eRead Me Vegas

It’s the end of the word!!…in these eBooks & eAudio Books

2012-01-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

I handle my fears in varying degrees of what I can manage and what I cannot. For example, spiders are terrifying. Whenever I see one I immediately panic, but then I rationalize that I am bigger than the spider and should it come down to a battle, I would probably win. It’s the same thing with airplanes. The thought of being 30,000 feet in the air in a metal cage reduces me to a sweating ball of nerves and tears, but then I remember that the Kardashians fly all over the world and they are still (annoyingly) here. These things I can rationalize, I can talk myself down and usually overcome the anxiety.
That being said, I cannot manage thinking about the end of the world. I don’t even like to talk about it because I know I will have horrifying nightmares. Yes, I am 24-years-old and can rationalize poisonous spider bites and plane crashes, but not the apocalypse. The irony is not lost on me. Some people think the world will end this year. I try not to think about it because, for some reason, I always end up thinking about zombies. Try rationalizing a flesh eating zombie! Let’s not get into it, I’m trying to avoid the nightmares and keep my fears on the manageable level—but here’s some titles for those of you who don’t mind thinking about the ‘end.’

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War By Max Brooks: ZOMBIES ZOMBIES ZOMBIES! Considering that I think this is how we are all going to go, this was a tough and terrifying read. However, it’s very entertaining and should the zombie apocalypse actually happen—I feel I am better prepared.

The Children of Men By P.D. James: James’ version of the apocalypse isn’t sudden. There isn’t some cataclysmic event that sends us to our impending doom. It’s simply time. The human race has become infertile and the last generation of children has reached adulthood. The structure of the world has crumbled and most have succumbed to the despair by taking their own lives. One woman holds the key to civilization’s unlikely survival, if she can prove it.

Provided by Christina Bernecker is a training associate for OverDrive.

Library Closed today? No Worries!

2012-01-16T05:30:00.000-08:00

Our buildings may be closed today, but our Virtual Library is OPEN!

Download an eBook!

Or get some FREE music from Freegal!

Got Homework?
Find information in one of our databases (encyclopedias, newspapers, etc!)
Or, get LIVE Homework Help!

All you need is your library card number and PIN!

Resolve to be Healthy

2012-01-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

We don’t know about everyone else out there, but holidays equal food bingeing. There are desserts, stuffing and breads of all kinds to be eaten. Basically, if it’s a carb, we indulge on it during the holiday season. While we wish the joy and cheer would stay all year round, one thing we don’t plan on keeping is the weight we may have gained during the last month. So how to you get rid of it? Here are some books to help you loose those extra pounds!

Leslie Sansone's Eat Smart, Walk Strong

The Secrets to Effortless Weight LosseAudio Book

This perky little lesson offers a six-week diet and exercise program that provides a workable framework for implementing better eating and exercise habits. Avoiding hype and na•ve optimism, the author does a fabulous job of selling the ideas of conscious eating, conscious living, and continuous improvement in all areas of life. She makes her ideas sound attainable by affirming the primordial urge we have to become more fully functional people. More than anything, her plan is flexible, respectful of individual differences, and forgiving. You can try and fail with various parts of this plan without feeling like a failure.

So What Can I Eat!

How to Make Sense of the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Make Them Your OwneBook

A blueprint for developing a nutritious, balanced eating plan for lifeEvery day, readers are presented with conflicting information about food, nutrition, and how to eat properly. Now, Elisa Zied, a highly visible spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, clarifies the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines and provides a clear plan for developing a nutritious, balanced, and sustainable eating-plan for life--whether the goal is to lose weight, have more energy, or manage or prevent diet-related conditions. The book's helpful menu plans and many delicious recipes will allow readers to enjoy eating without feeling deprived.

Champions Body-for-LIFE
eBook

The all-new official guide to the Body-for-LIFE Challenge, with success secrets and tips to help you win your own personal Body-for-LIFE Challenge, by Body-for-LIFE Challengers and Champions from the past 10 years.
Champions Body-for-LIFE is not just another diet or fitness book—it's a book of personal transformation. The Body-for-LIFE 12-week journey has changed the lives of millions. What makes it so successful?
It's Simple. It Works.
All it takes:
12 weeks
4 hours of exercise per week
6 small, balanced, and nutritious meals per day—never be hungry again

Device Review: Kindle Fire blazes onto the scene

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

by Megan Greer

My first impressions of the Kindle Fire were for the most part positive. My initial reaction was that this was a super sweet toy. I was almost over-excited to get it in my hands; the day it arrived at the office was like Christmas morning to me. I’m not entirely sure if it was because I fell into the hype and early adopter reviews or if it’s just because I like new toys. More than likely it’s the latter.

When you first turn on the Fire, it seems magical. Once you start using the main carousel though, the magic slowly started to dissipate and reality set in that it isn’t as easy to navigate as I had hoped. Scrolling through the carousel, it isn’t hard to bypass the book, app, or video you want. You get used to it, but I expected it to more responsive.

The 7” LCD screen has a resolution of 1024 x 600, which is great. The colors are vibrant making it perfect for web browsing or watching videos. Amazon’s website states they included an anti-reflective treatment to the screen but I haven’t really noticed. Another pet peeve is that the screen gets really grubby with finger prints and other marks. I found I was constantly wiping the screen. Of course, an obvious fix would be to get a screen protector; and there are plenty of products to choose from.

Reading eBooks on an LCD isn’t my personal preference. The reading experience on the Fire wasn’t what I had expected either. I was really anticipating a new and innovative way to read eBooks and that is not the case. The reading experience on the Fire isn’t any different than any other tablet-like device. It’s not bad; it’s just not introducing anything new to the reading experience itself.

The Kindle Fire is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread but looking at the device you probably wouldn’t have any idea. I was able to cause the Fire to have a hiccup – I had the web browser running and then started reading a book. Trying to close out of the book caused the Fire to freeze for a few minutes while it thought about what it was going to do next. Granted this particular issue only happened once. Perhaps this is due to this particular device not having the software upgrade that was made available earlier this week.

Truly, the Fire is a cleverly designed multimedia consumption toy to make you buy more. It isn’t really a tablet like many consumers thought it was going to be. The Amazon buying portal is super simple to use and could easily cause your bank account to get depleted; rather rapidly if you aren’t careful.

I’ve been getting my music from iTunes for approximately 8 years now. I’m pretty much stuck with Apple and although I’m highly intrigued by the Fire, what will I do with all my music? I’m sure there are other customers out there who feel the same way. Sure I can convert but that requires work and I’m a lazy consumer.

As interesting as I think the Fire is, I wish it had a few additional features; primarily an HDMI out-put, SD slot, external volume controls, and a camera. Those would be my wish list items to add to truly make this a device that I’d run out and purchase. These additions, in my opinion, would make the Fire a true iPad/tablet competitor. In its current state, I feel that it is more of a consumption toy. While I am sure some of my comments above might not appear as positive, I did have fun with the Fire. And at $199 the price point is very appealing when compared to other true tablets. But that’s the key: you’ll need to determine what you really want; a tablet or a really fun toy.

Megan Greer is an account specialist for OverDrive.

The Battle for Las Vegas

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

An unprecedented look at Las Vegas law enforcement's fight to keep the Mafia from taking over Las Vegas, The Battle for Las Vegas relates the story of the fight between the tough guys on both sides, told in large part by the agents and detectives who knew they had to win.

Excerpt: Cullotta laos had a lot of baggage. He was a career criminal and an admitted killer who had turned against his friends and associates to get a better deal for himself. How credible a witness would he be? When Oscar Goodman first heard about Cullotta cooperating with the authorities, he dismissed the matter as a non-event. He told a reporter that he wasn't concerned about Cullotta saying anything detrimental about Tony Spilotro because there wasn't anything detrimental to say. He added that Tony wished his old pal the best. Goodman further supported his client in a 1983 Los Angeles Times article. He said Spilotro was a gentleman and, "He's never lied to me...[but] I don't ask him things I may not want to know the answer to. I'm a need-to-know lawyer."

Join the discussion tonight - How The FBI, Nevada Gaming Control & The IRS Took Down The Mob at the Clark County Library, 7pm January 10.

A Deadly Spin on a Classic

2012-01-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

Enjoy a beloved Jane Austen favorite in a whole new way. Celebrated Britishwriter P.D. James brings murder and mystery to the world of Pride and Prejudicein her new novel, Death Comes to Pemberley. Six yearsafter Elizabeth and Darcy married and began their happily-ever-after lifetogether, their world turns upside-down when Elizabeth's sister Lydia comes totheir doorstep, screaming that her husband has been murdered. Austen'scharacters are thrown into a shocking murder-mystery, crafted with James'signature whodunit brilliance. Pride & Prejudice adaptations run thegamut from great to atrocious, but this one does justice to the classic tale.It's the perfect mix for thriller fans and Austenites alike.

eBook Downloading 101

2012-01-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

Got an eReader? Want to learn how to use the library's eMedia Catalog for free eBooks? This winter join me for a hands-on workshop.

Our next workshop is Tuesday January 10th at 10:30am.Bring your eReader with it's USP cable and your library card. (note: if you use a laptop, tablet or iPad bring it as well.).

Be sure to register as seating is very limited.

Got questions? Give me call at 702.507.6300.

Additional classes are also available are in January and February, in our state-of-the-art Virtual Training Lab located on the 2nd floor of the Windmill/Service Center located at 7060 W. Windmill Ln. Las Vegas, NV.

For the list of days and times for the class and to register, please visit our Internet and Computer Workshops Events page.

Don't have time for the class? Try downloading the workshop booklet which gives you all the information you would get in class.

Kindle Disclaimer

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Recently we implemented a disclaimer on our eMedia site that warns patron's downloading a Kindle book that they are leaving the library’s digital site AND that the commercial site (aka Amazon) doesn’t have the same privacy policies as the library. If you don't want it to pop-up all the time check the Don't show this message again box then click Accept to Continue.

NOTE FOR KINDLE READER DOWNLOADS:You may receive renewal or purchase messages from Amazon regarding your OverDrive download of library eBooks from the Library to Kindle readers. These messages are not from LVCCLD, and do not affect the terms of your library download. The Library never solicits purchases, or charges any fees for the use of digital material.

eBooks Across the Universe: To Infinity and Beyond!

2012-01-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

Some concepts are just hard to wrap your brain around, especially when it comes to physics and astronomy. Just try imagining extra dimensions, parallel universes or dark matter. At least we finally have a camera that can capture light traveling at, well you know, the speed of light.

We can come closer to understanding how some of these other far-out ideas of our universe might work, even if the visuals are out of our grasp. In this list of titles, these upper-level-science-credentialed authors are writing to the lay audience, which is great because otherwise I would just give up and attribute all of it to wizardry.

Let’s start with something easy to get warmed up, like Elaine Scott's When is a Planet Not a Planet: The Story of Pluto (eAudio book). I know a lot of people are very upset that Pluto has been downgraded in its planetary status, but really we should be more excited that this announcement came with the discovery of Pluto’s fellow dwarf planet, Eris!

How about something from Stephen Hawking? His latest work, The Grand Design (eBook and eAudio book), written with theoretical physicist Leonard Mlodinow, discusses three questions: Why is there something rather than nothing? Why do we exist? And why this particular set of laws and not some other?

What about all those parallel universes, extra dimensions, and dark matter that I promised? Rest assured, physicist and the best-selling author Brian Greene of The Elegant Universe (eAudio Book) comes his most expansive and accessible book to date--a book that takes on the grandest question: Is ours the only universe? in The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (eBook).

As for parallel universes, if there are, in fact, infinite alternate realities, then there is one where everything is the same as this one, except everyone has a mustache. Think about that. Then read Parallel Worlds: A Journey through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos by physicist Michio Kaku.

If you and I and all the stars and all the planets only make up 4 percent of all of the matter in the universe, then what could possibly constitute the rest? In the 4% Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality, science writer Richard Panek will tell you what astronomers think is out there. It’s weird, exciting and makes you slightly uncomfortable all at the same time.

Finally, let’s finish with something fun. Plenty of real-life scientists admit that they were inspired by science fiction in books, TV and movies that they saw as kids. Lawrence Krauss uses his expert-level knowledge of physics to entertain in Beyond Star Trek: The Physics of Star Trek, The X-Files, Star Wars, and Independence Day. (eAudio Book). Or, the "HYSTERICAL!" --The Philadelphia Inquirer -- Life, the Universe and Everything (ebook) by Douglas Adams. And for the teens there is the Graphic Novel The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (eBook) by Douglas Adams.

For more titles about our crazy universe, visit our eMedia Catalog.

Get Your eBook Now!

2011-12-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

The Virtual Library is open 24/7/365!

The library buildings may be closed December 24 & 25 but our Virtual Library is always open. You don't have to wait until December 26 to download your next book; you can browse, check out and download eBooks and more from the comfort of your new Snuggies on Christmas day. To get started read Your Guide to eReaders and eBooks. Follow the steps outlined in this guide for your eReader and you will be curled up by the fireplace and enjoying a good book in no time at all.

Free eBooks Always Available

2011-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

The holidays are jing’ jing’ jingling our way, and we would be willing to bet there will be eBook readers and tablets galore gift wrapped for loved ones these next few weeks. This means many more digital checkouts are coming to our eMedia Catalog. You may not find a best seller available for immediate checkout and downloading but it doesn't mean you can't find something good to read! You will always be able to find a great title, such as the Adventures of Pinocchio and The Adventures of Robin Hood or Alexander the Great and Anecdotes of Animals, to download and enjoy instantly. These titles can be read using any EPUB-compatible software and transferred to EPUB-capable eBook readers, including Sony® Reader, NOOK™ or Kobo™ eReader. (If you got a Kindle Fire or a tablet running Android, download the OverDrive Media Console for Android to read ePUB books.)

While Project Gutenberg titles can be found elsewhere on the web, we have removed duplicate titles. There are then tens of thousands of DRM-free eBooks available to readers, all with no holds, waiting lists or authentication. And, as an extra bonus, titles downloaded from our library’s Project Gutenberg collection do not expire and do not count against your checkout limit.

Buying an eReader?

2011-12-21T01:30:00.000-08:00

Is an eBook Reader on your holiday shopping list? Be sure to buy one which works with eBooks from the Library. Check out the quick guide to eBook readers pictured here and choose one of these. If you are looking at eAudio Book devices you can find a complete list of compatible devices at our eMedia Catalog.

Airport Security

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for protecting the Nation’s transportation systems. This includes ensuring that employees working in secured airport areas are properly vetted and badged. The agency relies on designated airport operator employees to perform the badging application process. Our objective was to determine whether the TSA provides effective oversight for the issuance of airport security badges.

...Consequently, the safety of airport workers, passengers, and aircraft is at risk due to the potential of inappropriate individuals obtaining airport badges. TSA concurred with five recommendations and partially concurred with one that will improve the effectiveness of safeguards over the badging process.

TSA's oversight of the airport badging process needs improvement

Student Motivation

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

More and more teachers are reporting that motivating their students to learn is one of their most difficult challenges. While some students seem self-motivated to learn, others show very little interest in learning, gaining new skills, or improving their abilities. Far too many students do not develop their academic abilities or talents because they lack the desire to do so. By the time a student has reached adolescence, poor motivation has become one of the chief contributors to underachievement.

Improving students’ motivation is generally viewed as important because it is related to high achievement. However, it is also an important educational outcome itself. We want our students to achieve, but we want them to also value the process of learning and to develop a long-term commitment to learning.

Use this guide to Improving student motivation : a guide for teachers and school improvement teams / written for SERVE by Judith Meece and Wendy McColskey.

