Live from Blue Island

I’m OK, You’re My Parents

2012-01-27T10:59:00.005-06:00

I’m OK, You’re My Parents

I’m OK, You’re My Parents by Dr. Dale Atkins offers advice on how to deal with problems communicating with your parents. It also assists in finding away to overcome guilt and let go of anger to create a better relationship. If you tend to argue with your parents and don’t get along, you have to talk to them and see why these behaviors occur. If you are a person who deals with these issues you have to be very strong and try not to get frustrated. Everyone has to remain calm and be able to speak without yelling. There are resolutions—you just have to know how to act in the situation.

In many cases, a child’s relationship with their parents is either good or terrible and you get to a point in life where you just have to stop and consider the problem. Maybe your parents had a rough divorce and you got to see how they treated each other. The thing is that many children do not communicate effectively with their parents and that’s not good because we all need someone to talk with when problems arise. Some important things that we need to have with our parents is good communication and trust because if that is lost, it is very hard to regain.

I think Dr. Atkin’s book gives you helpful lessons on how to deal with your parents when you are angry with them and not getting along. I would definitely recommend this book and I plan to recommend I’m OK, You’re My Parents to some people I know.

Review by Huri

The Obamas by Jodi Kantor

2012-01-27T09:12:00.000-06:00

Although I don’t usually read political books, I was intrigued when I heard about Jodi Kantor’s The Obamas. It promised to provide insight into the first couple’s powerful partnership and talk about how these two equally successful and driven people make their marriage work while living in the spotlight.

The main theme of this book is how the Obamas changed when they moved to Washington. We explore Michelle Obama’s struggle to be a modern first lady with a purpose and her conflict with the President’s advisors. We follow the President’s fall from popularity and isolation from the American people. And we see the first couple’s ongoing struggle to hold on to some semblance on normalcy while living in the White House and dealing with traditional Washington politics. Ever present is the idea that Michelle and Barack Obama have a dynamic, ongoing dialogue about what their purpose is and what they can accomplish.

The White House has criticized this book and the first lady spoke out against it's portrayal of herself. However, contrary to what the first lady said, I do not see her portrayed as an “angry black woman” – but instead as someone with immense inner strength, drive and vision. A force to be reckoned with, and someone who is very admirable indeed. Michelle’s story – her growth and transformation - are what drive this book and make it successful.

Readers should be able to enjoy this book regardless of their political affiliations. Ms. Kantor wrights in an even-handed, nuanced way that is free from political hype.

I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy current events and political news- especially to those who may not know a lot about the Obamas to begin with. Those who are already well read in this subject may find the book doesn’t have much new to offer. Those who are serious about politics and who enjoy reading books with considerable political heft may think this book is too gossipy.

I’d also recommend it to those who enjoy biographies and memoirs. It tells a story of overcoming obstacles and of tremendous personal growth. It also has a lot of compelling details about the first family’s life in the White House that many readers will find interesting.

Stoner by John Williams

2012-01-26T11:09:00.003-06:00

Stoner by John Williams was originally published in 1965. I am guessing that the counter-cultural slang meaning of the word "stoner" had not yet taken hold and this word, both the name of the central character of the novel and title of the novel itself, is an elegant calling out of the essential nature of the man and his life: like a stone, a hard obdurate solitary yet whole endeavor. Unlike a stone, however, Stoner does have a rich inner consciousness of book-learning and book-teaching that informs his life and gives it meaning.

Where others might see in his life story a sad and desperate surrender to the assaults and conventions of life, he has his interior consolations and his own proper destiny through his work. His forbears were stubbornly stoic farmers. Although he changes the vehicle and venue of his life to academia, he is as unrelenting in his stoicism and commitment to work as his ancestors. It cannot be said that Stoner has not had some measure of destiny in his life.

