Brookfield Public Library News

2006-09-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

Come visit our new website and blogs!

The new library website is at www.brookfieldpubliclibrary.info

See what's on our New Bookshelf, get reading recommendations on our Reader's Advisory site, keep up-to-date on library News, or see what's new for Young Adults!

RSS feeds are available, too, so you will always get the latest news via your preferred RSS reader.
Find out more about RSS here.

2006-08-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

Finding Fiction

Can't decide what book to read next? We can help!

Next time you're in the library, stop by the reference desk to see if we can give you some ideas.
Or if you want to do some book hunting from your computer at home, (or even while you're here), try out our new book recommendation database, Novelist .

Novelist can give you suggestions based on your favorite titles or authors. It can also tell you about books that have similar settings or themes.

So, check it out- your next great read is waiting!

2006-08-08T10:03:00.000-05:00

Fforde is Fun!!

Ever wish you could step into a book and talk with your favorite characters? Do you wonder why the 3 Little Bears each had their own bed or just what Humpty Dumpty was doing on that wall when he fell? Do you think the Gingerbread man is just a teeny bit creepy? Well then check out the wonderfully wacky book world of Jasper Fforde.

In his first series, Fforde has created an amazing alternate world in which Special Operative Thursday Next (star of the Thursday Next Series) can step into the book world to mingle with such memorable literary characters as Miss Haversham (Great Expectations) Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre) and the Cheshire Cat (of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/ Through the Looking Glass fame). In book one (The Eyre Affair), Thursday must save a kidnapped Jane Eyre from the evil Acheron Hades. Later books chronicle Thursday's adventures in the book world while in the witness protection program.

(Thursday Next Series: The Eyre Affair; Lost in a Good Book; The Well of Lost Plots; Something Rotten)

Classis British literature not your style? Check out Fforde's Nursery Crime Series. Join detectives Jack Spratt and Mary Mary of the Nursery Crime Division as they attempt to solve the murder of Humpty Dumpty and the case of the 4th Bear. But be sure to watch out for Jack's nemesis- that homicidal maniac, the Gingerbread Man.

(Nursery Crime Series: The Big Over Easy; The Fourth Bear)

**Warning- an active imagination and a love of great literary characters are a prerequisite for enjoying these books.

2006-08-03T18:42:00.000-05:00

New Releases on DVD

For the Family
The Shaggy Dog {Widescreen}
Running Time: 1hr 38min
Rating: PG {Contains some mild rude humor}
Subtitles: French and Spanish
Status: In stores now on DVD

Summary: Tim Allen transforms from family dad to family dog and back again in this update of the Disney comedy. It all begins when workaholic Deputy D.A. Dave Douglas (Allen) takes on a case involving an animal laboratory -- one that will take him away yet again from his wife and kids. But when Dave is accidentally infected with a top-secret, genetic-mutation serum, everything he thought he knew about himself and his family, changes. Yet with his newly perked-up ears, and his front-row seat on the household carpet, Dave is able to gain a whole new perspective into his family's secrets and dreams. Now, he wants nothing more than to stop fetching and return to fathering -- only first he'll have to stop the evil forces behind the serum.

DVD Extras: Bone-tickling bloopers ; Deleted scenes ; Audio commentary with director Brian Robbins and producer David Hoberman ; Bark-along 'bone-us' feature for your dog to enjoy

For Adults
V for Vendetta Special Edition {Widescreen}
Running Time: 2hrs 11min
Rating: R {Strong Violence and Language}
Subtitles: French, Spanish and English
Status: In stores now on DVD

Summary:
A terrorist freedom fighter known only as "V" begins a violent guerilla campaign to destroy those who've succumbed to totalitarianism. Recruiting a young woman he's rescued from the secret police to join him, V vows to carry out the plot that Guy Fawkes was executed for attempting on November 5th in 1605: he will blow up Parliament.

DVD Extras:
Disc 1: The Making of V for Vendetta
Disc 2: Designing the Near Future ; Remember, Remember: Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder plot ; England Prevails: V for Vendetta and the new wave in comics ; Cat Power Montage Theatrical trailer

2006-07-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

A treat for your Summer menu!