Your guide to eReaders and eBooks

2011-12-13T09:12:00.000-08:00

Is Santa bring you an eBook reader this Christmas? Did you know you can get library eBooks for free to read on it?

All you need is a Library Card in good standing from LVCCLD, Nellis Air Force Library, North Las Vegas Library or Boulder City Library.It's easy, go to our eMedia Catalog, find a book to checkout, download it and enjoy your reading experience.

But before you download your first eBook, review:

Your Guide to eReaders and eBooks
eBook Downloading 101 for eReaders
eBook Downloading 101 for Kindles
eBook Downloading 101 for Mobile Devices.

All of these help documents are available on our eMedia blog eRead Me Vegas. While you are there checkout our eBook reviews and our FAQs, Tips & Tricks for your eReader.

Still trying to decide which eReader to buy for that someone special? Checkout our eReader Comparsion Chart and eReader Shopping Tips.

Our last How to Buy an eReader Workshop is Thursday December 15th at the Windmill Library at 10:30am. Everyone is welcome, no registration required.

Nook Color Update

2011-12-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

NOOK Color owners can now upgrade the firmware on their Nook Color to version 1.4..
It has over 100 feature enhancements,which includes access to top video and music services, even more popular apps, NOOK Comics™ including your favorites from Marvel Comics, and so much more.

In addition, you can now read books in both portrait or landscape and adjust the text with even more font sizes to choose from. For a complete list of features please read Nook Color Software Updates at Barnes and Nobles' Nook website.

The free over the air (OTA) delivery to customers connected to Wi-Fi begins this week or you can get the update manually by downloading the software update to your computer at any time and then copy it onto your NOOK Color. Simply follow the steps below. Manual Download Instructions:

1. From your computer, click here for the software update file. Select Save and select Desktop as the location. Do NOT modify or change the downloaded file's name in any way. Do NOT open the *.ZIP file.

2. Press the Home Button and then tap Settings on the Quick Nav Bar. Then tap Device Info and make sure your NOOK's battery charge is at 20% or more.

3. Connect your NOOK Color to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device. A new, removable drive should show up in My Computer (Mac users will see the NOOK drive appear on the desktop or in devices). You should also see a "USB Mode" message on your NOOK screen.

4. From your computer, drag and drop the downloaded *.ZIP file onto the main directory of the NOOK drive. Do NOT open or unzip the file. You should not create a new folder on the NOOK drive or add the file to any other existing folder.

5. Eject or Safely Remove the NOOK drive after the file transfer is complete.

6. Your NOOK will automatically recognize the file after a few minutes when it goes to sleep mode, and proceed to install the updates.

7. Please do not turn off your NOOK during the installation process.

8. Once the installation is completed, your NOOK will automatically restart and go to the unlock screen.

9. On the bottom left status bar a green "n" will appear. Tap on it for additional information; the software has been successfully updated.

NOOK Color must remain turned on while the update is being installed. Once the software is installed, your NOOK will automatically restart. To verify you have the latest update, tap Settings from the Quick Nav Bar, tap Device Info, then tap About Your NOOK, and check to see that your software version number matches the number at the top of this page.

Congratulations, your NOOK Color has been updated! If you need additional help, please call Digital Customer Service support at 1-800-843-2665.

Sony Tablet

2011-12-08T09:14:00.001-08:00

Looking to buy a tablet this holiday season? Want to read books on it? The Sony Tablet may be a good option for you.
To get library eBooks on your new Sony Tablet, download the free OverDrive Media Console App from the Android Market to get started. The table also has an ebook app from the Sony store but it is unclear at this time if it will work for ebooks from our eMedia Catalog. If someone gets a Sony tablet for Christmas let us all know how it works with library eBooks!
Be sure to check out the offers on the Sony website. They are offering discounts if you trade in an older tablet or eReader plus they have "bundles" available for the holidays.

eBook accessibility for the print impaired

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

from Brianne Carlon is a public relations specialist at OverDrive

eBooks can be “life changing for someone with not much money living in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere.” And while we are busy spreading eBooks to the furthest areas of the globe, we’re also keenly aware of libraries’ and schools’ missions to help everybody, no matter his or her ability, to read. That is why OverDrive has an ongoing commitment to accessibility.

We understand that we must continue to find alternative ways to help people enjoy books, and as an example two years ago OverDrive developed a partnership with Bookshare, a non-profit that provides timely eBook access to individuals with print disabilities. The collaboration is now known as Library eBook Accessibility Program or LEAP.

LEAP provides print-disabled patrons with access to more than 125,000 popular print materials in digital formats, such as DAISY. Plus, titles in a variety of subjects are added every month.

For qualified LVCCLD patrons, OverDrive will fully fund a one-year membership to Bookshare, giving print-impaired patrons access to up to 20 accessible eBooks every month—all at no cost to the library or the patron! To sign-up for the service go to our eMedia Catalog and select Accessible eBooks for the print-impaired.

Got a Music CD on hold?

2011-11-26T09:15:00.000-08:00

We just checked and 155 people are on the request list waiting for a copy ofthe music CD “Torches” by Foster the People. But you don’t have to wait withthese people. This album is available on Freegal, and with your LVCCLD library card you can download tracks from this album right now. Best of all, you get to keep them forever! You can transfer them to an MP3 player or burn to a CD.

Here are some other CDs with long hold lists that areavailable for immediate download on Freegal,:

Break the Spell, by Daughtry

Someone to Watch Over Me, by Susan Boyle

Glee : The Christmas Album volume 2

Duets II, by Tony Bennett

Immortal, by Michael Jackson

Greatest Hits, by The Hollies

Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, by James Durbin

Elevate, by Big Time Rush

2011-11-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

With tons of football and basketball on TV this weekend and Christmas around the corner here are a few suggestions for your reading pleasure from our eMedia Catalog.

Device Review: Kobo eReader Touch

2011-11-14T12:29:00.001-08:00

Review provided by Megan Greer who is an account specialist for OverDrive.

It’s amazing to think that there are so many different kinds of eBook readers to choose from nowadays. It wasn’t long ago that it was difficult to find anything besides the big names we’re all used to now.

A few months ago, Kobo released the eReader Touch Edition to compete against those big names. Overall, the Kobo Touch is a fair contender and the device offers some neat features. Let’s start with the positives.

The interface is super intuitive. I really feel that anyone could pick up this device without any instructions and start reading. The home screen only shows your five most recently opened or downloaded books. The largest cover image being the last book you had opened. Beyond that there are only three options beyond the home screen: ‘Library’, ‘Store’, ‘Reading Life’. ‘Library’ allows you to view your books, newspapers and magazines, 15 preloaded previews and your favorites. ‘Store’ will grant you direct access to the Kobo Store. ‘Reading Life’ is a neat feature; it creates and keeps track of your reading statistics. It will let you review minutes read each session, hours read, pages turned and other fun stats. If you are in to that kind of thing, you’ll get a kick out of it.

Let’s talk about the reading experience. Before I sit down to write a review, I check other sites to see what customers have said about their purchases. Most people were giving the Kobo Touch high marks all around. I, however, was only somewhat impressed with the touch functionality. Occasionally the responsiveness was fast but more often than not I felt it lagged or didn’t respond at all. Keep in mind, it could just be the unit we have in-house.

The 6” Pearl high contrast E Ink display was very crisp – I have no complaints there. With a 16 level gray scale, the quality is comparable to others currently available. Your Adobe EPUB or PDF eBooks will look great. I did find a slight glare to the screen though when I held it at various angles.

You’ll also have Wi-Fi connectivity, 2GB of storage space and (depending on personal usage) one month of battery life. The Kobo Touch even comes in four available colors for those that like having a little variety in their electronic toys.

Overall, the interface is my favorite part about the Touch. For $129.99, the Kobo Touch is priced right with its competitors. It’ll come to down to whether or not you want to go with one of those names that come to mind right away or with something different. Happy comparison shopping!

For additional information please review our eReader sComparsion Chart and How to Buy an eReader Tips. The Library will also be offering workshops on how to buy an eReader where you can get your questions answered and play with several eReaders.

Workshops:

November 21 Centennial Hills Library 10:30am
December 2 West Charleston Library 10:30am
December 6 Summerlin Library 10:30am
December 15 Windmill Library 10:30am

Sony eReader WiFi

2011-11-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

One of the coolest features is the ability to download eBooks from the library directly to your device. Here’s the how-to video. Enjoy!

New Features for Mobile Downloading

2011-11-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

Downloading of eBooks and audiobooks from mobile devices increased exponentially from 2010 to 2011. In fact, the number of downloads in 2011, thus far, is 13X greater than that of all of 2010.
As mobile usage continues to soar, our vendor OverDrive is committed to maximizing the mobile user experience. Based on feedback the following new features that are now available for your favorite mobile device:

Patron-defined lending allows patrons to choose their lending period for each title. Example options include 7, 14, or 21 days.
Advanced search functionality gives you the opportunity to search by criteria such as title, author, keyword, publisher, format, etc. for a more custom set of results.
Enhanced searching allows you to search within results to narrow down a list of titles, and additionally, limit the results to only show titles with copies available. This means no more scrolling through dozens of pages to find a title available for checkout.
Page numbers in search results gives patrons a clear view of how many titles were generated in their search or browse.

To get these new features, update your mobile app or go to your mobile app store and download the free OverDrive app for your mobile device.

I hope you enjoy these new features!

Nook Tablet and firmware Update

2011-11-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

The NOOK Tablet is available for pre-order now, and is expected to be available in-stores and on-line in plenty of time for the holidays! You can get the same reading experience plus HD movies, TV shows and music. Price is $249.

Current owners of the NOOK Simple Touch can now get a firmware 1.1 update. The update provides for an enhanced E Ink® display for even better just-like-paper reading, even in bright sun. Plus, theirBest-Text™ Technology now makes fonts even sharper and ultra-crisp. In addition, users can enjoy longer battery life, reading for over 2 months on a single charge*. The software update will be automatically downloaded to devices that are registered and connected to Wi-Fi®, beginning the week of November 7th and over the coming weeks. There's no need for you to take any action to receive the update. However, if you'd prefer to update your device immediately, the software update is also available via a manual download offered here .

NOOK Color owners should stay-tuned for a firmware update starting in December.
The software update yet will make NOOK Color better than ever with over 100 reading enhancements, the hottest music services, top comics & graphic novels, plus NOOK Color customers will be able to download Netflix to watch movies & TV shows and Hulu Plus™ will also be available for NOOK Color in the coming months.

Plus, just in time for holiday gift-giving, they re dropping the price on NOOK Simple Touch and NOOK Color. Effective immediately, the new and improved NOOK Simple Touch is just $99, while NOOK Color is only $199. So whether you’re looking to give the gift of NOOK this holiday, or just treat yourself, NOOK’s offerings are a great value!

How to buy an eReader

2011-11-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an eReader this holiday season for yourself or someone else and want to obtain eBooks from the Library be sure to join me at one of these informative sessions:

November 7 10:30am Sahara West Library
November 10 10:30am Laughlin Library
November 21 10:30am Centennial Hills Library
December 2 10:30am West Charleston Library
December 6 10:30am Summerlin Library
December 15 10:30am Windmill Library

Unable to attend? Here are the handouts from the workshops to help you make a decision on an eReader:

Kindle's New eBook Format

2011-11-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

When Kindle Fire tablet, is later this month it will be using a new ebook filetype, Kindle Format 8. It will be very similar to the functionality found in the ePub format. This will allow Kindle eBooks to look more like a real book and provide for interactive content especially in picture books.

The downside? It looks like legacy Kindles (original Kindle, Kindle 2, and the newly-christened Kindle Keyboard) may not get an update to support KF8. The information page Amazon provided says only “Kindle Fire is the first Kindle device to support KF8 - in the coming months we will roll out KF8 to our latest generation Kindle e-ink devices as well as our free Kindle reading apps. “ The lack of stated support for older Kindle’s is almost certainly indicative of their inability to handle the new format. The newer Kindle Touch and the latest Kindle (fourth generation) looks like they will get the new format as a supported filetype at some point in the future.

If you are considering purchasing a Kindle ebook reader this holiday season we recommend you get one of the newer Kindles - Kindle Touch, the latest Kindle (fourth generation) or Kindle Fire tablet.

If you would like more information on how to buy an eBook Reader, you may wish to attend one of our workshops on How to buy an eBook Reader:

Howto Buy an eBook Reader Workshop 11/07/2011 Sahara West
How to Buy an eBook Reader Workshop 11/10/2011 LaughlinLibrary (just added)
Howto Buy an eBook Reader Workshop 11/21/2011 Centennial Hills
Howto Buy an eBook Reader Workshop 12/02/2011 West Charleston
Howto Buy an eBook Reader Workshop 12/06/2011 Summerlin
Howto Buy an eBook Reader Workshop 12/15/2011 Windmill

New Sony eReader

2011-10-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month Sony added its newest E-Ink device to their repertoire with the Reader™ Wi-Fi PRS-T1. In a surprising move, Sony has discontinued their previous line of E-Ink devices, which included the Daily Edition, Touch Edition, and Pocket Editions. Although it wasn’t expected, it was probably a good move to only offer one version of the device (don’t worry, it’s available in three colors). Something else I was thrilled to see was the considerable price drop. The Reader Wi-Fi is available for $149 making it more competitive price-wise.

The interface hasn’t changed much since I last reviewed Sony’s devices back in December. There have been slight changes in the look of various buttons on the ‘Home’ screen. However, your most recently read book is still featured at the top, followed by the three most recently added titles listed just beneath. The most notable feature on the Reader Wi-Fi is a button to access your public library directly from the device. No longer will you need to side-load checked out eBooks as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. (Be on the lookout for a demo video of how to directly download onto the Reader Wi-Fi in the coming weeks.)

The device name should give away this next bit. Wirelessly connect to the Internet with the ‘Browser’ button. Keep in mind this is E-Ink® and not a tablet. When using the browser, you will experience screen flashing as it refreshes with each action you take on a page. This, in my opinion, makes E-Ink devices not ideal for surfing the Internet.

I’ve given high marks to most of the E-Ink devices I have reviewed in the past few months. The same can be said of the Reader Wi-Fi. With 6 inches of reading room, the 16 level gray scale E-Ink Pearl is very crisp and easy on the eyes, just as you would expect. What’s unexpected is that the Reader Wi-Fi’s touch screen is actually a pinch to zoom or Touch Infrared Technology. The Infrared Technology also makes it easy to flip through a novel by swiping your finger across the screen. You could also use the directional buttons along the bottom front if you prefer the one handed approach.

With 2GB of built in storage space and the ability to insert a microSD card up to 32GB, there’s plenty of memory. This new release also includes note taking capabilities and even a handwriting option.

Overall I’ve enjoyed the Sony Reader Wi-Fi. The interface is intuitive and the ability to checkout and download library eBooks directly to the device is pretty great, and it’s a feature that sets it apart from the competition. At $149 it’s still priced a little higher than other similar devices on the market; however, there are some specialty features you won’t find elsewhere.

by Megan Greer is an account specialist for OverDrive.

Nook Color eReader Gets Updated Software

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Nook Color has a new software update 1.3.0 They are rolling it and one day it will download to your registered Nook Color or you can get it now without waiting.

What's new in this update?

The NOOK Color Ver1.3.0 update contains new features and enhancements, including:

Access to a selection of new special edition NOOK Magazines -- People, Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Parents, and Fitness – featuring print edition content, plus video, audio and fun extras.

Access to the largest digital magazine selection available anywhere.

Print subscribers to People, Time, Sports Illustrated, and Fortune get free NOOK editions of those magazines.

Parental control to easily disable the Web browser.

