Favorite Titles of 2009

It's time to take a look back and see what we read in 2009 - and "we" means everybody reading this!

What was good? What wasn't? Did you discover a new author? Break into a different genre? See what our staff has been reading on our Shelfari page if you're a member, or stop by our Staff Picks & Recommended Reads shelf here at the library.

Personally, I read a crazy amount of Young Adult books this year. My reflection? YA is full of series these days - everything is either already part of a series or the start of a new one. This makes it easy to keep reading - when you find a story you like, there will be more - but super frustrating when you're waiting for the next book (like I'm waiting anxiously for the third in the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins - not expected until next fall, yikes!).

So help me keep my sanity while I'm waiting. What have you read in 2009 that you think was a 'don't miss'?

Word Woman

Welcome to the final entry of Word Woman for 2009! I'm looking forward to digging up new words to share with you in 2010. It might interest you to know that Word Woman has been busy expanding your vocabulary for just over two years now. That's a lot of words! Exactly how many I'm not sure at the moment, but one of my New Year's resolutions is to look back and create a list of all the words we've shared so far. Does anyone else out there have a New Year's resolution for 2010? I'd love to hear about it if you do. In the meantime, here is the Word of Week to give you something to think about:

Bois de vache: French for cow chips, or buffalo manure (later cow manure), used as a fuel; literally, wood of the cow; Americanized to bodewash. Making fires with buffalo chips was a necessity on the plains because trees were few and far between. -- "Dictionary of the American West", Winifred Blevins, Facts on File, Inc., New York, 1993.

Example: "To put it politely," Amanda told Steven, "I consider your excuse for forgetting our anniversary to be sheer bois de vache."

"How To" Do the New Year

January 1st is lurking around the corner waiting for you to resolve to be a better human being. There are countless books designed to help all who participate in the tradition of making resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, de-stress, etc., but why go with the same-old, same old? This year, why not resolve to do something unexpected?!

To assist you in your New Year resolution quest, I've compiled the following list of "how to" books:

How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse by Cressida Cowell
J COWELL

How to be Popular by Meg Cabot
Y CABOT

How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler
Y ZIEGLER

How to Find Flower Fairies by Cecily Mary Barker
JE BARKER

How to Get Kids to Help at Home by Elva Anson
649.1 ANSON

How to Get on Reality TV by Matthew Robinson
791.456 ROBINSO

How to Hunt Ghosts: a practical guide by Joshua Warren
133.1 WARREN

How to Murder Your Mother-In-Law by Dorothy Cannell
CANNELL

How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found by Sara Nickerson
Y NICKERS

How to Drive an Indy Race Car by David Rubel
J 796.76 RUBEL

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
641.5 BITTMAN

How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less by Milo Frank
658.45 FRANK

How to Grow World Record Tomatoes by Charles Wilber
635.6425 WILBER

How to Hold a Crocodile /Diagram Group
Y 031.02 HOW

Showing "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"

Come in from the cold and enjoy the latest Harry Potter DVD release, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince".

With the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Wizards and Muggles alike are in danger from Death Eaters. It is up to Harry to find the key to unlocking Voldermort's great power and prepare for the battles that are yet to come.

Join us in the Large Meeting Rm at 2pm today, December 29th. You can't afford to miss this 6th installment of the Harry Potter Series.

New Arrival in Graphic Lit

Infinite Typewriters by Jonathan Rosenberg
Book One of the Infinite Pendergast Cycle
CALL #: GL ROSENBE

"It's not as if one decides to wake up one day, argue existentialism with livestock, and fly a spaceship to the center of the galaxy to meet, greet --and eat-- God. It just sort of happens. At least it does in the world of Goats, the cult-hit webcomic wherein a clutch of brave if baffled barflies (including humans, chickens, and a cyborg goldfish) hit the interdimensional bricks to save the multiverse from certain doom kicked off by a cosmic computer glitch. You can't make this stuff up--unless you're one of the monkeys tapping on infinite typewriters who controls all reality. You'll see..."

Branch hours

School's out for the week, which means our library branches that are in school buildings will have modified hours. Folks outside of the city in quest of good books and movies will want to take note of when we're open...