Love comes into his life twice: once as a romantic but deeply unsatisfying marital fairy-tale and then later as a compelling and ecstatic internal hemorrage, an affair. His marriage is bad; he sticks with it to the end. For me, the most heartbreaking character in this novel is his tragic daughter Grace. She has the most pitiful and modern of outcomes. This debasement of Grace in the war zone of Stoner's marriage is agonizing; his daughter Grace (and lack of the warm, merciful quality of grace) is what is most tragic about a life otherwise dignified even in its plentiful compromises.

Review of The Shape Shifter

2012-01-19T09:21:00.004-06:00

The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman is the best book I have read in a long time. The story is a mystery full of so many twists that it is almost impossible to stop reading. I would definitely give this book an A+! The Shape Shifter is a mystery based on an old tale of the Navajo tribe. They believe in this organism called the “shape shifter” and this thing can change its physical appearance into any living organism on the earth. In this book Perkins, an ex CIA member, is a master-mind criminal who robs people for large amounts of money and valuables. Little did he know that retired lieutenant Joe Leaphorn was hot on his trail. Perkins, who at this point is under the alias Shrewshak, ends up robbing a store that he had been working for with the assistance of his co-workers. Little did they know that Shrewshak was setting them up the whole time. He had them all go to different spots to meet up and split their earnings, but instead Perkins had informed the police on their whereabouts giving him the time to successfully get away with his crime and not split the profits. After that, Shrewshak disappeared and was now on the FBI’s most wanted list. So they thought!

He returned under another alias, Totter. Totter bought a building and started his own antique shop, collecting expensive valuables. Totter then burned his business and most of the belonging—along with one of his workers. The worker that died was thought to be Shrewshak because of the evidence that Totter left behind to keep the FBI off his own back. Totter then collected the money from the insurance claim and disappeared. He was then discovered to be dead a couple years after the fire. Or at least they thought he died! So later in the book Leaphorn’s old friend Bork from the FBI had discovered a picture of this rug that Totter had in his antique store and began questioning how it was still in existence. Bork then informed Leaphorn causing him to wonder the same thing, which led to Leaphorn getting back into the game! Leaphorn did many methods of investigating this dilemma. He put in weeks of hard work and was determined to figure out what really happened in that fire. So he visited the owner of the rug.

After all of his adventures during the investigation, Leaphorn finally figured out what really happened in the fire. I left out a lot of details, but this way I won’t spoil the book for anyone else interested in reading The Shape Shifter. I would definitely recommend this book—it is a great read.

Rick, January 5, 2012

Exploring our Winter Wonderland

2012-01-15T13:39:00.013-06:00

Winter has finally arrived! After a dry holiday season we welcomed the first real snowfall of the winter. Blue Island Public Library employee Brian celebrated by making some beautiful photography (shown below).

How do you enjoy the season? Sledding, skiing, snow angels? Have you taken photos of this year’s winter wonderland? Send us your favorite photograph we’ll post your pictures as the winter progresses. Send photos to reference@blueislandlibrary.org Please include your name in the email.

Find great places to explore the outdoors at:
http://www.discovertheforest.org/where-to-go

Win an Mp3 player! Get some technical help with your new e-reader gadget!

2011-12-30T16:26:00.002-06:00

The Reference Desk is sponsoring a Winter Raffle to promote the OverDrive/ Media on Demand program. In addition to the monthly drawing for an Mp3 player, we will be offering tutorials on getting started with Media on Demand on your gadget of choice. In order to receive a ticket to enter the raffle, you should ask a question at the Reference Desk--- any question (simple or more complex)--- about Media on Demand or sign up for a free tutorial. We will repeat the drawing at least 3 times.

Tis the season for great new tech toys!

2011-12-27T16:13:00.004-06:00

Did you get a Kindle or a Kindle Fire for the holidays? Well did you know that you can check out e-books from the library so you can avoid the cost of buying e-books from Amazon? Well you can by using www.mediaondemand.org. Here are instructions on how to check out an e-book from the Media on Demand website:

How check out e-books on the Kindle or Kindle Fire

Visit the collection of eBooks…

Click the 'Get for Kindle' button. This opens the Amazon.com website. You may be required to sign in with your Amazon.com account if you are not already logged in.
Select a Kindle device or Kindle reading app. Click the 'Get library book' button and sync your device or app to download the book, or choose to send it to your device via USB.
An active Wi-Fi connection is required for wireless delivery to a Kindle device.
If your Kindle is not Wi-Fi capable or you do not have an active Wi-Fi connection, read Amazon's instructions for transferring files via USB.