They're good for you, taste great, what's not to like?

It’s blueberry season! Boxes of blue goodness everywhere. Blueberries are healthy containing vitamin C, E and lots of fiber. They are also low in calories. They are the only natural fruit that’s blue. So you have to love them! You can do anything with a blueberry you can do with any other kind of berry. They do make great muffins wonderful on short cakes or in trifles.

Blue Berry muffins

2006-07-17T13:21:00.000-05:00

"Jack the Ripper: Whitechapel Murderer"
Tuesday, July 18 @ 7:00

In 1888, a killer known only as "Jack the Ripper" terrorized London's Whitechapel District by murdering "unfortunate women." To this day, the identity of the world's first serial killer remains unknown. So- who was Jack? What made him murder those women? Was it a plot to protect the crown? Anglophile Linda Putnam returns to the library to present "Jack the Ripper: Whitechapel Murderer", discussing Jack's possible identities and presenting photos of his victims and London's East End in the 19th Century. So, come beat the heat to discuss a little cold blooded murder.

2006-07-08T09:57:00.001-05:00

Pirates Rrrrrr Cool!

This summer, with the release of the newest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, pirates are more in vogue that ever. Indeed, the movie grossed $132 million in its first weekend, breaking a record set by Spiderman 2 for opening weekend earnings (http://movies.go.com/boxoffice). Fans of the movie have been attending the showings dressed as their favorite character. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest does not disappoint true Pirates of the Caribbean fans. While the movie is much darker than the first, it is full of humorous moments and many inside jokes from The Curse of the Black Pearl (hint- re- watch the first before you go see the second). The movie is full of suspense right up to the last minute, and leaves you wondering- "what's gonna happen next?" However, unless you've got director Gore Verbinski or Johnny Depp on your speed dial, we'll have to wait until summer 2007 to find out.

In the mean time, can't get enough of pirates? Check out these books at the library:

*Raiders & Rebels: The Golden Age of Piracy by Sherry Frank
(Adult Non-Fiction 364.164 Sherry)
*Dangerous Waters by John S. Burnett
(Adult Non-Fiction 940.45 Bur)
*Under the Black Flag by David Cordingly
(Adult Non-Fiction 910.45 Cor)
*Pirates: Terror on the High Seas edited by David Cordingly
(Adult Non-Fiction 910.45 Pir Oversize)
*The End of Barbary Terror: America's 1815 War Against the Pirates of North Africa
by Frederick Leiner (Adult New Non-Fiction 973.47 Lei)

And for the kid at heart- check out these novels:

*Peter and the Starcatchers (a prequel to Peter Pan)
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson(Juvenile Fiction Barry)
*Captain Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart (the man who wrote the
screenplay to the movie Hook). (Young Adult Fiction Hart)
* Castaways of the Flying Dutchman and The Angels Command: A Tale From the Castways
of the Flying Dutchman both by Brian Jacques (Young Adult Fiction Jacques)
*Pirates! by Celia Rees. (Young Adult Fiction Rees)
*Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson.
(Juvenile Fiction Stevenson)

Lastly, there's Grania: She-king of the Irish Seas by Morgan Llywelyn (Adult New Fiction Llywelyn) which is the basis for the new musical The Pirate Queen by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil (creators of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon). The Pirate Queen makes its world premier this fall at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre.

With all these great options its easy to see why pirates really Rrrr cool!

2006-06-26T18:44:00.000-05:00

Summer Reading Program: Sign Up Deadline Extended

If you haven't signed up for the 5-books-in-5-weeks Read in the Wildest Places Adult & Teen Summer Reading Program, there's still time! The program runs now through July 21st. Sign up now and choose tickets to one of the great concerts happening at Ravinia this summer*. Participants who meet the goal will be eligible for a prize raffle to be conducted at the Summer Reading Program Finale Reception on Tuesday, July 25th at 7:00 pm.

