January is California Dried Plum Digestive Health Month!

Browse our special display at the Green Valley Library of materials on digestive health! Dried Plums have a unique combination of nutrients - fiber, potassium, magnesium and iron - as well as antioxidants that prevent cancer and decrease inflammation.

Discover more about the benefits of dried plums and creative ways to include them in your diet with recipes at http://www.californiadriedplums.org/.

Helping you become healthier!

Perhaps the Henderson Libraries can help you with your New Year's resolutions? CNN thinks public libraries can help you become healthier (for free!) in 2010. Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/25/free.healthy.christmas/index.html

Celebrate Rudyard Kipling

Today (December 30) is Rudyard Kipling's birthday! Take time to read one of his many books for children or adults or find out more about his life in our biography database, Biography Resource Center! Several of the articles in the database have a full bibliography of his works.

Next Blood Drive @ Green Valley Library January 9, 2010

Please plan to donate blood on January 9, 2010 at the Green Valley Library. The drive will be held from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in our Programming Room. You can register in advance by calling 562-2166 or log on to www.bloodhero.com (sponsor code is greenvalleylibrary).

Slate Magazine's Best of '09

In yet another list of the "Best Books of 2009," I give you Slate magazine's picks for 2009 here. Happy Reading!

Grinch-Fest 2009!

Thank you to all who came to our Dec. 26 "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" puppet show! In addition to the Dr. Seuss puppet performance and story reading by Miss Andrea, children created grinch face masks, played a grinchy bingo for prizes, and ended the event with some deliciously green "Who Pudding." Over 40 attendees took part in this fun children's program at the Green Valley Library! We hope to see you again next year!

Winter Staycation Reading List

Don't let the cold weather get you down! Check out this list of "ten tomes that offer tropical settings and enough sun-drenched drama to make Jay-Z's yacht look boring." Included is Love in the Time of Cholera, which we recently discussed in our Fantastic Classic Book Club.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/books/12/24/tf.staycation.reading/index.html

Happy Holidays from the Children's Library!

The Green Valley Children's Library hosted a magical Winter Wonderland of holidays around the world on December 21 to celebrate the first day of winter! Kids of all ages learned about different holidays observed across the country and across the globe!

Did you know that in Italy, La Befana is a witch said to bring presents to children on the night of January 5? Or that in Israel children eat jelly donuts for Hanukkah? At the Winter Wonderland program children learned facts like these while creating fun crafts such as African-style masks in honor of Kwanzaa, dreidels for Hanukkah, stocking ornaments for Christmas and 2010 tiaras for New Year’s Day!

Be sure to sign up for our special after-Christmas event too! The Children’s Library will be having a special “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” puppet show on Dec. 26 at 2:00 p.m. along with Grinch bingo and crafts. Register online at www.mypubliclibrary.com or stop by the Children’s reference desk for assistance.

No matter what you’re celebrating, we hope you enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!

Ginger Bread House Fun at Green Valley

Last Tuesday, fifteen teens joined us to make gingerbread houses with graham crackers, icing, and candy. We had a great time constructing our cheerful little holiday houses! Some went all out and built gingerbread mansions while others crafted adorable little forts covered in snow. Though the structural integrity of our buildings was questionable, the deliciousness was a sure thing. Check out some photos of the teens' awesome creations!

Take a look at the library events calendar on our website to find more fun teen events coming up at Green Valley Library. We'd love to see you at Teen Tuesday!

Green Valley Library Street Sign

For the first time in years, the Green Valley Library street sign lights up the night on Green Valley Parkway. What a beautiful sight! We expected it to be green, but it is actually a sort of blue.

Peace!

Stop by our new book display on "peace" and find out ways to bring inner harmony to yourself and goodwill to those around you. Includes yoga DVDS, audiobooks, CDs and lots of great books.

Stephen King's Top 10 Books of 2009

The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly features Stephen King's list of his top 10 books of 2009. Here's a link to the online version: http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20317203_20331246,00.html

Bake with Me!

On Wednesday, January 6 at 10:30 a.m. you can spend the morning baking with your little one! Based on the success of September’s “Bake with Me” program, the Green Valley Library is pleased to present “Bake with Me: Chocolate!” for ages 2-4.

Chocolate is a delicious part of the holiday season, so come in to create an easy and delicious chocolate treat together and listen to stories about chocolate while it bakes in the oven.

Registration begins December 21st! Sign up online at www.mypubliclibrary.com, call 207-4262, or visit the Children’s Library for assistance.

We hope to see you there!

Presented by Miss Stephanie.