The Frenchtown Branch, located in Frenchtown High School, is closed. It will reopen for regular hours Dec. 29.

The Seeley Lake Branch, located in Seeley-Swan High School, will be open on the following hours:
Saturday Dec. 26 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Monday Dec. 28 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Wednesday Dec. 30 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday Jan. 2 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
It will return to its normal hours after Jan. 2.

Find more info on our branches here.

Gnome for the Holidays

A very merry Christmas to everyone. The library is closed, and while the staff is out with their friends and family, the gnomes are having their own tiny celebration in their Gnome House today. Looks like Santa left a few presents under their tree! Enjoy your holiday and we'll see you tomorrow.

Christmas Eve Day at the library

Back by popular demand, here's a holiday favorite composed by our very own staff member, Laura, originally posted last year at this time...

'Twas the day before Christmas and all through the stacks,
People were looking for trade paperbacks.

And books on CD to help pass the time
during holiday travel or waiting in line

To buy that last gift, it had been a long haul
And they needed a way to escape from it all.

So off to the library they wandered in quest
Of a good book to read that stood out from the rest

Or maybe a holiday music CD
To play while they finished trimming the tree

Or even a kids' Christmas book to be read
To help restless children get settled in bed.

Then up to the checkout, arms full, they did dash
Where friendly staff helped them check out in a flash,

They packed their selections and went on their way
With a wave and a smile and a "Happy Holiday!"

As they left the building, I heard them all say:
"We're so glad you're open on Christmas Eve Day!"

The library is open until 6 p.m. today. We're closed Dec. 25, but reopen at 10 a.m. on Dec. 26.
Happy Holidays from the staff at Missoula Public Library!

12 Reads of Christmas

Even librarians get into the spirit. Wish I could take credit for this fun page, but I can't. What I can do it share it with you...

The Twelve Days of Christmas, Teen Book Style

It also happens to be a fun spot for finding reviews on teen lit.

Have you read any of these? Tell us what you thought, leave us a comment today!

Word Woman

Welcome to another mind-bending episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! This is the season of giving, so give your brain some quality time by doing crossword puzzles, sudoku or just curling up with a good book. Here's the Word of the Week for a little mental warm-up:

Epitome: An 'epitome (Greek epitemnein—to cut short) is a summary or miniature form; an instance that represents a larger reality, also used as a synonym for embodiment.

Many documents from the Ancient Greek and Roman worlds survive now only "in epitome", referring to the practice of some later authors (epitomators) who wrote distilled versions of larger works now lost. Some writers attempted to convey the stance and spirit of the original, while others added further details or anecdotes regarding the general subject. As with all secondary historical sources, a different bias not present in the original may creep in.

Documents surviving in epitome differ from those surviving only as fragments quoted in later works, and those used as unacknowledged sources by later scholars, as they can stand as discrete documents, albeit refracted through the views of another author.

The word is often mispronounced; its correct English pronunciation is IPA: [əˈpɪtəmi].

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epitome, last modified on 17 December 2009 at 03:41.

Example: The broken window in the den, which had gone unrepaired for the entire 20 years that they had owned their home, was the epitome of Bob and Jane's dilapidated marriage.

Cookies & Crafts

Cookies and crafts are 2 holiday classics, so we combined them for today's program. Families can decorating sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles, then stay to create an ornament, candy cane holder, or holiday art. And, of course, you get to take it all home when you're done. Here are some creative geniuses at work:

We're still decorating until 3 p.m. today in the large meeting room on the lower level, so stop by for a sweet treat. More pics on our Flickr page.

You Ask, We Answer

What would you like to know about the library? Comment here or fill out a yellow slip the next time you're in the building. Here's another topic library users have on their minds...

The library isn't just about books. Sure, we have an amazing selection of titles to read, but you can find so much more here including music CDs, DVDs, and audio books. These non-paper materials take a different approach to maintenance, and you asked us how we care for our discs.


There's nothing more frustrating than getting a CD or DVD home and discovering it doesn't play well because of a scratch. If a CD or DVD looks well-loved and has a scratch or 2, we temporarily take it out of circulation for care. First, we check it out to a "patron" called repair. That way, you don't expect to find it on the shelf. Then, we send it downstairs to our technical services area where it is administered to, using our new polishing machine. The machine, which we purchased last month, works on CDs and DVDs alike.