Ongoing enhancements to Wi-Fi connectivity and other performance improvements.

Don't want to wait? You can download it now to your computer and transfer the file using your USB cable. To get started go to : http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nookcolor-support-software-update/379002520/

Be sure to read the instructions on how to do it.

Review: iRiver Story HD offers simplicity, stays true to what you want to do most

2011-10-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

The iRiver Story HD first appeared in retail outlets earlier this summer hoping to take a bite out of the eBook reading device market. It’s an intriguing eBook reader that has a few tricks up its sleeve to entice buyers that are looking for a simple gadget.Simple is sort of an understatement in describing the ease of use for the Story HD. The interface is, for the most part, just the availability of your content with a few other options, such as turning off the Wi-Fi or accessing the Google eBookstore. Yes, you read that right, the Story HD is the first eReader to be fully integrated with Google eBooks.

The Story HD is light, 7.3 ounces, and comfortable for reading one handed. Equipped with a 38 button QWERTY keyboard, you can quickly search for transferred titles on your device. However I have to admit that the keyboard seems a little excessive and I rarely used it. The buttons I used the most were a long silver button, ‘Home’, ‘Back’, ‘Enter’, ‘Option’, and the four arrows in the bottom right corner. Instinctively, I used the long silver button centered under the screen to maneuver through the titles I had in the library. Select a title by clicking the ‘Enter’ button and the eBook opens.
By now, you are probably wondering, what’s HD about the iRiver Story HD? Well it actually does have to do with image quality; however, it’s not at 1080p. The image quality is crisp and is the biggest selling feature of this device. The Story HD utilizes XGA e-Ink on a 16-grayscale display. Other devices are currently using SVGA e-Ink screens. The difference is in the number of pixels. SVGA has a resolution of 600×800, which is the industry standard, where XGA has 768×1024. That’s a pretty significant difference.
Over the years I’ve read complaints about the lag time between page turns on e-Ink devices. iRiver has worked to improve that lag time and the Story HD delivers on this particular aspect. Built with an 800MHz Cortex CPU, readers will experience snappy page turns while reading.
Another common question that comes up when consumers are researching eReaders is how much storage space is available. The Story HD has 2GB of built in memory space and an SD slot for expanding up to 32GB. That is plenty of space for the average reader. The average reader can also expect about 6 weeks of battery life per charge. That seems to be pretty typical for this type of device.
At $139, it’s priced fairly compared to the competition. Overall, the iRiver Story HD is a nice little device if you are looking for a simple eBook reader…particularly for anyone that may be intimidated by tablets or eBook readers that have a lot of bells and whistles. The Story HD really does stay true to those that want to read. For your ebooks be sure to check out our eMedia Catalog.

By Megan Greer, an account specialist for OverDrive.

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

A Grown-up's Halloween

Fantasies and Fables for the Philosophically Fiendish

(eAudio book)

2007 Audie® Award Finalist - Short Stories/CollectionsA Grown-up’s Halloween: Fantasies and Fables for the Philosophically Fiendish is an eclectic mix of stories, plays, and sketches dedicated to the thinking paranoiac.

Selections include "In a Grove," upon which Akira Kurosawa based his classic film, Rashomon; an adult fairy tale by the author of Winnie-the-Pooh; the real story (honest!) behind Edgar Rice Burroughs's novel The Moon Maid; and cautionary and scary tales from Dostoevsky, Kafka, Mark Twain, and others. Gore, sex, horror, literature, and edifying morals — what more could you want from an audiobook?

This collection includes:
In a Grove by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
The Garbage Man and the Noble Lady of Baghdad and The Sultan and the Wazir's Wife from The Book of a Thousand Nights and One Night
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Adding Machine by Elmer Rice
The Grand Inquisitor by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Josephine, the Mouse Singer by Franz Kafka
An Interview in a V. A. Hospital by Yuri Rasovsky
The Ugly Duckling by A. A. Milne
The Moon Maid: The True Story by Emmett Loverde
Fables by Mark Twain and Ambrose Bierce
The Man of Destiny by George Bernard Shaw
Why Support for Public Radio Must Increase and It Came from Outer Pinsk by A. Fiend

A Note on Library Patron and Student Privacy

2011-10-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

With the excitement around the launch of Kindle compatibility, we have received numerous questions about patron privacy. Following is a brief statement that we’d like to share reaffirming our commitment to privacy.

OverDrive respects the privacy of all patrons, users and students (“visitors”) who visit and/or interact with the hosted websites of our library and school partners.

When a visitor borrows an eBook or other digital item from a library or school catalog, OverDrive does not collect or maintain any personal information. In order to check out or place a hold on a title in the library’s or school’s digital catalog, we validate the status of a visitor’s library card (active or inactive), but do not obtain any information regarding their identity from this process. Library and school website visitors have an option to supply an email address to notify them if a title on hold becomes available. This email address is not shared, is protected from unauthorized disclosure and is used only to notify the patron about the title availability.

OverDrive works to enable the compatibility of our library and school partners’ catalogs with a variety of reading devices, platforms and apps, including third-party software applications (e.g., Adobe) and fulfillment services (e.g., Amazon). For visitors who wish to use these applications or services, these third-parties may require visitors to register using an email address to access their software or services. The visitor’s name, address and other identifying information are not required, only a valid email address. Registration can be accomplished anonymously (e.g. using a valid email address that does not require other identifiable information). Patrons who wish to read on Kindle, for example, may find it convenient to use their existing Amazon account information, but it is not required.

OverDrive has always respected visitors’ online privacy and will continue to update you with additional information as appropriate. We are always interested in your feedback. If you have any comments or questions about our policies, please contact support@overdrive.com.
Lindsey Levinsohn is lead library advocate for OverDrive.

Super Secret New eAudio

2011-09-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Ever since Gray, Barkley, and their friends defeated Goblin, an infamous great white, at Tuna Run, life in the Big Blue has become murkier than ever for this young shiver of sharks. Food is scarce. Enemies lurk in every shadow. And Gray still doesn't know what has become of his family - of his mother, Sandy, and the rest of his Coral Reef shiver.

Everywhere they swim, currents seem to whisper of a growing threat . . . of a shark who will stop at nothing until he has seized control of the entire ocean.

Now Gray must train with Takiza Jaelynn Betta vam Delacrest Waveland ka Boom Boom, a wise and mysterious fighting fish who has promised to teach his young apprentice the ways of the ocean and the secret of what it means to be a great warrior. That is, if Gray can learn to believe in himself, find the courage to trust his heart, and grow big enough to fight back!

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum

When Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are swept away from Kansas in a wild cyclone, they find themselves in the strange and magical land of Oz. On a quest to find her way back home, Dorothy and her friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion journey to the Emerald City where the great and powerful Wizard lives. Discover Dorothy's unforgettable adventures in one of the most enchanting fantasy novels of all time.

My Song
Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte grew up, poverty-ridden, in Harlem and Jamaica. It was not an easy life, but it instilled in young Harry the hard-nosed toughness of the city and the resilient spirit of the Caribbean lifestyle. It also gave him the drive to make good and channel his anger into actions that were positive and life-affirming.

Theater opened up a whole new world, one that was artistic and political and made him realize that not only did he have a need to express himself, he had a lot to express.

Then his activism broadened to a lifelong, passionate involvement at the heart of the civil rights movement and countless other political and social causes.

As both an artist and an activist, Belafonte has touched countless lives. With My Song, he has found yet another way to entertain and inspire us. It is an electrifying memoir from a remarkable man.

The Night Strangers
Chris Bohjalian

Chip and Emily Linton buy a Victorian in New Hampshire. In the basement there's a mysterious door sealed by 39 bolts - 39 being exactly the number of passengers who died when pilot Chip was forced to land his regional jet on Lake Champlain. Soon Chip is haunted (literally) by the dead passengers.

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
Alan Bradley

It's Christmastime, and the precocious Flavia de Luce - an eleven-year-old sleuth with a passion for chemistry and a penchant for crime-solving - is tucked away in her laboratory, whipping up a concoction to ensnare Saint Nick.

But she is soon distracted when a film crew arrives at Buckshaw, the de Luces' decaying English estate, to shoot a movie starring the famed Phyllis Wyvern. Amid a raging blizzard, the entire village of Bishop's Lacey gathers at Buckshaw to watch Wyvern perform, yet nobody is prepared for the evening's shocking conclusion: a body found, past midnight, strangled to death with a length of film.

But who among the assembled guests would stage such a chilling scene? As the storm worsens and the list of suspects grows, Flavia must use every ounce of sly wit at her disposal to ferret out a killer hidden in plain sight.

Red Mist
Patricia Cornwell

Determined to find out what happened to her former deputy chief, Jack Fielding, murdered six months earlier, Kay Scarpetta travels to the Georgia Prison for Women, where an inmate has information not only on Fielding, but also on a string of grisly killings.

The murder of an Atlanta family years ago, a young woman on death row, and the inexplicable deaths of homeless people as far away as California seem unrelated. But Scarpetta discovers connections that compel her to conclude that what she thought ended with Fielding's death and an attempt on her own life is only the beginning of something far more destructive: a terrifying terrain of conspiracy and potential terrorism on an international scale. And she is the only one who can stop it.

The Death Cure
James Dashner

Thomas knows that Wicked can't be trusted, but they say the time for lies is over, that they've collected all they can from the Trials and now must rely on the Gladers, with full memories restored, to help them with their ultimate mission. It's up to the Gladers to complete the blueprint for the cure to the Flare with a final voluntary test

What Wicked doesn't know is that something's happened that no Trial or Variable could have foreseen. Thomas has remembered far more than they think. And he knows that he can't believe a word of what Wicked says.

The time for lies is over. But the truth is more dangerous than Thomas could ever imagine.

Will anyone survive the Death Cure?

Blue Nights
Joan Didion

Blue Nights opens on July 26, 2010, as Didion thinks back to Quintana's wedding in New York seven years before. Today would be her wedding anniversary. This fact triggers vivid snapshots of Quintana's childhood - in Malibu, in Brentwood, at school in Holmby Hills.

Reflecting on her daughter but also on her role as a parent, Didion asks the candid questions any parent might about how she feels she failed either because cues were not taken or perhaps displaced. "How could I have missed what was clearly there to be seen?"

Finally, perhaps we all remain unknown to each other. Seamlessly woven in are incidents Didion sees as underscoring her own age, something she finds hard to acknowledge, much less accept.

Blue Nights - the long, light evening hours that signal the summer solstice, "the opposite of the dying of the brightness, but also its warning" - like The Year of Magical Thinking before it, is an iconic book of incisive and electric honesty, haunting and profoundly moving.

Explosive Eighteen
Janet Evanovich

Can't wait to find out what happens next? Luckily, you won't have to wait very long! The next Stephanie Plum adventure arrives later this year: on November 22, 2011! So sit tight and before you know it, "Explosive Eighteen" will be here.

V is for...
Sue Grafton

A woman with a murky past who kills herself - or was it murder? A dying old man cared for by the son he pummeled mercilessly. A lovely woman whose life is about to splinter into a thousand fragments. A professional shoplifting ring racking up millions in stolen goods. A brutal and unscrupulous gangster. A wandering husband, rich and powerful. A spoiled kid awash in gambling debt thinking he can beat the system. A lonely widower mourning the death of his lover, desperate for answers that may be worse than the pain of his loss. An elegant but ruthless businessman whose dealings are definitely outside the law: the spider at the center of the web.

And Kinsey Millhone, whose thirty-eighth-birthday gift is a punch in the face that leaves her with two black eyes and a busted nose.

V: Victim. Violence. Vengeance.

The Litigators
John Grisham

The partners at Finley & Figg refer to themselves as "a boutique law firm" - chic, selective, and prosperous. What they are is a two-bit operation specializing in quickie divorces and DUIs. After twenty plus years together, Oscar Finley and Wally Figg bicker like an old married couple but somehow continue to scratch out a half-decent living from their seedy offices in southwest Chicago.

David Zinc, a young but already burned-out attorney, walks away from his fast-track career at a fancy downtown firm, goes on a serious bender, and finds himself literally at the doorstep of the boutique firm. Once David sobers up and comes to grips with the fact that he's suddenly unemployed, any job - even one with Finley & Figg - looks okay to him.

An extremely popular drug, Krayoxx, the number one cholesterol reducer for the dangerously overweight, has recently come under fire after several patients taking it have suffered heart attacks. All Finley & Figg has to do is find a handful of people who have had heart attacks while taking Krayoxx, convince them to become clients, join the class action, and ride along to fame and fortune. With any luck, they won't even have to enter a courtroom!

It almost seems too good to be true.

And it is.

Down the Darkest Road
Tami Hoag

Through Leone's pioneering, science-based investigatory skills, Hoag explores the early days of forensic police work. And through the chilling case at the heart of Down the Darkest Road, she hooks ever more readers into the meticulously crafted, all-too-terrifying world of Oak Knoll, where the scariest secrets of all can be found... Down the Darkest Road.

Unleashed
Nancy Holder

The Wolf Springs Chronicles introduces readers to a town of secrets and the new girl who's about to start believing in werewolves.

Double Dexter
Jeff Lindsay

Dexter Morgan is not your average serial killer. He enjoys his day job as a blood spatter analyst for the Miami Police Department. He lives for his nighttime hobby of hunting other killers.

Dexter is therefore not pleased to discover that someone is shadowing him, observing him, and copying his methods. Dexter is not one to tolerate displeasure... in fact, he has a knack for extricating himself from trouble in his own pleasurable way.

Darth Plagueis
James Luceno

The Yuuzhan Vong are poised to conquer the galaxy and Luke, Mara, and Jacen are missing in unknown space in this climactic final novel in the 19-book New Jedi Order series.

Magic Tree House, Books 46 & 47
Mary Pope Osborne

Dogs in the Dead of Night
When the magic tree house whisks Jack and Annie back in time to the highest pass in the Swiss Alps, they discover an ancient monastery filled with monks and Saint Bernard dogs. Annie can’t resist offering to train a wild young dog named Barry. Will Barry lead Jack and Annie to the mysterious flower they need to save a friend’s life? Or will he only lead them into danger? Before the night is over, Jack and Annie will be forced to use some crazy magic! Join everyone’s favorite brother and sister duo on an adventure that is scary and magical, and more fun than they’ve ever had!

Abe Lincoln at Last!
Jack and Annie go back in time to help Abe Lincoln, not once, but twice! They get to meet the great man as a boy, and during his time as president.

Inheritance
Christopher Paolini

Not so very long ago, Eragon - Shadeslayer, Dragon Rider - was nothing more than a poor farm boy, and his dragon, Saphira, only a blue stone in the forest. Now the fate of an entire civilization rests on their shoulders.

Long months of training and battle have brought victories and hope, but they have also brought heartbreaking loss. And still, the real battle lies ahead: they must confront Galbatorix. When they do, they will have to be strong enough to defeat him. And if they cannot, no one can. There will be no second chances.

The Rider and his dragon have come further than anyone dared to hope. But can they topple the evil king and restore justice to Alagaesia? And if so, at what cost?

Mastiff
Tamora Pierce

The Legend of Beka Cooper gives Tamora Pierce's fans exactly what they want--a smart and savvy heroine making a name for herself on the mean streets of Tortall's Lower City--while offering plenty of appeal for new readers as well.

No Higher Honor
Condoleezza Rice

No Higher Honor takes the reader into secret negotiating rooms where the fates of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Lebanon often hung in the balance, and it draws back the curtain on how frighteningly close all-out war loomed in clashes involving Pakistan-India and Russia-Georgia, and in East Africa.