New Year, New You

Join the Library for our "New Year, New You" program series! Starting in January, we'll be offering some wonderful programs to help you make your New Year's resolutions come true.

Classics Book Club Announces 2010 Selections

The Green Valley Library "Fantastic" Classics Book Club announces it's 2010 reading picks! A random drawing held in the December meeting at the Green Valley Library determines what we read during the upcoming year. Book Club members are able to make suggestions by dropping titles into our "Treasure Chest" throughout the year. We read a variety of "classics". Wasn't it Mark Twain who said, "A classic is something that everyone agrees is good, but that no-one reads," or something like that?

Well, we read everything from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Portrait of a Lady, so there's a little something for everyone. Not only do we discuss the book, but we also usually watch a video about the subject matter in the book, or an author interview (presuming there was one), or maybe just view some slides with pictures relating to the life of the author.

So without further delay here is our title list for 2010! Esteban hopes to see you at the next Classic's Book Club meeting at the Green Valley Library!

February 17
Metamorphosis –Franz Kafka

March 17
Anthem – Ayn Rand

APRIL 21
The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

MAY 19
Story of My Life – Helen Keller

JUNE 16
The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway

JULY 21
To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf

AUGUST 18
Light in August – William Faulkner

SEPTEMBER 15
Glass Menagerie – Tennessee Williams

OCTOBER 20
Island of Dr. Moreau – H.G. Wells

NOVEMBER 17
Hound of the Baskervilles – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

DECEMBER 15
Country of the Pointed Firs – Sarah Orne Jewett

AND January 2011
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – Mark Twain

What are authors giving as gifts this year?

"O, The Oprah Magazine," asked some of her favorite authors which books they plan to give this season, and which they'd most love to get. Click here to see the list.

Kirkus Review to Cease Publication

Kirkus Reviews, one leading sources of book reviews for librarians, has announced it will cease publication at the end of the year. The NY Times published an obituary of sorts a few days ago. You can read that article here.

Best Cookbooks of 2009

The Christian Science Monitor's website recently posted a blog post on the "Best Cookbooks of 2009." Check out that post here and a related Publishers Weekly article.

Books of the Decade

My last couple of posts have highlighted the best books of 2009 and the decade. Our latest display has made many of these titles readily available for checkout. Come in and pick up a critically acclaimed book!

Have You Tried Text-A-Librarian Yet?

I came across an article in a Florida paper about a Florida school that allows texing in class . This made me think of our new Text-A-Librarian service. To access the services, text us at 66746 then start your first message with the keyword askmylib, insert a space, then type your question and press "send."Example: askmylib What r your hours?

Hours for Texting:Monday through Thursday: 9am-9pmFriday & Saturday: 9am-5pmSunday: ClosedQuestions sent outside of library open hours will receive an automatic response and be answered the next day.

What is Text a Librarian?Text a Librarian is a service which enables you to use the text message feature of your mobile phone to send questions to and receive answers from Henderson Libraries.

What do I need to use the service?To use the service, you need a mobile phone which is enabled to send and receive text messages

What does the service cost?The library does not charge for this service, but charges from your cell phone provider may apply. These charges vary among plans and among telephone providers.The library does not take any responsibility for any charges your mobile phone provider may assess you for sending or receiving messages while using this service.

Do I always need to include askmylib at the beginning of my questions, and when I reply to a message you've sent to me, do I need to include askmylib?No. You only need to include askmylib for the first question you send to us.

Text a Librarian is private and secure:Our text-to-chat service (Mosio) assigns a random User ID number to each patron.Your phone number is never visible to us at any time.Your phone number is not accessible by us. stion and we'll text you back!

Getting Ready for the Holidays!

The Green Valley Children's Library has decked their halls and walls as they prepare for upcoming children's programs in the winter season. To find out what we've got in store, check out our calendar flyers or come see our bulletin board all aglow!

New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2009

In an effort to catch up on my reading and avoid missing a good book this year, I came across the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2009. The list was featured in last Sunday's Book Review. Check out the complete fiction and non-fiction lists here.

Entertainment Weekly Top 100 of the Decade

The latest issue of "Entertainment Weekly" highlights the top books, movies, TV shows, and music of the decade. The top ten books are:

1. The Road by Caormac McCarthy
2. Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan
3. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
4. On Beauty by Zadie Smith
5. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
6. The Corrections by Jonathan Frazen
7. Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
8. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling
9. Case Histories: A Novel by Kate Atkinson
10. Snow

How many have you read? Check out Entertainment Weekly's book blog at: http://www.ew.com/ew/books/headlines/0,,,00.html

Public Libraries in the News

I just saw a report on the Fox News cable channel about public libraries and how they're helping job seekers. If you're looking for a new job we have many resources to give you an edge including:

• Databases like ReferenceUSA that helps you discover and learn background information on potential employers,
• Our ongoing job training workshops
• Computer classes that can help you design a great resume.

