Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Madelyn Rosenberg at MPL

August 5, 2013
1:00 PM

MBCPL is very excited to announce that Madelyn Rosenberg, author of The Canary in the Coal Mine, will be presenting a program in the Martinsburg Children's Department on Monday, August 5, 2013 at 1:00 PM!

The Canary in the Coal Mine follows a young boy who is tired of twelve-hour shifts and facing danger daily in the coal mines. Bitty, a canary whose courage more than makes up for his small size, realizes the danger and treks to the state capital to try to improve working conditions in the coal mines. The Canary in the Coal Mine is the West Virginia Library Commission book of the year and will represent our state at the National Book Festival this fall.

This free program is in conjunction with the Library of Congress's "A Book that Shaped Me" competition. While it is aimed primarily at 5th and 6th graders, ALL are welcome to meet Madelyn Rosenberg, enjoy her presentation, and receive book bags and souvenirs from the Library of Congress.

We hope to see you on August 5th at 1 PM for this exciting event!



Monday, July 29, 2013

Staff Picks: The Red Tent

The Red Tent
by Anita Diamant
1997

As a reader I tend to crave books set in times long ago, books about strong women and the struggles they encounter and overcome, and books that reveal a deeper understanding of humanity. This incredibly imagined, extensively researched, and beautifully written novel satisfies all of those cravings.

The Red Tent follows the fictionalized life of the Biblical character Dinah, who is mentioned only briefly in the book of Genesis. It begins by telling about Dinah as a child, the only daughter of Jacob and his first wife Leah and her mother-aunts (Jacob's other wives Rachel, Bilhah, and Zilpah).

Dinah grows into a young woman, learning the wisdom of the women around her, which includes making meals and birthing babies. She also learns, in the ceremonial Red Tent, about the sacredness of being a woman, and how incredibly deep the bond of womanhood runs. Full of rich details of the daily work of Biblical women, Diamant brings to life the many complex struggles, tragedies, joys, and painful truths experienced by Dinah and the women around her.

Filled with well-researched information about ancient times and told in brilliant prose, Diamant creates a memorable, enjoyable, and realistic fictionalized version of a character only briefly mentioned in the Bible. No matter what your religious beliefs, women especially will find this novel a powerful exploration into the intricate life of one woman and her remarkable journey.

Sarah
Librarian
Martinsburg Public Library

CALL NUMBER: FIC Diaman A (Musselman)

Monday, July 22, 2013

Top 10 SF & Fantasy Books 2012-2013

Book Jacket for: Captain Vorpatril's alliance 
Captain Vorpatril's Alliance
by Lois Master Bujold
SF Bujo.L 

Set a few years before the most recent Miles Vorkosigan story, this was one of the most anticipated and long-awaited entries in Bujold's acclaimed Vorkosigan saga.

Book Jacket for: The Cassandra project 
The Cassandra Project
by Jack McDevitt and Mike Resnick
SF Macd.J 

Two SF powerhouses team up for this near-future thriller that touches on one of the great conspiracy theories of our time: that NASA is keeping secrets about the Apollo program.

Book Jacket for: Cold days : a novel of the Dresden files 
Cold Days
by Jim Butcher
SF Butc.J

The latest episode in the Dresden Files novels proves once again that Butcher remains the gold standard for urban fantasy.

Book Jacket for: Domino Falls : a novel 
Domino Falls
by Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due
SF Barn.S 

A standout in the super-hot zombie sub-genre, the second entry in Barnes and Due's series keeps readers turning the pages fast and furiously.

Book Jacket for: Earth unaware : the First Formic War 
Earth Unaware
by Orson Scott Card
SF Card.O 

In the 35 years since the original novella "Ender's Game" appeared, the universe of Ender Wiggin has continually expanded in size without ceasing to display its creator's virtues...notably, literate prose and superlative characterization.

Book Jacket for: Farside 
Farside
by Ben Bova
SF Bova.B

Bova's latest novel, one of his best, is a classic example of the old SF theme of humanity reaching out for immortality among the stars.

 
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
by Neil Gaiman
FIC Gaim.N

In Gaiman's first novel for adults since Anansi Boys (2005), the never-named fiftyish narrator is back in his childhood homeland, rural Sussex, England; he remembers how he became the vector for a malign force attempting to invade and waste our world.

Book Jacket for: Rapture of the nerds 
The Rapture of the Nerds
by Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross
SF Doct.C

Doctorow and Stross, two of SF's more exciting voices, team up to produce a story that is mind-bendingly entertaining and wildly imaginative.

