Selections

The newsletter of the Sarasota County Library System

~ August 2008 ~ Volume 3, Issue 4

Read Selections online each month or sign up here to have it delivered to you by email.

In this Issue:

• Events
• Featured Internet Sites
• Staff Picks
• National Library News
• Community Connection
• Local Library News
• Featured Stories
• Featured Databases
• Reference Questions
  of the Month
• Volunteer News
• Your Feedback

This month's issue is brought to you
by the staff of the
Venice Public Library.

Featured Internet Sites:

Grilling and Chilling in August During the dog days of August, pull out your grill, put on some CDs and mix up a pitcher of your favorite libation.  If you don’t have time to pick up a cookbook from the library, check out the recipe sites below for inspiration. Grilling Sites http://allrecipes.com/features/ holidays/summergrilling/home.aspx Summer grilling recipes including BBQ Recipes, Pasta Salads, Potato Salads, Fruits and Vegetables, Frozen Treats, Sauces and Rubs. Be sure to check out the other recipes on this site. http://grilling.betterrecipes.com/ Grilling recipes are just one small part of the Better Homes and Garden website. Recipes are ranked with stars. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ recipes/list_grilling.html Check out the Whole Foods website for healthy grilling recipes. http://www.weberbbq.com/ bbq/pub/recipe/ Includes grilling tips and recipes from "Weber’s Big Book of Grilling." http://www.foodnetwork.com/ food/et_sl_grilling Food Network’s site for grilling includes recipes from our favorite TV chefs:  -Bobby Flay – "Boy Meets Grill"  -Ina Garten – "Barefoot Contessa"  -Rachel Ray – "30-Minute Meals" Plus grilling tips from "EatingWell" and top recipes from RecipeZaar sites. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/ package/0,31029,1728655,00.html A super food site that includes recipes from "Cooking Light," "Southern Living," "Sunset," "Coastal Living," "Cottage Living" and "Health" magazines. http://www.epicurious.com/ articlesguides/holidays/grilling/ Another super site that features recipes from both "Gourmet" and "Bon Appetit." Steven Raichlen and Chris Schlesinger are the featured grill chefs. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/ lists/ A companion site to the popular magazine--check out the lists Great Grilling Recipes, The Best Grill and BBQ Tools or just search the recipe archive. Chilling Sites http://www.drinkstreet.com/ Browse over 1500 drink recipes or search by ingredient. Can’t decide? Click on the random drink generator for a random drink recipe. http://www.cocktail.com/  Cocktail.com's mission is simple: To bring the drink aficionados and bartenders of the world the best cocktail recipes and advice. http://www.cocktailtimes.com/ One of the most comprehensive sites on the Web devoted to cocktails and their history. http://www.iba-world.com/  Winning cocktail recipes from the International Bartenders Association.  (Note: These recipes use metric measurements.) http://www.ineedcoffee.com/ section/recipes/ An interesting coffee blog with a recipe section.

Events:

Selby Library Tops 10! Celebration Selby Library celebrates its tenth anniversary in the current location on Saturday, August 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The “Selby Library Tops 10!” Celebration events schedule is as follows: 11 a.m. to noon: Magic by John--I Love to Read Magic Show for children. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Local actress Jenny Aldrich portrays Marie Selby and will be available to meet and mingle with guests in the library Rotunda. Noon to 12:45 p.m.: Read to the Dogs, the popular program that lets children read a story to a certified pet therapy dog from the Humane Society of Sarasota County. 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.: Short recognition ceremony followed by refreshments. 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Live jazz concert with O Som do Jazz.  In addition, the Mote Mobile Aquarium and Touch Tank will be available throughout the day. All events are free and open to the public. For more information contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 and ask about "Selby Library Tops 10!" Celebration.

Local History Month Events From the circus to agriculture to military bases, Sarasota County has a rich and storied history. During August, each of the eight libraries will offer programs and presentations focusing on the history of the county’s most treasured destination spots and attractions. Some of the programs offered include “The Legacy of John and Mable Ringling,” “John Crowley’s Legacy of Commerce and Conservation,” “An American Legacy: The Sarasota School of Architecture” and “The History of Clowning” presented by International Clown of the Year Barbara Waters-Riddle. Staff from the Sarasota County History Center, the Crowley Museum and Nature Center, Historic Spanish Point, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art and the Sarasota Architectural Foundation will offer presentations and interactive discussions on areas of historical significance. “Sarasota County has such a rich and diversified history, we felt that offering these programs throughout the month gives the whole community a chance to learn about our past,” said Greg Carlson, manager of Jacaranda Library. For dates, times and locations of specific presentations view the schedule of Local History Month events on the library website. or contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000  and ask about Local History Month at the Sarasota County Libraries.