Click here to read some instructions on how to return your e-books early via Amazon.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

2011-12-19T19:51:00.001-06:00

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is a brainy and compelling novel, evocative of the East Coast, Brown University campus, and that difficult first year after graduation from college. When I saw him read to a packed house at the Madison Book Festival this year, Eugenides stated that he was trying to rewrite the 19th century "marriage" novel in a contemporary setting. Eugenides himself is a Brown graduate, and he really writes convincingly about a graduation day in the mid-to-late eighties. I liked this novel BETTER than Middlesex, his last blockbuster novel, because the characters are true to life. He writes very well about the regrets and love relationships of young adulthood. The book made many Best of 2011 lists, and yes, it is a darn good read, making me think of Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar and Zadie Smith's White Teeth--- but from a male perspective.

View all my reviews

Game by Walter Dean Myers

2011-12-16T09:46:00.004-06:00

Walter Dean Myer’s Game is set in Harlem. The story is about a senior in high school named Drew Lawson. He is a phenomenal basketball player. He loves the game; he stays on the court all day, every day. Drew is the captain of his school’s basketball team. He wants to get into a Division 1 college to play basketball, but his grades are not that good. Some of Drew’s close friends are in jail, but that does not curb his desire to play college ball. Drew looks around and sees all the good basketball players in his neighborhood and sees how they are making bad decisions. That is why Drew works so hard at basketball—so he won’t end up like them.

A new player enrolls in school and Drew feels threatened by him. Drew doesn’t like him because Coach tries to make him the leader of the team and Drew knows in his heart that he should be captain. So Drew and the new guy play basketball together and soon become friends. Their team makes the playoffs where the competition increases and the boys rise to the moment. Their team loses in the last round of the playoffs and the Coach let’s them know how proud he is of their accomplishments, but Drew is upset because a lot of his teammates have scholarships and he didn’t receive any offers. Drew goes home pretty mad, but his sister Jocelyn is waiting anxiously at the door. Two men are waiting for him to arrive and it turns out they have good news—a college scholarship.

Dominique

Holiday Inspiration

2011-12-13T18:02:00.001-06:00

Get fresh ideas this holiday season with books that will inspire you. It might be time to update your decorations or try out a new recipe. We’ve got the book bursting with ideas. You could just discover a new Christmas tradition. Here’s a list of some of our favorites.

The Christmas Eve Cookbook: with tales of Nochebuena and Chanukah by Ferdie Pacheco and Luisita Sevilla Pacheco

Family Fun cookies for Christmas by Deanna Cook

El Gran Libro de la cocina Navideña by Katerin Marshall

All through the seasons: recipes and crafts from Gooseberry Patch

The seven days of Kwanza by Angela Shelf Medearis

Martha Stewart’s handmade holiday crafts from Martha Stewart Living

These are just a sampling. We have many more!

Talking about the weather: Chicago Winter 2012

2011-11-08T17:40:00.001-06:00

I have heard a lot of buzz lately about the brutal winter that is in store for us this season. It's going to be the worst winter of all time, people say. Being the stubborn skeptic that I am, I've questioned a few such purveyors of doom-and-gloom about how they could possibly know such a thing. They've confidently sited the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac is widely considered to be THE place to go for predictions on upcoming weather and is a standard in many library collections. Therefore, I was prepared to accept my fate and resign myself to the worst winter ever. On a whim I decided to read the predictions for myself. You can imagine my surprise when I cracked open the almanac to discover that our region is forecast to enjoy a slightly milder winter with near normal snowfall. So what’s with all the dire predictions?!

