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October 30, 2005
OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6
"It's a quiet week in La...", I mean, at the Elk Grove Library. There's only one library sponsored event scheduled for the entire week. And that is the Morning Book Group, led by Adult Librarian Chris Mika, which will meet on Tuesday, November 1, at 10:30 a.m., at the Sheila Ray Senior Center. They are supposed to be discussing Bailey White's Sleeping at the Starlite Motel: and Other Adventures on the Way Back Home--but call Chris (439-0447, ext.271) to be sure, if interested.
There will be, however, be meetings going on sponsored by outside "not-for-profit" groups who regularly meet at the Library, usually every month, some open only to members and some that welcome newcomers. For contact information, please call the Administration Office, ext. 239. This week should see the following groups meet at the Elk Grove Library:
November 1(1st Tuesday of the month):
Rotary Club, 5:30-7 p.m.
November 2 (1st Wednesday of the month):
Experimental Aircraft Association, 7 p.m.
November 3 (1st Thursday of the month):
Religious Discussion Group, 7 p.m.
November 4 (1st Friday of the month):
Parents Who Care, 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon
November 5 (1st Saturday of the month):
Northwest Quilters, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Posted by egvpl UPCOMING EVENTS at 01:11 PM | Comments (0)
October 27, 2005
FLU CLINIC POSTPONED
The upcoming Flu Clinic currently scheduled for November 10 has been postponed. The wording on the signs in the Library say it has been "put on hold". Updates on the clinic will be forthcoming.
Posted by egvpl UPCOMING EVENTS at 06:53 AM | Comments (0)
October 26, 2005
BOOK COVERS IN THE CATALOG
If you've looked up a book lately on the public catalog, you might have noticed that some titles may now show a picture of the book's cover on the main entry page--just like on Amazon. Although not every book is included, most of those added in the last few years--children's and adults'--include this feature in their catalog entry. And, if you click on the picture, you can view it in a larger size.
Posted by egvpl LIBRARY NEWS at 06:23 AM | Comments (0)
October 25, 2005
NEW FICTION--FANTASY (Part 3)
Lords of Grass and Thunder by Curt Benjamin (NEW BEN)--in this new entry into the Mongol-like world of The Seven Brothers trilogy, young Prince Tayy, home from the wars, is named heir to his uncle's Khanate, but then must struggle with the evil called up by his disinherited illegitimate cousins
Magic Street by Orson Scott Card (NEW CAR)--a middle-class African-American LA neighborhood is the scene of a portal to the world of Faerie and a good vs evil battle involving a foundling who dreams wishes for humans that go wrong
Darkwitch Rising by Sara Douglass (NEW DOU)--in this third book of the Troy Game saga, the characters from the earlier books--Hades' Daughter and God's Concubine--are reincarnated in 17th Century England
The Divided Crown by Isabel Glass (NEW GLA)--in this sequel to 2004's The Daughter of Exile, Lady Angharrad and her husband Mathewar, are called from the College of Magic by the new teen-aged King, who is being influenced by an evil sorcerer
Mystic Quest by Tracy and Laura Hickman (NEW HIC)--this second book in the Bronze Canticle story takes place 23 years after the events in Mystic Warrior and more young people must set out on quests that they must hope will save their worlds
Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp (NEW KEM)--this is the last volume in the Forgotten Realms: War of the Spider saga--based on R.A. Salvatore's world--, resolving the civil conflict at last
Sanctuary by Mercedes Lackey (NEW LAC)--in this third volume of the Dragon Jousters trilogy, the evil Magi and their wicked weapon, "The Eye of Light", must be destroyed if the peoples of the two lands want to live in peace
Ill Met by Moonlight by Mercedes Lackey and Roberta Gellis (NEW LAC)--believing the evil Unseleighe Lord Vidal has been killed, Sidhe Denorial continues to guard the young Princess Elizabeth and her half-brother from those who wish her harm
Lord of the Libraries by Mel Odom (NEW ODO)--in this third book concerning the hidden library known as "The Vault of all Known Knowledge", First Librarian Juhg, a dweller, and Wizard Craugh, set off to rescue Grandmagister Wick from the Goblinkin who have destroyed the Library and want Wick to locate another source of books
Emerald Sea by John Ringo (NEW RIN)--in this sequel to There Will Be Dragons, Duke Edmund Talbot travels to the Southern Isles to enlist the cooperation of the Merfolk in the fight against the fascist dictators of New Destiny
Here, There & Everywhere by Chris Roberson (NEW ROB)--schoolgirl Roxanne Bonaventure is given a magical bracelet by a dying woman that allows her to travel through time