Come on in and see how we can help you get an edge on the competition!

New Book Display -- The Middle East

The Middle East is a region we hear so much about, but how can we separate fact from fiction? Come check out our new book display and learn more about the history, culture, food, language, landscapes and social customs of the countries that make up the Middle East.

December is National Spiritual Reading Month

Just in time for the holidays, December marks "National Spiritual Reading Month." In recognition of this, I've created a new book display featuring books from our religion section. Don't worry, none are heavy on theology but are sure to lift your spirit!

We're Open!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We'll be open our regular Saturday hours today (9-5). Stop in and pick up something to read or a DVD to watch today!

National Book Award Winners Announced

The winners of the National Book Award were announced today. The winners are:

Fiction

Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin (Random House)

NonFiction

T. J. Stiles, The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Alfred A. Knopf)

Poetry

Keith Waldrop, Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy (University of California Press)

Young People's Literature

Phillip Hoose, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

More information on the National Book Award and interviews with the authors can be found at this web address:

http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2009.html

Text-A-Librarian

Have a question for us? Text us at 66746 then start your first message with the keyword askmylib, insert a space, then type your question and press "send."Example: askmylib What r your hours?

What kind of questions should I ask?Use Text A Librarian for quick questions up to 160 characters or less. If we respond in more than 160 characters, it will appear in 2 messages. If you have a lengthy research question, please call or email us.

Hours for Texting:Monday through Thursday: 9am-9pmFriday & Saturday: 9am-5pmSunday: ClosedQuestions sent outside of library open hours will receive an automatic response and be answered the next day.

What is Text a Librarian?Text a Librarian is a service which enables you to use the text message feature of your mobile phone to send questions to and receive answers from Henderson Libraries.

What do I need to use the service?To use the service, you need a mobile phone which is enabled to send and receive text messages

What does the service cost?The library does not charge for this service, but charges from your cell phone provider may apply. These charges vary among plans and among telephone providers.The library does not take any responsibility for any charges your mobile phone provider may assess you for sending or receiving messages while using this service.

Do I always need to include askmylib at the beginning of my questions, and when I reply to a message you've sent to me, do I need to include askmylib?No. You only need to include askmylib for the first question you send to us.

Text a Librarian is private and secure:
Our text-to-chat service (Mosio) assigns a random User ID number to each patron.
Your phone number is never visible to us at any time.
Your phone number is not accessible by us. stion and we'll text you back!

Pianist & Singer Iryna Mendoza

Don't miss this entertaining program!!

Job Hunting Skills Workshop

Join us for this 4 Part Workshop & learn all that you need to know to get that job!!

Thanksgiving Food Drive

HELP of Southern Nevada launched a food drive campaign for Thanksgiving. 1,000 families are expected to receive a turkey and all the trimmings needed for a Thanksgiving meal. Donations will be accepted now through November 19. Non-perishable items can be dropped off at the Green Valley Library.

HELP of Southern Nevada assist over 68,000 low-income families and individuals to become more self-sufficient through direct services, trainings and referrals. Programs available include: social services, weatherization, community alternative sentencing, work opportunities readiness center, holiday assistance, Nevada 211 call center, and homeless and youth services. For more information, call HELP of Southern Nevada at 702-369-4357 or visit them at www.helpsonv.org.

Art Display

The Arts Alive! event was a big success! But in case you missed it, you will still have a chance to view the artwork of our amazing local artists. The art will be on display until December 2, provided there are no programs going on at the time. Inquire at the Reference Desk to gain access to the Program Room.

America Recycles Day 2009

America will celebrate "America Recycles Day" on November 19. Check out our latest book display and the American Recycling Coalition for more tips on how to "Renew, Reuse, Recycle!"

Thursday, November 12, 6pm-9pm

Arts Alive! will be a night of art, poetry, music and coffee. It will include an art exhibitition by local artists, poetry readings, DJ spinning lounge music before and after readings. Sunrise Coffee Co. will be sponsoring the event by providing their fresh brewed organic coffee.

Learn a foreign language with BYKI

BYKI (Before You Know It) is a powerful language-learning system

that uses flashcards to teach you a set of words or phrases. It is the fastest way to lock foreign words and phrases into your long-term memory.

