Holiday Season at Turner Memorial Library

Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library has had several activities going on to help pass the winter months. Recently, Stew Libby from Stew's Downtown Sight & Sound held an information meeting in our multi-purpose room about the upcoming digital television conversion. He has offered to return in February when the changeover goes live in case anyone is still having problems. Author Dr. Mark Varnum gave a very well attended reading and signing of his book Hawk's Cross. The Turner Book Club is meeting twice monthly. The Turner Writers Group meets one Monday per month. A local bell-ringing group will be performing Christmas songs at the library in our multi-purpose room on Thursday, December 18, at 6 pm. And there will be a reception for artist Cheryl Lovely on Friday, December 19, at 6 pm in our art gallery.

For those of you who follow our library's activities in Second Life, we recently has a reading by author Mark Budman from his book My Life at First Try. We have copies of this excellent novels available at our physical library on 39 Second Street in Presque Isle as well. We also have two new virtual libraries going up in Cybrary Square, one dedicated to the music of the Big Band Era and one to help job seekers and employers access some helpful services available on the Internet.

The library will be closed on Thursday, December 25, and again on Thursday, January 1. We will also be closing at 1:00 on Wednesday, December 24.

Gaming, Genealogy and Veterans Events

Whatever your area of interest, there's a very good chance you will find an appealing event at Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library.

This past Saturday, October 25, Turner Memorial Library had a booth along with the Aroostook Medical Center Library, at the University of Maine at Presque Isle Health Fair. Hundreds of people came by our table to get library READ bags, bookmarks, informational brochures, and apples kindly donated by the Presque Isle Regional Vocational Center School Farm.

We had seven people in attendance at our last Turner Writers Group meeting. The next one is scheduled for Monday, November 10, at 6:00 pm.

Two area Vietnam Veterans will speak to the public about their harrowing war experiences on Thursday, November 13, at 10:00 am in the Multi-Purpose Room. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient Peter Main, as well as Marine Veteran and former Navy Chaplain Jim Morgan will gives talks, and a representative from the Caribou Veterans Center also plans to be on hand. The library also plans to show attendees the D.A.V's site in Second Life. There are two sims for the general public to visit and two sims that are for veterans only.

The Library Book Club has two meetings scheduled for November. The first will start earlier than usual, at 4:30 on Thursday, November 6, where Dr. Nan Amadeo, emerita, will show a William Faulkner film and give a talk. The club then will discuss Faulkner's As I Lay Dying at 6:00. The Book Club will also meet on Thursday, November 20, at 6:00 pm to discuss Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn.

Library Genealogist Ann Cushman will be giving a presentation to all those interested in the basics of genealogy on Saturday, November 22, at 10:00 am in the library's Multi-Purpose Room. Please do let the library know if you plan to attend. You can send a message here or call (207) 764-2571 or e-mail me at lisashaw@presqueisle.lib.me.us.

The ALA and Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library are teaming up to bring you National Gaming Day @ your library on Saturday, November 15, from 12 noon to 6:00 pm. We plan to have a Nintendo Wii on hand as well as a couple of PS2s. Pizza and drinks will be served.

The library recently received a generous donation of several Reader's Digest large print books. Library members are greatly enjoying this new collection.

Have a safe and happy Samhain/Hallowe'en!

Technology and Health Fairs

Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library was very pleased to be able to have a booth at the University of Maine at Presque Isle Tech Fair on Friday, October 10. There were several excellent presenters in attendance. The library was able to showcase our virtual library in Second Life, which caught the attention of several people passing by. We also were able to let people know about a new link we have set up, which will be available in the Online Services section of the library's website, which links to many, many free and/or open source utilities and applications on the Internet. You can access that link below:

Free Web Utilities Reference Link

This is something we will be able to update continually with a couple of simple mouse clicks. If you have any questions or comments about the tools or sites that are listed there, please do let us know.

Our Seniors Group is next meeting on Wednesday, October 15, from noon until 2 pm. Our presenter this week will Michelle Sandelier, who is Vice President of the Clan MacKay. We thank her very much for the last-minute scheduling. The group will meet in the Multi-Purpose Room.

The library will also be having a booth along with The Aroostook Medical Center on Saturday, October 25, from 8 in the morning until 12 noon at the University of Maine at Presque Isle Health Fair. We have several wonderful prizes and give-aways lined up, with deepest thanks going to the Presque Isle Elks Club for making that possible.

For those who have inquired, we are still making plans to show the film “Quid Pro Quo” and have a discussion following that with a community educator from the Aroostook Mental Heath Center. Please watch this space for a date and time.

We are also working to bring our next featured artist into the Multi-Purpose Room and Art Gallery, hopefully in time for the holidays. Again, please watch this space for further details as we get them.

