Tuesday, November 30, 2010

David Housewright: Minnesota Author

The books start with a bang. Jelly’s Gold, 6th in the series begins:

Frank Nash was dead.


Which is why it was such a surprise when I received his letter:


McKenzie:


You’re just the mug I need to help me get back my gold.


Think about it.


Jelly Nash

Independently wealthy, Rushmore Mckenzie or "McKenzie" as he is known to his friends, takes on cases as favors for friends.

Seven books follow Rushmore McKenzie in this series placed in Minnesota.

Read the books in order starting with A Hard Ticket Home: http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/H_Authors/Housewright_David.html

David Housewright, winner of the Edgar and Minnesota Book Award, has a website: http://www.davidhousewright.com/

Monday, November 29, 2010

He sees you when you're sleeping...

As part of the library-wide Yuletide Festival on Tuesday, December 7, kids will get the chance to meet Santa!  Jolly old St. Nick will arrive at 6pm in the kid's room, where he will read one of his favorite Christmas books. He'll then head downstairs to his comfortable chair, ready to hear from anybody who wants to tell him what they want to see under the tree on Christmas morning.

That's not all! Kids will also be able to make a festive craft to take home AND get a free book, courtesy of the Literacy Action Center.

So be good, for goodness sake!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Web100: Website of the Week

Web100.com is your source for the best of the web. At Web100.com, rankings and reviews guide you to the web’s best sites and resources. Our top 100 lists, top 10 lists, and other lists help you cut through the web’s clutter and find the information you want.


We choose websites and online resources based on their quality, popularity, usefulness and other factors. Advertisers and sponsors have no role in determining the content of Web100.com’s top 100 lists and other editorial features. At Web100.com, we value our editorial independence. (from web100.com)

Some lists include: cameras, ereaders, phone apps, books, shopping sites and food.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Bennett Park Photographs

The Hibbing Historical Society currently has photographs of Bennett Park on display at the library. The 54 acre Bennett Park was originally opened to the public in 1915. It boasted a band stand, wading pool for children, a pavilion for dancing and banquets, a nursery and perennial garden and a vegetable garden for growing food for the zoo animals. Bennett Park had a zoo that included 5 buffalo, 2 elk, 6 red deer, 1 bear and numerous monkeys, birds, and water fowl.

Visit the library to see the photographs and more details of this historic Hibbing Park.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Unbroken : a World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption By Laura Hillenbrand

The author of Seabiscuit, read the article in USAToday about Laura Hillenbrand:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2010-11-10-hillenbrand10_CV_N.htm

Tension grips the reader from the opening line of the preface:

All he could see, in every direction, was water.

It was June 23, 1943. Somewhere on the endless expanse of the Pacific Ocean, Army Air Forces bombardier and Olympic runner Louie Zamperini lay across a small raft, drifting westward. Slumped alongside him was a sergeant, one of his plane’s gunners. On a separate raft, tethered to the first, lay another crewman a gash zigzagging across his forehead. Their bodies, burned by the sun and stained yellow from the raft dye, had winnowed down to skeletons. Sharks glided in lazy loops around them dragging their backs along the rafts, waiting.

The men had been adrift for twenty-seven days.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Farewell, Peek

Peek, one of library pet gerbils, died on Sunday, November 22. He had lived for two years, the entire time with his brother, Boo. His library family is sad that he is gone, but is glad that he was loved by the children who visited him. Boo will be back on display on Tuesday, November 23. He will be kept in a quiet place to give him a chance to get used to his brother not being around. Gerbils are social animals, so the loss of Peek may make Boo depressed for a while.


Gerbils live 2-3 years.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Shop Online Safely

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Use the tips in this article to have a safe and hassle free online shopping experience.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Porch Sofa Almanac by Peter Smith on Being Minnesotan

Read about small Minnesota seasonal things of great interest in essayist's Peter Smith's new book. Smith, who is a regular contributor to Minnesota Public Radio, writes about November: "In November in Minnesota, nature colludes against us. Rain and wind strip the leaves from the trees, then the rain turns to snow before we can rake. We wind up shoveling leaves. it's just not right, and November knows it."
Read about the supper menu changing with the seasons, the first truck out on early season lake ice, and winterwear in Minnesota.
Check out our new nonfiction for A Porch Sofa Almanac.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Survive the Start of the Holiday Season with these Tips

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Thanksgiving is a busy time with travel plans, family traditions, and getting together with friends. This article from the Federal Citizen Information Center can make the holiday less stressful and hectic.

Decision Points by George W. Bush

George Bush writes in the introduction: "...I have done my best to write about the decisions I got right, those I got wrong, and what I would do differently if given the chance. Of course, in the presidency there are no do-overs. You have to do what you believe is right and accept the consequences. I tried to do that every day of my eight years in office. Serving as president was the honor of a lifetime, and I appreciate your giving me an opportunity to share my story."
Reserve this popular book at our website: http://www.hibbing.lib.mn.us/

Monday, November 15, 2010

Book Display

For the next two weeks, the book display in the kid's room will feature titles about Thanksgiving.  Not only picture books, but non-fiction and fiction selections as well.

