Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Books on My Desk


Coming Soon to a Library Shelf Near You...

Q
: Graphic what?
A: Graphic novels!

Q: What exactly IS a graphic novel?
A: Basically it is a book-length story portrayed in a comic-book (sequential art) format.

Q: Where can I find graphic novels?
A: Why the Missoula Public Library of course! The library has a large selection of comics and graphic novels for all ages. Graphic novels geared for adults can be found in our Graphic Literature collection located across from the Reference Desk.

Here are a few new arrivals to the Graphic Literature collection:

FIRST MOON by Jason McNamara & Tony Talbert
Call #: GL MCNAMAR

"In 1587, one hundred and ten settlers would establish the first colony on the island of Roanoke, Virgina. Shortly after, they would all disappear... and their fate remained a mystery for centuries. Now, in the present day, a young man named Ben uncovers a startling secret: he and his family are descendants of the "lost" colony. To unlock the mystery, he will undertake a perilous journey through dark family secrets and American history itself. Can Ben endure the curse of Roanoke... and its survivors?"

Seven Sons
by Alexander Grecian & Riley Rossmo
Call #: GL GRECIAN

"Seven identical Chinese brothers come to America during the Gold Rush of the 1850s. When two children fall through an iced-over river, Brother-Number-One tries to save them by breathing the entire river into his mouth. But he can't hold it long enough for them to get to safety and lets the water go, accidentally drowning the children. When a mob of angry townspeople tries to retaliate, each of Number One's brothers takes his place, using their remarkable abilities each time to save his life."

Tony Millionaire's Sock Monkey: The Glass Doorknob
by Tony Millionaire
Call #: GL MILLION
"The Sock Monkey and other toys in the house marvel at the prismatic spectrum shining on the parlor floor. They notice that the dazzling colors are somehow emanating from the beautiful glass doorknob on the front door. Winter turns to spring and the apple tree at the front of the house sprouts its new leaves, casting a warm green shadow on the door. But when something happens to the doorknob, it seems to be broken, the magical light show has come to a disheartening end. As the leaves grow heavier, joy leaves the house, until Mr. Crow comes up with a plan: to repair the doorknob using very scientifical techniques!"

Rock Bottom byJoe Casey & Charlie Adlard
Call #: GL CASEY
"What would you do if you discovered you were turning to stone? What would that extraordinary circumstance do to your life? Thomas Dare was an ordinary man with ordinary problems, until fate stepped in to turn his life upside-down."

Read any good graphic novels? Tell us about 'em!


Monday, June 7, 2010

Mango mania

I have always wanted to become fluent in a foreign language. And now I can.

The library just added "Mango Languages" to our amazing list of online resources. This new program will teach you how to speak up to 15 languages. And, for those of you learning English as a second language, it has tutorials for Spanish, Chinese & Polish speakers. The best part is you can do it whenever is convenient for you and move at your own pace - and it's all free.



Just follow the link to Mango Languages from our online resources page. If you're not in the library, you'll want your library card handy to enter your number. So pick an interesting language - we offer Urdu, Tagalog, Hindi, Farsi, and lots more - and start learning!



Stop by in the next couples weeks and you can snag a mango taffy treat with some more information on this cool new way to learn a language. Hasta luego!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

The rain was worth it...

The weather was just gorgeous yesterday evening, especially after all of the rain we've had recently, so I decided to go take some pictures at the loveliest park in Missoula (IMHO), Rose Memorial Park. It's a little early in the year yet to see the roses at their best, but there were some white roses just starting to bloom. It's a sight worth seeing -- here's a sample:




Friday, June 4, 2010

Word Woman






Welcome to another exciting episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! This is the fifth in our series of words that commonly appear only in the negative. And the Word of the Week is:

Unrequited:
Pronunciation: \ˌən-ri-ˈkwī-təd\
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1542

: not requited : not reciprocated or returned in kind

"unrequited." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010.

Merriam-Webster Online. 28 May 2010

but how often do you ever hear the word:

Requited:

Pronunciation: \ri-ˈkwīt\
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): re·quit·ed; re·quit·ing
Etymology: re- + obsolete quite to quit, pay, from Middle English quiten — more at quit
Date: 1529

1 a : to make return for : repay b : to make retaliation for : avenge
2 : to make suitable return to for a benefit or service or for an injury

"requited." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010.

Merriam-Webster Online. 28 May 2010


Example: When George discovered that his love for Sue was unrequited, he demanded that he be requited the forty dollars he had invested in buying her roses.


Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Meet the Tax Man

The IRS is hosting an open house Saturday, June 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. local time. The open house will offer assistance to taxpayers who may have recently received an IRS notice or have other tax problems.
This open house is one of several Saturday events the IRS is offering to help taxpayers who may need federal tax assistance, but who are unable to come in during normal business hours.
Staff there will be equipped to handle a number of tax-related issues including notices and payments, return preparation, audits and a variety of other issues. Several recent tax law changes, coupled with applicable tax credits, may provide additional help to many taxpayers.

The IRS office open in Missoula is: 2681 Palmer St.Missoula, MT 59808

You will find materials in the library on taxes in the nonfiction collection under the 336.24 call numbers.