Posted by egvpl NEW ACQUISITIONS at 06:18 AM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2005
NEW FICTION--FANTASY (Part 2)
The Loch by Steve Alten (NEW ALT)--marine biologist Zach Wallace returns to Scotland to help his estranged father who has been accused of murder, but who claims something in Loch Ness grabbed the victim after he fell in the water
The Hallowed Hunt by Lois McMaster Bujold (NEW BUJ)--in this third entry in the Chalion series, Lord Ingrey kin Wolfcliff investigates the murder of a royal prince and finds the accused, Lafy Ijada, has been put under an "ill-cast spell"
The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay (NEW COL)--after the caretakers who have rescued him from certain death are themselves killed, infant Claye is raised by Trolls, as "Maggot", until he gets involved with the human world, wars, and romance
The Rat and the Serpent: A Tale in Black-and-White by Bryn Llewellyn (NEW LLE)--crippled shaman rat, Ugli, tries to rise above his lowly status as a street person while fighting the machinations of the serpent shaman Herpetzag and of the Dessicators
Ironcrown Moon by Julian May (NEW MAY)--in this sequel to 2004's Conqueror's Moon, King Conrig tries to maintain his government of High Blenholme in the face of the evil plans of Prince Beynor as well as of those of his presumed-dead first queen, Maudrayne, who may be the mother of an heir to the throne
Once Upon a Summer Day by Dennis L. McKiernan (NEW MCK)--Prince Borel faces trolls, sorcerers, and the King of Faery on his mission to rescue an imprisoned maiden he has seen in his dreams
Od Magic by Patricia A. McKillip (NEW MCK)--Brenden Vetch, a country boy who possesses "old magic" as seen in his ability to make plants grow, is sent to a school of magic by the Wizard Od, but the school has now become a place where magic is feared and controlled
Alector's Choice by L.E. Modesitt, Jr (NEW MOD)--in this fourth book of the Corean Chronicles, a new planet, Corus, is being prepared for its occupation by "aliens" by the Alectors, who must quell rebellions by the lower class Indigens, the original occupants of the planet
The White Wolf's Son: The Albino Underground by Michael Moorcock (NEW MOO)--young Oonagh, granddaughter of the "Dreamthief", is kidnapped, along with her twin, by Gaynor the Damned as part of a plot to disrupt the Cosmic Balance
Three Hands for Scorpio by Andre Norton (NEW NOR)--triplet princesses Tamara, Sabina, and Drusilla, are kidnapped and imprisoned in the Dismals, in which they encounter a young man and his "felinoid companion" who helps them realize how they can defeat their evil enemies
Thud!: A Novel of Discworld Terry Pratchett (NEW PRA)--in this new Discworld novel, Sam Vimes, Commander of the Watch of the city of Ankh-Morpork, copes with a murder and a potential war between dwarves and trolls using the help of a new Watch member, vampire Sally
Guardian of the Freedom by Irene Radford (NEW RAD)--in this fifth book in the alternative-history Merlin's Descendents series, Georgie Kirkwood, wounded in an Austro-Hungarian border war, returns home to England where she is caught up in a blackmailer's plans to destroy the Pendragon family and is forced to act as a spy against the rebellious American colonists
Carnivore Diet by Julia Slavin (NEW SLA)--a disfunctional family is harassed by a mythical beast called a "chagwa" in a surrealistic Washington, D.C.
The Crimson Sword by Eldon Thompson (NEW THO)--after King Sorl of Ason is assassinated at the behest of his disinherited older son (now an evil wizard), his widowed queen enlists the aid of her until-now-hidden younger son, Prince Torem, who must go on a quest to find a magical sword in this first book of a new trilogy, The Legend of Asahiel
Posted by egvpl NEW ACQUISITIONS at 06:50 AM | Comments (0)
October 23, 2005
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS OCTOBER 24 TO 30
Adult Services:
On Monday, October 24, dietician/fitness instructor Cari Rivas will present a program on Getting in Shape for the Holidays at 7 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room. She will recommend physical activities and nutrition suggestions that can be used throughout the year as well. Register by calling Alexian Connects at 1-866-ALEXIAN (253-9426).
Youth Services:
This week, instead of the regular Toddler Tales and Storytimes, Youth Services will be hosting their annual Halloween Parties. There will be special skits, puppet shows, and a "surprise" for each attending child. It is suggested that the attendees wear Halloween costumes since there will be a Costume Parade through the Library during each program. The Parties are scheduled for:
Tuesday, October 25, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 26, at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Thursday, October 27, at 10 a.m.