How do we decide which discs to polish? We rely partly on you to tell us if one isn't working properly. We also plan to start a rotation in the coming months, in which we will check the discs on the shelves and identify those that need a good polishing up. This will not only keep our collection in the best condition it can be, but will ensure you get a quality item when you check something out at the library.

Let us know what's on your mind! Ask a question, we'll answer it.

A Special Guest at Story Time

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

And we will have a special guest at our Story Time on December 18, 19 and 23 (see below for times.)

Now who could that special guest be?
I don't want to spoil the fun, but here are some hints.

He loves the color red.
Reindeer are his favorite animals.

He drives a sleigh.
He loves all the girls and boys.

Don't miss this very special guest. Come to one or all of our Story Times on Friday, Dec 18th at 10:30am, Saturday, Dec 19th at 11:00am or Wednesday, Dec 23 at 7:00pm.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Gearing up for job searching

This morning 2 of our staff had the opportunity to conduct "mock interviews" at Hellgate High School to help prepare the students for job or school interviews. It was a very cool experience for both them and us, and got me to thinking about the many resources the library has to help prepare for something that can be a nerve-wracking experience.


Our shelves are stocked with books to help you with each step of the process from resume writing (see titles like "The 30-Minute Resume Makeover" and "Knock 'em Dead Resumes") to job interviews, and even specialized focuses like marketing your military experience. Find these in our non-fiction shelves under 650.14. There are lots more in our catalog.


Or, if you're more of a listener, we have audio books both on CD here in the building and downloadable from any Internet connection. Listen to tips on "Nailing the Job Interview" or "Acing the Interview" and feel confident when you walk into that meeting.


And, best of all, we have online help. Look on our home page under Electronic Resources for Learn-a-Test. Despite its name, this resource is more than just tests. It has an entire section on resumes, interviewing, job searching, and even business writing. And you can use it from any Internet connection.


If you're working on a resume, ask at the Reference Desk to use our word processing rooms on the upper level - it saves you from having to wait for a turn in Web Alley and lets you work in peace.


The new year is approaching, and new jobs await!

Books on My Desk

Coming Soon to a Library Shelf Near You...

New Young Adult Arrivals:

Notes From the Dog by Gary Paulsen
14-year-old Finn is a loner, living with his dad and his amazing dog, Dylan. Finn is hoping for a job where he doesn't have to talk to anyone except his buddy, Matthew. Then he meets Johanna, who's living next door. She's a graduate student in her twenties, cool and funny, and she treats Finn as an equal. Johanna is dealing with breast cancer, and Matthew and Finn help take care of her--and come to care for her. When she hires Finn to create a garden, his efforts backfire comically. Call # Y PAULSEN

Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor
Toby McGill dreams of becoming a world famous chef, but up to now, his only experience has been watching the Food Network. When Toby lands a job at Killer Pizza, where pies like The Monstrosity and The Frankensausage are on the menu, things seem perfect. His coworkers, Annabel & Strobe are cool, and Toby loves being part of a team. But none of them is prepared for what's really going on at Killer Pizza: It's a front for a monster-hunting organization!
Call #: Y TAYLOR

Shooting Star by Frederick McKissack
Bigger, Stronger, Faster... Juiced. Jomo Rodgers finished his first year on varsity hearing "if onlys," as in, if only he were bigger. His talent on the field is easy to spot, and local papers and college recruiters are taking notice. But Jomo decides he wants to be more than merely good. He plunges into a new workout regimen that will make him stronger and faster. But is that enough? A little juice--as in steroids-- might be the difference between being good and being great. It's an easy choice that is about to make Jomo's life a whole lot harder. Call #: Y MCKISSA

Kiss of Life: a generation dead novel by Daniel Waters
Phoebe Kendall may be alive, but she feels nearly as isolated as her dead friends. Just when she'd reconciled herself to having feelings for a zombie -- her homecoming date, Tommy Williams -- her friend Adam proves his love by taking a bullet for her. Things get even more confusing when Adam comes back from the grave. Now she has two dead boys in her life -- one who saved it, and one wo she can't seem to live without. Call #: Y WATERS

New Readers' Choice

We just added "Meltdown: a free-market look at why the stock market collapsed, the economy tanked, and government bailouts will make things worse", by Thomas E. Woods, Jr., to our READERS' CHOICE POWER WALL.