The truth is that last winter was absolutely terrible and this year is going to be almost just as bad. But that's kind of business as usual around here. My suggestion would be to get outside now. Go for a walk! Sit on your porch! Enjoy the mild 50 degree weather and the last of the fall colors while you can. We are going to have to go into hibernation mode soon enough.

Here are some of our favorite sources for weather predictions:

Weather Bug
www.weather.weatherbug.com/

National Weather Service - Chicago
www.crh.noaa.gov/lot/

The Weather Channel
www.weather.com/

Old Farmer’s Almanac online
www.farmersalmanac.com

Good Reads

2011-11-08T10:50:00.004-06:00

Do you want to know what the BIPL staff have read and want to know their review of a certain book? Well we are proud to annouce that we now have a Goodreads account! Please click on the Goodreads link below and at the bottom of the page on the right side select "review" from the drop down list so you can read our reviews:

my read shelf:

Zahra's Paradise

2011-10-26T12:29:00.000-05:00

Zahra's Paradise by amir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Following close on the heels of the Arab Spring protests in Iran, this book is the gutsy, impassioned follow-up to that inspiring--- yet for many Iranian families, devastating--- historical episode. The artist and writer are freed to speak publically because of the protections of anonymity, and they introduce the reader to a contemporary Iran that is under oppression but still bursting with rebellious, truth-seeking energy. This extraordinary graphic novel is an example of the publishing world acting as a fast-moving progressive force in the global culture, and it burned in my hands (with relevance!)

View all my reviews

Get your browsers here!

2011-10-26T11:03:00.009-05:00

Do you have a laptop, PC or Mac? Are you tired of using Internet Explorer or Safari for browsing the internet? Well, here are some sites where you can download new browsers to give your computer that brand new shiny vibe: like when you first opened the box.

Chrome is a really simple browser from Google that will install in seconds and works super fast to pull up websites that you want to browse. Have you ever heard of the game Angry Birds? Well, right now Chrome comes with a version Angry Birds so you can play the game on a larger screen than your smartphone or tablet. Here are the links to download Chrome for your PC/laptop and Mac.

Do you find that sometimes that Internet Explorer (IE) will not open a website that you want to view? Well Firefox may be the browser for you. This browser is really a great work around for websites that seem to stall in IE. Plus it’s secure, fast and you can improve your time on the web by adding add-ons (extensions). Here is the link to download Firfox for your PC/laptop or Mac.

Opera is another browser that is fast, customizable and fun. It makes browsing the internet a pleasurable experience and like Firefox you can download add-ons (extensions) as well. Also with Opera you can download items (widgets) for games and applications that allow you to access your files on your computer from anywhere in the world. Here is the link to download Opera for your PC/laptop, Mac or other operating systems.

Ok . . . . ok so you’re happy with IE, but maybe you just want something that looks different, but still gives you the familiarity of IE. Well SlimBrowser may be for you. SlimBrowser allows you to have multiple tabs open at the same time, but those tabs can be used easier and more efficiently than in IE. This is done by allowing you to set SlimbBrowser to open a new webpage in the current tab or to automatically open up a new webpage in new tab. To make SlimBrowser really appealing to you can change the color of the browser by downloading skins from their website. SlimBrowser is currently only available for download for PC/laptop and you can download it from here.

If you know of any other browsers that you love then please tell everyone in the comments section. Happy browsing everyone!

The Man Booker Prize Winner

2011-10-24T16:34:00.002-05:00

Julian Barnes won the prestigious Man Booker Prize for The Sense of an Ending on October 18th. This slim volume (168 pgs) is about a middle aged man who revisits his past to find that his memory is less than perfect. The New Yorker calls it an “elegant, playful, and remarkable novella”.

The Man Booker Prize has been awarded yearly since 1969. It is one of the world’s most important literary prizes. (And richest - with a £50,000 purse). Announcement of the prize’s short list is highly anticipated every year and often has a significant impact on book sales. The prize stirred up controversy earlier this year when it announced that readability and enjoyment were being given more weight than literary excellence.