Surprisingly candid in her appraisals of various Administration colleagues and the hundreds of foreign leaders with whom she dealt, Rice also offers here keen insight into how history actually proceeds. In No Higher Honor, she delivers a master class in statecraft -- but always in a way that reveals her essential warmth and humility, and her deep reverence for the ideals on which America was founded.

The Son of Neptune
Rick Riordan

Three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they inherited a quest. But who are the other four mentioned in the prophesy? The answer may lie in another camp miles away, where a new camper has shown up and appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea.

The Talk Show Murders
Al Roker

Celebrity chef turned sleuth Billy Blessing finds his plate full of danger once again, as secrets from his long-buried past threaten to make a comeback.

Before Billy had his five-star restaurant in New York, before he was tapped to co-host the morning show Wake Up, America!, he lived a totally different life as wily con man Billy Blanchard. Billy did time for his crimes, reinvented himself, and has successfully kept that part of his past covered up ever since.

When he and Eddie Patton, a nosy ex-cop with a long memory, are guests on a popular Chicago TV talk show, the off-camera chat turns to blackmail. Billy may have no choice but to pay up or see the embarrassing truth from being blogcast to the world on Patton's true crime website.

This being Chicago, secrets have a way of getting out - and getting people killed. When Patton winds up dead in his apartment only hours after trying to shake Billy down, it's just the first in a string of killings that has America's most beloved TV host scrambling for clues.

Throw in a budding romance with a visiting movie star and Billy Blessing may have finally gotten himself into one sticky situation even he can't talk his way out of.

The Innocent
Taylor Stevens

Eight years ago, a man walked five-year-old Hannah out the front doors of her school and spirited her over the Mexican border, taking her into the world of a cult known as The Chosen. For eight years, followers of The Prophet have hidden the child, moving her from country to country, shielding the man who stole her.

Now, those who’ve searched the longest know where to find her. They are childhood survivors of The Chosen, thirty-somethings born and raised inside the cult who’ve managed to make lives for themselves on the outside. They understand the mindset, the culture within that world, and turn to Vanessa Michael Munroe for help, knowing that the only possibility of stealing Hannah back and getting her safely out of Argentina is to trust someone who doesn’t trust them, and get Munroe on the inside.

How do I know when my ebook on my Kindle will expire?

2011-09-25T05:19:00.000-07:00

Amazon will send you an email 3 days prior to the eBook expiring. You can also check the expiration date in the eMedia Catalog under My eMedia Shelf or go to Amazon.com and log into your account and click the plus sign next to the title of the book to see the expiration date.

Click the image to enlarge

How do I return an ebook that I have downloaded to my Kindle?

2011-09-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

Login to your Amazon.com account and selected "manage my kindle". You will see a list of titles that you have checked out. Beside each title is a dropdown menu called "Actions". One of the options is to return thebook.

Click the image to enlarge

You will receive a confirming email letting you know it was successfully returned.

Moneyball Coming September 23

2011-09-23T04:37:00.000-07:00

Michael Lewis' 2003 bestseller Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game redefined views of America's favorite pastime. Today September 23, the film adaptation of Moneyball hits the silver screen, featuring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland A's. Before you head to the theater, check out a copy of Lewis' fascinating account of the 2002 Oakland A's and Beane's efforts to modernize the use of baseball statistics. By assembling a successful team without drafting the big sluggers, Beane believed his team could compete at a fraction of the cost. And the season's results would prove him right. Don't miss this top-notch sports story, convincingly told by Michael Lewis, one of the top nonfiction writers working today.

Download this great eAudio Book, from your library today!

Library eBooks on Your Kindle

2011-09-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

See how to get Library eBooks on your Kindle!

Kindle eBooks Now Available

2011-09-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

eBooks for Kindle eReaders are now available from our eMedia Catalog.

We have put together this PDF Kindle eBooks From Your Library - to show Kindle owners or Kindle App users how it is done.

Enjoy your eBooks!

Kindle is Coming

2011-09-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Amazon and OverDrive have quietly started rolling out Kindle ebook lending from public libraries, albeit in Beta.Even though there hasn’t been any official announcement yet, some public libraries have already started lending ebooks for the Kindle. The image to the left hails from the Seattle Public Library; several other libraries are starting to list Kindle ebooks as well (as of noon today our eMedia Catalog is not showing the image).Plus the Device Resource Center over at OverDrive now lists the Amazon Kindle 3, Kindle DX, Kindle 1, and Kindle 2 as supported devices. The library ebooks will also work with Kindle apps and the Kindle Cloud Reader according to the public library books help page at Amazon.Here are the key details from the Kindle library books help page:

Instructions on how it works once you see the above icon:
Visit our eMedia Catalog
Check out a Kindle book (library card required).
Click on “Get for Kindle.” You will then be directed to Amazon.com to redeem your LVCCLD library loan. You may be required to login to your Amazon.com account — or create a new account — if you’re not already logged in.
Choose to read the book on your Kindle device, free reading app, or Kindle Cloud Reader.
Note: Public library books require an active Wi-Fi connection for wireless delivery to a Kindle device. Library books will not be delivered via your Kindle’s 3G connection. If trying to send to a Kindle device and do not have an active Wi-Fi connection, you may instead choose to load your library book via your computer using an USB cable. Both Mac and Windows users can manage Kindle content through a USB connection.

It’s good to see that the Kindle is finally getting library ebooks. Everyone has been waiting anxiously ever since Amazon announced the Kindle would be getting access to library ebooks back in April. And it is not at all surprising that it just happens to come right before the launch of the new Sony Reader Wi-Fi in a couple of weeks that boasts on-board library ebook lending.

2011-09-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

From the first “Miss Aibi” to Skeeter’s final snarky remark, The Help is a tour de force of laughter, history, humility, but most of all, strength. After more than 60 rejections, Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel was finally published in 2009 by Penguin Books. It was an instant sensation, spread not only by dazzling reviews from the New York Times and USA Today, but also like wildfire by word of mouth.
Set in the 1960’s in Jackson, Mississippi, the book aims to portray the social and political turmoil through the eyes of African American maids, and the prominent white families that they work for. The Help is told through the narratives of Aibileen and Minny, maids who care for the children of white families, and Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, a young woman who returns from college to find that her own beloved maid has left the family after decades. Ashamed at the way the prestigious white families treat their endearing maids after years of service, Skeeter, an aspiring writer, begins the process of bringing these injustices to light – through a book.
Any attempts to stand up to the unrest were illegal, forcing Skeeter to secretly meet with the maids and transfer their stories into an anonymous tell-all book. Affectionately called, The Help, the book becomes a Mississippi sensation, and is viewed as a spark that ignites social change for Jackson at the heart of the Civil Rights movement. Along the way, Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny find friendship and learn that it takes courage to stand up for what you believe, but in the end it’s worth it.

By Lindsey Levinsohn is a collection development specialist for OverDrive.

Learn How to Download eBooks

2011-09-16T05:45:00.000-07:00

Got an eReader? Want to learn how to use the library's eMedia Catalog for free eBooks? This fall join me for a hands-on workshop. Our next workshop is September 19th Monday at 10:30am.

Bring your eReader with it's USB cable and your library card. (note: if you use a laptop, tablet or iPad bring it as well.) Be sure to register as seating is very limited.

Got questions? Give me call at 702.507.6300

Class will be held in our new state-of-the-art Virtual Training Lab located on the 2nd floor of the Windmill/Service Center located at 7060 W. Windmill Ln. Las Vegas, NV.

To see other class offerings or to register, please visit our Internet and Computer Workshops Events page.

Quest novels: eBook and audiobook journeys worth taking

2011-09-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl I wanted to be Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I watched her fall in love, graduate high school, and save the world over and over again. But in all honesty, I loved Buffy Summers because she was just like me.There’s no shame in that. No judgment if you wanted to be a Power Ranger or Spiderman. We all wanted to be somebody growing up. But we weren’t searching for the traits that made our heroes invincible; we were looking for the traits that made them human. Perhaps that’s why so many authors beat us over the head with the quest motif. It’s a plot device that’s been around since the Middle Ages, present in stories across the globe. Here’s what you need to know: the hero/heroine is introduced, the hero/heroine desires an object, person or idea, they quest (duh) to obtain said object, person or idea, the hero/heroine returns triumphant, the end! We see them falter, cry out, and stumble along the way, but they always get where they are heading. It’s the kind of ending we all hope for. Here’s some titles that will make your inner child (trust me they’re still in there) cheer.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien: We all know and love Tolkien. In fact, I’d probably get roasted if I didn’t include this much loved classic on my list, so here it is. All of your favorite mythological creatures make an appearance in Bilbo Baggins most exciting, and only, adventure. It’s the prelude to Tolkien’s celebrated Lord of the Rings trilogy and worth the read for all ages.
A Game of Thrones: Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin: It’s a bit darker, but that’s how it is with quest novels. There’s bound to be blood and gore, so suck it up folks, at least for this series. If some of you are thinking ‘Hey isn’t this that series on HBO…’ you’d be correct. As much as I enjoy the action-packed, gritty, too-much-for-basic-cable show, I’d still take the novel any day.
The Hunger Game Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: You have all probably heard of it by now, but not too long ago this series was deemed too dark for young readers. Look at it now, doubters! Meet Katniss Everdeen, the female lead (channeling Buffy here) chosen to compete in a post-apocalyptic series of games, where victory means survival and defeat means death. Dramatic? Yes. Awesome? Yes.

Christina Bernecker is a training associate at OverDrive.

New eBook Reader from Sony

2011-09-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Sony in October will launch of the lightest touch screen 6″ eReader device ever, Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1), providing the most natural and immersive reading experience yet for book lovers. At under 6 ounces and with a 6″ E-Ink® Pearl V220 touch screen, Reader Wi-Fi is smaller than an average paperback book, can easily fit into a bag or pocket.

As part of Sony’s continued effort to support the Public Library System, Reader Wi-Fi will also be the first eReader to offer wireless connectivity to the public library system in the US and Canada via a dedicated icon on the device to allow easy and convenient borrowing of free e-books with a valid library card. Readers can access and download over 2.5 million titles via a Wi-Fi connection from Reader Store or shop from a wide range of bookstores and other websites that provide books in digital formats compatible with Reader Wi-Fi, such as EPUB, PDF and TXT.

Sony’s first offer in collaboration with J.K. Rowling’s eagerly anticipated Pottermore website (http://www.pottermore.com/) is a specially-created Reader Wi-Fi with a Pottermore promotion (PRS-T1HBC) which includes a voucher that enables Harry Potter fans to download free the first Harry Potter eBook title, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, from Pottermore, when it becomes available. Pottermore, partnered with Sony, is a unique website which builds an exciting and immersive online experience around the Harry Potter books and is the exclusive retailer of the Harry Potter digital eBooks.

Reader Wi-Fi will feature a glare-free Clear Dual Touch screen. E-Ink Pearl electronic paper displays a high contrast image that is easy to read for hours, even in direct sunlight. Book lovers can touch the screen to choose a book, swipe a finger to turn the page, zoom in and out by pinching fingers together or apart, tap and hold a word to find its meaning or translate into one of the 5 supported languages. On board are 12 dictionaries including 2 English language (British/American) and 10 translation (to and from French, German, Spanish, Dutch and Italian). Readers can even ‘write’ notes on the page or highlight text with a finger or the supplied stylus – just like a real book. With a battery life of over one month (3 weeks with wireless on) and 2 GB of storage capacity (enough to hold about 1,200 eBooks), Reader Wi-Fi makes reading easier, virtually anytime and anywhere.

In order to provide the most engaging reading experience, Reader Wi-Fi offers users numerous options for customization. Users can view collections of digital photos on-screen, plug-in headphones to listen to stored music while reading, or change the image on the front cover to the current title or to a favorite photo as a screensaver when your Reader Wi-Fi is in standby mode. Users can also personalize the reading experience by choosing from eight font sizes and a choice of six font styles. Screen contrast and brightness are easily adjusted for comfortable viewing in any lighting condition.

Reader Wi-Fi (PRS-T1) and Reader Wi-Fi with Pottermore promotion(PRS-T1HBC) are expected to be available October 2011 for about $149 at Sony Stores, online at http://store.sony.com/, and other authorized retailers nationwide.

September 11 Anniversary: One Tuesday Morning

2011-09-09T04:26:00.000-07:00

Did you know your library has great downloadable eBooks, eAudioBooks and movies? You can see them all in the eMedia Catalog!

Today's great eAudio Book title is One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury, 9/11 Series Book 1.

A devoted fireman and a driven businessman, strangers with the same face. Only one will leave the Twin Towers alive, but will he ever find his way home? Read More...

Download this great eAudio Book, from your library today!

September 11 Anniversary: America Embattled

2011-09-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

Great eMedia at your library!

Did you know your library has great downloadable eBooks, eAudio Books and movies? You can see them all in the eMedia Catalog!

Today's great title is America Embattled

What causes Anti- Americanism and where are its historical roots? What is the impact of 9/11 on America's sense of itself and its role in the world? Is America paradoxically a victim of its own political and economic power? The ebook America Embattled seeks to understand the terrible attacks of September 11th... Read More

Download this great ebook, from your library today!

John Grisham's The Confession

2011-09-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

The Confession

A Novel

John Grisham

An innocent man is about to be executed. Only a guilty man can save him.

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from John Grisham's The Litigators (Coming Soon).

Weekend Update

2011-09-03T05:48:00.000-07:00

Has moved!

Please visit it at the Bookin' Las Vegas Blog!

Learn How to Download eBooks

2011-09-01T05:50:00.000-07:00

Got an eReader? Want to learn how to use the library's eMedia Catalog for free eBooks? This summer join me for a hands-on workshop. Our next workshop is September 15th Thursday at 10:30am.

Bring your eReader with it's USB cable and your library card. (note: if you use a laptop, tablet or iPad bring it as well.) Be sure to register as seating is very limited.

Got questions? Give me call at 702.507.6300

Additional classes are available later in September, in our new state-of-the-art Virtual Training Lab located on the 2nd floor of the Windmill/Service Center located at 7060 W. Windmill Ln. Las Vegas, NV.

For the list of days and times for the class and to register, please visit our Internet and Computer Workshops Events page.

eBooks with Music

2011-08-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

Would you read an eBook with a sound track in it? Booktrack is a start-up company in New York and they are banking on it. Read the article Bells and Whistles for a Few E-Books published in the New York Times August 23, 2011.

Weekend Update

2011-08-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 27 August 2011 through Friday 2 September 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 8/27/2011:
Clark County Library: Saturday Family Flix - Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 - Roderick Rules

Sunday 8/28/2011:
Sunrise Library: Sunday Movie Matinee- The Green Hornet

Monday 8/29/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 8/30/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Shaken Not Stirred: You Only Live Twice

Wednesday 8/31/2011:
Summerlin Library: SCORE: Business Start-up Basics

Thursday 9/1/2011:
Sunrise Library: Princeton Review - Road Map to College

Friday 9/2/2011:
Sunrise Library: Princeton Review - Financial Aid

Weekend Update

2011-08-20T05:58:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 20 August 2011 through Friday 26 August 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 8/20/2011:
No Events Listed

Sunday 8/21/2011:
No Events Listed

Monday 8/22/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 8/23/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Shaken Not Stirred: Thunderball
West Charleston Library: Princeton Review: Roadmap to College

Wednesday 8/24/2011:
Sahara West Library: SCORE: Business Start-up Basics

Thursday 8/25/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 8/26/2011:
No Events Listed

Super Secret New eBooks

2011-08-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Each month, we order new titles in eMedia.

These titles don't show up in the Wowbrary "Coming Soon" list.

They don't show up in our library catalog.

The ONLY place they are is in the eMedia catalog. But you'd never know it.