Check it out and our other Staff and Patron Picks! If you have a favorite or recommended item, we'd love to display it on our Power Walls. Just fill out a lavendar Recommendation Card and give it to any staff person. Or, better yet, you can comment here about any book, dvd, music cd that you would like featured.

You Ask, We Answer

Here's another topic on your minds. Do you have a question about the library? Comment here, or fill out a yellow comment form the next time you're in the building!

Flu Season Care

The library is a public place where people can share books, movies, music, information - and germs. We've had some questions from folks about what we do to keep the place healthy.

In public areas: We wipe down all our keyboards and common surfaces on a regular basis. This takes a while, but it's very important in maintaining the health of our community. And, of course, we always have hand soap available in our restrooms. We encourage all our visitors to take the commonly recommended precautions including washing your hands frequently and thoroughly, sneezing into your sleeve, and avoiding touching your face.

In children's activities: We spoke with the Missoula County Heath Department regarding the plush toys we traditionally offered in Tiny Tales events. The flu virus can remain on cloth for six hours, so we decided to not offer the toys in Tiny Tales until the flu season is over.

You can get information on H1N1 and Missoula's flu season from Missoula County Health Services or by calling the flu hotline at 258-4636. Have a happy, healthy winter!

Word Woman

Welcome to another weird and wonderful installment of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! It's cold outside, so warm up your brain cells with a bit of mental exercise. Here's the Word of the Week to get you started:

Abstemious: (ab-stee-mee-us) [adjective] moderate in eating and drinking. -- "The New York Times Everyday Reader's Dictionary of Misunderstood, Misused, Mispronounced Words", Laurence Urdang, Ed., Weathervane Books, The New York Times Book Company, 1972.

Example: Janet was scrupulously abstemious during the holiday season, consequently she was able to make a different New Year's resolution than she had in years past. Instead of resolving to lose ten pounds, she vowed to buy herself a new wardrobe.

A tree, a tree

The library's holiday tree is boasting some fantastic, colorful ornaments, thanks to Lolo Brownie Troop 3568. The Brownies stormed the lobby last night to share their hand-made ornaments with the rest of the Missoula community. If you feel like getting into the spirit of the season, you should stop by and enjoy the beautiful sight. And the cinnamon ornaments make it smell good, too. Thanks girls!

We have some more photos on our Flickr stream.

Online Library

Finding it a bit too cold to venture outside to visit the library? Do not fret - you still have access to online library materials at http://www.missoulapubliclibrary.org/ -- your portal to The Missoula Public Library's Virtual Branch Library.

From the homepage you have access to MontanaLibrary2Go downloadable audio book service, a self-paced online Web 2.0 class, 24-hr Reference service, and online book clubs. You can also click the "e-Databases" link to view a listing of online resources available free of charge with your library card. Some popular databases include:

• NovelList Plus -find a good book to read. Take a look at the Author Read-alikes, "What We're Reading"suggestions, Book Discussion Guides, BookTalks, and Annotated Book Lists.
  
• Heritage Quest -research your family history
  
• Auto Repair Reference Center -find automotive information dating back to 1945 for all major makes and models of vehicles. Also includes basic care and repair tips and a troubleshooting guide
• Alexander Street Press Online Music -create playlists and listen online for free to music from the Classical Music Library, Smithsonian Global Sound, or African American Song. For a fee you can download music to your PC.

These are just a few examples of online resources you have access to from home. To find more, explore the library's homepage or call us at 721-BOOK.

Post a comment & tell us what online library resources you use from home!

Parade of Lights

Missoula Public Library bundled up and hit the town Saturday evening for the Parade of Lights. We were on track to share some holiday cheer when we unveiled our Book Train in the parade, complete with the bookmobile wrapped and ready to go as a present to our readers.

The Parade may be over, but we're still having fun at the library - stop by and see our train in-person on display in the lower lobby. Oh, and check out a book while you're here!