Finally, you will notice an item at the top of each blog entry now which says “Listen Now.” We are trying a new feature on our blog which translates text to audio, which can then be played straight from your computer or added to an mp3 player or iTunes. We are in hopes that this might be of some help to those who like to keep up to date on the go or who might have issues with vision. Odiogo offers this service. Again, we welcome your feedback as always.

Events!

Busy days at Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library. We recently celebrated Banned Books Week, an annual observation of books which have been challenged or banned over the years, as a reminder of the needed diligence for intellectual freedom and access. Our thanks to WAGM-TV for visiting the display in our multi-purpose room.

Today some of our staff had the exciting opportunity to speak with some librarians live from Bogota, Colombia, through Second Life, who are interested in learning more from us about virtual librarianship. This wonderful opportunity was made possible by the US Embassy.

The library will be having a booth at a couple of upcoming events at the University of Maine in Presque Isle: The first will be on Friday, October 10, from 10-5 for the Tech Fair; the second will be on Saturday, October 25, from 8-12 for the Health Fair, and we will be joined by TAMC. The Presque Isle Elks Club has made several VERY generous donations for prizes and giveaways - especially for young people - with a health and wellness theme. We thank them deeply and hope that you will come along and visit Miss Sue and Lisa Shaw at the booth.

The Senior Club will be meeting on Wednesday, October 15th, from 12-2. As usual, lunch will be provided, and we are awaiting final confirmation on a very exciting musical performance!

We thank you all for your continued membership at the library. There is much going on behind the scenes to make this a valuable and exciting place to be. Check our website for upcoming events, and please do let us know when there is something that YOU would like to see!

Banned Books Week

Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library and the American Library Association are observing Banned Books Week from Saturday, September 27, through Saturday, October 4, 2008. We will have a display of challenged books in our Multi-Purpose Room at 39 Second Street in Presque Isle, Maine.

Here is a list of the most frequently challenged books through the first five years of the 21st Century (2000 -2005):

1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

2. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

3. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

4. "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

5. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

6. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers

7. "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris

8. Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz

9. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey

10. "Forever" by Judy Blume

More recently, these ten books were the most challenged in 2007:

1. “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell

Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

3. “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language

4. “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman

Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

5. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain

Reasons: Racism

6. “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker

Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,

7. “TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

8. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou

Reasons: Sexually Explicit

9. “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris

Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

10. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky

Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

Off the list this year, are two books by author Toni Morrison. "The Bluest Eye" and "Beloved," both challenged for sexual content and offensive language.

(Source: http://staging.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2008/may2008/penguin.cfm [Retrieved September 24, 2008])

The website DeviantArt is hosting a writing contest in observation of Banned Books Week as well. Writers may submit in either of two categories (or both): Fan Fiction (of challenged works) or Forbidden Themes (original works based on themes most frequently challenged). If you are interested in seeing what has been submitted or trying your own hand, please visit their guidelines page here. Deadline is October 6, 2008.

Club and Community Fair at UMPI

This was the second year that the Mark & Emily Turner Memorial Library participated in the Club and Community Fair at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. On Tuesday, September 16th from 11-1, library staff hosted a booth where we answered questions about the library, handed out information about passports and notary services, and signed students up for library cards. We also raffled off a beautiful gift basket with a movie night theme that was created by Bonnie Smith and Debbie Brewer.

Senior Day at the Library

Join us on Wednesday, September 17th from 12-2 for Senior Day at the library. Rick Asam will be our guest speaker. Rick will give a presentation on Maine Memory Network and will also discuss other local history initiatives.

Light lunch will be served. We hope to see you there.

Summer Reading Program

Our summer reading program has ended. The winner of our raffle was Danielle Perry who won a lovely gift basket filled with goodies.

Here are some reviews from readers in the program this summer. Please feel free to add any recommendations you may have to share with other readers.

Girl in the Shadows / V. C. Andrews

After losing both parents, April Taylor found shelter from a mixed up life and from confusion with her sister.

Hard Truth / Mariah Stewart

Entertaining story, suspenseful as well as interesting plot.

Truth of Love / Jayne Ann Krentz

Kind of slow to get into at first, but story progresses to be quite entertaining.

Falling Awake / Jayne Ann Krentz

Well written, interesting topic regarding sleep study.

Sizzle and Burn / Jayne Ann Krentz

Slow to get started but I enjoyed the plot after the first few chapters. Book primarily about psychic powers.

The Dogs of Bedlam Farm / Jon Katz

Excellent story of an author and farmer who is transformed by love of his dogs and a renewed kinship with his sister. Great read!

Knitting Bones / Monica Ferris

Very good mystery. A page turner toward a great finish.