And, you can see them HERE! Click on Request It to get these new and upcoming releases!

Quick List: (Scroll down to see the book descriptions and release dates)

Mary Balogh: The Secret Mistress

Marcus Buckingham: Find Your Strongest Life

Jim Butcher: Ghost Story

Ally Condie: Matched

Clive Cussler: The Kingdom

Arne Dahl: Misterioso

Ted Dekker: Elyon

Barbara Delinsky: Escape

Glen Duncan: The Last Werewolf

Melissa Etheridge: The Truth Is...

Lev Grossman: The Magician King

Laurell K. Hamilton: Hit List

Michael Harvey: We All Fall Down

Donovan Hohn: Moby-Duck

Lisa Jackson: Born to Die

Pam Jenoff: The Things We Cherish

Alex Kava: Hotwire

Kathryne Kennedy: The Lady of the Storm

John Lutz: Serial

Susan Mallery: Only Mine

George R.R. Martin: A Dance With Dragons

Ricky Martin: Me

Ben Mezrich: Sex on the Moon

John Julius Norwich: Absolute Monarchs

Diana Palmer: Merciless

Sara Paretsky: Body Work

Simon Pegg: Nerd Do Well

Donald Ray Pollock: The Devil All the time

Tricia Rayburn: Undercurrent

David Roberts: Finding Everett Ruess

Esmeralda Santiago: Conquistadora

Danielle Steel: Happy Birthday

Alison Thompson: The Third Wave

Harry Turtledove: The War that Came Early

John Verdon: Shut Your Eyes Tight

Joby Warrick: The Triple Agent

Eric Wilson: Fireproof

Sherryl Woods: Flirting With Disaster

Timothy Zahn: Choices of One

Newly Purchased eBooks:

The Secret Mistress
by Mary Balogh

While Lady Angeline Dudley’s pedigree dictates that she must land a titled gentleman, the irrepressible beauty secretly longs for a simple, ordinary suitor. No wild rakes like the men of her family, just a kind heart and good nature. So when Edward Ailsbury, the new Earl of Heyward, rescues her with unmatched civility from the advances of a scoundrel, Angeline thinks that she has found her true love. Persuading the earl is another matter entirely.

Edward has his future neatly mapped out. He hopes to wed his steadfast companion, a woman who shares his values of loyalty, respect, and decorum. But arriving in London to take his seat in the House of Lords, he is derailed by Angeline, an exquisite bird of paradise seemingly devoted to sending his predictable life into chaos.

From the brilliant hues of her fashion to her hoydenish antics, Angeline is the last woman on earth for Edward. And yet a stolen kiss in the moonlight awakens something deep and primal within him. Naturally, being a gentleman, he does the right thing after compromising a lady: He offers marriage.

Angeline knows that Edward’s proposal is born of duty, not love. But denying something so provocative and passionate is easier said than done. Deep down, Angeline believes that Edward’s dedication to convention will melt behind closed doors, where sensuality and seduction play wicked games. For a proper wife by day can become a husband’s secret mistress by night, when delicious desire rules.

Find Your Strongest Life
by Marcus Buckingham

Read Find Your Strongest Life and discover:
How to make the most of the role you were born to play
How to get others to understand who you really are
The successful strategies of other women like you

Ghost Story
by Jim Butcher

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

Matched
by Ally Condie

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate ... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

The Kingdom
by Clive Cussler

Searching for a missing investigator friend, treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo travel through Tibet, Italy, and other countries only to find themselves embroiled in a black-market fossil operation with ties to a potentially history-altering skeleton.

Misterioso
by Arne Dahl

After successfully - but bloodily - dismantling a complicated hostage situation at a bank in the suburbs of Stockholm, Detective Paul Hjelm is faced with the requisite investigation by Internal Affairs. It is a potentially career-ending inquiry, but he is plucked out of it by the National Criminal Police commissioner, who drops him into an elite task force of officers assembled from across the country to find an elusive killer with a sophisticated modus operandi and even more sophisticated tastes.

Targeting Sweden's high-profile business leaders, the killer breaks into their homes at night, waits for his victims, places two bullets in their heads with deadly precision, and removes the bullets from the walls -a ritual enacted to a rare bootleg recording of Thelonious Monk's jazz classic "Misterioso."

As Hjelm, his young, doggedly energetic partner, Jorge Chavez, and the rest of the team follow one lead after another in their pursuit -navigating the murky underworlds of the Russian Mafia and the secretive members-only society of Sweden's wealthiest denizens -they must also delve into one of the country's most persistent ills: a deep-rooted xenophobia that affects both the police and the perpetrator in a small nation that is becoming rapidly internationalized.

The first novel in Arne Dahl's gripping Intercrime series--widely considered to be one of Sweden's best -Misterioso is a penetrating, dark, and absorbing introduction to this acclaimed author's world.

Elyon
by Ted Dekker

Elyon's lakes have turned blood red. Is it a curse ...or the cure?

Shaeda has one blue eye and one purple eye. No one fully knows her story, but her mere gaze eats away at the core of one's being. In his quest for power, Johnis now finds himself in her intoxicating grip.

Assumed identities, a magic amulet, control of the fearsome Shataiki bats, and a troubling alliance with the Dark Priest all converge against the three remaining chosen.

Only Elyon knows what will happen when the forces of ultimate good and evil clash in their final battle. Dive deep with them in this epic conclusion to the Lost Novels - if you dare!

Escape
by Barbara Delinsky

Emily Aulenbach is thirty, a lawyer married to a lawyer, working in Manhattan. An idealist, she had once dreamed of representing victims of corporate abuse, but she spends her days in a cubicle talking on the phone with victims of tainted bottled water - and she is on the bottler's side.

And it isn't only work. It's her sister, her friends, even her husband, Tim, with whom she doesn't connect the way she used to. She doesn't connect to much in her life, period, with the exception of three things - her computer, her BlackBerry, and her watch.

Acting on impulse, Emily leaves work early one day, goes home, packs her bag, and takes off. Groping toward the future, uncharacteristically following her gut rather than her mind, she heads north toward a New Hampshire town tucked between mountains. She knows this town. During her college years, she spent a watershed summer here. Painful as it is to return, she knows that if she is to right her life, she has to start here.

The Last Werewolf
by Glen Duncan

Meet Jake. A bit on the elderly side (he turns 201 in March), but you'd never suspect it. Nonstop sex and exercise will do that for you - and a diet with lots of animal protein. Jake is a werewolf, and after the unfortunate and violent death of his one contemporary, he is now the last of his species. Although he is physically healthy, Jake is deeply distraught and lonely.

Jake's depression has carried him to the point where he is actually contemplating suicide - even if it means terminating a legend thousands of years old. It would seem to be easy enough for him to end everything. But for very different reasons there are two dangerous groups pursuing him who will stop at nothing to keep him alive.

Here is a powerful, definitive new version of the werewolf legend - mesmerising and incredibly sexy. In Jake, Glen Duncan has given us a werewolf for the twenty-first century - a man whose deeds can only be described as monstrous but who is in some magical way deeply human.

The Truth Is...
by Melissa Etheridge

The Truth Is... is a highly charged autobiography--a bold and unflinching account of an extraordinary life that Melissa describes as only she can: from her Kansas roots, through her early love of music, to her brilliant rise to superstardom in a male-dominated rock world.

Melissa openly discusses the massive impact of her publicly coming out, a revelation that only increased her popularity, making her a highly visible spokesperson for the gay and lesbian community. The Truth Is... shares Melissa Etheridge's fascinating story with unprecedented candor and insight.

The Magician King
by Lev Grossman

The Magicians was praised as a triumph by readers and critics of both mainstream and fantasy literature. Now Grossman takes us back to Fillory, where the Brakebills graduates have fled the sorrows of the mundane world, only to face terrifying new challenges.

Quentin and his friends are now the kings and queens of Fillory, but the days and nights of royal luxury are starting to pall. After a morning hunt takes a sinister turn, Quentin and his old friend Julia charter a magical sailing ship and set out on an errand to the wild outer reaches of their kingdom. Their pleasure cruise becomes an adventure when the two are unceremoniously dumped back into the last place Quentin ever wants to see: his parent's house in Chesterton, Massachusetts. And only the black, twisted magic that Julia learned on the streets can save them.

The Magician King is a grand voyage into the dark, glittering heart of magic, an epic quest for the Harry Potter generation. It also introduces a powerful new voice, that of Julia, whose angry genius is thrilling. Once again Grossman proves that he is the modern heir to C.S. Lewis, and the cutting edge of literary fantasy

Hit List
by Laurell K. Hamilton

Word has leaked to Anita Blake that hit men are headed for St. Louis - and that she, Jean-Claude, and Richard are the targets.

We All Fall Down
by Michael Harvey

Chicago cop turned private investigator Michael Kelly is racing to save his city from a deadly new foe: a biological weapon unleashed underground.

When a lightbulb falls in a subway tunnel, it releases a pathogen that could kill millions. While the mayor postures, people begin to die, especially on the city’s grim West Side. Hospitals become morgues. L trains are converted into rolling hearses. Finally, the government acts, sealing off entire sections of the city - but are they keeping people out or in? Meanwhile, Michael Kelly’s hunt for the people who poisoned his city takes him into the tangled underworld of Chicago’s West Side gangs and the even more frightening world of black biology - an elite discipline emerging from the nation’s premier labs, where scientists play God and will stop at nothing to preserve their secrecy.

Moby-Duck
by Donovan Hohn

When the writer Donovan Hohn heard of the mysterious loss of thousands of bath toys at sea, he figured he would interview a few oceanographers, talk to a few beachcombers, and read up on Arctic science and geography. But questions can be like ocean currents: wade in too far, and they carry you away.

Hohn's accidental odyssey pulls him into the secretive world of shipping conglomerates, the daring work of Arctic researchers, the lunatic risks of maverick sailors, and the shadowy world of Chinese toy factories.

Moby-Duck is a journey into the heart of the sea and an adventure through science, myth, the global economy, and some of the worst weather imaginable. With each new discovery, Hohn learns of another loose thread, and with each successive chase, he comes closer to understanding where his castaway quarry comes from and where it goes.

Born to Die
by Lisa Jackson

A sad, strange coincidence... that's Dr. Kacey Lambert's initial response to the deaths of two women who bear an uncanny resemblance to herself. It's not like there was any real connection between Kacey and the B-movie actress or the elementary school teacher. But Detective Selena Alvarez suspects otherwise.

One of the bodies contained traces of poison at the time of death. Selena and her partner, Detective Regan Pescoli, can find no motive for murder. But Kacey has started to notice ties between the dead women's lives and her own -all close in age, born within miles of each other. And all have links to Trace O'Halleran, the man Kacey just started dating.

The deeper Kacey digs, the more reason she has to fear. More look-alikes are dying, and the killer is getting bolder and more brutal. And Kacey knows it's only a matter of time before hers is the next name on a list of those who were born to die...

The Things We Cherish
by Pam Jenoff

The Things We Cherished tells the story of Charlotte Gold and Jack Harrington, two fiercely independent attorneys who find themselves slowly falling for one another while working to defend the brother of a Holocaust hero against allegations of World War II-era war crimes.

The defendant, wealthy financier Roger Dykmans, mysteriously refuses to help in his own defense, revealing only that proof of his innocence lies within an intricate timepiece last seen in Nazi Germany. As the narrative moves from Philadelphia to Germany, Poland, and Italy, we are given glimpses of the lives that the anniversary clock has touched over the past century, and learn about the love affair that turned a brother into a traitor.

Rich in historical detail, Jenoff's astonishing new work is a testament to true love under the worst of circumstances.

Hotwire
by Alex Kava

On a crisp fall evening in western Nebraska, what started as a group of kids filming their drug-fueled party ends in an explosive light show, leaving the victims apparently electrocuted, with odd scorch marks being the only evidence. While Maggie tries to make sense of the different stories, sifting through what is real and what is hallucination, she realizes that the surviving teens are being targeted and systematically eliminated.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, Maggie's FBI partner, R.J. Tully, and Army colonel Benjamin Platt are at the scene of a deadly outbreak, desperate to identify the pathogen that has infected children at a Virginia elementary school. Despite the miles that separate them, the two cases collide as Maggie, Tully, and Platt uncover secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the remote Midwest landscape.

The Lady of the Storm
by Kathryne Kennedy

Storm lord's daughter Cecily Sutton's powers over sea and sky have put her life at risk. Giles Beaumont is reluctant to protect her, until he falls under her enchanting spell...

Serial
by John Lutz

Frank Quinn is sure he is hunting for a madman: someone who is shooting young women in the heart, defiling their bodies, leaving only the torsos to be found. Quinn, a former NYPD detective, is called into the case by an ambitious chief of police and mobilizes his team of brilliant law-enforcement misfits. But in the concrete canyons of New York, this shocking serial murder case is turning into something very different.

Jill Clark came to the city with too many hopes and too little cash. Now a seemingly deranged woman is telling her an extraordinary story. New to an exclusive dating service, Jill is warned that other women have died on their dates - and that she could be next. Struggling against a death trap closing in around her, Jill has a powerful ally in Frank Quinn. But no one knows the true motives behind a rampage of cold-blooded murder - or how much more terrifying this is going to get.

Only Mine
by Susan Mallery

Her town's lack of men may make headlines, but it isn't news to Dakota Hendrix. The beautiful blonde has bigger problems to deal with, such as overseeing the romance reality competition filming in Fool's Gold. Screening eligible bachelors is a difficult enough task, but Dakota hits an unexpected snag when a sexy stranger comes to town.

Finn Anderssen will do anything to keep his twin brothers - the perfect contestants - off the show. Despite Dakota's better judgment, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious outsider. Like her, Finn knows about heartbreak and how a family can fall apart, so she doesn't dare to hope for anything more than a fling. After all, even in the Land of Happy Endings, finding true love is never as easy as it looks on TV.

A Dance With Dragons
by George R.R. Martin

In the aftermath of a colossal battle, the future of the Seven Kingdoms hangs in the balance - beset by newly emerging threats from every direction. In the east, Daenerys Targaryen, the last scion of House Targaryen, rules with her three dragons as queen of a city built on dust and death. But Daenerys has thousands of enemies, and many have set out to find her. As they gather, one young man embarks upon his own quest for the queen, with an entirely different goal in mind.

Fleeing from Westeros with a price on his head, Tyrion Lannister, too, is making his way to Daenerys. But his newest allies in this quest are not the rag-tag band they seem, and at their heart lies one who could undo Daenerys's claim to Westeros forever.

Meanwhile, to the north lies the mammoth Wall of ice and stone - a structure only as strong as those guarding it. There, Jon Snow, 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, will face his greatest challenge. For he has powerful foes not only within the Watch but also beyond, in the land of the creatures of ice.

From all corners, bitter conflicts reignite, intimate betrayals are perpetrated, and a grand cast of outlaws and priests, soldiers and skinchangers, nobles and slaves, will face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Some will fail, others will grow in the strength of darkness. But in a time of rising restlessness, the tides of destiny and politics will lead inevitably to the greatest dance of all.

Me
by Ricky Martin

International superstar, Ricky Martin, who has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, opens up for the first time about memories of his early childhood, experiences in the famed boy band Menudo, struggles with his identity during the Livin' la Vida Loca phenomenon, reflections on coming to terms with his sexuality, relationships that allowed him to embrace love, and life-changing decisions like devoting himself to helping children around the world and becoming a father. Me is an intimate memoir about the very liberating and spiritual journey of one of the most iconic pop-stars of our time.

Sex on the Moon
by Ben Mezrich

Thad Roberts, a fellow in a prestigious NASA program had an idea - a romantic, albeit crazy, idea. He wanted to give his girlfriend the moon. Literally.