Posted by egvpl UPCOMING EVENTS at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)
October 18, 2005
NEW FICTION--FANTASY (Part 1)
Unlike the books in Youth Services, Fantasy novels in Adult Services are not marked with spine stickers; you just have to guess by the author or artwork or have a list. Here's part one of a list of recent Fantasy additions since July:
Straken by Terry Brooks (NEW BRO)--Pen Ohmsford finally has the darkwand he needs to save his aunt Grianne, but is imprisoned by Druids and needs rescuing himself in this third novel in the High Druid of Shannara trilogy
Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher (NEW BUT)--in this sequel to 2004's Furies of Calderon, Tavi, now an Academ (student), is also learning to be a spy and must use his new knowledge to protect his mysteriously ill uncle Gaius from the menace of the Vord and civil unrest
Godslayer by Jacqueline Carey (NEW CAR)--this sequel to 2004's Banebreaker is full of gods, trolls, imprisoned Elven princesses, and evil Dark Lords
Shadowfall: The First Chronicle of the Godslayer by James Clemens (NEW CLE)--when one of the 100 gods of the Nine Lands is actually murdered, a crippled former Shadowknight--himself a witness and suspect--must search for the killer
Crystal Gorge by David Eddings and Leigh Eddings (NEW EDD)--third entry in the Dreamers trilogy about the four gods of the Land of Dhrall
Harshini by Jennifer Fallon (NEW FAL)--in this last part of the Hythrun trilogy, "Demon Child" R'shiel must defeat the evil god Xaphista to save her people and her land
A Mankind Witch by Dave Freer (NEW FRE)--set in an alternative 16th century Scandinavia, Corsair Cair Aiden, along with the nephew of the Holy Roman Emperor, sets off to rescue a kidnapped princess from the Troll Mother, aided by magician-missionaries
Bedlam's Edge edited by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill (NEW LAC)--collection of Urban Fantasy short stories and novellas, including several by Gellis, Freer, Flint, and Paxton
Talyn: A Novel of Korre by Holly Lisle (NEW LIS)--newly dismissed Tonk soldier, Talyn, comes to realize that the new Peace is really part of a plan of conquest
First Warning: Acorna's Children by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (NEW MCC)--at school away from her family, Acorna and Aari's teenage daughter, Khorii, struggles with the animosity of schoolmates and a deadly plague in this first of a new trilogy in the Acorna series
Blood and Memory by Fiona McIntosh (NEW MCI)--in this sequel to Myrren's Gift young Wyl Thirsk dies and is reborn as his killer over and over--the result of his "gift"--in his reluctant enforced quest to destroy the evil King Celimus
Mélusine by Sarah Monette (NEW MON)--a disgraced wizard and an assassin-trained cat-burglar team up to escape enemies determined to destroy the city of Melusine
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (NEW ROW)--it's Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts and everything is in turmoil as Lord Voldemort's followers try to sabotage the school
A Rumor of Gems by Ellen Steiber (NEW STE)--sentient, magical gems abound in an enchanted seaport, Arcato, affecting the lives of humans, shapeshifters, and disguised gods
Singer of Souls by Adam Stemple (NEW STE)--former heroin addict from Minnesota, now turned busker in Edinburgh, gives in to the urge to inject a gift of "white powder", then discovers he now has the ability to "see" faeries and must rescue one from an evil "priest"
Posted by egvpl NEW ACQUISITIONS at 06:32 AM | Comments (0)
October 17, 2005
NEW FICTION--SCIENCE FICTION (Part 2)
Mercury by Ben Bova (NEW SCI FI BOV)--sabotage and revenge motivate characters in this fourth entry in the Grand Tour Planets Series when Saito Yamagata plans to use "power satellites" around Mercury to launch ships into deep space
Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card (NEW SCI FI CAR)--Ender's former colleague, Bean, is dying while World peace has yet to be established in this new book in the Shadow sub-series
The Best of Cemetery Dance edited by Richard Chizmar (NEW SCI FI BES)--collection of 60 short stories from Cemetery Dance Magazine, including Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Ed Gorman among the authors
Sunstorm by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter (NEW SCI FI CLA)--in this sequel to 2004's Time's Eye, Bisea Butt returns to London only to witness a manufactured sunstorm that disrupts all electronics
The God Particle by Richard Cox (NEW SCI FI COX)--two men--a physicist from Texas and an executive who has been injured in a fall in Zurich--come together in the search for the elusive "Higgs boson", the God Particle
The House of Storms by Ian R. MacLeod (NEW SCI FI MAC)--in this sequel to 2003's The Light Ages--set in an alternative Victorian age--Alice Meynell bargains with the magical "Chosen" to save her son's life, even sending them her grandchild to raise
