Before & After

Our book drops are slowly looking a LOT better, don't you think? Guess which is the before and which is the after...

We'll be giving all our book drops a much-needed update in the coming weeks!

Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate

If you've had a chance to browse our book display shelves recently, you may have noticed a section devoted to Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate. This display was created in conjunction with UM's Montana Museum of Art & Culture (MMAC).

According to the MMAC, the Montana Human Rights Network obtained 4,000 white supremacist books in 2004. With help from the Holter Museum of Art, artists across the country were invited to transform these books into works of art that "reflect social justice issues and stimulate civic dialogue." You can view a portion of this altered book art project at the MMAC gallery through March 6th. The exhibition will then continue on at the Mansfield Library on campus.

For gallery hours or more information on Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate please visit: www.umt.edu/montanamuseum

Word Woman

Welcome to another wild and wonderful episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! Continuing the celebration of the 100 Words of Word Woman, I'll be posting words 51-75 today, right after we look at this week's word, which is:

Main Entry: spu·ri·ous
Pronunciation: \ˈspyu̇r-ē-əs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin spurius false, from Latin, of illegitimate birth
Date: 1598

1 : of illegitimate birth
2 : outwardly similar or corresponding to something without having its genuine qualities : false
3 a : of falsified or erroneously attributed origin : forged b : of a deceitful nature or quality

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

Merriam-Webster Online. 26 February 2010


Example: The spurious nature of Jim's check became apparent when it bounced sky-high the moment that Bob tried to deposit it in his account.


51. Ensure/Insure
52. Live dictionary
53. Lame duck
54. Phobophobia
55. Charm offensive
56. Mediscare
57. Dime novel
58. Bafflegab
59. Laconic
60. Educe
61. Stenotopic
62. Blinkmanship
63. Inauspicious
64. Beefalo
65. Tintinabulation
66. Imbroglio
67. Teledemocracy
68. Quotidian
69. Invidious
70. Gelid
71. Ailurophile/Ailurophobe
72. Youtuber
73. Sesquipedalianism
74. Docent
75. Stand hitched

You Ask, We Answer

Here's a question we get asked a lot... what is your cell phone policy?

We have them in our bags, pockets, and backpacks. It's handy to stay in touch so the kids can call for a ride home, you can finally arrange that doctor's appointment, or to hear from a friend you haven't talked to in months. But sometimes they can ring at inopportune moments (like the movie theater - yikes!).

What is the etiquette of cell phone use at the library? There are a lot of people in our library for a lot of different reasons. Some are browsing for a fun book to read, others are waiting for a computer in Web Alley, and many are studying or researching an important project. What doesn't disturb one person, may disturb the next. Even if a spot seems deserted and safe for a quick chat, you may be unaware of someone the next aisle over or tucked into a study carrel who doesn't want to hear all the details of Uncle Jim's birthday party.

To provide the best atmosphere for all our patrons, we request all cell phone conversations take place in our lobby areas. We appreciate everyone's efforts to work together and make the library a wonderful spot for all our community needs.

Do you have a question about the library? Reply to this post, or fill out a yellow comment slip the next time you're in the building.

An interesting tidbit

If every patron who lived two miles or less from a library elected to bike instead of drive to and from the library, they would keep about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe per trip, according to the Worldwatch Institute. That’s significant.

And you don't have to wait until Bike/walk/bus week in April, try it anytime!

For a treasure trove of bike-related stats, research, articles, interesting reading and more, see Bicycling Info’s Resources Page.

Information courtesy of American Libraries: Green Your Library, Feb. 24

Winter Reading Club's Review of the Week

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan Call # SETIAWA

"I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a South American author. A very good read."

--Anonymous

Your library quote for the day

Our libraries are not cloisters for an elite. They are for the people, and if they are not used, the fault belongs to those who do not take advantage of their wealth.
Louis L'amour, Education of a Wandering Man

Internet search tip

Monday night from 6-7 will be our Internet Searching computer class. Remember that the more specific you can be, the better your chances for finding exactly what you want.
For instance, you are looking for a part to repair your refrigerator - a search for refrigerator parts will get you 8,560,000 results, a search for Frigidaire refrigerator parts will get you 361,000 results and a search for the part number 240337901 will narrow it down further to only 7,150 results. It may still sound like lots more than you need but it's lots better than 8 1/2 million, right?
Learn this and more at our free computer classes.
Think... more!