Thad convinced his girlfriend and another female accomplice, both NASA interns, to break into an impregnable laboratory at NASA - past security checkpoints, an electronically locked door with cipher security codes, and camera-lined hallways - and help him steal the most precious objects in the world: the moon rocks.

But what does one do with an item so valuable that it's illegal even to own? And was Thad Roberts--undeniably gifted, picked for one of the most competitive scientific posts imaginable, a possible astronaut - really what he seemed?

Mezrich has pored over thousands of pages of court records, FBI transcripts, and NASA documents and has interviewed most of the participants in the crime to reconstruct this Ocean's Eleven-style heist, a madcap story of genius, love, and duplicity that reads like a Hollywood thrill ride.

Absolute Monarchs
by John Julius Norwich

In Absolute Monarchs, John Julius Norwich captures nearly two thousand years of inspiration and devotion, intrigue and scandal. The men (and maybe one woman) who have held this position of infallible power over millions have ranged from heroes to rogues, admirably wise to utterly decadent. Norwich, who knew two popes and had private audiences with two others, recounts in riveting detail the histories of the most significant popes and what they meant politically, culturally, and socially to Rome and to the world.

Norwich presents such brave popes as Innocent I, who in the fifth century successfully negotiated with Alaric the Goth, an invader civil authorities could not defeat, and Leo I, who two decades later tamed (and perhaps paid off) Attila the Hun.

Here, too, are the scandalous figures: Pope Joan, the mythic woman said (without any substantiation) to have been elected in 855, and the infamous “pornocracy,” the five libertines who were descendants or lovers of Marozia, debauched daughter of one of Rome’s most powerful families.

Absolute Monarchs brilliantly portrays reformers such as Pope Paul III, "the greatest pontiff of the sixteenth century," who reinterpreted the Church's teaching and discipline, and John XXIII, who in five short years starting in 1958 "opened up the church to the twentieth century," instituting reforms that led to Vatican II. Norwich brings the story to the present day with Benedict XVI, who is coping with a global priest sex scandal.

Merciless
by Diana Palmer

Tall, dark and eligible?

That's all that matters to the women of Jacobsville when it comes to handsome and aloof FBI agent Jon Blackhawk. But if it were up to him, he would never settle down. Luckily, Jon has the best gatekeeper: his efficient and reliable assistant, Joceline Perry. Without her help, he'd be at the mercy of husband hunters—but the more he comes to rely on her, the more he notices how invaluable she really is...

While Joceline can't deny that her boss is attractive, as a single mother with responsibilities she's determined to be professional. But when Jon is accosted by a criminal seeking revenge, she comes to his aid—fueling the spark that is growing between them.

As the attempts on Jon's life increase, Joceline stands by his side. But when the smoke clears, will the man who avoided love realize that all he ever needed was right there all along?

Body Work
by Sara Paretsky

The enigmatic performer known as the Body Artist takes the stage at Chicago's Club Gouge and allows her audience to use her naked body as a canvas for their impromptu illustrations. V. I. Warshawski watches as people step forward, some meek, some bold, to make their mark.

The evening takes a strange turn when one woman's sketch triggers a violent outburst from a man at a nearby table. Quickly subdued, the man-an Iraqi war vet-leaves the club. Days later, the woman is shot outside the club. She dies in V.I.'s arms, and the police move quickly to arrest the angry vet.

A shooting in Chicago is nothing new, certainly not to V.I., who is hired by the vet's family to clear his name. As V.I. seeks answers, her investigation will take her from the North Side of Chicago to the far reaches of the Gulf War.

Nerd Do Well
by Simon Pegg

The unique life story of one of the most talented and inventive comedians, star of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Star Trek.

Zombies in North London, death cults in the West Country, the engineering deck of the Enterprise: actor, comedian, writer and self-proclaimed supergeek Simon Pegg has been ploughing some bizarre furrows in recent times. Having landed on the U.S. movie scene in the surprise cult hit Shaun of the Dead, his enduring appeal and rise to movie star with a dedicated following has been mercurial, meteoric, megatronic, but mostly just plain great.

From his childhood (and subsequently adult) obsession with science fiction, his enduring friendship with Nick Frost, and his forays into stand-up comedy which began with his regular Monday morning slot in front of his twelve-year-old classmates, Simon has always had a severe and dangerous case of the funnies.

Whether recounting his experience working as a lifeguard at the city pool, going to Comic-Con for the first time and confessing to Carrie Fisher that he used to kiss her picture every night before he went to sleep, or meeting and working with heroes that include Peter Jackson, Kevin Smith, and Quentin Tarantino, Pegg offers a hilarious look at the journey to becoming an international superstar, dotted with a cast of memorable characters, and you're rooting for him all the way.

The Devil All the time
by Donald Ray Pollock

Set in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia, The Devil All the Time follows a cast of compelling and bizarre characters from the end of World War II to the 1960s.

There’s Willard Russell, tormented veteran of the carnage in the South Pacific, who can’t save his beautiful wife, Charlotte, from an agonizing death by cancer no matter how much sacrificial blood he pours on his "prayer log."

There’s Carl and Sandy Henderson, a husband-and-wife team of serial killers, who troll America’s highways searching for suitable models to photograph and exterminate.

There’s the spider-handling preacher Roy and his crippled virtuoso-guitar-playing sidekick, Theodore, running from the law.

And caught in the middle of all this is Arvin Eugene Russell, Willard and Charlotte’s orphaned son, who grows up to be a good but also violent man in his own right.

Undercurrent
by Tricia Rayburn

Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens - femme fatales of the watery depths - and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.

Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions - and of her own - and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.

But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies - every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.

Finding Everett Ruess
by David Roberts

Wandering alone with burros and pack horses through California and the Southwest for five years in the early 1930s, on voyages lasting as long as ten months, Ruess also became friends with photographers Edward Weston and Dorothea Lange, swapped prints with Ansel Adams, took part in a Hopi ceremony, learned to speak Navajo, and was among the first "outsiders" to venture deeply into what was then (and to some extent still is) largely a little-known wilderness.

When he vanished without a trace in November 1934, Ruess left behind thousands of pages of journals, letters, and poems, as well as more than a hundred watercolor paintings and blockprint engravings. A Ruess mystique, initiated by his parents but soon enlarged by readers and critics who, struck by his remarkable connection to the wild, likened him to a fledgling John Muir.

Today, the Ruess cult has more adherents - and more passionate ones - than at any time in the seven-plus decades since his disappearance. By now, Everett Ruess is hailed as a paragon of solo exploration, while the mystery of his death remains one of the greatest riddles in the annals of American adventure.

Finding Everett Ruess is the result of David Roberts' personal journeys into the remote areas explored by Ruess, his interviews with oldtimers who encountered the young vagabond and with Ruess’s closest living relatives, and his deep immersion in Ruess’s writings and artwork.

Conquistadora
by Esmeralda Santiago

As a young girl growing up in Spain, Ana Larragoity Cubillas is powerfully drawn to Puerto Rico by the diaries of an ancestor who traveled there with Ponce de León. And in handsome twin brothers Ramón and Inocente - both in love with Ana - she finds a way to get there. She marries Ramón, and in 1844, just eighteen, she travels across the ocean to a remote sugar plantation the brothers have inherited on the island.

Ana faces unrelenting heat, disease and isolation, and the dangers of the untamed countryside even as she relishes the challenge of running Hacienda los Gemelos. But when the Civil War breaks out in the United States, Ana finds her livelihood, and perhaps even her life, threatened by the very people on whose backs her wealth has been built: the hacienda's slaves, whose richly drawn stories unfold alongside her own. And when at last Ana falls for a man who may be her destiny - a once-forbidden love - she will sacrifice nearly everything to keep hold of the land that has become her true home.

Happy Birthday
by Danielle Steel

Valerie Wyatt is the queen of gracious living and the arbiter of taste. Since her long-ago divorce, she’s worked hard to reach the pinnacle of her profession and to create a camera-ready life in her Fifth Avenue penthouse. So why is she so depressed? All the hours with her personal trainer, the careful work of New York’s best hairdressers, cosmetic surgeons, and her own God-given bone structure and great looks can’t fudge the truth or her lies about it: Valerie is turning sixty.

Valerie’s daughter, April, has no love life, no rest, and no prospect of that changing in the foreseeable future. Her popular one-of-a-kind restaurant in downtown New York, where she is chef and owner, consumes every ounce of her attention and energy. Ready or not, though, April’s life is about to change, in a tumultuous transformation that begins the morning it hits her: She’s thirty. And what does she have to show for it? A restaurant, no man, no kids.

Jack Adams once threw a football like a guided missile. Twelve years after retiring from the NFL, he is the most charismatic sports analyst on TV, a man who has his pick of the most desirable twentysomething women. But after a particularly memorable Halloween party, Jack wakes up on his fiftieth birthday, his back thrown out of whack, feeling every year his age.

A terrifying act of violence, an out-of-the-blue blessing, and two extremely unlikely love affairs soon turn lives inside out and upside down. In a novel brimming with warmth and insight, beginning on one birthday and ending on another, Valerie, April, and Jack discover that life itself can be a celebration - and that its greatest gifts are always a surprise.

The Third Wave
by Alison Thompson

Alison Thompson, a filmmaker living in New York City, was enjoying Christmas with her boyfriend in 2004 when she saw the news reports online: a 9.3 magnitude earthquake had struck the sea near Indonesia, triggering a massive tsunami that hit much of southern Asia. As she watched the death toll climb, Thompson had one thought: She had to go help.

With $300 in cash, some basic medical supplies, and a vague idea that she’d go wherever she was needed, Thompson headed to Sri Lanka. Along with a small team of volunteers, she settled in a coastal town that had been hit especially hard and began tending to people’s injuries, giving out food and water, playing games with the children, collecting dead bodies, and helping rebuild the local school and homes that had been destroyed.

Thompson had intended to stay for two weeks; she ended up staying for fourteen months. She and her team helped start new businesses and set up the first tsunami early-warning center in Sri Lanka, which continues to save lives today.

In The Third Wave, Thompson provides an invaluable inside glimpse into what really happens on the ground after a disaster - and a road map for what anyone can do to help. As Alison Thompson shows, with some resilience, a healthy sense of humor, and the desire to make a difference, we all have what it takes to change the world for the better.

The War that Came Early
by Harry Turtledove

In this extraordinary World War II alternate history, master storyteller Harry Turtledove begins with a big switch: what if Neville Chamberlain, instead of appeasing Hitler, had stood up to him in 1938? Enraged, Hitler reacts by lashing out at the West, promising his soldiers that they will reach Paris by the new year. They don’t. Three years later, his genocidal apparatus not fully in place, Hitler has barely survived a coup, while Jews cling to survival. But England and France wonder whether the war is still worthwhile.

Weaving together a cast of characters that ranges from a brawling American fighter in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain to a woman who has seen Hitler’s evil face-to-face, Harry Turtledove takes us into a world shaping up very differently in 1941.

The Germans and their Polish allies have slammed into the gut of the Soviet Union in the west, while Japan pummels away in the east. In trench warfare in France, French and Czech fighters are outmanned but not outfought by their Nazi enemy.

Then the stalemate is shattered. In England, Winston Churchill dies in an apparent accident, and the gray men who walk behind his funeral cortege wonder who their real enemy is. The USSR, fighting for its life, makes peace with Japan - and Japan’s war with America is about to begin.

A sweeping saga of human passions, foolishness, and courage, of families and lovers and soldiers by choice and by chance, The Big Switch is a provocative, gripping, and utterly convincing work of alternate history at its best. For history buffs and fans of big, blood-and-guts fiction, Harry Turtledove delivers a panoramic clash of ideals as powerful as armies themselves.

Shut Your Eyes Tight
by John Verdon

When he was the NYPD’s top homicide investigator, Dave Gurney was never comfortable with the label the press gave him: super detective. He was simply a man who, when faced with a puzzle, wanted to know. He was called to the investigative hunt by the presumptuous arrogance of murderers – by their smug belief that they could kill without leaving a trace. There was always a trace, Gurney believed.

Except what if one day there wasn’t?

Dave Gurney, a few months past the Mellery case that pulled him out of retirement and then nearly killed him, is trying once again to adjust to his country house’s bucolic rhythms when he receives a call about a case so seductively bewildering that the thought of not looking into it seems unimaginable—even if his beloved wife, Madeleine, would rather he do anything but.

The facts of what has occurred are horrible: a blushing bride, newly wed to an eminent psychiatrist and just minutes from hearing her congratulatory toast, is found decapitated, her head apparently severed by a machete. Though police investigators believe that a Mexican gardener killed the young woman in a fit of jealous fury, the victim’s mother - a chilly high-society beauty - is having none of it. Reluctantly drawn in, Dave is quickly buffeted by a series of revelations that transform the bizarrely monstrous into the monstrously bizarre.

Underneath it all may exist one of the darkest criminal schemes imaginable. And as Gurney begins deciphering its grotesque outlines, some of his most cherished assumptions about himself are challenged, causing him to stare into an abyss so deep that it threatens to swallow not just him but Madeleine, too.

Desperate to protect Madeleine and bring an end to the madness, Gurney ultimately discovers that the killer has left a trace after all. Unfortunately, the revelation may come too late to save his own life.

The Triple Agent
by Joby Warrick

In December 2009, a group of the CIA's top terrorist hunters gathered at a secret base in Khost, Afghanistan, to greet a rising superspy: Humam Khalil al-Balawi, a Jordanian double-agent who infiltrated the upper ranks of al-Qaeda. For months, he had sent shocking revelations from inside the terrorist network and now promised to help the CIA assassinate Osama bin Laden's top deputy. Instead, as he stepped from his car, he detonated a thirty-pound bomb strapped to his chest, instantly killing seven CIA operatives, the agency's worst loss of life in decades.

In The Triple Agent, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Joby Warrick takes us deep inside the CIA's secret war against al-Qaeda, a war that pits robotic planes and laser-guided missiles against a cunning enemy intent on unleashing carnage in American cities.

Flitting precariously between the two sides was Balawi, a young man with extraordinary gifts who managed to win the confidence of hardened terrorists as well as veteran spymasters. With his breathtaking accounts from inside al-Qaeda's lair, Balawi appeared poised to become America's greatest double-agent in half a century--but he was not at all what he seemed.

Combining the powerful momentum of Black Hawk Down with the institutional insight of Jane Mayer's The Dark Side, Warrick takes the readers on a harrowing journey from the slums of Amman to the inner chambers of the White House in an untold true story of miscalculation, deception, and revenge.

Flirting With Disaster
by Sherryl Woods

There's a fine line between desire and disaster. At least, that's what improper Southern belle Maggie Forsythe thinks when unceremoniously dumped by a fiancé even her mother approved of. Maggie has never cared what anyone thinks, so why is she hiding away from her South Carolina Lowcountry home?

Then an intervention by friends shows her she has options. Lots of them! And one includes a man who can make her forget all about being jilted.

But one look at Maggie convinces project foreman Josh Parker that he's corn bread to her caviar. Sure, they have enough sparks to ignite a bonfire, but growing up broke has made him wary of sweet-tea-swilling debutantes. So why is he suddenly singing "Tea for Two"?

Choices of One
by Timothy Zahn

Eight months after the Battle of Yavin, the Rebellion is in desperate need of a new base. So when Governor Ferrouz of Candoras Sector proposes an alliance, offering the Rebels sanctuary in return for protection against the alien warlord Nuso Esva, Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie are sent to evaluate the deal.

Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, is also heading for Candoras, along with the five renegade stormtroopers known as the Hand of Judgment. Their mission: to punish Ferrouz's treason and smash the Rebels for good.

