from reputable reference resources, and more on the most important social issues to assist in research, debates, and to clarify pro/con positions for issues the public needs to know.

The topic page display presents all formats on a single page for easy selection. Whether you are a student or someone who just wants to know more, you will find this a very interesting and helpful resource. SH

Digital Public Library?--They're woking on it...

Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society announced that it is working on a national "digital public library." The plot is ambitious and the planners include representatives from a variety of universities, foundations and government agencies. While the overall goal is to efficiently deliver electronic books, all the little realities like rights and royalties, publishers and authors and Google Books have yet to be worked out. And missing from the impressive list of participants is any involvement from public libraries or from the American Library Association. Stay tuned.
--RL

New Books on the American Revolution

Was it General Gage or General Howe who commanded the redcoats at Bunker Hill? What prominent member of the Son's of Liberty was American's first traitor? Could the agitator Samuel Adams been behind a hedge or around the corner of a tavern on Lexington green and have fired the "shot heard round the world"? Find out in these new books about the War for Independence.



Revolutionaries : A New History of the Invention of America by Jack N. Rakove

In the early 1770s, the men who invented America were living quiet, provincial lives. None set out to become "revolutionary" by ambition, but when events in Boston escalated, they found themselves thrust into a crisis that moved, in a matter of months, from protest to war.



Invisible Ink : Spycraft of the American Revolution
by John Nagy

During the American Revolution, espionage was critical to the successes and failures of both Colonial and British war efforts. Invisible Ink is an entertaining survey of the various techniques, as well as accounts of some of the more notable spies and spying episodes of the period.




Perilous Fight : America's Intrepid War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815
by Stephen Budiansky

Drawing extensively on diaries, letters, and personal accounts from both sides, Budiansky re-creates the riveting encounters at sea in bloody clashes of cannonfire and swordplay; the intimate hopes and fears of vainglorious captains and young seamen in search of adventure; and the behind-the-scenes political intrigue and maneuvering in Washington and London.



As If an Enemy's Country : The British Occupation of Boston and the Origins of Revolution
by Richard Archer

In the dramatic few years when colonial Americans were galvanized to resist British rule, perhaps nothing did more to foment anti-British sentiment than the armed occupation of Boston. Richard Archer has written a gripping narrative of those critical months between October 1, 1768 and the winter of 1770 when Boston was an occupied town.




With Fire and Sword : The Battle of Bunker Hill
by James L. Nelson

A masterful new history of the first real battle of the Revolutionary War. If Lexington and Concord was the shot heard around the world, then Bunker Hill was the volley that rocked Parliament and the ministry of George III.

TB

WFL on the Web

You have already discovered one way to find Wellesley Free Library on the Web but have you tried our other avenues?

WELLESLEY FREE LIBRARY WEB PAGE
Find information regarding the library, its policies, events, technology classes, reading lists, online resources, how to sign up for our monthly E-Newsletter, and much more.

LIBRARY BLOGS --Try out our other blogs:

WFL STAFF PICKS
Librarians blog about their favorite books, audiobooks, movies, and music.

WFL KIDS BLOG
Short reviews of books for Grades 6-12 that Children’s Department staff are reading.

WFL FACEBOOK PAGE
Check out library events, photos, videos, and helpful information from the library staff.


WFL on TWITTER
Receive instant messages on a wide range of topics including upcoming events, computer classes, Online Resources, helpful information from the Reference and Children’s Departments, and more.

SH

New Books for February and March

New fiction for February and March:

Fadeaway Girl by Martha Grimes

Martha Grimes returns to her twelve-year-old heroine, Emma Graham, in this suspenseful sequel to the bestselling Belle Ruin.

Fatal Error by J.A. Jance

J.A. Jance delivers another pulse-pounding tale of suspense where no one is safe from a ... FATAL ERROR.

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy is back with a tale of joy, heartbreak and hope in a close-knit Dublin community.

Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

The twelfth installment in the beloved, best-selling Precious Ramotswe series is once again a beautiful blend of wit and wisdom, and a profoundly touching tale of the human heart.

Free Legal Guides Online!

Need to get out of that speeding ticket you picked up while trucking down 128? Found yourself in small claims court? Thinking about embracing the new economic lifestyle of the sharing society? Maybe marrying someone from across the pond and not sure what to do about their visa? Then you'll want to check out the ever-helpful and very popular NOLO guides, of which 11 are free and online here!

MW

BEST BOOKS FOR 2010

Looking for quick, but comprehensive lists of the best books for 2010. These lists compited on the Earlyword. com will meet your need. The first link is to a spreadsheet listing the top ten or top 25 books in a variety of sources. http://www.earlyword.com/category/best-books-2010/. Look a few lines down in the center from the top of the page and you will see a link for a excel spreadsheet. The second list is all the major lists of best books for 2010, along with other best categories, for some sources. http://www.earlyword.com/best-books-10-links-to-major-lists/.

New Astronomy and Physics Books

APOD

From how physics will change the way we live, to the geometry of the universe and what it tells us about it's origin and ultimate fate, you can find the most up to date information at the library. These new books reveal the latest discoveries in physics and in our understanding of the cosmos.



The Grand and Bold Thing : An Extraordinary New Map of the Universe Ushering in a New Era of Discovery
by Ann K. Finkbeiner

Finkbeiner reveals the story behind the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, "the most complete map of the universe ever." With a million galaxies you could make a true census: how galaxies differed, how baby galaxies changed as they grew, what kinds of galaxies they grew into. With a million galaxies you could watch the universe growing up. This delightful book reveals just how much SDSS has changed how astronomers work, and how they and we see the universe.