Whether you take your books with you on your summer travels or let your books take you into an imaginary world, be sure to sign up for the program.

*A limited number of tickets are available to select shows. Limit 2 tickets per person.

2006-06-20T19:28:00.000-05:00

Movie Review--A Prairie Home Companion

Robert Altman and Garrison Keillor combine reality and fantasy in this smooth, ebullient take on the long-running Prairie Home Companion radio show. Set during the show's fictitious last broadcast--the host station has been bought--the film has plenty of elements from the real PHC radiocasts, including a live audience and the sensational Shoe band. The onstage program is mostly music numbers, a beguiling mix of standards and old-style country. However, the show's usual comedy sketches are never presented, save for the commercial parodies--this may be a PHC show, but Lake Wobegone is never mentioned. Instead, the sketches are played out as backstage banter that feautres the Johnson Sisters (Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin), a harried stage hand (Maya Rudolph), a former listener turned angel (Virginia Madsen), and Keillor himself (a crusty alter-ego named simply G.K.). A few characters from the real PHC are given life: the singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty and gumshoe Guy Noir are embodied by Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, and Kevin Kline, respectively. Old flames are fanned, stories are spun, new talents are found (Lindsay Lohan has a chance to shine as Streep's daughter) and everyone wonders if G.K. will do something to ebb the tide of cancellation (personified by Tommy Lee Jones as the corporate Axeman). All of the actors do right as singers, and seem to be having the time of their life. Keillor's screenplay is perfect fodder for Altman's usual brand of storytelling, as characters babble on with the camera picking them up often in mid-thought. The film appeared a few months after Altman received an honorary Oscar, and the director is still at the top of his game, creating this smile-inducing, song-filled time, ending with an ethereal last musical number.

2006-06-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

Local authors featured on TCM Website

Local authors Ted Okuda and David Maska are currently featured in the "New Books" section of the Turner Classic Movies website. http://www.tcm.com/movienews/index/?cid=137676. The authors presented a program on Charlie Chaplin at the library in March to promote their book Charlie Chaplin at Keystone and Essanay: Dawn of the Tramp. The book can be found in the library in the Adult New Non Fiction section (call # 791.4375 OKU).

2006-06-08T12:07:00.000-05:00

New Subscription:

Thanks to a kind gift subscription, we now have Canoe & Kayak magazine in our collection. Come check out the June 2006 issue and a special Beginner's Guide supplement. Explore a new outdoor hobby just in time for summer!

Don't forget to Meet the Creek on Father's Day (Sunday, June 18th). The Village of Brookfield Conservation Commission is sponsoring a day of nature activities for the whole family. The festivities run from 10 am to 2 pm at Kiwanis Park and include a canoeing adventure on Salt Creek. For more information, please see the Village of Brookfield website .

2006-06-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

The Catalog is Back!

We have resolved our technical difficulties and are happy to announce that the online catalog is up and running again. You should also be able to access our online reference databases (Newsbank, EBSCO, etc.) from home using a valid Brookfield library barcode.

Please call us at (708) 485-6917 if you have problems accessing these resources.

Thank you for your patience.

2006-06-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

Check it out!!- The Reduced Shakespeare Company

Life is short. The complete works of William Shakespeare are long, hard to understand, and somtimes boring. To the rescue: The Reduced Shakespeare Company's Complete Works of William Shakespeare- Abridged!. In this DVD, the Reduced Shakespeare Company (RSC), a three-man comedy troupe, performs the entirety of the Bard's works in 90 roller-coaster, rib tickling minutes. The RSC's provides the audience with hilarious interpretations of Shakespeare's works that are easy for everyone to understand (like Cliffs Notes only funnier). After warming up with a nothing-is-sacred send-up of Romeo and Juliet, they’re off, dispensing with the comedies in one fell swoop (because the tragedies are funnier). You see Othello as a rap song, Titus Andronicus as a cooking show, the histories as a football game, and the show’s unforgettable finale - Hamlet - told with the help of audience members and lascivious sock puppets. Thanks to the RSC, not only can you catch all of Shakespeare's plays at once, but you can have a riotous good time doing so. (Reviews courtesy of Amazon.com)

Warning from the RSC: "This show is a high-speed roller-coaster type condensation of all of Shakespeare's plays, and is not recommended for people with heart ailments, bladder problems, inner-ear disorders and/or people inclined to motion sickness. The RSC cannot be held responsible for expectant mothers."