· Remote Patron Access via the Internet
· Personal Progress Tracking
· Pronunciation Analysis
· Learn Over 70 Languages
· Includes English for Spanish speakers
· International Language and Cultural Resources
· And Much More!

Green Valley Library will be holding classes to introduce BYKI:
November 10, Tuesday 1:00 pm—2:00 pm
November 18, Wednesday 6:30—7:30 pm

Register by calling Green Valley Library at 207-4261.

Looking for that push to read those business books on your reading list?

Come join our Business Book Club. It is a collaborative effort between Green Valley Library and Imagine Marketing of Nevada http://www.imnv.com/. Imagine Marketing is an organization that created the Henderson District Public Libraries logo and is responsible for promoting the district and its programs and activities. The Business Book Club will meet the 1st Tuesday of each month, 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm, in the Green Valley Library Conference Room. Please contact the Green Valley Library to sign up, 207-4261.


The Business Book Club meeting will be on Tuesday, December 1. We will be discussing “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell.

Defining that precise moment when a trend becomes a trend, Malcolm Gladwell probes the surface of everyday occurrences to reveal some surprising dynamics behind explosive social changes. He examines the power of word-of-mouth and explores how very small changes can directly affect popularity. Perceptive and imaginative, The Tipping Point is a groundbreaking book destined to overturn conventional thinking in business, sociological, and policy-making arenas.—Barnes & Nobel synopsis

November 2009 is Veterans Month

Find library materials on America’s Warriors Past -- Present using our special collection materials of Government Documents.

In commemoration of Veterans Month 2009, a special display has been established for the month of November to pay tribute to America’s warriors.

1st Annual Green Valley Library Community Hobby and Craft Nite

Thursday, October 29th was our 1st annual Hobby & Craft Nite. Over 22 groups displayed their handiwork to the public at the library, which ranged from restored record players to Medieval armaments.

The Nevada Old Time Fiddlers played folk music, The Silver State Ghost Hunters gave a lecture and we served cider and donuts. Here are some pictures of the event.

November Events - Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

On Monday, November 16, the Green Valley Library will host the FBI as they present a program on the ever-growing risk of identity theft in the Las Vegas area, and what you can do to protect yourself. Registration is free - just call 207-4260 or stop by the reference desk!

Learn from Home Depot's How-to-Clinics (Wall and Floor Tiling)

Take advantage of the Home Depot How-To-Clinics offered at Henderson Green Valley Library and learn how to install wall and floor tiles. You will save approximately 3 times of the cost of having someone else install it for you!

Call and register at 207-4261


The How-To-Clinic at Green Valley Library is scheduled on:

Saturday, November 21, 2009, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Location: 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, NV 89014

The wall and floor tiling classes will cover:

 Selecting the right product
 Planning your project
 Tools needed
 Surface preparation
 Selecting bonding materials
 Choosing and applying grout
 Demonstrations
 Floor care
 Questions and Answers

November Events - Start Your Own Business!

Interested in starting a small business this upcoming year? Join SCORE, a local group of retired executives, to learn effective methods on how to do just that! The two-part program will be held at the Green Valley branch on Tuesday, Nov 10 and 17th at 7:00pm. Registration for this event is free - just call 207-4260 or stop by our reference desk.

Halloween Harvest!

October 31 marked the Green Valley Library's first Halloween with a "Halloween Harvest" and trick-or-treat event at the library. Children came dressed in their best costumes to celebrate the day with crafts, games, spooky stories and plenty of treats!

Above, Miss Pat hosts a round of SCARY (a Halloween version of BINGO), with a full house of costumed kids!

Thanks to all who came and participated with us at the library!

November is National Diabetes Month

November is National Diabetes Month and we're putting together a display of books to help you stay healthy and fight diabetes. You can also checkout our health databases available at:

http://www.mypubliclibrary.com/research/all_databases.html and http://www.stopdiabetes.com for more tips and resources!

Our Next Blood Drive Has Been RESCHEDULED!

Mark your calendars now for our next blood drive! It will take place on Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 10 to 3 PM the Programming Room. You can schedule an appointment at:

https://www.bloodhero.com/index.cfm?group=registration

or call, 702-562-2166

Our sponsor code is: greenvalleylibrary
Thanks in advance for participating in this important effort!

Thrill the World at GVL

Saturday October 24th, 2009

Teens and librarians dance Michael Jackson's Thriller. About 75 people showed up to watch the fun. More photos on the library's Flickr page

Thrill The World is an annual worldwide simultaneous dance of Michael Jackson's “Thriller.”
All official Thrill the World events are included in the numbers for setting and breaking World Records.