Paradox by John Meaney (NEW SCI FI MEA)--in this second part of the Nulapeiron Series, sequel to To Hold Infinity, Tom Corcorigan grows up, learning about mu-spaces and other scientific wonders from a bequeathed data-crystal
The Martian War: A Thrilling Eyewitness Account of the Recent Alien Invasion as Reported by Mr. H.G. Wells
by Gabriel Mesta (NEW SCI FI MES)--if H.G. Wells' story was actually based on fact...biologist T. H. Huxley, Wells, and Wells' fiance Jane Robbins encounter the Martians through their work with the "British Imperial Institute"
CUSP by Robert A. Metzger (NEW SCI FI MET)--a solar flare alters the position of the sun and the catastrophe of the resulting "rings" around Earth force diverse characters--including a human cyborg and a military officer and his daughter--to work together to save themselves and humanity
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet (NEW SCI FI MIL)--Oppenheimer, Fermi, and Szilard return--as ghosts--to South West America to see the effects of their creation, the Atomic Bomb
Market Forces by Richard K. Morgan (NEW SCI FI MOR)--in the near-future, a corporate hot-shot in the global economy keeps pushing to rise to the top, often resorting to extreme violence to do so
Building Harlequin's Moon by Larry Niven and Brenda Cooper (NEW SCI FI NIV)--60,000 years after a marooned spaceship reluctantly builds a "temporary" colony on Selene, the conflict between the "Earthborn" and their children/slaves, the "Moonborn", comes to a crisis point
The Well of Stars by Robert Reed (NEW SCI FI REE)--continuing the saga of "The Great Ship" begun in 2000's Marrow, the passengers and crew must face a threat from a Dark Cloud Nebula named "The Inkwell"
Into the Looking Glass by John Ringo (NEW SCI FI RIN)--an experiment with quantum physics destroys part of Florida and enables numerous "gateways" by which aliens can attack Earth--but not without a fight
Star Wars, Episode III. Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover (NEW SCI FI STO)--this novelization of the movie adds many details that clarify the transformation of Skywalker to Vader
We Few by David Weber and John Ringo (NEW SCI FI WEB)--Prince Roger and his Guard finally return to Earth, only to find his Empress mother deposed and the government in the hands of the conspirators that had him marooned on Marduk
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson (NEW SCI FI WIL)--after the "stars go out", three friends cope in different ways over the years, trying to find a solution to saving mankind
Posted by egvpl NEW ACQUISITIONS at 11:15 AM | Comments (0)
October 15, 2005
NEW FICTION--SCIENCE FICTION (Part 1)
These books have been categorized as "Science Fiction" and have special identifying stickers; they have all been added since July:
The Healer by Michael Blumlein (NEW SCI FI BLU)--Payne, a "Grotesque" or "Tesque" who can heal by drawing an illness into his own body, tries to find his place in a society where his skill is needed but feared as well
From the Files of the Time Rangers by Richard Bowes (NEW SCI FI BOW)--collection of stories about lost children recruited by the gods for use as time travellers who can change history
Destroyer by C.J. Cherryh (NEW SCI FI CHE)--in this new volume in the Foreigner series, Bren Cameron returns from a mission to discover the homeworld of his employer on the brink of war and his employer missing
The Light-Years Beneath my Feet by Alan Dean Foster (NEW SCI FI FOS)--sequel to 2004's Lost and Found, commodities broker Marcus Walker, along with his alien "talking dog", George, tries to get closer to home after being kidnapped to a distant planet by agreeing to be a chef on a planet closer to Earth
The Dark Crusade by Walter H. Hunt (NEW SCI FI HUN)--continuing the Dark Wing saga, the space allies must continue to battle the invading insectoid vuhl
Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston (NEW SCI FI PRE)--action/adventure in which the notebook of a dying prospector leads to a race to discover the remains of a Tyrannasaur before government agents and a crazed paleontologist get to it first
Watch on the Rhine (The Posleen War) by John Ringo & Tom Kratman (NEW SCI FI RIN)--alternative history in which the Waffen SS is called on to help save civilization from a "Mongolian Horde" from outer space
Natural History by Justina Robson (NEW SCI FI ROB)--the discovery of a possibly empty but apparently habitable planet gives hope to the Forged--genetically enhanced humans--who want a place of their own
Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi (NEW SCI FI SCA)--on-the-rise talent agent Thomas Stein takes on a new client, a blob-shaped, foul-smelling Alien who realizes that an effective Media presentation can smooth his introduction to humans
Lady of Mazes by Karl Schroeder (NEW SCI FI SCH)--residents of a far-away planet have to cope with the chaos ensuing when the AI controlling their world starts to break down
Olympos by Dan Simmons (NEW SCI FI SIM)--sequel to 2003's Ilium, pseudo-gods from Mars and characters from Shakespeare's The Tempest take on the Trojan War
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks (NEW SCI FI SPA)--science journalist Jeremy Marsh investigates a ghostly graveyard in North Carolina
Accelerando by Charles Stross (NEW SCI FI STR)--wacky account of the effect of nanotechnology on three generations in the near future
The Stonehenge Gate by Jack Williamson (NEW SCI FI WIL)--four academic poker-buddies search for the origin of life on Earth
Starwater Strains by Gene Wolfe (NEW SCI FI WOL)--collection of short stories and novellas by one of the classic writers of Science Fiction today
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-second Annual Collection edited by Gardner Dozois (NEW SCI FI YEA)--selections by new writers and masters alike presenting a variety of styles and topics
Posted by egvpl NEW ACQUISITIONS at 06:15 AM | Comments (0)
October 14, 2005
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS OCTOBER 17-23
On Tuesday, October 18, a group from the Library will take a bus for a day-long visit to the Starved Rock State Park. The bus will leave at 8 a.m. and return before 5 p.m. A narrated guided tour is planned. Lunch will also be included in the fee; tickets are available at the Reception Desk.
On Thursday, October 20, at 7 p.m., chef/caterer Dave Esau will present Harvest Table, highlighting foods for Fall, including pumpkin soup, a polenta, and apple turnovers. It is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Registration can be done at the Reception Desk.
On Saturday, October 22, the Friends will hold a special Donated CDs and Video Sale, starting at 9 a.m. in the Library Lobby.
Posted by egvpl UPCOMING EVENTS at 06:44 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2005
TEEN READ WEEK 2005: GET REAL!
October 16 to 22 is Teen Read Week at the Elk Grove Library. The "theme" this year is "Get Real at Your Library", emphasizing non-fiction and realistic fiction.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, interested teens will be able to make an "iMovie". There are still some openings, but a set of 12 or more photos need to be brought in to be scanned before the movie--here's a brief tutorial--can be made. Appointments for making the iMovie can be made at the Youth Services desk, extension 267 or 268.
On Thursday, October 20, from 7-8:30 p.m., Justin Roberts will return for another songwriting workshop. Groups of participants will write a verse to a melody supplied by Mr. Roberts. A CD of the performances of the songs will be available later. There will also be food, pop, and raffles. Register at the Youth Services desk.
All week, teens can pick up a form at the YS desk that can be filled out with a book recommendation. For each form completed, a raffle ticket will be handed out.
Posted by egvpl UPCOMING EVENTS at 08:40 PM | Comments (0)
October 07, 2005
LIBRARY HAPPENINGS OCTOBER 10-15
For Adults:
The Monthly Monday Movie will be shown on October 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Large Meeting Room. It will be Sahara starring Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz. Based on the action filled adventure novels written by Clive Cussler featuring explorer Dirk Pitt, the story involves a search for a missing Civil War ship in the African desert.
Several computer classes are scheduled for this week on using the Internet and Microsoft Word. Interested patrons should check with the Reception Desk to see if there are any openings.
For Children and Teens:
At 11 a.m. on Monday, October 10, The Emerald City Theater Company will be performing Where the Wild Things Are, using music and puppets. Seating is limited, but no tickets are required. For ages 3 and up.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, at 10:30 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m., on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., and on Thursday at 10:00 a.m., a Firefighter will conduct the Storytimes. For this week only, the 2 Toddlers Tales sessions will combine with the 10:30 Storytimes.
Saturday, October 15, will be the first of two sessions of the Babysitter's Training Course; the second session will be on the following Saturday, October 22. For ages 10 to 16, it will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. both days. A $5 fee is requested to cover the cost of the accompanying book. Register at the Youth Services desk; only a few spots are open as of today.
Posted by egvpl UPCOMING EVENTS at 06:26 PM | Comments (0)