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare- Abridged! can be found in the new Adult DVDs section (call # 822.331 Com). Also coming soon to the library, Reduced Shakespeare: The Attention Impaired Reader's Guide to the World's Best Playwright, and the DVD of The Complete History of America- Abridged!. For more information on the Reduced Shakespeare Company, check out their website at www.reducedshakespeare.com

2006-06-01T09:51:00.000-05:00

Catalog Outage

The Dynix server that powers our online and in-house catalog has crashed. Unfortunately, until repairs can be made, patrons will be unable to access our catalog and electronic databases. We are working to get our catalog up and running as soon as possible. In the meantime, please call the library at 708-485-6917 or stop by and we will happily help you find the resources and materials that you need.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

2006-05-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

Movie Review

The Da Vinci Code
Running Time: 2hr 29min
Director: Ron Howard
Rating: PG-13 {disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content}
Status: In theaters now
Find it in a theater near you - Go here

Summary:
Famed symbologist Professor Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre museum one night where a curator has been murdered, leaving behind a mysterious trail of symbols and clues. With his own survival at stake, Langdon, aided by the police cryptologist Sophie Neveu, unveils a series of stunning secrets hidden in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, all leading to a covert society dedicated to guarding an ancient secret that has remained hidden for 2000 years. The pair set off on a thrilling quest through Paris, London and Scotland, collecting clues as they desperately attempt to crack the code and reveal secrets that will shake the very foundations of mankind.

Review:
Dan Brown's mega-selling novel might have made a great ten-hour miniseries: its elaborate riddles and clues could have been properly teased, the cliff-hangers savored, and the sudsy relationships given an appropriately vulgar treatment. Alas, this Ron Howard adaptation is like a speed-dating session, covering two millennia of religious and art history. A symbologist (Tom Hanks, stiff) and a cryptographer (Audrey Tautou, blank) careen across France and the UK trying to uncover the secrets behind a Louvre curator's murder, with a mad monk (Paul Bettany) and a fanatical cop (Jean Reno) in hot pursuit.
Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) pelts the viewer with so many factoids and allegations about the early Catholic church, goddess worship, the Crusades, painting, cartography, and code breaking that the movie's big revelation turns out to be neither grand nor shocking. - Andrea Gronvall - Chicago Reader

2006-05-10T17:37:00.000-05:00

Predator by Patricia Cornwell
Predator, the new novel by Patricia Cornwell, is the new Kay Scarpetta thriller in a long list of mysteries by the acclaimed author. In this book, Scarpetta faces roadblocks in her long-term relationship with Benton Wesley; discovers a disturbing fact about her niece, Lucy; and brings down another heinous serial killer. If you have a sensitive stomach, this book is not for you. It is very disturbing to read about the insane criminal mind and the atrocities that it commits, but it is oddly fascinating as well. It's like staring into the abyss and seeing the worst of humanity. I liked Predator better than Cornwell's last few books because she spends less time on the relationships between her characters, and more time developing the plot. Reading Predator is like peeling an onion one layer at a time. I recommend it for fans of mysteries and thrillers.

2006-05-03T13:13:00.000-05:00

Riverview Amusement Park Program Tuesday May 23, 7 pm

Ralph Lopez and the National Amusement Park Historical Association are back to present a program on the Riverview Amusement Park. They will present a small exhibit about the park as well the video "Laugh Your Troubles Away." After the video, they will answer questions about the park. To register, sign up at the reference desk.

2006-04-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

Last night, with a special proclamation, the Brookfield Public Library Board of Trustees honored member Carol Vaughan Kissane for her 25 years of continued, dedicated service.