Readability? Enjoyment? Fine by me. For all of you who enjoy reading outstanding contemporary fiction, the shortlist is also worth checking out:

Carol Birch Jamrach’s Menagerie
Patrick deWitt The Sisters Brothers
Esi Edugyan Half Blood Blues
Stephen Kelman Pigeon English
A.D. Miller Snowdrops

Websites we love this month

2011-10-17T15:41:00.001-05:00

http://www.historypin.com/
Historypin believes that everyone has history to share. It allows users from around the world to upload pictures and sound & video recordings in order to create an online archive of a community’s history. It brings the past alive in a very real way. Try looking up Chicago. You’ll find photos dating back to 1840’s and you’ll easily be able to navigate forward in time to see the city and suburb’s transformation taking place. It’s an absolutely fascinating view into the everyday history that doesn’t make it into documentaries or textbooks. Local history buffs especially should check out this website and add photos of their own.

http://www.fictionwise.com/
Looking for something new to read on your eReader? Check out fictionwise.com. You’ll find a great collection of fiction and non-fiction eBooks in popular formats. The site is well organized and easy to navigate. Browse by categories such as genres, formats, best sellers, or series.

http://www.votesmart.org/
Votesmart.org’s stated goal is to provide access to “abundant, accurate and relevant information about those who govern us and those who wish to replace those who do.” Your nine digit zip code gives you access to a plethora of information about your elected officials. You’ll find both state and federal representatives along with detailed contact information and biographical information. Better yet, it provides links to voting records, issue positions, speeches and public statements, and campaign finances.

http://www.medlineplus.gov/
An excellent source for reliable health information provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. You’ll find a wide variety of heath topics, drug prescriptions, supplements, and health news. Each topic starts with an overview and then provides links to journal articles, research on treatment and prevention, financial issues and much more. Many topics will also include interactive tutorials, videos, and easy-to-read text summaries. The site’s well organized interface is key in navigating this overwhelming amount of information.

A little bit of History on Blue Island

2011-10-10T12:06:00.002-05:00

Did you ever want to know how the town of Blue Island got it's name? Well Fox 32 did an interview with Jason Berry who is the special projects manager for Blue Island and Jim Deiters who is the director of the Blue Island Public Library. Click here to take a look at the video and article.

New African-American Books!

2011-10-07T16:14:00.014-05:00

Did you know that we have new books that just arrived for our African-American collection? Here are some of the great titles that are on shelf today:

The Prada Plan 2: Leah’s Story by Ashley Antoinette

Kings of Vice by Ice-T

Paradise Found by Crystal Hubbard

Forgotten Promises by Denise Skelton

Bitch: A New Beginning by Deja King

My Angel by Denise Skelton

City Wolf Trilogy by Tressie Lockwood

You're All I Need by Karen White-Owens

Giving up the Ghost by Stacy-Deanne

Activity Partner by Nitanni Chionne

Full Figured 3 by Brenda Hampton / Nikki-Michelle

Websites we love this month

2011-09-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

We all know the internet contains vast amounts of information – some useful and some not so useful. Finding what you need can be a daunting task and a simple google search doesn’t always cut it. To help you get the most out of your time online we’re highlighting these four reputable websites this month.

http://www.gethuman.com/
Need to find the customer service number for a company like Amazon or Facebook? They don’t make it easy, and once you find it you’re likely to encounter a frustrating maze of voice-over menus and sound recordings. That’s what makes Get Human so great. It contains thousands of customer service numbers in a searchable database as well as information about which buttons to press to reach a real, live person.

http://www.grooveshark.com/
Grooveshark allows you to browse through a huge catalog of music and stream it to your computer or mobile devise. Best thing: it’s free. Another plus is that there are no Pandora-style audio advertisements interrupting your music (so far). Another cool feature is the recommended listening, which populates Grooveshark Radio with music you’ll probably like.

http://www.mint.com/
Mint is a free online site that allows you to sync-up your personal bank accounts and credit cards to keep track of exactly where your money is going. It’s a great way to get a handle on your spending. You’ll be able to create budgets, set personal financial goals, and browse investment opportunities.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/
Map My Run offers so much more than its name suggests. It provides a great way to keep track of your work-outs (even if it’s not running), network with friends, map your runs, and find new run routes from people who live near-by. The site also has great recourses for biking and hiking.