Three Cups of Tea / Greg Mortenson

Mr. Mortenson’s persistence and generosity are amazing. After a failed attempt to climb K2, Mr. Mortenson finds himself in a Pakistan village where he is nursed back to health. He promises to return one day to build the community a school . He exceeds that promise by building schools throughout Pakistan and Afghanistan in some of the poorest communities. This is a remarkable story of a great humanitarian.

The Painted Veil / W. Somerset Maugham

Good romance.

No Country for Old Men / Cormac McCarthy

Set in West Texas, the book starts slow but then is difficult to put down. Told from the view of the county sheriff, the book deals with drugs and money on the border and the toll it takes on the community. After you read the book, be sure to see the film.

Under Orders / Dick Francis

Another Sid Halley investigation turns dangerous as corruption invades the online gambling world.

Maine Archives

Maine State Archives Online Store

www.maine.gov/online/archivestore

For those with an interest in Maine history and artifacts, you'll find plenty to look at on the Maine Archives online store site. Replicas of old maps, posters and notecards, and copies of historical documents are just a few items you can view at their site. All are available for purchase. It is definitely a fun site to browse and a great place to look for an unusual gift from the State of Maine.

Something for Teachers

With the beginning of the school year, the staff at the library works with the school libraries and libarians in order to be prepared to meet the needs of area teachers and students. Here are a few resources for teachers.

Thank you for Being my Teacher / Melody Carlson / 371.1 CAR
Ms. Moffett's First Year/ Abby Goodnought / 372.9747.GOO
Classroom Management for Middle and High School Teachers/ Edmund Emmer / 373.1102.4EMM
Be a Teacher / Phillip Bigler/ 371.102 BEA
Teaching with Love and Logic / Jim Fay / 371.1 FAY
Courage to Teach / Parker J. Palmer / 371.102 PAL
The Laughing Classroom / 371.102 LOO
Discipline in the Secondary Classroom / Randall S. Sprick / 373.1102.4SPR

Teacher Reference Center in Marvel!
Teacher Reference Center provides indexing and abstracts for more than 270 periodicals. Topics include: Assessment, Best Practices, Continuing Education, Elementary Education, Higher Education, Instructional Media, Administration, and Teacher Education.

MARVEL! Maine's Virtual Library
http://libraries.maine.edu/mainedatabases/

Health Sites

We all have our favorite places to search online for health information. Here are a few sites for a variety of health issues. If you are searching for health information and are not finding what you need, contact the library and we will be happy to assist you. Many community hospitals also have medical libraries staffed by medical librarians. These are usually open to the public.

Once you find the information you need, it is always best to discuss it with your healthcare provider.


DailyMed
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/about.cfm

DailyMed provides high quality information about marketed drugs. This information includes FDA approved labels (package inserts). This Web site provides health information providers and the public with a standard, comprehensive, up-to-date, look-up and download resource of medication content and labeling as found in medication package inserts.

Pubmed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/
PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes over 18 million citations from MEDLINE and other life science journals for biomedical articles back to the 1950s. PubMed includes links to full text articles and other related resources.

Genetics Home Reference
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/
Genetics Home Reference provides consumer-friendly information about the effects of genetic variations on human health.

Household Products Database
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/
What's under your kitchen sink, in your garage, in your bathroom, and on the shelves in your laundry room?
Learn more about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling.

Tox Town
http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/
Environmental health concerns and toxic chemicals where you live, work, and play.

Clinical Trials
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/
ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the United States and around the world. ClinicalTrials.gov gives you information about a trial's purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.

Evaluating Health Information Online - a tutorial
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/webeval/webeval.html

Dietary Supplements Database
http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov/dietary/
The Dietary Supplements Labels Database offers information about ingredients in more than two thousand selected brands of dietary supplements. It enables users to determine what ingredients are in specific brands and to compare ingredients in different brands. Information is also provided on the health benefits claimed by manufacturers. These claims by manufacturers have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Companies may not market as dietary supplements any products that are intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

International Information on Dietary Supplements Database
http://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/ibids.aspx

Recalls FDA and USDA
http://www.recalls.gov/food.html

FDA
http://www.fda.gov/

AIDS info
http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov/

Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/

Merck Manual Online
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html

National Institutes of Health
http://health.nih.gov/

Teens Health
http://kidshealth.org/teen/

Teen Health MedlinePlus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/teenhealth.html

National Women's Health Information Center
http://www.4woman.gov/

CDC Women's Health
http://www.cdc.gov/Women/

WebMD Men's Health
http://men.webmd.com/

Family Doctor
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home.html

New Database in Marvel!
Lexi-PALS Drug Guide

The Lexi-PALS Drug Guide, published by Lexi-Comp and available as part of the Health Source database, covers over 1,000 generic medications, 100 natural products and 19 vaccines. It is updated every six months.

Legal Forms Online

A question that comes up often at the reference desk is, "Where can I find online legal forms?"

