It happens all the time: You (or your child) need information on a famous person today for a school report and your local branch library doesn’t have any books on that person. Instead, try one of our biography databases. Biography Collection Complete covers all kinds of famous people, including scientists, musicians, writers and entertainers. Biography Reference Center includes biographies on people from all over the world, from ancient times to the present. Both databases offer you full text access to articles on various people, and you can print, save or email these articles.

You can access these databases at your local library or from home. If you’re at home you will need your library card so you can log in, and then you will have access to a world of information. Try it out today!

Join us for an interactive and informational workshop on factors to consider before  buying a new television. ..and learn some smart consumer skills! This workshop will take place at Tully Library on December 7th at 5pm.

¿necesita ayuda para crear o actualizar su currículum vitae? Llame a la biblioteca Tully al  408-808-3030 para hacer una cita para el 8 de diciembre de 5 a 6 pm y recibira la ayuda que necesita.

Need help creating or updating your resume? Call the Tully Branch Library  at 408-808-3030 to make an appointment for December 8th from 5 to 6pm to receive the help you need. This program is bilingual ( Spanish and English).

If you have checked out one of our Kill-a-Watt energy meters, please help us improve this program by taking a short survey.

If not, check one out next time you're at a San Jose Public Library. You can plug the device into any of your household appliances to see how much energy each one uses, and how much it costs you on your monthly utility bill.  This is also a great way to find out how much energy your TV and microwave use even when you're not using them - a phenomenon called phantom load.

You can check out a Kill-a-Watt free of charge at any of our nineteen locations for three weeks, the same loan period as a book.  

Spend the perfect afternoon with a great book and cozy fireplace in the Santa Teresa Branch Library living room!!  If you want to add a latte to that scenario, we have that too!

There has been a resurgence in interest in hand-made crafts in the past few years. Don't expect to just see grandmas knitting and crocheting. Making something by hand is the new, hip thing to do!

There are more how-to tutorials on every craft imaginable than you could ever peruse online. Craftster is a great site that incorporates social networking with how-to's, craft swaps and contests. Instructables doesn't limit itself to just crafts. You can view and download tutorials on cooking, costuming, building robots, you name it! Ravelry specializes in knitting and crochet. It is a great site to be inspired by the handiwork of fellow needleworkers. Etsy is a site for people who love crafts but may not be skilled in doing them. This is a site to purchase the handiwork of crafters and you can put out a call for bids on a particular project you'd like to have made. The crafters there will bid on how much it would cost and how long it would take to make that special something.

And of course, at the Library, we've got books. And not just the new books like Steampunk Style Jewelry , Son of Stich n' Bitch: 45 Projects to Knit and Crochet for Men and Amigurumi!  Super Happy Crochet Cute.   Not Your Mama's Crochet: The Cool and Creative Way to Join the Chain Gang is an ebook available for download.

Not only that, we've got groups of people who come together at some branches to knit and crochet.  If you are looking for a real live person to teach you how to knit, purl or double-crochet head over to East Branch Library on Wednesdays from 6:30-7:30pm to join in with the Knitting Nook. Vineland Branch's Knitting Club meets every Saturday from 4-5pm.

Heroic Measures by Jill Ciment is a gentle 2009 novel about a very devoted long-married older couple who need to rescue their dog in New York City.  One of the charms of the books is that parts are told from the dog's point-of-view without personification.

One Good Dog by Susan Wilson is a 2010 novel about a man and dog who both need rescuing.  And although the reader just knows there HAS to be a happy ending, all good relationships and stories take time.

Authors Diane and David Mariant will talk about their book Surviving Bipolar's Fatal Grip- the Journey to Hell and Back.  They will discuss their personal story with the illness, as well as coping strategies on December 9th from 4:30 - 5:45 in the West Valley Library community room.  A copy of this book is available at the Library if you want to see it before hearing the author's presentation.  This program has been paid for by the Friends of the West Valley Library.  

The West Valley Book Club will be discussing Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen for our next meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 6:30pm in the Community Room. We've tackled some heavy subjects these past few months in our previous picks, so in an effort to lighten things up for the holidays, we've selected this heartwarming tale filled with family, love, and a dash of magic:

Welcome to Bascom, North Carolina, where everyone has a story to tell about the Waverleys. There's the house that’s been in the family for generations, the walled garden that mysteriously blooms year round, and the wild rumors of dangerous loves and tragic passions. Caterer Claire Waverley has everything she thinks she needs, until one day she wakes to find a stranger has moved in next door and a vine of ivy has crept into her garden... and Claire’s carefully tended life is about to run gloriously out of control.