Sydney's Review: Identical by Ellen Hopkins

2011-09-06T09:43:00.001-05:00

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

YA/FIC/HOP

Having a twin should be fun right? Having someone look just like you, being able to play jokes on people & even having an unspoken bond. Not Kaeleigh and Raeanne, they’re different. They are far from twins and nothing like sisters. Kaeleigh and Raeanne have grown up in a broken home. Ever since the accident nothing has been the same. Their mother is more distant than ever. She buries herself so deep in work so she doesn’t have much time to spend at home. And Daddy takes the wrong form of love from Kaeleigh, love that’s meant for his estranged wife--- not to mention his strong love for the bottle of liquor. Kaeleigh and Raeanne handle the stress of the family so differently. Raeanne turns to boys; younger and older, liquor and drugs. While Kaeleigh on the other hand just keeps it all bottled up and tries to be perfect. With the secrets the twins have, they should not be left to themselves. Sooner or later both of them have to crack, or maybe just one of them.

-Sydney

Books continue to evolve: interactive eBooks

2011-08-31T14:14:00.008-05:00

A few weeks ago we introduced Media on Demand. This service offers you eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video at www.mediaondemand.org. This is an important step for the library and it was the push I needed to finally get on the eBook bandwagon. As someone who loves the touch and feel of books, it is sometimes hard for me to reconcile eBooks with the quintessential notion of curling up with a good book. Despite these reservations, I was recently struck with the incredible possibilities of eBooks by checking out Push Pop Media’s interactive book: Al Gore’s “Our Choice”.

This eBook is the first of its kind and features an intuitive design complete with photos, videos, and interactive infographics. You really have to see it: check out co-founder Mike Matas’ presentation of the book at a TED Conference with this link: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/mike_matas.html

This book bills itself as “the next generation of digital books” and if that’s the case, I’m excited: eBooks are only going to get better and seeing this video makes me realize that there is tremendous potential for new learning experiences and new ways to enjoy books. Unfortunately, Push Pop Media was recently acquired by Facebook and has no plans to publish further eBooks. However, one can only hope that they have inspired other e-publishers to like minded projects.

I’m not asking you to abandon your favorite hardcover altogether, but give our eBooks a try. They’re not quite as cool as Al Gore’s “Our Choice”, but you might be surprised by how much you enjoy them. Stop by the reference desk and we’ll give you all the details, or visit www.mediaondemand.org.

Sydney's Review: Burned by Ellen Hopkins

2011-08-31T10:38:00.003-05:00

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

YA/FIC/HOP

Pattyn isn’t the average 16 year old girl; she’s more but doesn’t have the courage or chance to show anybody. She’s living in a strict Mormon family, the oldest of six girls. She is their main care taker. Pattyn is taught that women are only meant to be wives and mothers but she wants to be more, she wants to do more. It all started with a dream. It wasn’t anything special about the dream, just the regular teen girl fantasy about a boy. But that dream made Pattyn think, made her do what typical Mormon girls aren’t supposed to do--- date, drink and fight. Before her father and mother think Pattyn ruins their life anymore they send her away for the summer to her Aunt Jeannette’s ranch. But that wasn’t punishment for Pattyn. Pattyn found what she’s needed all along there, love and acceptance. Everything was going great for Pattyn: she’s found freedom and who she really is while away from her family and also found love. But when summer comes to an end Pattyn has to deal with the same demons from home, this time even more serious than the ones before. Will the new Pattyn be able to handle or will she crack under all the pressure and stress?