Here are some sites where you can easily search for the form you need.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Court Forms

http://www.ptla.org/ptlasite/forms

http://www.ptla.org/ptlasite/forms/interactive/htm

State of Maine Courts Forms

http://www.courts.state.me.us/court_info/forms/index.html

http://www.courts.state.me.us/rules_forms_fees/pub_forms.html

Maine State Bar Association

http://www.mainebar.org/public_forms.asp

Washburn University School of Law Legal Forms

http://washlaw.edu/legalforms/

Maine Health and Human ServicesOffice of Elder ServicesAdvance Directives Forms

http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/beas/resource/rit2chew.htm

If you still don't find what you are looking for at the above sites, contact us and we'll be happy to help locate the form you need.

A Literary Map of Maine

If you happened to read the Maine Sunday Telegram on August 31st, you would have seen the pull-out section entitled, "A Literary Map of Maine." Many people worked on this project to create this map which lists 50 locations throughout the state and indicates a book set there or a book that was inspired by the location.

Our own town, Presque Isle, is listed with the work, "Almost Maine" by John Cariani.

We have a copy of the map in the library and you can also go online to see it.

Literary Map of Maine

Go directly to online version of the map

An eight member selection committee is listed on the front page. The idea for this project began when Shirley Helfrich, district consultant for the Southern Maine Library District had seen a version of this done in the New York Times as a literary map of Manhattan. Shirley immediately thought that a map of Maine's literary locations would be a worthwhile project.

Large Print Books

Are Large Print Books Right for You?

If you always thought of large print books as something for people with vision disorders or for those over a certain age, think again. Today, large print books are being read by a diverse audience. Many choose them because the larger text is easier on the eyes and makes it possible to read without reading glasses.

Our library has a large selection of these books and here are just a few recent arrivals:

8 Sandpiper Way / Debbie Macomber

Devil Bones / Kathy Reichs

Silks / Dick Francis and Felix Francis

Labor Day

The library will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2008 for Labor Day.

We will reopen on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

Accidents Happen

Sometimes bad things happen to good books and we understand that it isn't always your fault.

This is Sue and this is Duster, Sue's new puppy. Sue works at the library and decided to do a little reading about training her new dog. She picked an excellent book, Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems by Cesar Millan. Sue left the book on a table in her house and Duster got a bit curious. Duster had great fun chewing up the corner of the book. Luckily Sue caught him in the act and saved the book from total destruction. Sue has decided to continue reading about dog training. As for Duster, we hope he decides to start chewing on bones instead of books. If you find yourself in a similar situation, just stop in and let us know what happened and return the book. We can be pretty understanding when accidents happen. Just ask Duster.

Safe and Well During Disasters

PC Magazine had a nice column in the August 2008 issue on page 18 listing sites where you can check on the status of friends and family affected by disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.

The American Red Cross site has a Safe and Well List where those affected by disaster can register and you can check to see if your friends/relatives are safe. Visit the site at https://disastersafe.redcross.org

ContactLoved Ones.org is hosted by Project Genesis and the American Red Cross and allows those with access to a phone to leave or receive voice messages. Visit the site at: http://contactlovedones.org

FamilyLinks is a site operated by the International Committee of the Red Cross for global disasters. Visit the site at www.familylinks.icrc.org

Recent Arrivals

Slideshow Presentation at the library

Join us for a beautiful slideshow presentation on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Dr. Todd Russell from the University of Maine, Presque Isle will be at the library on Friday, August 29th at 6:00 pm to give a talk and slideshow presentation on the backpacking trips he and his wife Kaye have taken through the Pacific Crest Trail. Their slideshow of this 2650 mile journey from the Mexican border to the Canadian border offers breath-taking scenery, deep snow covered mountain passes, scorching desert, and the many interesting people they met along the way.

All are invited to an evening of beautiful natural splendor.

Pacific Crest Trail Association

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Transition to Digital Broadcast TV

Are you confused about the upcoming

changes to your television?

Come to the library on Monday, August 25, 2008, at 9 a.m. in the art gallery for a public forum concerning the transition to digital broadcast television. A representative from the Federal Communications Commission will answer questions and will sign attendees up for a discount coupon for digital converters.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Northern Maine Household Hazardous Waste Collection

In Presque Isle on Saturday, August 23rd from 9:00 - 1:00

Pre-registration required. Must register by August 20th.

Call Connie at NMDC to register at 498-8736.

A permit will be issued and must be presented at event.

