Buena Park Library Blog

Check us out!

2012-12-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

We've Moved! Visit our new blog to learn about all of the exciting events taking place at the library!

Now you can find us at buenaparklibrary.wordpress.com

You can also find us through our website at buenaparklibrary.org

Or you can follow us on Facebook

December Sale in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

2012-12-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

MERRY MARK-DOWNS FOR

DECEMBER!

Get Ready For Holiday Entertaining

Without Breaking the Bank...

All Our Cookbooks &

Home Decorating Books

Are 25% Off!

Like us on Facebook

for updates on special weekly sales!

Volunteer Guild Bookstore Hours:
Tues & Wed: 10am - 6 pm

Thurs: 10am - 7:30 pm

Fri & Sat: 10am - 4:30 pm

Refreshments for Sale • For more info call 714-826-4100 x 123

The bookstore will be closed Dec. 18 - Jan. 1

for the holidays (reopening Jan 2)

Congratulations, William and Anne!

2012-11-20T19:39:00.000-08:00

William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway wed in late November of 1582. Happy 430^th anniversary! When they wed, William was 18, and Anne was 26.

In his will, dated 25 March 1616, William bequeathed £300 to his younger daughter Judith and most of his estate to his elder daughter Susannah. To his wife Anne, William bequeathed his second-best bed.

If you’re tempted to knock William, the creator of Romeo, for being so unromantic himself in giving nothing but a mediocre piece of furniture to his bride, keep in mind that 17^th century England had a culture far different from ours, and perhaps bequeathing only this bed to Anne was not such an insult to her as we may think. Then again, perhaps it was. We may never know for sure.

One of three of William's signatures on his will

Silent Auction in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore: New Item!

2012-11-08T17:48:00.003-08:00

SILENT AUCTION OF

RARE, UNUSUAL, COLLECTIBLE BOOKS

Come on in to the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

Check out the items & make a bid

Everyone is welcome!

November's Auction Item

Faberge: Treasures of Imperial Russia

by Geza von Habsburg, 2004
First Edition
Text in English and Russian

The history of 16 Faberge eggs is elaborately chronicled in this volume with lavish illustrations, archival photos, and exhibition history. This book is in mint condition and will make a stunning addition to your collection of books. Currently there are fewer than a dozen copies of this book available of equal quality!

This month's auction will run until 4 pm December 15
Bidding starts at $175

Volunteer Guild Bookstore Hours:
Tues & Wed: 10am - 6 pm

Thurs: 10am - 7:30 pm

Fri & Sat: 10am - 4:30 pm
Refreshments for Sale • For more info call 714-826-4100 x 123

Free Performance in Honor of Native American Heritage Month

2012-11-07T14:28:00.000-08:00

November is Native American Heritage Month (see the presidential proclamation here). On Wednesday, November 14th at 6:30 the Buena Park Library District will present Native American Storyteller and Dancer, Rodney Howard. Join us for this free show as we celebrate Native American culture and heritage. Rodney Howard, world-performing Maricopa dancer, will be performing traditional North American dances in authentic costume with traditional music. Dances include the Eagle dance, Horse dance, Grass dance, and the very impressive Hoop Dance. Mr. Howard will also entertain children and their grown-ups with traditional Native American stories.

After the performance, there will be a drawing for four Knott’s Berry Farm tickets. This show is free, but seating is limited to the first 250 people, so come early.

Harry Potter and the Order of Felt

2012-11-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

Blogger Julie Gillrie has created an amazing Harry Potter activity book made entirely of felt! Although her "quiet book" is intended for toddlers, it certainly appeals to Potterheads of all ages.

I mean, who doesn't like finger puppets?

Julie has patterns for purchase on her Etsy store, so you can make your very own Harry Potter Quiet Book. And rejoice sci-fi fans, she has also created felt books for

Star Wars and Star Trek (the Next Generation it should be noted, lest you pine for a "Pet the Tribble" activity).

Let's sign off with this priceless Picard page:

November Sale in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

2012-11-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

COOL SAVINGS FOR

NOVEMBER!

All Hardback Fiction Books Are $1.00 Each

Guild Members Get 30% Off

All Non-Fiction Books

Like us on Facebook

for updates on weekly sales!

Volunteer Guild Bookstore Hours:
Tues & Wed: 10am - 6 pm

Thurs: 10am - 7:30 pm

Fri & Sat: 10am - 4:30 pm

Refreshments for Sale • For more info call 714-826-4100 x 123

The bookstore will be closed from Nov. 20 - 24

for the Thanksgiving holiday

I'm a MONSTER!!!

2012-10-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a bit of Halloween silliness courtesy of New York Magazine's Vulture website and artist Jon Defreest: your favorite TV characters as Goosebumps cover models!