Upcoming Events at Venice Public Library Two Filmed Operas on the First Two Thursdays in August The Summer 2008 Venice Public Library Film Festival hosted by Jim Orville finishes its Thursday evening series with two operas, both shows at 6 p.m. On August 7, Swedish film maker Ingmar Bergman directs one of the most charming operas by Mozart in this 1974 production. On August 14, Joan Sutherland plays the role of Lucia di Lammermoor in a 1986 production by Opera Australia. And in September, Mr. Orville starts his 13th season as producer and host of The Venice Public Library Film Festival with the theme for that month being "Guilty Pleasures." For more information, call the library's circulation department at 941-861-1331 or stop by the library for a film festival brochure. Discussion Group on Personal Beliefs Beliefs and values are the topic of a new Venice Library monthly discussion group. The emphasis is on nonjudgmental encouragement of each participant to voice and explain their beliefs along with occasional discussion of selected essays. The concept for the group is based on the popular NPR segment “This I Believe” and on the book of the same title. Meetings are facilitated by Bonnie Kivlan and scheduled for the first Monday of each month at 1 p.m. The next meeting is Monday, August 4.  Traveling Women Meet Monthly at Venice Library A support and discussion group meets at Venice Library for women who want to travel. Women on the Go meets from 2 to 4 p.m. every third Monday of the month. Members share travel experiences, give encouragement and offer help in independent trip planning to others in the group. The next meeting is Monday, August 18. Summer Video Lectures on the Middle Ages On Fridays through August 29 from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Venice Public Library presents a video lecture series on the Late Middle Ages (1300-1500) taught by Professor Philip Daileader--a winner of numerous awards for teaching excellence. Practice Your French Language Skills on Fridays On Friday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. through August 29, if you have a basic knowledge of the French language and wish to practice those skills, then you are invited to attend weekly meetings of the VPL French Club. The group practices French conversation during the first hour followed by reading from French literature and current topics during the second hour. New members are always welcome! Find events at all of the Sarasota County Libraries on the library's website calendar.

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Staff Picks:

This month the staff of the 
Venice Public Library share their reading picks with you.

National Library News:

Iowa, Wisconsin Libraries Flooded As the overflow from the upper Midwest tributaries made its way to the Mississippi River and southward to Missouri, it became clear that the historic floodwaters hit libraries in Iowa and Wisconsin the hardest. Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Public Library officials were at first optimistic that the library would lose only the one-third of its shelved collection that had been submerged under some five feet of water that rose four shelves high on the first floor. However, Interim Director Tamara Glise told the library board June 23 that it appeared that the entire adult collection might be lost to mold formation. The library is searching for administrative office space in the western part of the city for the duration. Things looked better than anticipated at Cedar Rapids’ National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, where many materials were moved to higher ground before the flood engulfed the building, and other items were placed in freezer trucks. Nonetheless, the cleanup is proving to be difficult. Mud and sludge are problems, and where things dried out, dust was everywhere. Many libraries in southwest and south central Wisconsin suffered damage and have had to close, including those in Rock Springs and La Valle, the Kraemer Library and Community Center in Plain and the Lancaster Public Library’s Potosi Branch. Some Missouri libraries were in danger if rains continued and rivers overflowed more. Their patrons were coming into the libraries in record numbers to use the public access computers because theirs were inaccessible. Library staff said thank you to Bill Gates for the grants that provided them.