You Ask, We Answer

We get a lot of great suggestions and questions in our comments box here at the library, and it's high time we shared! Every week we'll focus on a topic that you want to know about the library. So, if you're in the building, go ahead and fill out one of our yellow comment cards to get your topic in the spotlight. OR, since you're already reading this blog, make a comment now. We love to hear from you!

Libraries Gone Hi-Tech

Self-checkout machines and a DVD kiosk - the library has gone through some major changes in the past year. Some of you might wonder if technology really does make life better. In the library, the answer is yes.

For years we received requests from our users to allow more privacy in checking out materials. Some folks have personal concerns that they are researching, and don't want to share with the general population. We understand, and we responded to your needs. Our new self-checkout machines allow patrons the privacy they deserve while cutting down on the lines at the Accounts Desk to make checking out a faster and easier process. Before our self-checkout was introduced, it was normal to see lines wrap across the entryway. Now, there is seldom a wait of a more than a minute or two. And no one sees what you're checking out but you.

Which brings me to our second hi-tech tool, the DVD MediaBank. Missoula has a variety of residents, even some who are less honest than others. When our feature films started to go missing we looked for a better means of securing them. The MediaBank allows for full browsing by a variety of interests, and checks out the movie to the user before it hands over the DVD. But security was only part of our reason for using this new technology - folks who want to check out a movie don't have to wait with those checking out other materials so lines are shorter, your privacy is complete with self-service, and you can return the DVD straight to the machine for instant check-in and removal from your account. Some of you may recall our original DVD dispenser. Unfortunately, while the theory was sound, technology hasn't caught up enough to make it a viable, working machine. We got our money refunded as you would with anything you purchased that wasn't working properly, and moved on to a better solution.

With these hi-tech changes, serving you is our priority. Our staff is here to help you find materials, answer questions about your account, and get your suggestions of what's good to read, hear, or watch. Offering self-checkout frees up staff to be in the stacks where you have the most questions. We have "roving librarians" out and about, and we want to be stopped and asked questions - so please do! We are well-staffed and haven't experienced the layoffs other libraries have faced across the nation because we're lucky to have such a supportive community that funds the library and acknowledges us as an important place for lifelong learning and community connection. Thanks Missoula!

Word Woman

Welcome to another exciting installment of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving -- but don't let all that leftover turkey put your brain to sleep. Here's the Word of the Week to help perk up your neural synapses:


Conundrum --

Main Entry: co·nun·drum

Pronunciation: \kə-ˈnən-drəm\

Function: noun

Etymology: origin unknown

Date: 1645

1 : a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun
2 a : a question or problem having only a conjectural answer b : an intricate and difficult problem

"conundrum." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.

Merriam-Webster Online. 3 December 2009

Example: The conundrum of how to accomplish all of her Christmas shopping and stay within her budget seemed unsolvable for Laura until the day after Thanksgiving, when she won $10,000 in the lottery (I wish).

Writers shared their work

The library hosted our first-ever Writer's Open Mic event last night. November was National Novel Writing Month and, since Missoula has so many amazing creative writers, we too the opportunity to celebrate with an open mic night. Any Missoula writer could come and read their masterpiece to the crowd - and we heard some impressive writing. Here are a couple pictures from last night:

There are more photos on our Flickr page.

What's your story? The library wants to know. If you're a writer - of fiction or non-fiction, any age - get writing now so you're ready for our Writing Contest this winter. We'll have submission details by February. In the meantime, you should stop by and read our published volume of last year's entries, which we now have available in the Montana collection.

How do you find the motivation to write? Are there any exercises that inspire you? Share with us by posting a comment today!

Medicare Basics Videos Now Available on NIHSeniorHealth

If you’re caring for an older family member or friend, or if you’re getting on in years yourself, you’ve probably had questions about Medicare, the Federal health insurance program for adults 65 and older and people under age 65 with disabilities. NIHSeniorHealth.gov, the health and wellness website for older adults, has recently added seven short videos about Medicare coverage to its Medicare Basics for Caregivers topic.
The videos explain Medicare basics in simple terms and will interest caregivers and Medicare recipients alike. Topics include eligibility, enrollment, costs, and the different types of coverage available to Medicare recipients.
To watch the Medicare videos, visit NIHSeniorHealth at http://nihseniorhealth.gov/videolist.html#medicare
To read about Medicare basics, visit NIHSeniorHealth at http://nihseniorhealth.gov/medicare/toc.html
For more health and wellness information for older adults, go to www.nihseniorhealth.gov.