Thank you, Carol!

2006-03-29T11:50:00.000-06:00

National Library Week:
Change Your World @ Your Library
April 2-8, 2006

Please join us to celebrate National Library Week. We're offering a number of interesting, new programs for adults, children, teens, and families. Check out our program and change your world!

As a special way of changing the world, library cards will be available during this week for the first time for babies and toddlers. Parents who reside within the Village of Brookfield may fill out an application for a card for their child without any special fee. As always, applicants are required to provide proof of residency in the form of a valid driver's license or state I.D. with a current Brookfield address. New to the community? A current utility bill showing a Brookfield address and a photo I.D. works as well. Parents will be asked to sign a statement of responsibility.

We hope to see you in the Library soon.

2006-03-24T12:07:00.000-06:00

These Just In! Spring Wedding Spectacular!

Planning a wedding or know someone who is? You might want to check out these unique selections from our new book shelf.

The Smart Couple's Guide to the Wedding of Your Dreams by Judith Sherven & James Sniechowski offers suggestions on "planning together for less stress and more joy."

Wedding Sanity Savers by Dr. Dale Atkins and Annie Gilbar tells you "how to handle the stickiest dilemmas, scrapes, and questions that arise on the road to your perfect day."

Your Unique Wedding by Kerry McDonald helps you plan to "say 'I do' with a twist."

Pretty Weddings for Practically Pennies by Catherine Yarnovich Risling provides penny-pinching tips for the big day.

The Engaged Groom by Doug Gordon is a no-nonsense practical guide for the groom who wants to be a thoughtful, engaged participant in the wedding planning process.

2006-02-22T12:44:00.000-06:00

Website Survey (Re-post)

Please take a moment to tell us what you think about our current website. How can we serve you better online? Let us know here.

2006-02-14T10:31:00.000-06:00

New Periodicals Shelving

The Library is pleased to announce the arrival of new periodicals shelving. The Friends of the Library generously underwrote the purchase of the shelving unit.

2006-02-07T10:38:00.000-06:00

Library Closing

To permit carpet repair, the library will close at 5 pm on Thursday, 2/16. We will be closed all day on Friday, 2/17, and will reopen at 1:00 pm on Saturday, 2/18.

Thank you for your cooperation.

2006-01-26T09:00:00.000-06:00

Recommended Reading

We’d like to recommend 3 very different books, all entertaining and well worth reading.

The first, Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons, is a fast paced, high action mystery thriller set within the Vatican and the streets of Rome. Brown, the author of the extremely popular Da Vinci Code , leads us through the realm of an ancient secret society that intends to destroy the face of the Catholic Church forever. This book effortlessly combines science, religion, history, and murder in such a way as to keep the reader eagerly reading to its final surprising conclusion. Angels and Demons is a highly entertaining, page turning experience.

The next recommended title is The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea. This enchanting book is the story of Teresita, a young Mexican girl in the late 1800’s, who, through the teachings of the village curandera, becomes a miraculous healer. This historical novel is populated with memorable, unique characters and, according to the author, is based on the life of his great aunt Teresita who later became Mexico’s “Saint of Cabora”. Anyone looking for a book that satisfies on many different levels will not want to miss reading The Hummingbird’s Daughter.

Last, but definitely not least is Frank McCourt’s newest contribution to the world of memoirs. This renowned author of Angela’s Ashes and 'Tis has now turned to the telling of his first love in the writing of Teacher Man, the highly entertaining story of his 30 year teaching career in the high schools of New York. McCourt writes of the difficulties and dignities of this largely thankless profession with his usual irreverent wit and sometimes heartbreaking honesty. This book is a tribute to teachers everywhere, and a must read for everyone.

If you've read any of these books or want to make suggestions to other patrons, we invite you to comment here.

-Marilyn Fay
Adult Services

2006-01-24T13:26:00.000-06:00

Website Redesign

Please take a moment to complete this survey about the library website. We're going to launch a brand-new site in August of 2006, and we need your feedback.

Thank you!