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YALSA offers read-alikes for “Breaking Dawn” Bella Swan’s saga draws to a close with the August 2, 2008, release of “Breaking Dawn,” the final book of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga. But the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), can help parents, librarians and educators keep the attention of teens hooked on Bella and her romances with vampire Edward and werewolf Jacob with read-alikes and resources for planning teen-focused programs. “The Twilight series has many elements with high appeal to teens—romance, forbidden love, isolation and supernatural beings,” said Sarah Cornish Debraski, YALSA president. “Teens are caught up in the story, and they can't wait to find out what happens. As teens finish highly anticipated books, they often turn to their librarians, asking to them to find more books like the series they love. With the Twilight saga ending with this book, ‘Breaking Dawn’ will inspire teen readers to find more titles ‘just like it.’” Teens have made it clear they enjoy books about vampires or dark themes, said Karen Brooks-Reese, chair of YALSA’s 2009 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (PPYA) committee. Meyer’s popular series, however, is grounded in a typical teen’s reality, which speaks to its appeal. “There’s something very appealing about a book in which a perfectly average, klutzy teen turns out to be so very special,” said Brooks-Reese. “It encourages teens to look past their own surface qualities to see what makes them unique.” Brooks-Reese points to the nominations for the 2009 PPYA list “Dead, Dying and the Undead” as a starting point to find books similar to “Breaking Dawn.” This list of recommended reading is meant to encourage teens to explore the often mysterious world of death and those who experience it—and those who come back. “Teens are drawn to the dramatic, the gothic, the morbid,” Brooks-Reese said. “Many of us fondly remember reading through Lurlene McDaniel’s books, many of which deal with terminal illness, and as the continued popularity of Annette Curtis Klause’s books shows, vampires never go out of style.”   The full list of 2009 nominations, as well as other PPYA themed lists, can be found at http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/poppaper. And, take a look at YALSA's Booklists and Book Awards site for more reading suggestions. Also, visit the library's Planet Teen: Read! page for more websites with reading suggestions for teens.

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Community Connection:

Free Confidential Depression Screenings for Seniors BRITE (Brief Referral Intervention Treatment for Elders) program staff members provide free, confidential depression screenings for seniors (ages 55 and older) every Friday at the Venice Public Library from 9 a.m. to noon. Screenings are free and take only 15 minutes. Participants receive a medicine bag with their screening.

Sarasota County Residents  Invited to Tour the History Center To celebrate Local History Month (August), the Sarasota County History Center invites everyone to tour its facility and see its historical information and artifacts from pre-historic times to the present. This special tour is scheduled for Thursday, August 21 at 3 p.m. The History Center is located at 6062 Porter Way, Sarasota, 34232.   The mission of the Sarasota County History Center is to promote an understanding of Sarasota County’s heritage and protect its historic resources. The History Center collects information and artifacts related to the history of Sarasota County from pre-historic times to the present. These collections are kept at the Center at 6062 Porter Way in Sarasota, where they are available by request for public research. Also at that site is the MacKinlay Kantor Room, which contains books and other objects from the library of the Sarasota resident and Pulitzer Prize-winning author (1904-1977). The History Center maintains a museum at 701 N. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, sharing the historic Chidsey library building with the Sarasota County Visitors Center. Visit that location during its regular hours (Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday: Noon-3 p.m) to see permanent and rotating exhibits on various facets of the county’s history. For more information about the tour on August 21 at 3 p.m., call the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000 and ask about Local History Month and the History Center Tour.

Local Library News:

New Computer Class Instructor at Venice Public Library By now some of you may have already had the pleasure of meeting a new volunteer at the Venice Public Library, Dean Cochran. We are very fortunate to have the services of Dean, as he will be teaching most of our computer classes. Dean has worked in the computer field most of his life and is well-qualified. Many of you who had previously taken our computer classes indicated that you would like our classes to be longer than one hour. Dean will be teaching 1.5- or or 2-hour classes. He will start out offering Computer Basics, Microsoft Word, Internet, Windows XP and eBay. More topics and different class formats may be offered later.

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Featured Stories:

The Value of the Library for Your Family by Venice Library's "Mother Goose" (Librarian Joanne Lize) I just had a family from out of state stop by my desk to tell me how wonderful and helpful they thought the library staff was with their questions about borrowing materials, library programs and Internet access. I’m always encouraged when I see families visiting the library on their vacation. It’s even more exciting for me to help our families who live here and utilize the library on a regular basis. In these tough economic times, families are utilizing their libraries for books and videos for family nights. They look up materials to borrow from their home computers, put items on reserve, and renew materials online.  Have you checked the online calendar of events for all of the libraries? It’s available on the library website, http://sclibs.net/Calendar.aspx. Some families enjoy free programs for their children at more than one library. There are programs for babies, preschoolers, elementary, middle school and high school students, and even for entire families. As the school year resumes, families can plan their library visits around their children’s school calendars. The students can link to their school calendars from the home page, too. This has been a helpful tool for finding Reading Counts and Accelerated Reading books. The student can simultaneously access the library online catalog and link to their school website’s reading list to check for appropriate book availability and to reserve books. Another helpful family tool is a book that has good read-aloud book ideas such as Jim Trelease’s “Read-Aloud Handbook.” According to the June 2008, issue of the School Library Journal, reading aloud to young children clearly prepares them for school. Many of the books cited in the book are available at the library! High school students can earn their Bright Futures community service credits by volunteering at the libraries. The student needs to show their Bright Futures form to the youth librarian and set up a time to volunteer. As the Youth Supervisor of the Venice Library and known as ‘Mother Goose’ for the last 10 years, I’ve seen many family members become regular library users and students become better readers. Many of our students have won scholarships and awards, and their parents have told me they attribute their regular library visits to aiding in these accomplishments. Please, stop by your local library, check out all the wondrous, idea-expanding materials and tell the staff that “Mother Goose” from the Venice Library sent you! You’ll make new friends and start a wonderful habit for your life! Performer "Mrs. Kate" Carpenter delighting all ages recently at the Venice Library.