Types of Waste Accepted

• Turpentine/Varnish
• Brake Fluid
• Paint Remover/Thinner
• Charcoal Lighter Fluids
• Pool and Photo Chemicals
• Linseed Oil
• Used Antifreeze
• Adhesives/Solvents
• Oven/Drain Cleaners
• Fungicides/Herbicides/Pesticides
• Battery Acid/Muriatic Acid
• Waste Gasoline
• Pharmaceuticals
  
  
  

Help identifying old photo

One of the most interesting parts of library work is researching local history. We received a copy of this photo with a request to post it to see if anyone out there can help identify the photo, children in the photo, photographer, any other details.

This photo was given to the late Julian Turner during the time of the James School Restoration (1985-1987). Could this photo be of a class from the old James School before the newer (1917) James School was erected on Niles Road in Presque Isle, Maine? The photo is possibly from the early 1900's.

Please post any comments here or call or email me at the library.

James School Presentation

Please join us in welcoming Martie Pritchard to the library on Tuesday, August 19th at 4:30 p.m.

Martie will give a presentation about her research on the James School History Project.

All are welcome and light refreshments will be served.

The James School is the last one-room schoolhouse in the Presque Isle area still in public use. Built in 1917 it was used as a school until 1948 when rural schools in the area closed. The Hillside Gospel Mission purchased the building in 1949 and used it as a church for about ten years. The last recorded church business was August, 1958. The school building was boarded up and abandoned until 1985 when it was scheduled to be burned by the city of Presque Isle. It was then that a restoration committee was formed under the guidance of Judge Julian Turner. For the next two years every Saturday was a work day for citizens of the area. The James School stands as a monument to hard work and community pride, providing a year-round gathering place for meetings, parties, picnics, and school field trips.

Martie Pritchard joins the ranks of historians of the James School. She is a special education teacher in Presque Isle, a farmer, grandmother and freelance writer. She is working on the James School History Project in two volumes; a compilation for adults and older students, and a children’s book which incorporates questions posed by her students on field trips with photographs of children exploring the historical features of the school.

Presque Isle Reading Club at the Library

Selections for the 2008-2009 reading group are listed below. The group meets on the third Thursday of each month. The group will also have three extra meetings during the year with outside speakers and films (dates and programs to be announced soon).

The first book will be Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. and the group will meet at 6 pm on September 18th in the library.

• October 16 As I Lay Dying/William Faulkner
• November 20 Huckleberry Finn/Mark Twain
• December 18 The Lost Salt Gift of Blood/Alistair MacLeod

2009 Reads

• January 15 Luther/Heiko A. Oberman
• February 19 Othello/Shakespeare
• March 19 The Art of Drowning/Billy Collins
• April 16 Beloved/Toni Morrison
• May 21 The Regeneration Trilogy/Pat Barker
• June 17 On Human Nature/Edward O. Wilson

Library Bookplate

Recently, I was shelving some books and opened one up to find this beautiful bookplate. Just in time for the Olympics, I thought this was a perfect item to post. These plates appear in books purchased in the 1930's and 1940's from the Myrtle L. T. White Fund. It is beautiful and makes me want to look further for others we may have in our older books on the shelves and in the rare cabinets. I'll post any others I locate.

To view other bookplates, see links below.

Bookplate Archive University of Texas at Austin

Stanford University Libraries Bookplate Exhibits

Bookplates on Flickr Brooklyn Museum

National Library of Medicine Bookplates

American Society of Bookplate Collectors and Designers

Library Booth at Northern Maine Fair Historical Pavilion

This year marks the 154th Northern Maine Fair held from July 25 - August 2. The library is delighted to be participating in the historical pavilion at the fair. Our booth highlights history of Presque Isle and provides a glimpse into the materials the library has for people interested in reading and researching local history and genealogy. A lifesize Peter Rabbit will also be at the booth and children's librarian, Miss Sue, will host storytime with Peter Rabbit.

We look forward to seeing you at our booth.

Fair History

Northern Maine Fair Official Site

Cuil

New search engine for you to try at http://www.cuil.com/


Touted as the world's biggest search engine, Cuil was unveiled on July 28th and has plans to rival Google.


New Search Engine Takes Aim at Google


See Yahoo story here. Try a few of your searches and see if you like the results and share your comments here with others.

Photography Group At the Library

A few people have expressed interest in participating in a photography group at the library. The first meeting will be scheduled for sometime in late August or early September. I'd like to hear from anyone interested in attending to see if there is a preferred day of the week or time of day. Email me with any comments about this new group and we'll see if we can schedule a date/time that works well for all members. The new group will be a great place to meet others and share ideas and tips. I plan to ask area photographers to come and speak to the group too.

The Last Lecture

In a previous post I mentioned a book and CD set we had in the library entitled The Last Lecture. The author, Randy Pausch, a computer science professor, was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer and dictated the book by cell phone to co-author, Jeffrey Zaslow. He also delivered his last lecture to his students at Carnegie Mellon University. His book is really a celebration of life.


Randy Pausch died today at his home in Chesapeake Virginia. He was 47.