-Sydney

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

2011-08-23T16:51:00.008-05:00

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

Erik Larson, author of Devil in the White City, has made a name for himself by bringing history to life. His latest work, In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin, lives up to expectations. Although much has been written about the rise of the Nazis, Larson provides a fresh point of view through the eyes of the first U.S. ambassador to Nazi Germany, William Dodd and his daughter, Martha. Dodd is an odd fit for ambassadorship – an unimposing professor who does not seem to belong in the exclusive and highbrow world of international diplomacy. Martha is young, flirtatious, and attracted to powerful men. They arrive to a Berlin that is alive with cafes, lush gardens, intellectual salons, and a swinging night life. However, beneath the surface the Nazis were remaking Germany in their own terrible image. The book chronicles the Dodd’s initial optimism and failure to grasp the danger of Hitler, their growing unease with Nazi’s deceptive doubletalk, and their eventual complete disillusionment after the climactic bloody political purge, known as the “Night of the Long Knifes.” Along the way Larson provides us with colorful portraits of a wide cast of characters: we meet Soviet spys, Nazi party leaders, prominent American officials, and important intellectuals of the day. These characters come to life as Larson vividly depicts their bizarre, sinister and tragic lives. In the Garden of Beasts is a gripping, thought provoking, and extremely readable. It is available for checkout at the library: 943.086 LAR.

E-books are coming to Blue Island Public Library on August 22nd, 2011!

2011-08-17T10:17:00.007-05:00

Download Audiobooks, eBooks, Music, and Video Anytime, Anywhere
Enjoy popular titles from the comfort of home

On August 22nd, 2011 Blue Island Public Library will be proud to offer you best-selling and classic audiobooks, eBooks, music, and video available 24/7 from the website, http://www.mediaondemand.org/.

You will be able to browse the collection, check out with your library card, and download to PC, Mac®, and many mobile devices. To get started, you will need to install free software. For audiobooks, music, and video: OverDrive® Media Console™. To read eBooks, you’ll need Adobe® Digital Editions. Titles can be enjoyed immediately or transferred to a variety of devices, including iPod®, Sony® Reader™, and many others. Some audio titles can also be burned to CD to listen on-the-go. Titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period. There are no late fees!

With hundreds of popular fiction and non-fiction titles to choose from, the new collection is guaranteed to have something for everyone. You can download best-selling novels, well-known classics, self-improvement guides, and much more.

This new service, powered by OverDrive, is free with your library card. To get started downloading audiobooks, eBooks, and more, on August 22nd, 2011 visit http://www.mediaondemand.org/.

The Kid, by Sapphire (author of Push)

2011-08-10T11:44:00.005-05:00

The Kid is Abdul Jones, aka J.J., orphaned son of Precious. Yes, she’s dead. The novel opens there, with her intelligent, imaginative “good boy” son beside her deathbed, bewildered because he is too young to really understand the finality of death. Abdul’s life is about to change, and keep changing. Abdul shape shifts along with his circumstances, his consciousness churning like a kaleidoscope. As a character, he’s complex, perhaps the most complex character (let alone African American male character) I’ve encountered in a long time: he’s victim and victimizer, child and man, brilliant and impulsive and, at moments, psychotic. He discovers he’s a born dancer. He’s an orphan, but also heir to his great grandmother’s stories of Mississippi and Harlem. A gifted student who drops out of high school. “On the down low,” but he finds love with an equally troubled trust fund-enriched dancer who has named herself after a massacre in the Vietnam War. He’s haunted. Complex. Think Bigger Thomas from Richard Wright’s Native Son.

The Kid is an extremely vivid and rich and sophisticated coming-of-age novel. It made me want to dance around, cry, throw the book at the wall, stay up all night reading, gush, create my own art--- in short, recklessly care about the world. It’s an inspiring book. It IS urban fiction, but the meaningful complexity of the characterization of Abdul and the rhythmic style transcend genre stereotypes. It’s graphic; if you couldn’t get through Push, you won’t like this one either. But I’d recommend being brave. For readers with courage, this book is Absolutely The Bomb, i.e. both entertaining and ingeniously crafted and deep. Find it at the library in the new book section at FIC SAP.