Middle Reader Book Group

Please note that the Middle Reader Book Group will meet at the Martinsburg Public Library at 4:30 pm on the first Tuesday of each month. This is a change from the original schedule.

Come out on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 4:30 pm to talk about Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

Staff Picks: Coming Clean

Coming Clean
Kimberly Rae Miller
2013

Coming Clean by Kimberly Rae Miller is a gut-wrenching memoir by a talented young woman who grew up with two hoarding parents. At first it was only her father who hoarded, but in time her mother did also. Kimberly vividly describes an agonizing and confusing childhood, one in which she could never invite friends to her house or even explain why. And yet she loves her parents, and they obviously adore her. They provide for her every need, except the need to grow up in a clean environment. 

This memoir will blow away any preconceived notions about who hoarders really are. Kim's parents are intelligent and educated, but are unable to deal with, or even admit to, their mental illness. 

Anyone who enjoys reading biographies and memoirs or has any interest in how children cope in a dysfunctional family will want to read this book. It is a fast and fascinating read!

Marian Bieniek
Librarian
Martinsburg Public Library

CALL NUMBER: 973.92 Mill.K

Happy Halloween

Stop by the Children's Department at Martinsburg Public Library on HALLOWEEN (Thursday, October 31) any time between the hours of 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM for a ghoulish party!

Make a Halloween craft, dance to Halloween music!

Come for books, stay for fun!

And if you dress like your favorite storybook character you will receive an extra treat!

WV InfoDepot

What's so great about being a student in WV?
You get access to some great, FREE resources! Need research for a big paper? Want to learn more about what you're studying in school? Check this out...

Why's WV InfoDepot so great?
WV InfoDepot is provided to teachers, library card holders, and school students by the West Virginia Library Commission for FREE. It includes a variety of resources, including an encyclopedia, job and career accelerator, newspaper archives, and many academic (but fun and easy to use) databases for all ages.

Which database is right for you?
Points of View
This database contains resources that present multiple sides of an issue and provides the basis from which students can realize and develop persuasive arguments and essays, better understand controversial issues, and develop analytical thinking skills. 

Kids Search
This database makes researching a variety of topics easy for elementary students.

Searchasaurus
This database is colorful and easy to use for young elementary students. The Searchasaurus dinosaur makes researching fun!

How do you find WV InfoDepot?
To get to WV InfoDepot, just go to the library's website, go to the RESOURCES tab, and click on General Reference. WV InfoDepot will be toward the bottom of the list. You will need a username and password, but if you are a library card holder or a student, just give us a call and we can provide you with that information.

If you have questions, just give us a call at 304-267-8933! We're always happy to help!

Ghosts of Martinsburg

During the month of October many individuals turn their thoughts toward ghosts, ghost stories, and other paranormal events. Justin Stevens is one such individual, focusing his concentration on the ghosts of Martinsburg. On Thursday, October 24 at 7:00 PM, Stevens will share his love of local history and ghost stories at the Martinsburg Public Library.

Stevens' interest in ghosts began when his grandmother told him his very first ghost stories. Over the years he heard various stories about the ghosts of Martinsburg, and recently he observed that most historical towns have a ghost tour to honor their ghostly heritage. However, Martinsburg does not. With this in mind, Stevens began collecting local ghost stories only to find the town was rich in ghostly lore!

This program coincides with Stevens' ghost tours of Martinsburg, titled Haunted History & Legends of Martinsburg, West Virginia, which he will be offering throughout the month of October. Tour schedule and cost information can be found by contacting Justin Stevens at:

martinsbrgghoststories@yahoo.com

The program on October 24th at the library is free and open to the public.

Michael T to visit NBL!

Stop by the North Berkeley Library on Tuesday, October 22 from 6:00-7:00 PM. Michael T will join us for LEGO club. He will be reading his book and performing magic tricks!

Mythology at MPL!

www.art.com

Join us at the Martinsburg Public Library this Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 7:00 PM for a discussion with Dr. David Shahan about ancient mythology!

Halloween at Musselman!

Stop by the Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at 1:30 PM for some special Halloween fun! Join us for some fun, frighteningly good food, and affordable party and costume ideas!

Please call 304-229-2220 for more information!