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Featured Databases:

A Sarasota County Library card is required to access the databases from outside the library.

Reference Questions of the Month:

In poker, does a straight beat a full house? No, a full house beats a straight. The rank of poker hands, from highest to lowest is as follows: Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pairs, One Pair and finally, High Card. You can find out more about poker and many other games in "Hoyle's Rules of Games: Descriptions of Indoor Games of Skill and Chance." Find more books on card games by searching the library catalog for the subject "card games" and looking in your library's nonfiction shelves at call number 795.4.

Where is the Nation of Islam? The Nation of Islam is not a place. It is a religious group that preaches black nationalism. It was founded in Detroit in 1930 by Wallace Fard. From 1934 to 1975, Elijah Muhammad led the Nation of Islam. He taught that he was Allah’s messenger and Wallace Fard was Allah. Elijah Muhammad died in 1975, and his son, Warith, took over as leader. Warith did not continue his father’s teachings. Instead, he dismantled the Nation of Islam and led his followers to Sunni Islam, a traditional branch of Islam practiced by many Africans. In 1977, Louis Farrakhan, a member of the Nation of Islam, and other followers who were discontented with Warith’s teachings resurrected the Nation of Islam. He continued Elijah Muhammad’s teachings about the need for self-knowledge, the acceptance of black identity and economic independence. In 1997, Farrakhan began moving closer to traditional Sunni Islam. He and his followers adopted the orthodox Friday worship service, prayer posture and fasting. The members of the Nation of Islam are urged to eat only one meal a day and to avoid using alcohol and tobacco. Women are expected to emphasize housework and raising children. Source: The World Book Encyclopedia, 2005 Edition, Volume 14.

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Your Feedback:

The library's catalog, SUNCAT, was recently upgraded. Please take a look: http://sarac.co.sarasota.fl.us Would you like to share your opinion about the new SUNCAT? Email** comments to  librarywebmaster@scgov.net. (Please mention "SUNCAT" in the e-mail subject.) Or send comments through the "Your Comments" page of the library website: http://sclibs.net/comments.aspx. All comments are appreciated! Would you like to share your opinion about Selections? Or do you have questions about something you've read in Selections? E-mail** Selections comments to librarywebmaster@scgov.net. (mentioning "Selections" in the e-mail subject) or send them through the "Your Comments" page: http://sclibs.net/comments.aspx. ** Important Notice Regarding privacy and e-mail.SB 80 effective July 1, 2006: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead contact this office by phone or in writing.

Volunteer News:

John Stone: A Dedicated Volunteer Twenty-two years ago John Stone, being an unabashed bookworm, called the Venice Public Library and asked if he could learn the bookbinding process to aid in rebinding books. He was told they were looking for a volunteer to repair a large number of broken audiotapes that were accumulating. John had no experience in this area, but he and a staff member figured out the repair process which they've now adapted to repairing videotapes. John undoubtedly holds the record at Venice Public Library (VPL) for the most volunteer hours donated. We can count on John arriving everyday Monday through Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and his hearty laugh is a joy to hear. He lifts the staff’s spirits out of mid-afternoon doldrums.  Now that cassettes are being phased out, John has taken on the task of preparing books for sale in the Friends of the Library Bookstore and is looking for additional ways to help out. To quote John, “One of life’s many small pleasures is the opportunity to volunteer one’s time to a worthwhile organization.” A veteran of World War II, John served with the 4th Marine Division, fighting in Saipan, Tinian the Marshall Islands and Iwo Jima. He is a past Post Commander of the American Legion and VFW and writes the newsletter for the 2000 surviving members of his Marine Division. John taught Biological Science for 34 years at the college and secondary school levels. He is also the proud father of ten children and an inveterate Red Sox fan. John says that volunteering these many years has been a pleasure mainly because of the VPL staff who truly appreciate their volunteers and are quick to express their gratitude.  The VPL staff would like to thank John again for being our unsung hero behind the scenes who always brightens up our day! VPL volunteer John Stone evaluating cassettes for repair

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