NIHSeniorHealth.gov is a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine, both parts of the National Institutes of Health.

Recent Returns

I'm always curious to learn what Missoulians are reading these days. I took a quick survey of the return carts in the circulation office to see what was brought back to the library this afternoon. Here is a random sampling of recently returned non-fiction...

How to Expand Love: Widening the circle of loving relationships
by His Holiness the Dalia Lama, translated & edited by Jeffrey Hopkins
Call #: 294.3567 BSTAN

The Better Brain Book: The best tools for improving memory and sharpness and for preventing aging of the brain by David Perlmutter & Carol Colman
Call #: 616.84 PERLMUT

America Anonymous: Eight addicts in search of a life by Benoit Denizet-Lewis
Call #: 616.86 DENIZET

Essential Manners for Couples: From snoring and sex to finances and fighting fair -- what works, what doesn't, and why by Peter Post
Call # 646.78 POST

Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar... Understanding philosophy through jokes by Thomas Cathcart & Daniel Klein
Call #: 102.07 CATHCAR

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
Call #: 822.33 Q1

Taking Time to Read?

There's no doubt about it ~ this is a busy weekend. Yesterday, most of us filled ourselves with way too much food and today we shopped till we dropped. Some of us will display our holiday decorations tomorrow and some of us will be at Missoula Library! (yes, we open at 10:00 on Saturday) During all of this activity, are you taking the time to read?

Let us know in the comments section below what you enjoyed the most this weekend. I looked at my ever-growing TBR (to-be-read) pile and started, "The Archivist" by Martha Cooley. [Call # is: COOLEY] Has anyone read this? It looks like an enormous undertaking, but I'm already enjoying Mathias, the protagonist. Mathias Lane is a 65 year old widower who is the archivist at an unnamed university where he is in charge of the T.S. Eliot collection of letters written to Emily Hale. I'm wondering if I will be able to "keep up" since I lack complete literary knowledge of T.S. Eliot. In any event, I've started it and hope that if you've read it, you will let me know if it remains captivating throughout. Or, should I tackle the next book on my pile, "9 Dragons" by Michael Connelly? [Call # is: CONNELL]

The Missoula Library will be closed today, November 26th and tomorrow, November 27th in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen on Saturday, November 28th at 10:00 a.m.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from your friendly staff at Missoula Public Library!

Conan the Librarian

Discovered this 'movie trailer' on youtube the other day.
Thought you all might enjoy it too.

Books On My Desk

New YA titles coming soon to a
library shelf near you!

This Family is Driving Me Crazy: Ten stories about surviving your family edited by M. Jerry Weiss & Helen S. Wiess.
Call #: Y THISFAM

Grab this short story collection when you're ready for a time-out from the fam.



Do Polar Bears Get Lonely?: And answers to 100 other weird and wacky questions about how the world works
Call #: Y 500 DOPOLAR

Find answers to strange, silly, and mind-boggling questions such as: can pigeons sweat? can fish get thristy? can insects get fat? if forced to eat parts of yourself to survive, which organs should you sample? eeewww! You might want to save this until after Thanksgiving Dinner!



Dull Boy by Sarah Cross
Call #: Y CROSS

Superpowers are awesome--unless you actually have them, as Avery does. It's dangerous to be different, so for now he'll pretend to be normal, unremarkable Avery--a dull boy--anything to keep his secret safe. [Author Sarah Cross has saved the world, like, five times since fifth grade--and you didn't even notice. This is her first novel.]



The Rough Guide to Anime: Japan's finest from Ghibli to Gankutsuo
by Simon Richmond
Call #: Y 791.4334 RICHMON

Explore the dynamic world of Japanese animation. This book offers a comprehensive overview of one of the most exciting and fashionable genres in today's popular culture.