Video Games at MPL

The Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library system is happy to announce that we now have video games available for check-out to our patrons 18 years of age or older.

Our collection is starting out with 66 games, which span the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii platforms, and range in rating from E (Everyone) to M (Mature). Titles include: Mario Kart Wii, Kinect Adventures, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Halo 4, Assassin's Creed, Smackdown vs. Raw, and many more! Contact your local library for a complete list of games.

Because of the range of ratings, check-out of video games will be limited to patrons 18 years of age and older. Each check-out will be for one week. Additionally, check-out is currently limited to 2 games per adult library card. Finally, only patrons with a valid library card from the Martinsburg, Musselman, Naylor, or North Berkeley libraries will be able to place holds on video games. Those with valid library cards from Jefferson or Morgan counties need to place any requests for games through their local librarian.

Have some games you'd like to donate to the library? We are currently accepting any gently used games as donations, but they must include both disc and cartridge. No PC games and no games rated above M will be accepted, however.

Check the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) for game ratings and content to make informed choices about the various games available for check-out. Watch for upcoming gaming events in the library during the next few months, including International Games Day in November!

from BOOK to MOVIE

Looking for a stimulating, wholesome, and free way to spend a morning with your family? Join us for our 'from BOOK to MOVIE' program which runs the second Saturday of each month from October through May at 10:30 AM, in the Children's Department.

After all, a good story can be enjoyable in many forms: written word, moving picture, stage production, music, etc. Perhaps the two we're most familiar experiencing are the written word and moving picture, i.e. books and movies. So why not enjoy them both?

In celebration of our love of stories on the page and screen, we offer the 'from BOOK to MOVIE' program for children. Now in its fifth year, this program introduces kids (and adults alike) to the great literature which inspires many films.

Many of us know Dr. Seuss' The Lorax and Tolkien's The Hobbit, as they were classics of literature long before coming to the screen. Take, however, the epically popular quadrilogy of Shrek animations: this adventurous, if cranky, ogre began his life on the pages of a children's picture book of the same name by author/illustrator William Steig. Recall J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, animated early-on by the Walt Disney Company.

In the past, we have enjoyed this story from a fantastically creative slant in Steven Spielberg's Hook. Other entertaining and quality stories we've featured are The Iron Giant, based on a poem by Ted Hughes; The Polar Express, from the modern, picture book classic by author/illustrator Chris van Allsburg; and The Neverending Story, from the novel by German author Michael Ende.

Depending on the ages in the audience, we may talk about characters, themes such as good versus evil, or get into a discussion about the differences between the book and the film production. No matter what, we always hear a dramatic reading from the original story and watch the film, munching on popcorn and "thematic snacks" (example: Turkish Delight for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Please call the children's department at (304) 267-8288 for more information!

October 2013: From the Director's Chair

In his book Quitter Jon Acuff says, "If you demonize your day job, it becomes a prison you try to escape from..." The more I thought about this quote, I realized that the sentiment applies to almost everything or everyone you demonize or complain about.

What aspect of your life are you complaining about? Your job or family, politics, young people, old people, lack of time, lack of education, bad drivers, etc.? The more you complain, the more you build a prison from which you long to escape. Escape comes in many forms: watching television, playing video games, addictions to drugs, alcohol, or food. 

If you constantly complain about a lack of time, maybe you are trying to escape from the prison of an over-scheduled life or a life that isn't fulfilling your dreams. If you complain about a particular political party, philosophy, or law, perhaps you are creating a world from which you want to escape? Do you dream of living in a different country, state, or culture?

Do you complain/demonize your family members or friends? Does this make your residence not a home but a prison from which you escape to bars or get lost in television to isolate yourself?

If what you are complaining about or demonizing does in fact create prisons in your life, only you can decide to tear those prisons down. By learning new skills such as time management, by educating yourself on varying points of view, by understanding different personalities, by developing better communication skills, you will be able to find positive ways of changing your attitude and the prisons in your life will disappear.

You can find materials both in print and electronic formats in the library that will make this transition from complaining to doing easier. During October, look at what you are complaining about or demonizing most. What prisons are you building for yourself? Start demolishing those prison walls and this month of harvests, Halloween, and hibernation can become the month of hope and healing.