Book Jacket for: Shadow of freedom 
Shadow of Freedom
by David Weber
SF Webe.D 

Weber's Mission of Honor (2012) ended with several significant revelations in the Honor Harrington series; eager fans will see that this installment doesn't immediately pick up on those developments but, instead, backs up several months to retell events.

Book Jacket for: Silver 
Silver
by Rhiannon Held 
SF Held.R

Held's impressive debut, a combination of mystery and urban fantasy, delves deeply into werewolf society (there is one human character), exploring a culture parallel to and yet hidden from ours. 

List borrowed from Booklist's picks for the top 10 science fiction/fantasy novels of 2012-2013 (May 15, 2013).

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Summer Reading Reception


It's not too late for you or your children to sign up for Summer Reading 2013! The program does not end until July 31.

And don't forget that if you finish the program you will be invited to a reception on Saturday, August 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate! Our special guest at the reception will be Mary Todd Lincoln (portrayed by Joann Peterson). Come and learn all about this remarkable first lady!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Christmas...in July!

Thursday, July 25, 2013
2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Join us at the Martinsburg Public Library for Christmas in July, a fun day filled with Christmas crafts to help you beat the heat of summer and make your preparations for Christmas in December easier.

Led by staff members, participants will learn to fold old books to make Christmas trees, create five-point stars from twigs, wrap a Styrofoam ball with ribbon to make an ornament, repurpose Christmas cards into ornaments or DIY cards, and make a holiday pomander using oranges and cloves. Crafting supplies will be provided. Here is a breakdown of the afternoon's crafts...

2:00 PM
Pomander

3:00 PM
Christmas Tree Books

4:00 PM
Twiggy Stars

5:00 PM
Christmas Card Ornaments

6:00 PM
Ribbon Ball Ornaments

All crafts are designed for adults. Children under the age of 14 MUST be accompanied by an adult.

This hands-on event is free and open to the public! Please join us!

Also, enjoy our many Christmas-themed displays throughout the library. And if the Christmas mood moves you, check out a few of our Christmas-themed books!


Friday, July 5, 2013

Babe Ruth to visit MPL!

Thursday, July 11, 2013 
6:00 p.m.

Join us at the Martinsburg Public Library to hear the one and only Babe Ruth (portrayed by Gene Worthington of WV History Alive) discuss his life as a baseball star! You won't want to miss this exciting, creative opportunity to interact with history!

George Herman "Babe" Ruth (1895-1948) was a superstar whose style personified the Roaring Twenties. He played large and lived large. Known as "The Sultan of Swat," "The Great Bambino," and simply "The Babe," Ruth remains perhaps the greatest name in baseball history. He overcame a difficult childhood to become the home run king whose drawing power lifted the sport and made Yankee Stadium known as the "house that Ruth built."

Monday, July 1, 2013

July 2013: From the Director's Chair


As we celebrate July 4th and listen to politicians and others speak about freedom, it is easier to mark the day with parades, family, food, and fireworks than to reflect on our freedoms and what they mean to us. The cliche that Americans are not given to retrospection and reflection has some truth in it.

Be contemplative and think for a moment about the freedoms we enjoy in the United States of America. Which freedom do you cherish most? The United States Constitution lists four...

1) Freedom of speech
2) Freedom of press
3) Freedom of assembly
4) Freedom of religion


Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke of these freedoms this way: "Freedom of speech and expression...freedom of every person to worship God in his own way...freedom from want...and freedom from fear."

One tagline of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries is FIND FREEDOM AT THE LIBRARY. Historically, libraries have always emphasized the freedom to read and a public library's function is to provide a broad spectrum of points of view so that readers can determine his/her position on the topic.


In a country where all of the above freedoms are often taken for granted, there is one freedom, the freedom to learn, that is virtually ignored. Learning does not always mean formal education. Hopefully, when your formal education is complete, you continue to learn and explore new interests. Regardless of what you are curious about, your reading level, or your available time, there are library materials available to you that can help you pursue your interests.

Kirk Douglas said, "My mother and father were illiterate immigrants from Russia. When I was a child they were constantly amazed that I could go to a building and take a book on any subject. They couldn't believe this access to knowledge we have here in America."

Usually I would provide a selection of titles with this article, but for July I want you to be amazed at the number of items (over 187,300) that the public libraries in Berkeley County have available to you. These are free and allow you to pursue the freedom to learn at your leisure, without constraints of mandates, money, or time.

Pam Coyle, Director
Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries