Sunday, August 31, 2014

Events for the Week of September 1…

Remember that the library will be closed for Labor Day on September 1. Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library during the rest of the week…
  • Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (9/3) at 10:30
  • STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
  • Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (9/4) at 4:00
  • Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (9/5) at 3:30
  • Desktop Publishing Basics Class on Saturday (9/6) at 2:00
  • STAR Reader also on Saturday at 2:00
You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Friday, August 29, 2014

The Good, The Bad, and the Emus

Book Jacket for: The good, the bad, and the emus : a Meg Langslow mysteryI have always enjoyed Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow mystery series.  The books are light hearted and amusing and the characters are eccentric enough to satisfy anyone.  She continues her excellent work in The Good, The Bad, and the Emus.  In this book Meg is roped into helping the private detective her grandfather hired look for her missing grandmother.  A murder is then stumbled across followed by a flock of missing emus that need to be tracked down and recaptured followed by more murder.  This series is not one that requires you have read previous books to enjoy so feel free to pick this one up and start with it.  Then you can track down her previous titles.

Recommended for those who enjoy humor with their mystery. 

Thursday, August 28, 2014

TOW (& Answer)....

Book Jacket for: Historic spots in California.This week’s question was what was a previous name for Ballast Point? - - -  with bonus points for saying where it was located?

Ballast Point was called La Punta de Guijarros and was the probable landing place of Cabrillo in 1542.  It was named by Vizcaino in 1602.  Ballast Point was a nineteenth century appellation probably refelecting the translation of La Punta de Guijarros which means the Point of Cobblestones.  Located in San Diego.

The question (& answer) were found on p. 321 of Historic Spots in California by Douglas E. Kyle.  The book was published in 1990 by Stanford University Press.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Library Events in September…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has a number of interesting events planned in September.  I thought I’d take a minute and give you a run down so you could plan ahead.  Let’s start with the non-repeating events:

- - - - - - - - - -

Teen Council Meeting on 9/16 at 4:00.
Teens are invited to participate in fun activities & provide their own spin on future developments at the library.

Utility Questions Answered on 9/16 at 6:00
A local non-profit organization will provide information about how to deal with problems you might be having dealing with your phone, gas, or other utility bill.  Bring your questions.

Latino Heritage Family Storytime on 9/20 at 11:00
Bring your whole family to a storytime that will reflect on various aspects of a Latino heritage.

Arroyo Book Club on 9/27 at 3:00
Join us for our monthly book club discussion.  September’s book is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein… Stop by the library for a copy.

Gardening Program on 9/28 at 2:00
Come learn how to get started vegetable gardening.  Container gardening will also be covered so don’t let a lack of land keep you for joining us.  Bring your questions.

- - - - - - - - - -

Each month the library also has a number of ongoing classes & events.  They are:

Little Ones’ Storytime - - - Wednesdays at 10:30
Little Ones’ 3 and under & their grownups are invited to join us for stories, music, & games.

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Wednesdays at 3:00 on Saturdays at 2:00
STAR readers present the fun of storytelling and reading to children one-on-one or in small groups. Kids earn a free book to keep after 3 visits.

Fun With Tablets - - - Thursdays at 4:00
People of all ages are invited to join us as we explore tablet computers by accomplishing an interesting task.  If you have a project in mind suggest it & we might give it a try.

Drop in Computer Lab - - - Fridays at 3:30
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, eReaders, or other electronic devices.  We will do our best to help you figure out answers.

- - - - - - - - - -

Finally, we have computer classes.  These are formal, free 1-hour sessions.  This month we have:
Desktop Publishing Basics on 9/6 at 2:00
Computer Basics on 9/10 at 12:00
Introduction to Library Web Tools and the Internet on 9/18 at 6:30

Please do not hesitate to call the library at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions or would like more information.  Remember that you can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Arroyo Book Club Pick for September…

Book Jacket for: The art of racing in the rain : a novelThe Arroyo Book Club will be reading The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein in September.  In this book Enzo, a dog, reflects on his life as he reaches its end.  He recalls all that he and his family have been through.  Since I have yet to read the book let me provide you with The Library Journal’s Review…

Enzo narrates his life story, beginning with his impending death. Enzo's not afraid of dying, as he's seen a television documentary on the Mongolian belief that a good dog will reincarnate as a man. Yes, Enzo is a dog. And he belongs to Denny: husband, father, customer service technician. Denny's dream is to be a professional race-car driver, and Enzo recounts the triumphs and tragedies--medical, financial, and legal--they share in this quest, the dangers of the racetrack being the least of their obstacles. Enzo ultimately teaches Denny and the reader that persistence and joie de vivre will see them through to the checkered flag. Stein (Raven Stole the Moon) creates a patient, wise, and doggish narrator that is more than just fluff and collar.

It certainly sounds interesting & my mother recommends it so that gives it an extra gloss.  Pick up a copy at the library and join us on September 27 at 3:00 to discuss it.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Events for the Week of August 25…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…
  • Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (8/27) at 10:30
  • STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
  • Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (8/28) at 4:00
  • Word Processing Class also on Thursday at 6:30
  • Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (8/29) at 3:30
  • Family Storytime / Science Fun on Saturday (8/30) at 11:00 - - signup required
  • STAR Reader also on Saturday at 2:00
You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

New Watch

Book Jacket for: New watchSergei Lukyanenko adds a new title to his Night Watch Series with New Watch.  Anton is still working for the Night Watch and in this tale his path intersects with a boy who is a prophet.  This encounter leads him to more dealings with the work of prophets and the consequences they bear for the Twilight.  This book is as good as the previous titles in the series (pick them up if you haven’t already) & I would recommend it to anyone with a taste for fantasy. 

Friday, August 22, 2014

The Long Mars

Book Jacket for: The long MarsTerry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter continue their “Long” series with The Long Mars (see 7/9/13 entry for Long War).  The book picks up where the last left off and continues the story in odd little jumps across time and character.  In this book we follow the arrival of a new species of human who call themselves the “Next”, track some adventurers who take advantage of a gap in the “long Earth” to make an easy step off to Mars which they discover is also long, follow a government sponsored group that steps along a quarter billion Earths in a vast exploration and more. 

The series continues to be entertaining and engaging.  If you haven’t read it pick up the first title Long Earth and start there.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Trivia of the Week....

This week’s question is what was a previous name for Ballast Point? - - -  Bonus points for saying where it was located?

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Websites I Like…

A fun site I recently learned about is Gnooks (http://www.gnooks.com/).  Gnooks is designed to help you find interesting books to read.  One feature it has that’s different is what it calls a Map of Literature.  You put in the name of an author you like and it produces a map that puts your author in the center and places authors that are “like” that author all around the screen.  The physical proximity of names indicates how much “like” the authors are.  It’s a fun way to get some ideas for new authors you might like. 

The site does a similar thing for Music, Movies, and Art.  Kind of fun to play around with.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

TOW (& Answer)...

This week’s question was what area or areas of California has the greatest richness of bird life?  I found this question by opening my week’s reference book to a map that graphically depicted bird richness so my answer will be a little bit non-specific.  According to this map the areas toping the list for bird species variety are Northern California in the Modoc area, along the Bay/Delta near San Francisco, a tiny little bit of the San Luis Obispo area, and a tiny little bit of San Gorgonio Mountain.  All these areas are depicted as having a bird density of 128-162 native bird species.

The question (& answer) were taken from p. 33 of The Atlas of the Biodiversity of CaliforniaThis book was published by the State of California Department of Fish and Game in 2003.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Events for the Week of August 18…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…
  • Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (8/20) at 10:30
  • STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
  • Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (8/21) at 4:00
  • Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (8/22) at 3:30
  • STAR Reader on Saturday (8/23) at 2:00
  • Arroyo Book Club meets on Saturday at 3:00
You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

The Center of the World

Book Jacket for: The center of the worldAndreas Steinhofel gives us the portrait of a teenage boy in The Center of the World.  Phil has an eccentric mother, a drifting, disengaged twin sister, and no father that he knows of.  In this story we nominally follow Phil in his 17th year but we flashback to earlier scenes in his life often (& without warning).  This is a straightforward slice of life novel and is fairly interesting for its characters and setting.  I would recommend it to people who like to read stories about ordinary (& not so ordinary) people.  

Friday, August 15, 2014

History of Highland Park…

Today I bring you a brief brochure written in 1980 by a local resident reflecting on the history of Highland Park.  The author, Evelyn Bayard, concludes her essay by inviting readers to recall certain things in a Do You Remember section.  I invite you to read that section and let us know if you do indeed remember.

Find the brochure here: http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520714.pdf

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Last Watch

Book Jacket for: Last watchI was just rereading Last Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko and it made me remember how much I love this writer.  The Last Watch is part of the Night Watch series that has currently had 5 of its volumes translated into English.  The series is one of those fantasy world interacts with the real world books but it is made more interesting because it reflects a Russian worldview.  So just when you find a trope you’re used to from your general American or English writers it will spin in an unexpected way.  It doesn’t hurt that the writer is good too.  If you haven’t run into the series before I would recommend picking up the first --- Night Watch.

I was trying to think of what English writing author to compare this too and I came up with Stross’ Laundry Files novels.  Both deal with a government (or civil service-esque) response to dealing with evil in the world though that is pretty much the only similarity. 

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Trivia of the Week...

This week’s question is what area or areas of California has the greatest richness of bird life?

Monday, August 11, 2014

Tap Imagery for Weight Management

…(a workshop)…

Saturday, August 16 at 3:00

Hypnotherapist Frances O'Brien will teach you to use an all-natural yet very effective means for dealing with life's difficulties.  Tap Imagery is a simple system of gently tapping on the body's meridian endpoints in order to clear blockages and restore yourself to balance.  Everyone is welcome.  You'll return home feeling refreshed and renewed.

Come hear what the presenter has to say & practice using the technique.

Bring your questions!

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Events for the Week of August 11…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…
  • Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (8/13) at 10:30
  • An Introduction to Spreadsheets Class also on Wednesday at 12:00
  • STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
  • Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (8/14) at 4:00
  • Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (8/15) at 3:30
  • STAR Reader on Saturday (8/16) at 2:00
  • Computer Basics Class on Saturday also at 2:00
  • Tap Guided Imagery Workshop also on Saturday at 3:00
You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

TWO (& Answer)...

Book Jacket for: Ultimate visual dictionary of science.This week’s question was which is the most successful group of vertebrates?  Fish are the most successful with over 25,000 species that can be found in both freshwater and saltwater habitats.

The question (& answer) were found on p. 158 of the Ultimate Visual Dictionary of ScienceThe book was published by DK Publishing in 1998. 

Friday, August 8, 2014

The Thing with Feathers

Book Jacket for: The thing with feathers : the surprising lives of birds, and what they reveal about being humanThe Thing with Feathers is a very approachable book about birds (as I’m sure you guessed) by Noah Strycker.  It is definitely for the beginner and Stryker makes far more associations to humans then you would expect.  I think he is trying to keep a novice audience interested by relating bird observations to human experiences.  The technique works though it does mean that this is not a book for an expert in the subject.  The book is broken up into chapters that each address a different aspect of body, mind, or spirit by reflecting on a particular aspect of a single bird.  So, for example, one chapter focuses on navigation by looking at homing pigeons while another looks at aggression by focusing on hummingbirds (did you know that about hummingbirds?) and yet another looks at romance by examining the family life of the albatross.

An excellent book I would heartily recommend to anyone interested (even slightly) in birds. 

Thursday, August 7, 2014

August’s Electronic Resource of the Month….

If you’re a fan of graphic novels, manga, or comic books you’ll want to take a close look at our August E-Resource of the month - - - comicsplus.    This emedia resource allows you to stream digital graphic novels, manga, and comic books to virtually any mobile device, tablet, or PC.   More the 80 publishers participate in this portal and works in many, many genres are available.  Items can be checked out for 7 days & can be renewed. 

Comicsplus is available via the library’s eMedia (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/e-media) web page or from the Research & Homework section of the library’s website (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#C).  You will, of course, need to have your library card handy.

Definitely worth taking a look at.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Heaven’s Queen

Book Jacket for: Heaven's queenRachel Bach finishes up the series begun in Fortune’s Pawn & continued in Honor’s Knight with Heaven’s Queen.  The story winds up satisfactorily which is always a plus in a series.  I’ll admit that I didn’t like this book as much, principally because the relationship between Devi & Rupert is finally a thing and the author is way too saccharine about it for my taste.  However, if you read the first two books you’ll definitely want to grab this one and finish off the series.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Websites I Like…

For those of you who are math aficionados out there let me draw your attention to Wolfram’s Mathworld (assuming you haven’t already found it).  Wolfram’s Mathworld (http://mathworld.wolfram.com/) is “the web’s most extensive mathematics resource”.  It is a comprehensive, and interactive mathematics encyclopedia intended for students, educators, math enthusiasts, and researchers.

While we’re on the topic of math let me also draw your attention to Wolfram’s Functions site (http://functions.wolfram.com/).  It “contains the world's most encyclopedic collection of information about mathematical functions.”  This information includes visualizations (graphs) of the functions.

Take a look at both sites.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Events for the Week of August 4…

Don’t miss any of the exciting events going on at the library this week…
  • A teen program on Tuesday (8/5) at 4:00
  • Little Ones’ Storytime on Wednesday (8/6) at 10:30
  • An Introduction to Spreadsheets Class also on Wednesday at 12:00
  • STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
  • Fun with Tablets program on Thursday (8/7) at 4:00
  • Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (8/8) at 3:30
  • STAR Reader on Saturday (8/9) at 2:00
You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Friday, August 1, 2014

TOW (& Answer)...

The question was what is a barramundi?  Barramundi, or to be more specific northern spotted barramundi, is common name of the Scleropages Jardini.  This is a fish located in the Jardine River in northern Australia.  It is an elongated fish with a dull gray color that is accented by a gold-yellow rear edge to the scales and face. 

Read more about this fish (and many others) in The Encyclopedia of Aquarium Fish by Dick Mills.  The book was published in 2000 by Baron’s.  Our fish was on p. 127.