Dexter: My Brother is a Serial Killer

American Horror Story: A Night in the Asylum

The Walking Dead: Welcome to Dead Prison

And my personal favorite, Arrested Development's Buster Bluth in: I'm a MONSTER!!!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Countdown to Election Day!

2012-10-27T15:57:00.003-07:00

The Buena Park Library District Staff have created a display near the Reference Desk to help you as Election Day grows near. The League of Women Voters of California has created a free, non-partisan “Easy Voter Guide” pamphlet about the general election and the propositions on the state ballot. You are welcome to take a copy to assist in your decision-making process. The Guide can also be downloaded at www.easyvoterguide.org

While supplies last, you may also pick up a copy of the “Official Voter Information Guide” produced by the Secretary of State, which includes the text of the propositions. It can also found online at http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov

If you need to find your polling place or sample ballot you can go to the Orange County Registrar of Voters website at www.ocvote.com

The City of Buena Park has election information on their website at www.buenapark.com

Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 6, 2012!

Polling places are open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Congratulations to Jose for 25 years of Service!

2012-10-25T12:26:00.001-07:00

Board of Trustees President Dennis Salts congratulates Jose Barendrecht on 25 years of service to the Buena Park Library District.

The Wrath of Melville?

2012-10-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Cats will be cats. Even ghost cats.

The other day someone found a small deceased bird on the ground just outside the library. The staff member who went to clear away the poor little guy said that he looked very peaceful, as if he were just taking a little bird nap. Or was it a cat nap - as in caused by a cat?! A ghost cat for instance?! (dun dun duunnnn!).
Now, I know that there are plenty of real live neighborhood cats around to take the blame, but there were no apparent signs of foul play at the scene. And yes, it could simply have been the little bird's time to shuffle off this mortal coil, but I still think the circumstances are a wee bit suspicious... Melville, j'accuse!

Maybe Melville is trying to get our attention after a long summer of programs and fun that kept us distracted. If there were any mysterious occurrences over the summer, we were too busy to notice them. So Melville, since we have not paid you any attention for so long, please accept this blog post full of cat related articles as a peace offering, and please have pity on our local bird population. I promise not to neglect my duties as ghost cat chronicler in the future.

Enjoy...

From Cheetah Spots to Kitty’s Stripes: The Genetics of Cat Coats

Meet the Cat Running for Mayor of Halifax, Canada

A Cat Has Been Mayor of an Alaskan Town for the Past 15 Years

Architectural Zoo: 10 Buildings Shaped Like Cute Animals (Spoiler: one of them is a cat)

Looking at Cute Images May Improve Concentration (Validation for looking at lolcats at work - thanks science!)

And now, a cat sitting like a human. Y’know. Just thinkin’ about stuff.

p.s. Someone recently asked me why we spell Melville's name wrong. It's true that the creator of the Dewey Decimal System spelled his first name "Melvil" but, I mean, doesn't that just look weird? Initially it was a goof up because spell-check replaced the name with one that it recognized (don't ask me why "Melville" was already in that dictionary). But I rolled with it because I think spelling it "Melville" (ala Herman Melville of Moby Dick fame) just looks more dignified. Or we could just call him Mel?

Map Mural Donated by Dennis and Chris Salts

2012-10-18T11:48:00.001-07:00

The Buena Park Library District would like to thank Dennis and Chris Salts for their generous donation of an eye-catching wall mural map to the Library. Located on the Second Floor near our Passport Acceptance Area, people applying for passports can see where they are going ... Samoa, Belarus, Kenya, Walla Walla ... and other far-flung destinations. Traveler, students and the just plain curious come stop by and check it out! Click on the picture to link to other photos on our Facebook page.

Silent Auction in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore: New Items!

2012-10-17T10:28:00.002-07:00

SILENT AUCTION OF

RARE, UNUSUAL, COLLECTIBLE BOOKS

Come on in to the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

Check out the items & make a bid

Everyone is welcome!

October's Auction Items

The Art of Frank C. McCarthy
1992 - First Edition, First Printing
*copy is in excellent condition*
Beautiful images of the American West,
reproduced in 75 full-color plates.

The Art of James Bama
1993 - First Edition, First printing
*copy is in excellent condition*
Black & white and color illustrations with over 100 color plates.

Bidding for each item starts at $25
Bidding closes at 5 pm on Oct 31

Volunteer Guild Bookstore Hours:
Tues & Wed: 10am - 6 pm

Thurs: 10am - 7:30 pm

Fri & Sat: 10am - 4:30 pm
Refreshments for Sale • For more info call 714-826-4100 x 123

Let's Get Ready to RUMBLE .....