But in this treacherous game of betrayals within betrayals, a wild card is waiting to be played.

Super Secret New eAudio Books

2011-08-15T05:22:00.000-07:00

Each month, we order new titles in eMedia.

These titles don't show up in the Wowbrary "Coming Soon" list.

They don't show up in our library catalog.

The ONLY place they are is in the eMedia catalog. But you'd never know it.

And, you can see them HERE! Click on Request It to get these new and upcoming releases!

Quick List: (Scroll down to see the book descriptions and release dates)

Judy Blume: Tiger Eyes

Jayne Castle: Canyons of Night

Jennifer Close: Girls in White Dresses

Eoin Colfer: Plugged

Cleo Coyle: Murder by Mocha

Ellen Crosby: The Sauvignon Secret

Vanessa Diffenbaugh: The Language of Flowers

Chris Ewan: The Good Thief's Guide to Venice

Heather Graham: The Evil Inside

Patti Callahan Henry: Coming Up for Air

Jayne Ann Krentz: Wizard

William Kent Krueger: Northwest Angle

Jillian Larkin: Ingenue

Stephanie Laurens: The Reasons for Marriage

Sharyn McCrumb: The Ballad of Tom Dooley

Kenneth Oppel: This Dark Endeavor

Julie Otsuka: The Buddha in the Attic

James Patterson: Kill Me If You Can

George Pelecanos: The Cut

Douglas Preston: Cold Vengeance

Cherie Priest: Hellbent

Thomas W. Young: Silent Enemy

Newly Purchased eAudio Books:

Quick List: (Scroll down to see the book descriptions and release dates)

Tiger Eyes
By Judy Blume

Davey has never felt so alone in her life. Her father is dead--shot in a holdup--and now her mother is moving the family to New Mexico to try to recover.

Climbing in the Los Alamos canyon, Davey meets the mysterious Wolf, who can read Davey's "sad eyes." Wolf is the only person who seems to understand the rage and fear Davey feels.

Slowly, with Wolf's help, Davey realizes that she must get on with her life. But when will she be ready to leave the past behind and move toward the future? Will she ever stop hurting?

Canyons of Night
by Jayne Castle

Growing up on Rainshadow, Charlotte Enright knew better than to ever go into the Preserve, until that one fateful night with Slade Attridge -- a night neither of them would forget.

Now, fifteen years later, both have returned to the island: Charlotte to take over her late aunt's antiques shop and Slade to fill the police chief's position. Able to read auras, Charlotte senses something amiss in Slade, but that doesn't stop her from wanting him -- again. That is, as long as his dust bunny "deputy" keeps his paws off her merchandise.

Hiding a psi injury, Slade is afraid of his powerful desire for Charlotte. But a series of increasingly violent crimes draws them closer together -- and into the darkness at the heart of the Preserve...

Girls in White Dresses
by Jennifer Close

Isabella, Mary, and Lauren feel like everyone they know is getting married. On Sunday after Sunday, at bridal shower after bridal shower, they coo over toasters, collect ribbons and wrapping paper, eat minuscule sandwiches and doll-sized cakes. They wear pastel dresses and drink champagne by the case, but amid the celebration these women have their own lives to contend with: Isabella is working at a mailing-list company, dizzy with the mixed signals of a boss who claims she’s on a diet but has Isabella file all morning if she forgets to bring her a chocolate muffin. Mary thinks she might cry with happiness when she finally meets a nice guy who loves his mother, only to realize he’ll never love Mary quite as much. And Lauren, a waitress at a Midtown bar, swears up and down she won’t fall for the sleazy bartender - a promise that his dirty blond curls and perfect vodka sodas make hard to keep.

With a wry sense of humor, Jennifer Close brings us through those thrilling, bewildering, what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-do-with-my-life years of early adulthood. These are the years when everyone else seems to have a plan, a great job, and an appropriate boyfriend, while Isabella has a blind date with a gay man, Mary has a crush on her boss, and Lauren has a goldfish named Willard. Through boozy family holidays and disastrous ski vacations, relationships lost to politics and relationships found in pet stores, Girls in White Dresses pulls us deep inside the circle of these friends, perfectly capturing the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life.

Plugged
by Eoin Colfer

Lincoln McEvoy has a problem. Well, really, he has several, but for this Irish ex-pat bouncer at a seedy, small-time casino, the fact that his girlfriend was just murdered in the parking lot is uppermost in his mind. That is until lots of people around him start dying, and not of natural causes.

Suddenly Linc's got half the New Jersey mob, dirty cops, and his man-crazy upstairs neighbor after him and he still doesn't know what's going on. Bullets are flying, everybody's on the take and it all may be more than Linc's new hair plugs can handle. And Linc's got to find the guy who put in those hair plugs - or at least his body - and fast, or else he'll never get that voice out of his head.

Head-spinning plot twists, breakneck pacing and some of the best banter this side of Elmore Leonard's Detroit, will keep you on the edge of your seat and itching for more.

Murder by Mocha
By Cleo Coyle

Clare's Village Blend coffee beans are being used to create a new java love potion: a "Mocha Magic Coffee," billed as an aphrodisiac. The product, expected to rake in millions, will be sold exclusively on Aphrodite's Village, one of the most popular online communities for women. But at its launch, one of the website's editors is murdered. Clare is convinced a bitter killer wants the secret formula. Can she catch who's gone loco for mocha?

The Sauvignon Secret
Ellen Crosby

When Lucie Montgomery finds the body of prominent wine merchant Paul Noble hanging from a beam in his art studio not far from her Virginia vineyard, she is unwittingly dragged into Noble's murky past. Once a member of the secretive "Mandrake Society," Noble might have aided in a cover-up of the deaths forty-years ago of a disabled man and a beautiful young biochemist involved in classified government research.

A seemingly innocent favor for an old friend of her French grandfather's sends Lucie to California where she teams up with Quinn Santori, who walked out of Lucie's life months earlier.

Soon Lucie and Quinn are embroiled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game that takes them from glittering San Francisco to the legendary vineyards of Napa and Sonoma, and back home to Virginia, as they try to discover whether a killer may be seeking vengeance for the long-ago deaths.

The Language of Flowers
by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

The Good Thief's Guide to Venice
by Chris Ewan

After a particularly bad streak of luck in Vegas, Charlie has retreated to Venice, having vowed to give up a life of crime to write crime fiction full-time. But inspiration has yet to strike.

And to make matters worse, Charlie's agent Victoria shows up at his door just as his prized first edition of The Maltese Falcon flies out the window with a femme-fatale burglar.

Blackmailed into committing a dastardly crime in order to get his book back, Charlie is catapulted into yet another adventure, this one even more explosive than the last.

The Evil Inside
by Heather Graham:

For as long as it has stood overlooking New England's jagged coastline, Lexington House has been the witness to madness...and murder. But in recent years the inexplicable malice that once tormented so many has lain as silent as its victims. Until now...

A member of the nation's foremost paranormal forensic team, Jenna Duffy has made a career out of investigating the inexplicable. Yet nothing could prepare her for the string of slayings once again plaguing Lexington House - or for the chief suspect, a boy barely old enough to drive, much less kill.

With the young man's life on the line, Jenna must team up with attorney Samuel Hill to pinpoint who - or what - is taking the lives of those who get too close to the past. But everything they learn brings them closer to the forces of evil stalking this tortured ground.

Coming Up for Air
by Patti Callahan Henry

Ellie Calvin is caught in a dying marriage, and she knows this. With her beloved daughter away at college and a growing gap between her and her husband - between her reality and the woman she wants to be - she doesn't quite seem to fit into her own life.

But everything changes after her controlling mother, Lillian, passes away. Ellie's world turns upside down when she sees her ex-boyfriend, Hutch, at her mother's funeral and learns that he is in charge of a documentary that involved Lillian before her death. He wants answers to questions that Ellie's not sure she can face, until, in the painful midst of going through her mother's things, she discovers a hidden diary - and a window into stories buried long ago.

As Ellie and Hutch start speaking for the first time in years, Ellie's closed heart slowly begins to open. Fighting their feelings, they set out together to dig into Lillian's history. Using both the diary and a trip to the Summer House, a mysterious and seductive bayside home, they gamble that they can work together and not fall in love again.

But in piecing together a decades-old unrequited-love story, they just might uncover the secrets in their own hearts. Coming Up for Air is the story of one woman's search for truth - and what happens when love steps in along the way.

Wizard
by Jayne Ann Krentz

Intellectual Sophia Bennett knew what kind of man she wanted: a rugged cowboy. And in Texas they were everywhere! So why couldn't she take her eyes off brilliant professor Max Travers? He was a Wizard in mathematics who surely made love by the numbers. Yet every inch of him - no Stetson, no dusty boots - added up to dangerously sexy.

Northwest Angle
by William Kent Krueger:

During a houseboat vacation on the remote Lake of the Woods, a violent gale sweeps through unexpectedly, stranding Cork and his daughter, Jenny, on a devastated island where the wind has ushered in a force far darker and more deadly than any storm.

Amid the wreckage, Cork and Jenny discover an old trapper's cabin where they find the body of a teenage girl. She wasn't killed by the storm, however; she'd been bound and tortured before she died.

Whimpering sounds coming from outside the cabin lead them to a tangle of branches toppled by the vicious winds. Underneath the debris, they find a baby boy, hungry and dehydrated, but still very much alive.

Powerful forces, intent on securing the child, pursue them to the isolated Northwest Angle, where it's impossible to tell who among the residents is in league with the devil. Cork understands that to save his family he must solve the puzzle of this mysterious child whom death follows like a shadow.

Ingenue
by Jillian Larkin:

Bobbed hair. Short skirts. Cool jazz. Dark speakeasy. Anything goes. Meet the flappers, Gloria, Clara, Lorraine . . . and the rich young boys who love and loathe them.

The Reasons for Marriage
by Stephanie Laurens

Lenore Lester was perfectly content with her quiet country life, caring for her father, and having no desire for marriage. She took steps to remain inconspicuous and tried her best to show indifference--but to no avail! The irresistible Duke of Eversleigh had found her out and was quite persistent in his affections....

Notoriously charming Jason, Duke of Eversleigh, could easily see behind Miss Lenore's brilliant disguise. Though the awkward lady hid behind glasses and pulled-back hair, she couldn't cover her beauty. And Jason was ever determined to loosen the hold she had on her heart.

The Ballad of Tom Dooley
by Sharyn McCrumb

The Kingston Trio's folk song "Tom Dooley" tells the story of the murder of Laura Foster, a simple country girl involved with returning Confederate soldier Tom Dula. But Tom was also engaged in a passionate affair with his childhood sweetheart, the beautiful - and married - Ann Melton.

One May morning in 1866, Laura Foster stole her father's horse and left home, telling a neighbor that she was eloping to Tennessee. Three months later her body was found in a shallow grave only a few hundred yards from where she was last seen.

The sensational elements in the case attracted national attention: a man and his married lover accused of murdering the other woman; the former governor of North Carolina, spearheading the defense; and a noble gesture from the condemned man on the eve of his execution, saving the woman he really loved.

Sharyn McCrumb visited the actual sites, studied the legal evidence, and concluded that the traditional story did not make sense. Consulting the maps, the trial transcripts, and the census records, she uncovered a missing piece of the story that will shock those who think they already know what happened.

What seemed at first to be a sordid tale of adultery and betrayal has been transformed by new discoveries into an Appalachian Wuthering Heights. The fictional retelling of the historical account became an astonishing revelation of the real motives and the real culprit in the murder of Laura Foster.

This Dark Endeavor
by Kenneth Oppel

In this prequel to Mary Shelley's gothic classic, Frankenstein, sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever.

Victor's twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor can cure him. Unwilling to give up on his brother, Victor enlists his beautiful cousin Elizabeth and his best friend, Henry, on a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life.

Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy, and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn. Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science, and love - and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

The Buddha in the Attic
by Julie Otsuka

Buddha in the Attic tells the story of a group of young women brought over from Japan to San Francisco as ‘picture brides’ nearly a century ago.

In eight incantatory sections, The Buddha in the Attic traces their extraordinary lives, from their arduous journey by boat, where they exchange photographs of their husbands, imagining uncertain futures in an unknown land; to their arrival in San Francisco and their tremulous first nights as new wives; to their backbreaking work picking fruit in the fields and scrubbing the floors of white women; to their struggles to master a new language and a new culture; to their experiences in childbirth, and then as mothers, raising children who will ultimately reject their heritage and their history; to the deracinating arrival of war.

Kill Me If You Can
by James Patterson

Matthew Bannon, a poor art student living in New York City, finds a duffel bag filled with diamonds during a chaotic attack at Grand Central Station. Plans for a worry-free life with his gorgeous girlfriend Katherine fill his thoughts - until he realizes that he is being hunted, and that whoever is after him won't stop until they have reclaimed the diamonds and exacted their revenge.

Trailing him is the Ghost, the world's greatest assassin, who has just pulled off his most high-profile hit: killing Walter Zelvas, a top member of the international Diamond Syndicate. There's only one small problem: the diamonds he was supposed to retrieve from Zelvas are missing. Now, the Ghost is on Bannon's trail - but so is a rival assassin who would like nothing more than to make the Ghost disappear forever.

The Cut
by George Pelecanos

Spero Lucas has a new line of work. Since he returned home after serving in Iraq, he has been doing special investigations for a defense attorney. He's good at it, and he has carved out a niche: recovering stolen property, no questions asked. His cut is forty percent.

A high-profile crime boss who has heard of Lucas's specialty hires him to find out who has been stealing from his operation. It's the biggest job Lucas has ever been offered, and he quickly gets a sense of what's going on.

But before he can close in on what's been taken, he tangles with a world of men whose amorality and violence leave him reeling. Is any cut worth your family, your lover, your life?

Cold Vengeance
by Douglas Preston

A bonding trip for Pendergast and his brother-in-law, Judson Esterhazy, turns violent. Before abandoning a mortally wounded Pendergast, Esterhazy announces his sister - Pendergast's long-dead wife Helen - is alive.

Electrified, Pendergast escapes only to miss Esterhazy. But retribution is no longer his quarry; his real goal is his wife. Pendergast begins by exhuming her grave. After DNA matches the remains to Helen, Pendergast digs further into her past, only to discover unexpected information.

Helen was born in Brazil and may be related to an infamous Nazi war criminal. Where does this lead? How does Pendergast find the wife he knows is alive?

Though in hiding, Esterhazy can't rest. He needed Pendergast dead for a simple reason: Pendergast's search for Helen has kicked up unpleasant truths and drawn attention from the worst corners.

Those truths did not belong to Esterhazy, but to an organization with mind-boggling power and reach. An organization that will stop at nothing to keep its secrets.

Hellbent
by Cherie Priest:

Vampire and thief Raylene Pendle doesn't need more complications in her life. Her Seattle home is already overrun by a band of misfits, including Ian Stott, a blind vampire, and Adrian deJesus, an ex--Navy SEAL/drag queen.

But Raylene still can't resist an old pal's request: seek out and steal a bizarre set of artifacts. Also on the hunt is a brilliant but certifiably crazy sorceress determined to stomp anyone who gets in her way.

But Raylene's biggest problem is that Ian, after the death of his vaunted patriarch, has become the next target of some bloodsucking sociopaths. Now Raylene must snatch up the potent relics, solve a murder, and keep Ian safe - all while fending off that psychotic sorceress.

But at least she won't be alone. A girl could do a lot worse for a partner than an ass-kicking drag queen - right?