But, like stuffing at Thanksgiving dinner, they won't last long!

And, yes, the library WILL be open the day after Thanksgiving.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Website: Classic Reader

Classic Reader is a website bringing you free ebooks. Search the online library by authors such as Dickens, Austen, Shakespeare, Doyle and many others.
Recent books added are:

The Informer by Joseph Conrad

An Anarchist by Joseph Conrad

The Point Of Honor by Joseph Conrad

Gaspar Ruiz by Joseph Conrad

Prisoners of Conscience by Amelia E. Barr

The Shunned House by H. P. Lovecraft

Sign up and read books online: 3810 titles and 358 authors.  
The BETA version of the Classic Reader iPhone/iTouch web application is in its first draft.
Classic Reader is also on Facebook.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Patrick F. McManus

Patrick F. McManus started out by writing humorous books and articles about the outdoors. You may recognize: A Fine and Pleasant Misery, Never Sniff a Gift Fish and They Shoot Canoes, Don't They? Now Patrick also writes the Sheriff Bo Tully Mystery series. The fourth book: The Huckleberry Murders is out and available at Hibbing Public Library. Sheriff Bo Tully lives and works in Blight County, Idaho, visits his mother for lunch, consults a psychic on a missing person case, and investigates the murders of three young men.

Monday, November 08, 2010

New in the kid's room

The Sable Queen by Brian Jacques

He appears out of thin air and vanishes just as quickly. He is Zwilt the Shade, and he is evil. Yet he is no match for his ruler, Vilaya the Sable Quean. Along with their hordes of vermin, these two have devised a plan to conquer Redwall Abbey. And when the Dibbuns go missing, captured one by one, their plan is revealed.


Will the Redwallers risk the fate of their Abbey and all of Mossflower Wood to save their precious young ones from imprisonment? Perhaps Buckler, Blademaster of the Long Patrol, can save the day. He has a score of his own to settle. And fear not, these Dibbuns are not as innocent as they appear. After all, they’re from Redwall.

Friday, November 05, 2010

New Large Print Books

The Vigilantes by W.E.B. Griffin
Homicide Sergeant Matthew Payne investigates vigilante groups claiming credit for murders in Philadelphia.

Foreign Influence by Brad Thor
Field operative Scot Harvath has just returned from his first assignment when a bombing in Rome kills a group of American college students.

Spies of the Balkans by Alan Furst
Costa Zannis, senior police official handles special political cases in Greece during World War II.

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

World Geography and Culture Online

Discover the top 10 biggest, tallest, longest mountains, rivers, cities, and more by using the "World Geography and Culture Online" database.  This is the perfect tool for enriching geographic literacy.  It is ideal for social studies projects as well as for general country research.  "World Geography and Culture Online" makes it easy to find out about all aspects of a country.  Not only will there be great information about its geography and physical features but you will also find facts about its government, people, and society.  There will be quick at a glance facts and in-depth coverage .  You will find maps, flags, photographs, statistics, regularly updated news articles, comparison and ranking tools and more.

"World Geography and Culture Online" is brought to you by the Hibbing Public Library.  To access this database go to our website and click on "Databases and Search Engines", click on "Education" and then on the name of the database.

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

The Hunting of Monsters: Check Out These Two Young Adult Books

Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey


Will Henry, young assistant and apprentice to Dr. Pellimore Warthrop, who studies monsters, tells a tale where their lives take a sinister turn when they search for the creature, Anthropophagi. Will, 12 year old orphan in 1888, and the Doctor are awakened in the middle of the night by a graverobber with a gruesome discovery in his cart. Depositing the burlap bundle in the basement laboratory, the old man is paid and Dr. Warthrop and Will set to work uncovering what turns out to be the bodies of a monster without a head and a young female.



The Curse of the Wendigo by Rick Yancey

In this second book in the series, Will Henry’s journals takes Dr. Pellimore Warthrop and Will Henry to Canada to prove the existence of Wendigo, a creature who eats humans. Muriel Chanler, former love of the doctor, comes to Dr. Warthrop to ask him to help find her lost husband who was carried off by the “Mossmouth” better known as the Wendigo. A search party was sent out but John Chanler remains missing.

Rick Yancey has a website: http://www.rickyancey.com/

Monday, November 01, 2010

Tuesday Night Movies

Every Tuesday night in November, the library will present a free movie based on a popular kid's book.  Doors open at 5:45pm and the movie starts at 6pm.  Those who arrive early will be treated to a cartoon!  Plus...free popcorn!

11/2: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (PG)
11/9: Zathura (PG)
11/16: Series of Unfortunate Events (PG)
11/23: The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG)
11/30: The Polar Express (G)