2012-10-11T17:17:00.002-07:00

On October 18, 2012, the Buena Park Library will participate in the 2012 Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill, the largest earthquake preparedness event in U.S. history. At 10:18 a.m. everyone in the Library will “Duck, Cover, and Hold On” for one minute, practicing the actions to take during an earthquake. After the “earthquake” is finished, the Library will be evacuated. When the “all clear” is sounded, everyone will be able to return to the building. We welcome your participation in this earthquake drill. While there will be a brief interruption in library service, the Library appreciates the understanding and cooperation of our patrons as we practice our response to emergency situations.

With 37 million people living and working in California, a major earthquake could cause unprecedented devastation. What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterwards. With earthquakes an inevitable part of California’s future, we must act quickly to ensure that disasters do not become catastrophes. The Great California ShakeOut in October 2011 involved over 8.6 million Californians. Currently, in the state of California alone, there are 9.1 million registered participants for the 2012 ShakeOut. ShakeOuts will be held throughout the United States and Canada on the 18th.

For more information on the Great California and to register to participate, visit this site. www.ShakeOut. For more information on preparing for and surviving a disaster, check the Earthquake Country Alliance website and its booklet “Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country”.

We'll see you next Thursday ,,. under the table!

Country Western Music and Line Dance Program at the Library

2012-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Put on your boots and cowboy hat and mosey on down to the Buena Park Library on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. for country music and line dancing. Guitar and ukulele group, The Music Makers, will present a selection of country music. There will be a line dance instructor on hand to teach a few line dance steps so the audience can dance along with the music. This is an event for all ages. Come early, space is limited.

This Then That: Gone Girl & Before I Go To Sleep

2012-10-10T19:07:00.001-07:00

If you liked...

Gone Girl (2012) by Gillian Flynn

Then try...

Before I Go To Sleep (2011) by S.J. Watson

This past summer's runaway hit Gone Girl is a dark, addictive thriller filled with surprising twists and turns. The story of an ill-fated couple's crumbling marriage -- which culminates in the wife's disappearance and possible murder -- topped both the critics' lists and bestseller charts. Now that you've tore through that dozy of a book, why not pick up S.J. Watson's Before I Go To Sleep?

Before I Go To Sleep hooks you early with an intriguing premise. Every morning, Christine groggily awakens to find herself in an unfamiliar room, in bed with an older man she has never seen before. When she looks in the mirror she is shocked to see a stranger's face stare back at her. Christine's mystery bed mate turns out to be her husband Ben. Ben patiently explains that she was in an accident 20 years ago and has sustained inquiries that seriously impair her memory: Christine is unable to retain memories for more than 24 hours. In the morning the couple are doomed to repeat the same painful process. Christine keeps a journal at the urging of her doctor; after reading her previous entries she becomes suspicious of Ben and the nature of her accident.

Equally hypnotic and foreboding, both Before I Go To Sleep and Gone Girl share similarities in tone, pacing, and subject matter. Both novels also address provocative questions about the nature of love, trust, and betrayal: How well can you really know your partner?

Predictably both novels have been optioned for future film adaptions, so why not read them before they hit the big screen? The Library has multiple copies of Gone Girl and Before I Go To Sleep, so stop in today and pick them up. After all, who couldn't use a little mystery and intrigue in their life?

Would You Refuse $400,000?

2012-10-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Would you?

That's what Jean-Paul Sartre did when he declined the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964. Mr. Sartre declined the title of Nobel Laureate and the accompanying prize money of $53,000 (the equivalent of nearly $400,000 in 2012).

And what was Mr. Sartre's reason? Mr. Sartre believed that "a writer must not accept official awards because to do so would add the influence of the institution that honored his work to the power of his pen. That is not fair to the reader..." ("Sartre Awarded Nobel Prize, but Rejects It," The New York Times, October 23, 1964.)

The man took writing and words very seriously!

Who will win the Nobel Prize in Literature along with the $1.2 million in prize money this year? Find out this Thursday, October 11!

Spanish and Flamenco Music and Dance Program at the Library

2012-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 6, 2012 at 2:00 p.m., the Buena Park Library will be hosting a Spanish and Flamenco Music and Dance program as part of their Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Susana Elena will perform a selection of Spanish flamenco dances with a passionate style unique to Spain. In addition, award-winning solo guitarist and composer Almer Imamovic will play timeless compositions created for the classical Spanish guitar. This is an event is for all ages. Come early, space is limited.

October Sale in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

2012-10-02T18:59:00.001-07:00

Spooky Savings

for

OCTOBER!