Silent Enemy
by Thomas W. Young

Jihadists strike the Afghan National Police training center in Kabul, killing many and wounding others, including Sergeant Major Sophia Gold. The injured are hurriedly loaded onto a C-5 Galaxy bound for Germany, but once airborne, the commander, Major Michael Parson, receives a message. The jihadists have placed bombs on some planes leaving Afghanistan, and the Galaxy is one of them. If Parson tries to descend-the bomb will go off.

Parson, Gold, and everybody else aboard are trapped at altitude, until either they or someone on the ground can figure out what to do. They can refuel in midair, but not indefinitely. The aircraft is deteriorating, the condition of the patients is worsening, the crew is tiring-and their biggest challenges are yet to come. The enemy is all around... and will take surprising form.

Weekend Update

2011-08-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 13 August 2011 through Friday 19 August 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 8/13/2011:
Clark County Library: Saturday Movie Matinee - Paul

Sunday 8/14/2011:
Sunrise Library: Sunday Movie Matinee- Gnomeo & Juliet
West Charleston Library: Las Vegas Scrapbook Club

Monday 8/15/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 8/16/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Shaken Not Stirred: Goldfinger

Wednesday 8/17/2011:
Rainbow Library: SCORE: How to Raise Money for Your Business
Clark County Library: Munch & Mingle for Non-Profits

Thursday 8/18/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 8/19/2011:
No Events Listed

What Borders Closure Means To Your Kobo Account?

2011-08-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

Borders is preparing to liquidate which means its 399 remaining stores will shut down. If you are wondering what this means to your eBooks, don’t worry, Kobo has got you covered. Read more...

Weekend Update

2011-08-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 6 August 2011 through Friday 12 August 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 8/6/2011:
West Las Vegas Library: Performing & Visual Arts Camp for Kids - Final Musical Production
West Charleston Library: Health & Wellness Lecture Series: Quit Smoking
West Charleston Library: Princeton Review: LSAT Practice Test

Sunday 8/7/2011:
No Events Listed

Monday 8/8/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 8/9/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Shaken Not Stirred: From Russia with Love
Clark County Library: Non-Profit Survival Skills - Practical Fundraising
West Charleston Library: Adult Diabetes Education, Management & Support
Centennial Hills Library: Health & Wellness Lecture Series - Osteoporosis

Wednesday 8/10/2011:
No Events Listed

Thursday 8/11/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 8/12/2011:
No Events Listed

Getting Started with eBooks From the Library

2011-07-31T05:28:00.000-07:00

Want to know how to borrow eBooks from the Library? I have put up the workbook I use in my eBook Downloading 101 class on our eRead me Vegas: FAQs, Tips, & Tricks page. You are welcome to download it and print for your personal use.

Want to take the class? Watch this blog for new class dates coming in September.

Weekend Update

2011-07-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 30 July 2011 through Friday 5 August 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 7/30/2011:
No Events Listed

Sunday 7/31/2011:
Sunrise Library: Sunday Movie Matinee- Tron Legacy

Monday 8/1/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 8/2/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Shaken Not Stirred: Dr. No

Wednesday 8/3/2011:
No Events Listed

Thursday 8/4/2011:
Clark County Library: Performing & Visual Arts Camp for Kids - Final Musical Production

Friday 8/5/2011:
No Events Listed

Summer Reading Just for Guys

2011-07-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this summer try an eAudio book on your MP3 player. Here's a couple of suggestions to get you started with downloading audio books.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

A new adventure novel filled with high-action and aerial invention from the bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series. Conor Boekhart is blamed for murdering the king and thrown into prison. While in prison...More

The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

Artemis is at boarding school in Ireland when he receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped ...More

eAudio Books for Summer Reading

2011-07-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this summer try an eAudio book on your MP3 player. Here's a couple of suggestions to get you started with downloading audio books.

Airman by Eoin Colfer

The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

Artemis is at boarding school in Ireland when he receives an urgent e-mail from Russia. In it is a plea from a man who has been kidnapped ...More

Weekend Update

2011-07-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 23 July 2011 through Friday 29 July 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 7/23/2011:
Clark County Library: Film - Saturday Family Flix: Gnomeo & Juliet

Sunday 7/24/2011:
No Events Listed

Monday 7/25/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 7/26/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Scenes from Sin City: Viva Las Vegas

Wednesday 7/27/2011:
No Events Listed

Thursday 7/28/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 7/29/2011:
No Events Listed

eBook Downloading 101 Workshop

2011-07-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

Got an eReader? Want to learn how to use the library's eMedia Catalog for free eBooks? This summer join me for a hands-on workshop. Our next workshop is Monday July 25 at 10:30am.

Bring your eReader with it's USP cable and your library card. (note: if you use a laptop, tablet or iPad bring it as well.) Be sure to register as seating is very limited.

Got questions? Give me call at 702.507.6300

Additional classes are available later in July, in our new state-of-the-art Virtual Training Lab located on the 2nd floor of the Windmill/Service Center located at 7060 W. Windmill Ln. Las Vegas, NV.

For the list of days and times for the class and to register, please visit our Internet and Computer Workshops Events page.

Summer Reads Just for Kids

2011-07-21T05:31:00.000-07:00

This summer try reading one of these eBooks on your ereader, tablet or computer...

Big Nate Makes a Splash

Big Nate Wright is an aspiring cartoonist who doodles his observations in his notebook. He's also the star of Big Nate, the famous cartoon strip which has been distributed by Newspaper Enterprise...

Big Nate Dibs on this Chair

Big Nate Wright is an aspiring cartoonist who doodles his observations in his notebook. He's also the star of Big Nate, the famous cartoon strip which has been distributed by Newspaper Enterprise...

Summer Reading for the Rubber Ducky Club

2011-07-19T05:47:00.000-07:00

Hey kids, here are a couple of ebooks to read on your eReader, iPad or computer.

Our eMedia Catalog has great eAudio Books and eBooks for you. Here are just a few ..

How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hilis (eBook)

This sweet picture book starring an irresistible dog named Rocket and his teacher, a little yellow bird, is perfect for back-to-school! Follow along as Rocket masters the alphabet, sounds out words, and finally . . .

Duck & Goose 1,2,3 by Tad Hilis (eBook)

PRESCHOOLERS WILL CHEER the return of Duck and Goose! All the favorite characters, including Bluebird and Thistle, return--this time to introduce basic counting concepts. One goose. Two ducks. Three...

Also, have you signed up for the Summer Reading Club yet? Be sure to do so either online or at your local library. Read or be read to for just 20 minutes a day to win great prizes!

Weekend Update

2011-07-16T05:55:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 16 July 2011 through Friday 22 July 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 7/16/2011:
Spring Valley Library: Health & Wellness Lecture Series - High Cholesterol

Sunday 7/17/2011:
Sunrise Library: Film - The Tourist

Monday 7/18/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 7/19/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Scenes from Sin City: Ocean's 11

Wednesday 7/20/2011:
Rainbow Library: SCORE: How to Start Your Own Business
Clark County Library: Munch & Mingle for Non-Profits

Thursday 7/21/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 7/22/2011:
No Events Listed

Summer YA Reads

2011-07-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (eAudio Book)
By Bradley, Alan

1st book in Flavia de Luce series 2009 Agatha Award Winner-Best First Novel
BookPage Notable Title

In his wickedly brilliant first novel, Debut Dagger Award winner Alan Bradley introduces one of the most singular and engaging heroines in recent fiction. …More

Wintergirls (eBook)
Wintergirls ( eAudio Book)
By Anderson, Laurie Halse

BookPage Notable Title

Six years after Cassie and Lia resolved to become the skinniest girls in their school, Cassie dies. Unable to bear the sadness and guilt following Cassie's death, Lia spirals deeper into her own eating disorder. Elijah, the last person to see Cassie alive, helps Lia find the strength to face her own demons and enter recovery. …More

Be sure you are signed up for the Teen Summer Reading Club, you could win a Target gift card!

Summer Reads Just for Kids

2011-07-12T05:09:00.000-07:00

Hey kids, is it hot enough? Here's a great indoor idea for these dog days of summer - books to read or listen to on your eReader, iPad or computer.

Our eMedia Catalog has great eAudio Books and eBooks for you. Here are just a few - all about dogs...

Dog Den Mystery by: Odgers, Darrel (eAudio book)

1st book in Jack Russell, dog detective series

When someone steals an old boot, Jack doesn't care. Then someone steals his squeaker bone. And his blanket. Now Jack Does care. How will he solve the Dog Den Mystery?. ...More

The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (eAudio book)

That daring, hilarious pack of hounds from the classic tale of canine intrigue returns in a ...More

Strider by Beverly Cleary (eBook)

In this sequel to the Newbery Award-winning classic, "Dear Mr. Henshaw", a teenage boy named Leigh is sad about his parents' divorce when he finds a stray dog, one who loves to run. Because of Strider, Leigh finds himself running well enough to join the school track team. Strider also gives Leigh new hope for his future. ...More

Have you signed up for the Summer Reading Club yet? Be sure to do so either online or at your local library. Read just 20 minutes a day to win great prizes!

Out of this World! Books to Celebrate the Annual Roswell Festival

2011-07-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

Its history predates mythology; even beyond written word. Before people knew how to write it down, they knew we were not alone in the universe. Although the ‘veritable truth’ is more theory than actual evidence, aliens, in some form, have in fact been all around us for centuries. The great astronomers saw them in the stars. H.G. Wells wrote about them in The First Men in the Moon. And in 1947, in small town Roswell, New Mexico, they fell from the sky. Allegedly.

No one knows for sure what happened in Roswell. The government was quick to call it a top secret experiment. Others claimed bodies were recovered, along with the ship those bodies crash landed into Earth on. Whatever happened, no one can deny that something happened. They still celebrate that something in Roswell today at the UFO Festival held every year in July. For those of us who can’t make the trip to New Mexico, here are some alien inspired titles to hold you over.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: The Vogons aren’t necessarily evil or out to get us, they are mostly just rude. They aren’t too easy on the eyes either, described as slug like. You wouldn’t want to park your spaceship on their lawn.

Dreamcatcher by Stephen King: Byrum are perhaps the worst of the bunch, telepathic worms with razor sharp teeth. They enter through your brain, controlling you actions, and let’s not even talk about how they exit… It’s horror to the best of Stephen King’s ability, if you can stomach it.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells: Forget about the Tom Cruise, explosion filled film. Wells gives us Martians. The worst kind. Arriving to Earth in cylinder shaped space ships; these beings are the stuff of nightmares. All tentacles and rage, so we can assume they didn’t just pop-in to say hello.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer: Yeah, she wrote Twilight. But her ‘Souls’ make Edward, look like, well, a sparkly vampire. They invade the minds of the people of Earth, controlling their every action, every thought until they fade away and cede control to their hosts. The best part? This hostile takeover occurs 20 years from our present day.

Area 51 by Annie Jacobsen: Jacobson’s aliens are the real kind, specifically the ones housed in Area 51. She interviews 20 men, now well into old age, who served at Area 51 and were privy to its secrets. She tells the story so many crafted in their heads: nuclear weapon testing, spaceships, and the cover-up the government denied. Can you handle the truth?

Provided by Christina Bernecker is a training associate at OverDrive.

Weekend Update

2011-07-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 9 July 2011 through Friday 15 July 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 7/9/2011:
West Las Vegas Library: Hear What's in the Heart - A Shoemaker's Tale
Clark County Library: Film - The Social Network

Sunday 7/10/2011:
West Las Vegas Library: Hear What's in the Heart - A Shoemaker's Tale
West Charleston Library: Las Vegas Scrapbook Club

Monday 7/11/2011:
No Events Listed

Tuesday 7/12/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Scenes from Sin City: My Friend Irma Goes West
Clark County Library: Non-Profit Survival Skills - Marketing your non-profit
West Charleston Library: Adult Diabetes Education, Management & Support

Wednesday 7/13/2011:
Centennial Hills Library: Health & Wellness Lecture Series: Hypertension 101 CANCELLED

Thursday 7/14/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 7/15/2011:
No Events Listed

Mermaids

2011-07-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

Recently a patron asked:

Do you have any animated mermaid books? Not mermaid biographies.

Before the age of 50, composer Alan Menken had won eight Academy Awards and four Grammy awards. He gained fame for his work on Walt Disney animated films, beginning with “The Little Mermaid,” which won the Oscar for Best Score and Best Song in 1989. The Disney studio subsequently asked Menken to write the musical score for all their animated films, as well as some live-action features, over a 10-year period. Menken has also found success on the Broadway stage (“Little Shop of Horrors”). You can find more information on Alan Menken in Biography in Context.

We currently don't have any animated eBooks about mermaids but there are a few ebooks about Mermaids to be found in our eMedia Catalog:

Summer Reads for Teens

2011-07-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Willow (eAudio book)
By Hoban, Julia

Seven months ago, on a rainy March night, sixteen year- old Willow's parents died in a horrible car accident. Willow was driving. Now her older brother barely speaks to her, her new classmates know her as the killer orphan girl, and Willow is blocking the pain by secretly cutting herself. But when one boy - one sensitive, soulful boy - discovers Willow's secret, it sparks an intense relationship that turns the "safe" world Willow has created for herself upside down.

Told in an extraordinary fresh voice, "Willow" is an unforgettable novel about one girl's struggle to cope with tragedy, and one boy's refusal to give up on her. …More

Fallen (eBook)

By Kate, Lauren

1st book in Fallen series

Seventeen-year-old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce's boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant--even evil--history. …More

Be sure you are signed up for the Teen Summer Reading Club, you could win a Target gift card!

eBook Downloading 101

2011-07-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

Weekend Update

2011-07-02T05:53:00.000-07:00

What's happening at your library next week?

Here's the schedule for events for grownups, for the week of Saturday 2 July 2011 through Friday 8 July 2011:
(Click on the link for times, and more information)

Saturday 7/2/2011:
No Events Listed

Sunday 7/3/2011:
Sunrise Library: Sunday Movie Matinee - How to Train Your Dragon

Monday 7/4/2011:
All Libraries CLOSED for Independence Day

Tuesday 7/5/2011:
Clark County Library: Tuesday Afternoon at the Bijou - Scenes from Sin City: Heldorado

Wednesday 7/6/2011:
No Events Listed

Thursday 7/7/2011:
No Events Listed

Friday 7/8/2011:
West Las Vegas Library: Hear What's In the Heart - A Shoemaker's Tale - Open Dress Rehersal

Quick Teen Reads for Summer Reading

2011-06-30T05:51:00.000-07:00

Love, Stargirl (eBook)
Love, Stargirl (eAudio book)

By Spinelli, Jerry

2007-08 - Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

9780375813757

2nd book in Stargirl series

Picking up a year after "Stargirl" ends, this much-anticipated sequel takes the form of "the worlds longest letter," in diary form, in which Stargirl reflects on time, life, Leo, and--of course--love. …More

Summer Camp Stories for Kids

2011-06-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Kids can have fun and lots of laughs with these summer camp stories!

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee byChris Van Dusen (ebook)

Mr. Magee and his trusty dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when all of a sudden they find themselves plunging down a mountain and teetering on the edge of a huge waterfall! How will they...

Fred and Ted Go Camping by Peter Eastman (eBook)

Big Dog . . . Little Dog--are back! Fred and Ted go camping, and as usual, their uniquely different approaches to doing things (such as packing equipment, setting up camp, and fishing techniques) have humorous--and sometimes surprising--results. A charming introduction to opposites that beginner readers will find ruff to put down!

Arthur's Camp-Out by Lillian Hoban (eAudio Book)

Violet's camping out too, but her friends don't want Arthur around. So Arthur decides to collect slimy things he knows Violet wouldn't like. But he doesn't count on slippery rocks and swooping bats, or...