Carnegie Mellon page of Randy's Last Lecture.

Art Gallery Reception Tonight

"Reverence to a Unique Natural Area"

Reception for artist Richard Clark

Friday, July 25, 6-8 PM

Art Gallery in the library

It is a rainy Friday in northern Maine and when the rain lets up and the sun comes out, you may just want to visit the library later today for the opening reception of paintings by Richard Clark. Stop by the art gallery anytime from 6-8 to meet the artist and view his beautiful works. Be sure to sign the guest book. Light refreshments will be served.

From the artist's statement:

"A strong sense of place underlies this work. The scenes depicted here pay particular reverence to a unique area, the 1857 acres of public land - cedar swamps, black spruce bogs, and open peatland - surrounding Salmon Brook Lake in the Central Aroostook town of Perham."

The exhibit will be in our art gallery through August.

New Cultural Events Web site

Arts Aroostook.org

The University of Maine at Presque Isle has just launched a new site which will list cultural events throughout northern Maine. This will be a wonderful place to begin your search for things to do in our area. Everyone is encouraged to submit information about their events to get them posted to the calendar. Visit the site and click on the "submit an event" link. Also check out the listings and the calendar to find local arts events.

Aroostook's Cultural Events site

Presque Isle High School Class of 1953 Reunion

55th Class Reunion PIHS Class of '53

We were really delighted when the Presque Isle High School Class of '53 President, Earl Adams, contacted us to see if class members could visit the library while they were back in town for their 55th class reunion on July 19th.

Local historian, Dena Winslow, agreed to give a presentation about the lynching of Jim Cullen. Dena is author of the book, They Lynched Jim Cullen: New England's Only Lynching. The lynching occurred in Mapleton, Maine in 1873 and Dena's presentation was interesting and enjoyable. Dena was raised in Mapleton, Maine and she is a graduate of Presque Isle High School Class of 1971. Dena holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of Maine. In her spare time she enjoys flying the hot air balloon she built in 1998.

Luckily our art gallery had a beautiful display of paintings by Richard Clark which were set up in preparation for the opening reception on Friday, July 25th from 6-8.

Presque Isle High School yearbooks were put out on display in addition to other local history books and old photographs. The class members had a great time enjoying Dena's talk and then visiting at the library.

Visit our Photobucket account to see some photos.

Abstract Satellite Images of the Earth

I just had to post this link of the 30 most incredible abstract satellite images of earth because these images really are works of art and they are great fun to view.

30 Most Incredible Abstract Satellite Images of Earth

16th Poet Laureate

What is a Poet Laureate and What Exactly Do They Do?

From Library of Congress site:

"The Poet Laureate is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress and serves from October to May. In making the appointment, the Librarian consults with former appointees, the current Laureate and distinguished poetry critics. The position has existed under two separate titles: from 1937 to 1986 as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" and from 1986 forward as "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry." The name was changed by an act of Congress in 1985."

Kay Ryan has recently been appointed the 16th Poet Laureate of the US. This position is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress and the person serves from October to May. The recipient receives a $35,000 annual stipend.

Learn more about Kay Ryan, her poetry, and the position of Poet Laureate (Official Title: Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry) below.

Kay Ryan 16th Poet Laureate

Library of Congress Poetry

About the Position of Poet Laureate

New YA Blog

Teen librarian, Lisa Shaw has just launched the new teen blog and you can find it on the library webpage, (http://turnerlibya.ideafry.com/) or just click here.

We hope that everyone will take a look at the blog. If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact Lisa Shaw.

Weekend Events and Celebrations

It was a busy and fun weekend at the library for all staff and volunteers who worked on a variety of projects.

On Saturday and Sunday we held our annual book and bake sale and raised over $460 for the library. Library staff members worked hard to make the sale a success. We want to thank everyone who assisted with the sale by either volunteering to help staff the tables and collect money, move books and tables, or by bringing in a baked good for the food table.

The library also had a float in the Potato Blossom Parade in Fort Fairfield and volunteers and staff worked hard to decorate and make the float a success. Mimi the Mime was there handing out candy to parade watchers.

We also had the Presque Isle High School Class of 1953 visit the library for their 55th class reunion. Local historian Dena Winslow was the guest speaker and she gave a wonderful presentation on the Lynching of Jim Cullen.

The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow is exactly as the title suggests. It is the final lecture given by Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He delivers this last lecture after being diagnosed with a terminal disease. Oddly enough, the book isn't really sad, but is actually life affirming. This is a beautiful book that makes one stop and reflect on life.

You can read the book or listen to the lecture on CD.

Mount Everest Books

If you love reading about expeditions to Mount Everest then the following books are definitely for you: Nick Heil's Dark Summit and Lincoln Hall's Dead Lucky. Both present remarkable tales of what it takes to tackle Mt. Everest and the risks that all those who climb are willing to take to get to the top.