Word Woman

Welcome to another wild and wonderful episode of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! Continuing the celebration of the 100 Words of Word Woman, I'll be posting words 26-50 today, right after we look at word #101, which is:

Scriniary: [skrye-nee-err-ee] a keeper of the archives, an archivist. From a Latin word meaning 'a box for books and papers; a writing desk'. -- "More Weird and Wonderful Words", Erin McKean, Ed., Oxford University Press, New York, 2003.

Example: Mary was the scriniary of the family, keeping genealogical records and old photos neatly filed in boxes for future reference.


26. Cantankerous
27. Heterography
28. Leptosome
29. Frontrunneritis
30. Staycation
31. Hyaline/Fuliginous
32. Cut your wolf loose
33. Garrulous
34. Mondegreen
35. FOG
36. Beg the question
37. Onomatopoeia
38. October surprise
39. Eating drag dust
40. Anagram
41. Annus mirabilis
42. Hot button
43. Epirot
44. Lexical
45. Glocal
46. Uliginous
47. Faithless elector
48. Gourmand
49. Nexus
50. Atrabilarian

Olympic games at the library

Can't get enough of the Olympic games? You don't have to stop obsessing over winter sports when the Olympics are finished. You can come to the library.
We have all sorts of interesting tidbits and stories about the Olympics, its history, athletes, and even how to play some of those snowy games. Here's a quick sampling; you can find more through our catalog.



Freeze Frame: a photographic history
of the Winter Olympics
by Sue Macy

Edge of Glory: the inside story of the quest for figure skating's Olympic gold medals

by Christine Brennan

Ski!

by Pam Pollack

Plus, we have videos of past opening ceremonies, highlights from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and even a video documentary of the first Olympics. Let the games begin!

For the latest on this year's Olympics, visit the official site.

Winter Reading Club's Review of the Week

King of the Mild Frontier, An Ill-Advised Autobiography by Chris Crutcher Call # YB CRUTCHER

Very amazing autobiography by an award-winning young adult novelist. Crutcher's antics as a boy growing up in small-town Idaho will have you laughing and crying. Easy, fun read.
Reviewed by Judy Wellert

Free classical music download

Schumann's Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22
Our featured download from Classical Music Library is Schumann's Piano Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22, performed by pianist Abdel Rahman El Bacha, a Lebanese pianist and composer. More information about this piece is available on the Music Online blog, and you can see over 125 works by Schumann here.
Think... more free classical music from your library.

"This Book is Overdue"

I just read the following review from Publishers Weekly and placed a hold on "This Book is Over due ~ How Librarians and Cybrarians Can SAVE US ALL" by Marilyn Johnson.

"In an information age full of Google-powered searches, free-by-Bittorrent media downloads and Wiki-powered knowledge databases, the librarian may seem like an antiquated concept. Author and editor Johnson ( who also wrote "The Dead Beat") is here to reverse that notion with a topical, witty study of the vital ways modern librarians uphold their traditional roles as educators, archivists, and curators of a community legacy. Illuminating the state of the modern librarian with humor and authority, Johnson showcases librarians working on the cutting edge of virtual reality simulations, guarding the Constitution and redefining information services—as well as working hard to serve and satisfy readers. Johnson also makes the important case for libraries—the brick-and-mortar kind—as an irreplaceable bridge crossing economic community divides. Johnson’s wry report is a must-read for anyone who’s used a library in the past quarter century." (Feb.) Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Not only did this prompt me to visit our online catalog and place a hold, the idea of a collection of stories about librarians (mostly public librarians) doing all sorts of wild and crazy... and important things, reminded me of our librarians at Missoula Public Library. The image on the cover is of an old-time style Wonder Woman leaping into action to save the day... holding a digital device. (doesn't this picture remind you of our very own Word Woman?)

Since February is "Library Lovers Month", this sounds like a convivial read for everyone who visits the Library. Wouldn't it be fun if we all read it and met back here (comments) or on our our Facebook page and "book-talked" it?