Sizing up the Universe : A New View of the Cosmos
by Robert J, Vanderbei, Richard J. Gott

The almost unimaginably large size of many objects in the universe accounts in part for astronomy's tremendous appeal. Yet the problem of depicting a vast range of scales is perhaps astronomy's greatest challenge. Sizing Up the Universe addresses, in highly readable and richly illustrated style, the intriguing concept of size in the universe.




Physics of the Future : How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100
by Michio Kaku

Based on interviews with over three hundred of the world's top scientists, who are already inventing the future in their labs, Kaku presents the revolutionary developments in medicine, computers, quantum physics, and space travel that will forever change our way of life and alter the course of civilization itself.




The Hidden Reality : Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos
by Brian Greene

In recent years, a growing body of work-based on the principles of quantum mechanics, cosmology, and string theory-has been steadily converging around a proposal that our universe is actually only one of many universes. In fact, research supports a number of different models of parallel universes in which our world appears: for instance, as one of many bubbles; in a rapidly growing bath of universes, or as one of numerous cosmic slabs separated from one another through additional spatial dimensions.
TB

Tax Forms at the Library

For those of you on the prowl for IRS forms, our shipments from the federal government have not arrived as of January 7, 2011.

Massachusetts tax booklets with forms only have now arrived. You must find the instructions at http://www.mass.gov or call the number below to have them sent to you.

We welcome a call (781-235-1610) regarding the availability of forms at our library OR you may request forms and instructions by calling:

Federal Tax Forms & Instructions: 1-800-829-3676 (1-800-TAX-FORM).

Massachusetts Tax Forms & Instructions: 1-800-392-6089 or 1-617-887-6367.

Tax Deadlines:

Federal--Monday, April 18, 2011

Massachusetts--Tuesday, April 19, 2011

SH

Novelist--Featured Online Resource for January

Looking for advice on what to read on cold winter nights?

Try out Novelist, our online resource for January that is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Novelist provides:

• a search of over 150,000 fiction book
• articles about the book
• booklists
• series information
• book discussion guides
• author read-alikes
• browsing feature by genre (fiction a-z, mystery, fantasy, suspense & thrillers and more).
  

See what is waiting for you! SH

52/52/2011

We're putting out a challenge to middle school readers....can you read 52 books in the 52 weeks of 2011? The 52/52/52 Challenge is open to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students, and students who finish the challenge will be entered to win a big mystery prize. Registration will take place during the entire month of January. Come join us for the kick-off for the 52/52/2011 on Saturday, January 8th from 11-12 in the Quigley Youth Room.

MP3-CD Audiobook Collection

Come browse our new MP3 audiobook collection in the Media Room. If you have listened to audiobooks in the past, you will enjoy the sound quality, compact storage and longer tracks. Many newer cars have MP3 compatible audio systems. Computer media players like Windows Media Player and iTunes can also play MP3s. Many cell phones can now be loaded with MP3 files as well.

Here are a few new titles to choose from:



Little Bee by Chris Cleave - An astonishing novel about lives thrown into terrifying chaos in war-torn Nigeria and middle-class London.






Picking Cotton by Jennifer Thompson-Cannino - In this true and inspiring book, a deep friendship rises from a shocking crime and a miscarriage of justice.




Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell - Caldwell's loving ode to her dear friend, Caroline Knapp





-DB

New Books for February

What mystery and fiction titles are coming out in February? Here are a few:

The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig
"Pride and Prejudice lives on" (USA Today) in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series, which has been hailed for its addictive blend of history, romance, and adventure. In The Orchid Affair, Willig introduces her strongest heroine yet. Laura Grey is a veteran governess who joins the Selwick Spy School.

Breach of Trust by David Ellis

Former college football star and criminal defense attorney Jason Kolarich returns in this shocking thriller.

The Secret Soldier by Alex Berenson

John Wells goes undercover in Saudi Arabia in a cutting-edge novel of modern suspense.

maf

Library of Congress National Film Registry

The Library of Congress Librarian names 25 films to the National Film Registry reflecting genres from American History. This year the films represent years from 1891 (yes, I mean 1891)--Newark Athlete--to 1996--Study of a River. The Registry currently numbers 550 films.

The films that are considered may be nominated each year by the public. Nominate your favorite film for the 2011 Registry, keeping in mind that it must be at least 10 years old and “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” (from LOC website) No more than 50 titles may be nominated per individual.

A documentary, These Amazing Shadows, revealing the importance of the National Film Registry and how these selections are made will premiere at the Sundance Festival in January, 2011. Stay tuned for reviews on this.

Click on the link below to read more about each of the 25 films listed. Many of these may be requested through the library catalog.

Films Selected to the 2010 National Film Registry

1. Airplane (1980)
2. All the President’s Men (1976)
3. The Bargain (1914)
4. Cry of Jazz (1959)
5. Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB (1967)
6. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
7. The Exorcist (1973)
8. The Front Page (1931)
9. Grey Gardens (1976)
10. I Am Joaquin (1969)
11. It’s a Gift (1934)
12. Let There Be Light (1946)
13. Lonesome (1928)
14. Make Way For Tomorrow (1937)
15. Malcolm X (1992)
16. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
17. Newark Athlete (1891)
18. Our Lady of the Sphere (1969)
19. The Pink Panther (1964)
20. Preservation of the Sign Language (1913)
21. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
22. Study of a River (1996)
23. Tarantella (1940)
24. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)
25. A Trip Down Market Street (1906)

SH