Teen & Adult Summer Reading

The first adult/teen summer reading program is underway and there is still time to participate.

We made it easy for you to register, read your favorite books, and share your thoughts/reviews with others. The program runs through August 31st. You can register by filling out a form in the library or emailing your name and phone number. Next you read books/listen to books (you select the books or ask us for reading recommendations). At the end of August we will have a form to complete (or you can submit by email) giving a list of your favorites with a brief description, review, or a few comments. A final list will be compiled and distributed so others can get new reading recommendations. By registering and participating you will be entered in a raffle to win a beautiful reader's basket at the end of August.

E B White's Birthday July 11th

E. B. White

July 11, 1899 - October 1, 1985

I just reread a favorite childhood book, Charlotte's Web, and am happy to celebrate E. B. White's birthday today. He was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y. on July 11, 1899. His full name was Elwyn Brooks White, and he confessed to never liking the name Elwyn. At Cornell, he was given the nickname Andy. Most of us know him as E. B. White, author of Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, The Trumpet of the Swan, and as co-author/reviser of William Strunk's Elements of Style. He was also a contributor to the New Yorker magazine from the late 1920s, where he met his wife, writer and editor Katharine Sergeant Angell.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, the National Medal for Literature in 1971, and a special Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for his entire body of work. He lived much of his life in North Brooklin, Maine and died at his home there on October 1, 1985.

Now on Display in the Art Gallery

Works by Richard Clark are now on display in the art gallery at the library.

Stop in to view his works, read his artist's statement, and sign the guestbook.

International Year of the Potato

Since we are in the heart of Maine potato country, we should know that 2008 is the United Nations International Year of the Potato. Click on the links below to read more about the value of potatoes in the world food supply and see how other countries use potatoes in their diets.

Visit the Maine Potato Board site for lots of good information about potatoes and get some great recipes.

United Nations International Year of the Potato

Photography Contest Entries must be submitted by Sept 1, 2008

Cookbook

Maine Potato Board

Stimulus Payment Status

If you haven't received your economic stimulus payment yet, you can visit the IRS site to see when you can expect to receive it.

Where's My Stimulus Payment?

Chapbook

I first heard the term "chapbook" when local poet Melissa Crowe came to the library to read from her recent chapbook, Cirque du Creve-Coeur.

It is defined as "a small book containing ballads, poems, tales, or tracts" by Merriam-Webster online dictionary.

Melissa's work fits the definition just fine. It is a beautiful collection in a small book of her poems. The cover art is by Lara Cannon. The work is published by Dancing Girl Press which is an indie publisher founded in 2004 to publish and promote the work of women poets through chapbooks, journals, and anthologies. We have Melissa's chapbook in the library, so stop in to read some wonderful poetry and to see a chapbook.

University of South Carolina Special Collections
What is a Chapbook?

Lilly Library Indiana University Sample Chapbooks

Elizabeth Nesbitt Room Chapbook Collection
University of Pittsburgh

License to Read

If you enjoy either the James Bond films or the original books by Ian Fleming, you may want to read the new James Bond novel by author Sebastian Faulks. Devil May Care was released on May 28, 2008 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of author Ian Fleming (May 28, 1908 - August 12, 1964). While reviews have been mixed, I enjoyed it and thought it had everything you need for a James Bond story.

In addition to his Bond novels, Ian Fleming also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Ian Fleming Centenary

Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks Writing As Ian Fleming

Sebastian Faulks interview TimesOnline

James Bond Authors

Ian Fleming Centre

Random House Video Sebastian Faulks

Counselor: A Life At the Edge of History

From the new non-fiction shelf

Ted Sorensen's memoir, Counselor, provides an inside glimpse into the Kennedy years as he recounts his experience as legislative assistant, speechwriter, advisor, and Special Counsel to the President.

Happy 4th of July!

The library is closed today (Friday, 7/4/08) and will reopen on Saturday at 9am.

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy your holiday weekend.

Read the Book and See the Film

Jon Krakauer's book, Into the Wild, was a bestseller back in 1996. I remember reading and enjoying it when it first came out. Now you can read the book and see the movie. We just received the DVD Into the Wild. Sean Penn directed the film and wrote the screenplay. Whether you choose the film, book, or both, you'll enjoy the experience. Best of all, it will be free. Create a great summer weekend by reading outside and then watching the movie inside. Free summer entertainment at its best and you can find it at your library.

Calling all Volunteers

We are looking for people to volunteer on July 19 & 20 for the book/bake sale at the library. If you can donate some time to the library, we could use help putting books out on tables, sorting books, and assisting in many ways to help make the sale a success.

If you love to bake, we would welcome any baked goods for our bake sale table.