Thanksgiving Mysteries

Who doesn't love a good mystery? Enjoy your holiday by reading one of these delightful Thanksgiving mysteries:

	Death of a Turkey (MPBK BORDEN) by Kate Borden This is a light-hearted cozy that features interesting characters and a wonderful setting in a picturesque New England town. More reviews
	Sins out of School (DAMS) by Jeanne M. Dams Set in England, Dorothy Martin (of Dams' Dorothy Martin series) tries to solve a murder and prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. More reviews
The Thanksgiving Day Murder by Lee Harris (HARRIS) A Christine Bennett mystery, in which a woman goes to buy a Thanksgiving Parade balloon and vanishes into thin air.
	Turkey Day Murder (MEIER) by Leslie Meier A murder occurs during a small town's Thanksgiving festivities.

Harvest of Murder
by Ann Ripley (RIPLEY)

A Gardening Mystery, with plenty of familial banter, plant genetics information, and villainous machinations. An easy, pleasant read. (Library Journal)

Don't have time to sit down and read due to all the cooking and preparing that needs to be done? Check out Janet Evanovich's Thanksgiving on CD (BKCD EVANOVI). From our shared catalog: "When it comes to men, Megan Murphy has an aversion to "I do." Then she meets irresistible pediatrician Pat Hunter. Add in a cozy colonial cottage, the world's biggest turkey, two hopeful families and a skirt-chomping rabbit, and you've got a feast of fabulous fun."

What other Thanksgiving mysteries can you recommend we read this week?

Love the Library & Win a Prize

What's your library story? Share it, and win.

The American Library Association is holding an "At My Library" Creative Essay Contest to share unique library experiences and why libraries are important. Write an essay, film a video, or put together a photo slideshow about your fabulous library experience and send it out by Dec. 7, and you could be a grand prize winner of $350. Plus, you can see the submissions and vote for your favorite - people's choice award wins $100.

Stop by the AtMyLibrary contest page to see the full rules.

No library story? Stop by the building and find one. See you soon!

Something to Do

A day off from school and nothing to do? There's only one way to fill your Saturday: Make jewelry at the library, of course!

Something To Do is for grades 4-6. It meets every third Saturday of the month to do a different (but always FUN) project. Tomorrow (Nov. 21) we have jewelry making - learn to make great jewelry and take home your creations for yourself or as a gift (those holidays are coming up fast!). It starts at 4 p.m. in the small meeting room at Missoula Public Library. See our events calendar for more details. So come on in Saturday, Nov. 21, at 4 p.m. There's always something to do at the library!

Something To Do returns December 19 for a Library Scavenger Hunt!

Planning for the future?

Social Security’s online Retirement Estimator, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator, can now be used to provide immediate and personalized benefit estimates to Medicare only beneficiaries. This means that people who have enrolled in Medicare, but have not yet filed for Social Security benefits, will no longer need to contact their local office to obtain an estimate of their retirement benefits.

With the colder weather arriving, are you ready for some holiday books? If so, try these two to start:

HOLIDAYS ON ICE by David Sedaris ~ A best-selling classic featuring six additional works on the joys and embarrassments of favorite holidays, in a volume that includes tales of tardy trick-or-treaters, the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to another culture, and a barnyard Secret Santa scheme gone awry. As usual, Sedaris is hilarious!






SKIPPING CHRISTMAS by John Grisham - This story is not what you’d expect from Grisham ~ it has none of the serious action or drama of his legal thrillers, but it’s a delightful, hilarious look at the craziness of the holiday season.



Have you read any other farcical, non-traditional holiday books that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

Teen Media Lab

Video Mashups & Editing. Audio Loops. Video Remixing. Camera Techniques. Sound interesting? Teens grades 7-12 (ages 13-18) can learn how to do all this from the pros at MCAT!

The Teen Media Lab starts Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 4 p.m. in the computer classroom on the lower level at the library. We're all starting from scratch, so you don't need to know anything about media to take part. PLUS (and this is a huge, huge PLUS) you'll be trained on MCAT equipment, which means you can check out their cameras, and your MCAT membership is FREE!

You can work on any style project you like, on any topic that you find interesting -- music videos, animation, you name it. Work on your own, or with other Labbers. There's no downside unless you don't come.

Word Woman

Welcome to another amazing installment of Word Woman’s Weekly Work-Out! Your mental skills are available on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, so keep in practice by learning new vocabulary. Here’s the Word of the Week to get you started:

Ersatz: Something ersatz is an imitation or a substitute. A German word that came into English in about 1870, ersatz derives from the German ersetzen, to replace. -- “The Facts On File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins”, Robert Hendrickson, Checkmark Books, New York, 1997.

Example: John's ersatz diamond engagement ring did not impress Sally, who knew a cubic zirconium when she saw one. She turned him down cold.

Books on My Desk

Attention

Young Adult Fiction Fans
Recently arrived
titles coming soon
to a library shelf near you...

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd
edited by Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci
A collection of twenty-nine short stories about geeks.
Call #: Y GEEKTAS

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick
While recuperating in a Baghdad hospital from a traumatic brain injury sustained during the Iraq War, eighteen-year-old soldier Matt Duffy struggles to recall what happened to him and how it relates to his ten-year-old friend, Ali.
Call #: Y MCCORMI

The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John H. Ritter
In 1881, the scrappy, rough-and-tumble baseball team in a California mining town enlists the help of a quick-witted twelve-year-old orphan and the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid to win a big game against the National League Champion Chicago White Stockings.
Call #: Y RITTER

Positively by Courney Sheinmel
Thirteen-year-old Emmy, grieving over her mother who died of AIDS, resentful of having to live with her father and pregnant stepmother, and despairing about her future, finds hope at a summer camp for HIV-positive girls like herself. Includes facts about Elizabeth Glaser, one of the founders of the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Call #: Y SHEINME

Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan
Jameela feels relatively secure, sustained by her Muslim faith and the love of her mother, Mor. But when Mor dies, Jameela's father impulsively decides to start a new life in Kabul where Jameela ultimately becomes an orphan after being abandoned in a busy marketplace by her father and stepmother. With only the memory of her mother to sustain her, Jameela finds the strength to face those who abandoned her when fate brings them together again.
Call #: Y KHAN

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

This is fun and cute ~ for the kids and us kids~at~heart:


Today is Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary! Check out this classic YouTube Cookie Monster and the local librarian sketch. http://bit.ly/4fnYpE

November Happenings!

Mark your calendars because this is a busy month at the Library!

World Wide Cinema, showing "Somers Town" is on Friday, November 13th at 7:00 p.m. in the large meeting room.

On Tuesday, November 17th at 7:30 p.m. enjoy "An International Evening" with Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong. Besides hands-on activities, there will be artifacts from Ghana.

The November Cheap Date Night movie will be "Transformers-Revenge of the Fallen"!! I've seen it and you won't be sorry if you join us on November 20th at 7:00 p.m. See you there!

Since we are closed on Wednesday, November 11th, our afternoon matinee of "A Raisin in the Sun" will be showing on Wednesday, November 25th in the large meeting room at 2:00 p.m.

You can keep up with all of our happenings by signing up to follow our Blog, Tweets or Facebook page. These links are on our home page at missoulapubliclibrary.org.

It's Easy Being Green

Story time had a special visitor Friday morning- Sammy the Frog!

Sammy and his friend Julie from Missoula Federal Credit Union did a special set of stories on money. And made lots of friends whilel they were at it.

Julie will be back today, Saturday Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. to share more of her story time wealth.

See more photos on our flickr page.

New Moon Trivia

I learned a new term the other day: Tweeks. Twilight Geeks. Anyone who loves the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer qualifies, or so I'm told. So for all you Tweeks out there anxiously waiting for the New Moon movie release, here's something to keep you busy:

What's your favorite piece of New Moon trivia?

We're going to have a New Moon release party for teens grades 7-12 on Friday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. including a trivia contest. I've been rifling through my copy to pick out some tidbits, but I'm curious what you know. How many times have you read the book? Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob? What's your favorite part? Drop us a comment.

Teens: After the party, Meet Me at the Movies - a bunch of us librarians are heading over to see the 7 p.m. showing of movie Nov. 20 and we want you to join us there! (You'll have to get your own ticket and transportation.) Here's a link to the official movie site, and unofficial fan site, to get you in the mood. Plus, Stephenie Meyer's page.