Capt. Bill Takes UltraMarathon Man to Luxembourg!

Capt. Bill sent me a picture of his travels with Ultra Marathon Man from Luxembourg. Hope everyone who went to see Dean this past Saturday had a great time!

Studying for a Test? Try Learning Express!

If you're studying for a test like the SAT, ACT, ASVAB, or GED, then try our database Learning Express. They even have Job and Career exams! The database offers comprehensive test prep and practice exams. The database is available from home by logging on to our link available here.

Good Luck!

National Book Award Finalists Announced

The National Book Award finalists were recently announced. The finalists are:

FICTION

Bonnie Jo Campbell, American Salvage (Wayne State University Press)Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin (Random House)Daniyal Mueenuddin, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders (W. W. Norton & Co.)Jayne Anne Phillips, Lark and Termite (Alfred A. Knopf) Marcel Theroux, Far North (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
FICTION JUDGES: Alan Cheuse, Junot Díaz, Jennifer Egan, Charles Johnson, Lydia Millet

NONFICTION

David M. Carroll, Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)Sean B. Carroll, Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)Greg Grandin, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City (Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt)Adrienne Mayor, The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enemy (Princeton University Press)T. J. Stiles, The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Alfred A. Knopf)
NONFICTION JUDGES: David Blight, Amanda Foreman, Steve Olson, Camille Paglia, John Phillip Santos

POETRY

Rae Armantrout, Versed (Wesleyan University Press)Ann Lauterbach, Or to Begin Again (Penguin Books)Carl Phillips, Speak Low (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Open Interval (University of Pittsburgh Press)Keith Waldrop, Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy (University of California Press)
POETRY JUDGES: Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, A. Van Jordan, Cole Swensen, Kevin Young

YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE

Deborah Heiligman, Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith (Henry Holt) Phillip Hoose, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)David Small, Stitches (W. W. Norton & Co.) Laini Taylor, Lips Touch: Three Times (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic) Rita Williams-Garcia, Jumped (HarperTeen/HarperCollins)
YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE JUDGES: Kathi Appelt, Coe Booth, Carolyn Coman, Nancy Werlin, Gene Luen Yang

DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN LETTERS
Gore Vidal

LITERARIAN AWARD
Dave Eggers

STATS - In 2009, 193 publishers submitted 1,129 books for the 2009 National Book Awards.
The total number of books by genre:
Fiction, 236
Nonfiction, 481
Poetry, 161
Young People's Lit., 251

More information can be found at: http://www.nationalbook.org/

Digital Downloads Are Here!

A recent article in the New York Times reports how libraries are attracting tech-savvy users by providing audiobooks and e-books through digital lending (the entire article can be found here). Here at the Henderson Library District, we offer downloadable audiobooks, eBooks, and videos for all Henderson library users. Visit our site today at http://www.mypubliclibrary.com/digitaldownloads for a complete look at our collection!

October is Computer Learning Month!

October may almost be over, but don't forget about all of the computer resources now available at the Green Valley Library. In addition to our computer lab with over 25 terminals available to the public, we also offer a variety of computer classes for first-time users as well as for those looking to sharpen their tech skills. Visit our events calendar here to learn more and to register for upcoming classes!

Reading for a Record!

Thank you to everyone who participated in youth services event, Read for the Record (http://www.readfortherecord.org/), sponsored by the Jumpstart organization, where children across the globe read Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar on the same day, October 8, 2009, in order to break a world record for the largest shared reading experience.

This is our first year working with Jumpstart in helping to promote awareness for at-risk preschool children. The program addresses the importance of literacy, social, and emotional skills so that every child can enter school prepared to learn!

This year our library district helped set the world record with other cities across the country. HDPL read to a total of 117 participants!! Great Job and many thanks to all of our parents, teachers, librarians, and teen volunteers!

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2009

This year's Nobel Prize winner for Literature is Germany's Herta Müller. You can find out more about this outstanding author and a bibliography her work by visiting our Biography Resource Center located on our database page. The link is:

http://www.mypubliclibrary.com/research/all_databases.html

Joy of Liberace!

Michael and Karan Feder, local Henderson residents and the authors of Joy of Liberace: Retro Recipes from America's Kitschiest Kitchen, gave a fabulous presentation on Liberace and his love of cooking. Afterwards, we were entertained by a live piano performance by Rebecca Olschewski and enjoyed yummy cookies courtesy of Carluccio's Tivoli Gardens, which was originally owned by Liberace himself! Food, music and feather boas -- what a fun way to spend the afternoon!