25% Off all Horror and Science Fiction books

30% Off everything for Guild members

50% Off your first purchase if you

join the Guild this month

(limit of $15 off of purchase)

Volunteer Guild Bookstore Hours:
Tues & Wed: 10am - 6 pm

Thurs: 10am - 7:30 pm

Fri & Sat: 10am - 4:30 pm
Refreshments for Sale • For more info call 714-826-4100 x 123

Banned Books Week 2012

2012-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

September 30 - October 6, 2012

"Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads." -- George Bernard Shaw

Banned Books Week is a nation-wide celebration of our freedom to read. Bookstores and Libraries around the country will be creating displays and hosting events to draw attention to the ongoing battle against censorship.
According to the American Library Association, more than 11,300 books have been challenged in bookstores, libraries, and schools in the thirty years since Banned Books Week was launched in 1982. Last year 326 challenges were reported to the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom and it is believed that many more challenges go unreported each year.

The 10 most challenged titles of 2011 were:

ttyl; ttfn; l8r, g8r (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
The Color of Earth (series), by Kim Dong Hwa
Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: anti-ethnic; anti-family; insensitivity; offensive language; occult/satanic; violence
My Mom's Having A Baby! A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy, by Dori Hillestad Butler
Reasons: nudity; sex education; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: offensive language; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit; unsuited to age group
Alice (series), by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Reasons: nudity; offensive language; religious viewpoint
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: insensitivity; nudity; racism; religious viewpoint; sexually explicit
What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: nudity; offensive language; sexually explicit
Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily Von Ziegesar
Reasons: drugs; offensive language; sexually explicit
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Reasons: offensive language; racism

The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library in Indianapolis will be marking the week in a very unique manner - writer and editor Corey Michael Dalton will set up house in the front window of the library and live on display for the entire week! This protest / live art installation, titled "Locked up with Vonnegut," is meant to draw attention to ban of Vonnegut's masterpiece "Slaughterhouse Five" by a Missouri school system. Corey is promising that his time at the library will be broadcast via webcam as well.

The Huffington Post has a great article on the most surprising books to be banned.

The ACLU has comics, blogs, videos, and audio about censorship and banned books.

Check out this video of celebrities and authors discussing what banned book they are reading.

For more info about Banned Books Week and how you can participate, go to www.bannedbooksweek.org
or www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek.

Because it's Tuesday

2012-09-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

Here's another roundup of cool articles for lovers of literature...

via BoingBoing: Someone found and scanned a great vintage ad on how to write with style featuring Kurt Vonnegut, plus a gallery of other ads in the series.

via Flavorwire: Check out this gallery of artwork inspired by 20th century American novels.

via io9: Is it true that the best tv shows are made from books?

via Neatorama: celebrate William Faulkner's birthday with some life advice from the man himself.

Happy 115th Mr. Faulkner!

Silent Auction Update

2012-09-13T17:40:00.001-07:00

The Volunteer Guild Bookstore's September Silent Auction

has been extended by a week - it now ends October 6

More info...

This Then That: Downton Abbey & The Forsyte Saga

2012-09-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

If you liked...

Then try...

Count yourself among the millions of viewers that fell under the spell of the Downton Abbey? Well you'll have a bit of a wait until the 3rd season premieres in January, so why not occupy your time with another sweeping English melodrama featuring an ensemble cast?

Based on a series of novels by John Galsworthy, The Forsyte Saga (2002) chronicles the trials and tribulations of a wealthy family in 19th century England. The story unfolds with the marriage of the rigid Soames Forsyte to the beautiful and idealistic Irene Heron. What follows are decades of intrigue, forbidden romance, and family feuds. Both miniseries were produced by Masterpiece Classic, so expect the same production values (lush period costumes and sets) present in Downton Abbey.

The Library has the entire Forsyte Saga miniseries in our collection, along with a collected volume of Galsworthy's Forsyte novels. And you can always get your Downton Abbey fix at the Library as well, in preparation for the new season.

Ugh, is it January yet?

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month

2012-09-01T16:20:00.000-07:00

Click here to discover 60 ways to use your library card.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country remind parents and caregivers that a library card is the smartest card you can own.

When it comes to achieving academic success, a library card provides students with access to a world of both print and electronic resources. Students can access free databases, online homework help and attend programs, activities and clubs that provide an added value to the educational experience. It’s easy to see why eighty-four percent of Americans agree that the public library is important to education.

Today’s students learn differently than their predecessors, with studies indicating that students most effectively learn when they are allowed to follow their personal interests. Libraries and librarians are on the frontlines of engaging these students, making a library card an essential tool for inspiring a passion for learning. What better place is there to explore and develop new interests than the library?

September Sale in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

2012-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

SEPTEMBER SAVINGS

The Volunteer Guild Bookstore is giving you 20% off

any total purchase of $20 or more

all month long!

Save money on books, movies, and music

and support the library too

Your piggy bank thanks you

and so do we!

Volunteer Guild Bookstore Hours:
Tues & Wed: 10am - 6 pm

Thurs: 10am - 7:30 pm

Fri & Sat: 10am - 4:30 pm
Refreshments for Sale • For more info call 714-826-4100 x 123