Support your community and support your library! We know you love the library and we need your support to help make this event an annual success.

Book and Bake Sale

The annual book and bake sale has been rescheduled for July 19th and July 20th from 10-2. Stop by and buy a book and baked good and support your library. The selection will be great and you can walk away with good books at good prices.

While you are at the library, you may also wish to purchase a library tote bag celebrating the library's 100th anniversary for $10.00 to support the library building fund.

Free Children's Books Online

Imagine being able to read children's books online for free in any language of your choice. You can do just that by visiting the International Children's Digital Library online. You can select books by language, length, age group, genre, and other criteria.

From their website: The mission of the International Children's Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community - who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas -- by making the best in children's literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children's books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children.

International Children's Digital Library

Fast Facts About International Children's Digital Library

The ICDL collection includes 2657 books in 48 languages. Over a million people have visited their Web site. ICDL visitors come from 166 countries worldwide. After the United States, most ICDL visitors come from South Africa and China.

Click here to begin your journey and to read books online.

Teen/Adult Summer Reading Program

Would you like to do something fun and easy this summer? Then stop by the library and register for our Teen/Adult Summer Reading Program. You register, read books (ask us if you need good book recommendations), fill out a form telling us about the books you read and you'll be entered to win a beautiful reader's basket. Drawing to be held in late August. At the end of the program we will provide everyone with a list of books that people have read over the summer so you'll get some good recommendations from other readers.

In the meantime, here are some places to look for good books to read:

USA Today Summer Reading List

LA Times Summer Reading List

Statesman Austin Texas Reading List

NPR Summer Reading List

NYT 10 Best Books of 2007

Boston Globe Reading List

ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2008

Oprah's Summer Reading List

Book Sense Summer Reading Picks

Daily News Beach Reads for Guys

New York Public Library 25 Books to Remember from 2007

ALA Teens Top Ten 2007

Amazon 2008 Teen Books

Book and Bake Sale Postponed

The Book & Bake Sale scheduled for June 19, 20, and 21st has been postponed. We'll announce the new dates soon.

Book & Bake Sale

Be sure to stop in the library for our annual Book & Bake sale. You'll find great books at amazing prices and good food too!

Sale will be on June 19, 20, and 21st

Summer Workshop

Acting for the Camera
July 2 - August 6
For Students in Grades 6-12

Meets in the library on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4:30-5:30. Dr. Richard Asam will be the instructor. You'll learn skills unique to performing for a camera, how to collaborate on developing a script, and how to record a show. Final edited performance will be posted on the library's Webpage.

Sign up now by clicking here or stop into the library to register. For additional information, contact Rick at 764-2571.

Summer Reading for Grown-ups

It's that time of year when we all dream of having the summer off and spending time at the beach, in a hammock, on a deck, or just in our own backyard reading a good book. There is something wonderful about summer reading and enjoying good books outside on a hot sunny day.

We have lots of new exciting titles on order and some have arrived already. Stop by to see what is new and please let us know if there is something you want that you don't see.

• Home: My Early Years, Julie Andrews
• Enchantress of Florence, Salman Rushdie
• Rogue, Danielle Steel
• Sail, James Paterson
• Fearless Fourteen, Janet Evanovich
• Nothing to Lose, Lee Child
• The Reapers, John Connolly
• Tailspin, Catherine Coulter
• Resolution, Robert Parker
• Monster of Florence, Douglas Preston & Mario Spezi
• When you are Engulfed in Flames, David Sedaris
• Plague Ship, Clive Cussler
• Death and Honor, WEB Griffin
• A Champion's Mind, Pete Sampras
• Dear American Airlines, Jonathan Miles
• Point of Origin, Patricia Cornwell
• Secret Servant, Daniel Silva
• Navigator, Clive Cussler
• Double Take, Catherine Coulter
• Audition: A Memoir, Barbara Walters

Coming in July 2008

• Tribute, Nora Roberts
• Last Kiss, Luanne Rice
• Fractured, Karin Slaughter
• The Garden of Evil, David Hewson
• Hit and Run, Lawrence Block
• Killer View, Ridley Pearson
• The Last Patriot, Brad Thor
• Moscow Rules, Daniel Silva
• Death Angel, Linda Howard
• Silent Thunder, Iris Johansen
• Say Goodbye, Lisa Gardner
• Queen of Babble Gets Hitched, Meg Cabot
• The Sand Castle, Rita Mae Brown
• Uneasy Relations, Aaron Elkins
• Into The Fire, Suzanne Brockmann
• Books: A Memoir, Larry McMurtry
• The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, James Patterson
• Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel, Robert Crais
• My Guantanamo Diary: The Detainees and the Stories they Told Me
• My Sister, My Love: The Intimate Story of Skyler Rampike, Joyce Carol Oates