Olympian Party!

Yesterday about 40 kids from the 4th, 5th and 6th grades tested their knowledge at the Lightning Thief Jeopardy game and traded properties in the life size Olympian Monopoly game while snacking on cookies with blue frosting and drinking blue punch.


The party was held in anticipation of the release of the movie The Lightning Thief on February 12th. We had 6 game winners who walked home with a blue bag filled with blue candy and wearing a laurel wreath. Raffle prizes included 3 The Lightning Thief book and a movie poster. Why blue bags, blue candy, blue frosting and blue punch you ask? I guess you will need to read the book and find out.

The library also has a monthly program for children in 4th, 5th and 6th grades called Something To Do. We meet on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 4pm. Our next program, "Friendship Bracelets" is next Saturday, Feb 20th. Hope to see you there.

Publish like a pro

Are you interested in making your own business cards? A flyer? A greeting card? Basically, anything that takes some graphic design? The library has Publisher software to help with your project. But where should you begin?

As part of our ongoing computer courses, we are planning a Publisher class for Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 12:30 p.m. You can learn the ins and outs (and ups and downs) of Publisher. By the end of the class, you'll feel comfortable enough to sit down and play around with your own posters, postcards, or brochures. Sign up at the Reference Desk or call 721-2665. Space is limited to 6 participants so you can get personalized assistance.

Here's a helpful Publisher tip:
When you're resizing a picture in your layout, you have to be careful to not squash it...

You can avoid this (and not make Aunt Martha made because you gave her an extra 25 pounds in the family newsletter) by only resizing from the corners, never a side. Click on your picture and drag from the box on the corner, and you'll end up with a proportionately correct graphic.

Get more helpful tips on layout and Publisher at our class next week. See you there.

It was at the Superbowl, see it in Missoula

Traveling for a total of 1,547 days and more than 150,000 miles across the country, 13 road tour vehicles will provide the public with an educational, engaging and interactive experience that brings the 2010 Census to life. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the 2010 Census; view a sample 2010 Census form and learn how the collected information is used; and contribute stories and photos to the Portrait of American project to explain why "I count!" and view messages from other Road Tour participants.

To take advantage of their visit to the Garden City, aka Missoula, join the America Road Tour on February 13 at Southgate Mall (East side of Mall) from 1:00-3:00.

Winter Reading Club's Review of the Week

La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

"Set in rural England, Lavender ("La") moves from London after her husband leaves her. This book is a story of war, love and friendship."
Reviewed by Christine Prescott

Ask the Library, It's Free

I was watching the Super Bowl yesterday. OK, in all honesty, I was watching the Super Bowl ads yesterday, when much to my amazement a company advertised their new service offering answers to your questions. Without naming names, this company touted its ability to answer your questions on any topic - it was a new and innovative idea!

Oh, wait, that's right, the library has been doing this for decades -- for free!

Now, some of you may think, sure, that's cool, but I often need information on the run, after library hours, and right away. We have it covered. Our library is part of a network of librarians all over the world ready to answer your questions 24-hours-a-day. You can text chat with a live librarian any time of day or night. Ask follow-up questions until you get the answer you need; and we'll send you web links and scanned documents when appropriate. Plus, you'll get a transcript of your interaction so you can't forget it all the next day.

So when you need fast and accurate information, you know who to ask. AskMontana!

Need help with small print?

The Missoula Public Library is pleased to announce a new addition to our family of resources for Large Print users. We have added two MonoMouse devices from Bierley which plug into a television and enlarge the text on just about anything. You can take a look at http://www.bierley.com/monomouse.htm for more information. An evaluation by one of our library volunteers found that it is easy to set up and use. He says it can be used for any text, from pill bottles to phone books. His final word on it was, "I would recommend anyone with sight difficulties try the MonoMouse to evaluate if it’s right for them. If magnification and clarity are needed, this will certainly be an improvement."

If you would like to try it out stop on by and ask at either the Reference desk or the Accounts desk. They have been very popular so far so you may want to call ahead if you are coming in just to see the new arrival.

The 100 Words of Word Woman

Welcome to a spectacular, singular instance of Word Woman's Weekly Work-Out! Hang on to your socks, folks, because this post celebrates the 100th Word of the Week -- and the word is:

Literati: [noun, plural] men (or women) of letters; intellectuals -- The New York Times Everyday Reader's Dictionary of Misunderstood, Misused, Mispronounced Words, Laurence Urdang, Ed., Weathervane Books, 1972.

Example: If you know the meaning of all of the 100 words posted by Word Woman in the past two years, you are indeed a literati!


Here are the first 25 of the 100 Words of Word Woman. I'll post more of them next week!

1. Aginate
2. Compassion fatigue
3. Malpais
4. Bloviate
5. Factoid
6. Horripilate
7. Rachisagra
8. Crapulous
9. Boondoogle
10. Sapid/Vapid
11. Front porcher
12. Gerrymander/Eponym
13. Satisdiction
14. Pansophism
15. Bombilation
16. Pax Americana
17. Hormic theory
18. Case of slow
19. Bowdlerize
20. Monition
21. Slactivism
22. Acrophile
23. Repubocrat/Demopublican
24. Morbific
25. Synedoche

February is Library Lover's Month

graphic courtesy of Overdrive, Missoula Public Library's digital media partner.

How to Love Your Library: http://www.librarysupport.net/librarylovers/how.html

Olympian Fever

The movie release of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is just a week away and we're all excited. We must not be the only ones, because our copies of the book, and the other titles in the series, are flying off the shelves. Are you a Percy fan with nothing to read? Try these cool titles...

The Warrior Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima - After learning about his magical ancestry and his own warrior powers, 16-year-old Jack embarks on a training program to fight enemy wizards.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer - When a 12-year-old genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll.

Odysseus in the Serpent Maze by Jane Yolen and Robert Harris - 13-year-old Odysseus, who longs to be a hero, has many opportunities to prove himself during an adventure which involves pirates and satyrs, a trip to Crete's Labyrinth, and the two young girls, Penelope and Helen, who play a major role in his future life.

These are just a few samples of Recommended Reads for Lightning Thief fans you can find by searching in our NovelistPlus resource online.

And don't forget, if you're in grades 4-6 - we're celebrating the movie release of one of our favorite books with an Olympians Party Thursday, Feb. 11, 3:30-5 p.m. Play Olympian Jeopardy, be a god in Olypian Life-Size Monopoly, and eat the food of the gods. See you there!

This month's free classical music download

Skryabin's 8 Etudes for Piano, Op. 42
Our featured download from Classical Music Library is Skryabin's 8 Etudes for Piano, Op. 42, performed by pianist Nicole Afriat. More information about this piece is available on the Alexander Street Music blog, and you can browse works by Skryabin here.
So visit the Alexander Classical Music database from our website's E-databases page and add another great classical piece to your MP3 player. Think...more free music from your library.

Winter Reading Club Review of the Week

Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia
Call # Y WILLIAMS

"YA novel done in three voices with an event about to go down. Only one youth can stop it but will she? Well done."

Reviewed by Debra Unruh

Books On My Desk

Outside it may be a mild winter’s day, but inside my desk is buried in a blizzard of newly arrived children’s books. Here is a sampling of items coming soon to a library shelf near you.

Henry & the Crazed Chicken Pirates by Carolyn Crimi; illustrated by John Manders

When the Buccaneer Bunnies receive a note from an unknown enemy, Henry researches and writes a book called "Plan for Impending Danger from the Unknown Enemy Who Wrote the Scary Note," which helps him when the enemy finally arrives.

Panda Kindergarten by Joanne Ryder; photos by Dr. Katherine Feng

School is in session! But this is no ordinary kindergarten class. Meet sixteen young giant panda cubs at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong Nature Preserve. The cubs are raised together from infancy in a protected setting, where they grow strong. Under the watchful eyes of the scientists and workers, the cubs learn skills that will help prepare them to be released into the wild.

Stretch by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Scott Menchin

Rhyming text describes the many ways to stretch.

If America Were a Village: a book about the people of United States by David J. Smith; illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong

This book uses a simple metaphor to create a snapshot--past, present and future--to help readers imagine America as a village of 100 people, exploring their lives to help children and readers of all ages to discover a whole new vision of America.