You can read more about this novel on Sarah Addison Allen's site, including some fun extras for those that have already read the book, such as deleted scenes, recipes, tall tales featured in the story, etc. You can also check out her 2010 release The Girl Who Chased the Moon, available in our catalog in print and e-book format.

For all those Jane Austen fans who’ve wondered what it would be like to be Elizabeth Bennet, check out the British television series Lost in Austen. Amanda Price is sick of the modern world. She yearns for the romance and elegance found in the books by her favorite author, Jane Austen. But she's about to get a rude awakening as one fateful evening, she is propelled into the scheming 19th century world of Pride and Prejudice while that book's Elizabeth Bennet is hurled into hers. As the book's familiar plot unfolds, Amanda triggers new romantic twists and turns within the Bennet family circle as she clumsily tries to help the sisters nab husbands and even captivates the tantalizing Mr. Darcy herself. But what about Elizabeth...and what will become of one of the world's greatest love stories?

Undead and Unwed

This novel had me laughing with delight!  It puts a comical spin on the world of the undead (vampires).

This book is about a 30 year old former model, now an unemployed secretary.  She comes back to life after being run over by a SUV; this is when her life really begins!  In her new life, unlike other vampires she can resist feedings and doesn’t react to sunlight.  With this she becomes Queen of the Vampires with her new vampire crush Eric Sinclair by her side. This is the first book in this series, and I would suggest any of Mary Janice Davidson’s books, especially from the Undead series. 

Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution? Before uttering the word "boring" you should watch the movie Creation. Directed by Jon Amiel (The Core, Entrapment), Creation gives you a snap shot of Darwin's (Paul Bettany) life during his long struggles of personal conflicts (religious belief vs. scientific facts) and social rejections, on the eve of the publication of his book, On the Origin of Species. Much focused is Darwin’s obsession of his deceased daughter Annie (Martha West). 

Creation, with its inspiring story of one man’s victory against all odds and devoted fatherly love, will surely warm your heart in this holiday season.

* Watch more movies by director Jon Amiel

* Watch more movies by actor Paul Bettany

* Check out On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

* Read about Charles Darwin

The essence of this book is in its subtitle. In Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey From Homeless to Harvard, Liz Murray shares her amazing true story of breaking away from a family’s self-destructiveness and despair to build a positive and meaningful life. She learns how to survive being neglected by her drug addicted parents through a combination of (1) knowing they love her, (2) forgiving them for being unable to parent her (and her older sister), and (3) forging her own way. Her transformation from a 15-year-old homeless high school dropout to a Harvard University graduate is truly awe-inspiring.

While engrossed in reading Breaking Night, I envisioned it as an excellent feature film. Only later did I read (in the library catalog notes) that in 1999 Murray's story was produced as the Lifetime Original Movie Homeless to Harvard. Have you seen it?

MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free.

You can use MedlinePlus to learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.

Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford will amuse teens with all of the normal pitfalls of high school life.  Carter’s voice is genuine and hilarious. Teens will recognize themselves in some of Carter’s situations. This comedy will leave you in stitches! 

I’m not thinking at all when I take the first step toward greatness.

I hit the air brakes.  I press the chicken button as hard as I can.  But gravity has my number and it’s calling.  I flex every muscle in my body trying to stop.  Pam’s squeal turns into a terrified scream.

A familiar voice yells, “Oh, God!”

The voice is my own, and this is going to be bad.  I hear more screams from the onlookers, and then all sounds are downed out by the SSMMAAACKK!!!

My face hits the water the exact moment my chest, stomach, thighs, and feet smack down.  Perfectly level.  Arms out, legs spread like an inverted, retarded snow angel in the middle of summer.

Will Carter, aka Carter, humorously entertains with his adventures in freshman year of high school. 

Despite being one of the most popular guys in school, Carter seems oblivious to his popularity; he thinks about his stuttering and ADD all the time.  In order to fit in, he fills a beer bottle with Mountain Dew because he doesn’t care for the taste of beer.  Finally, he tries out for the school play, where he finally seems to find his voice.

The Alum Rock Business Association is partnering with the Alum Rock Branch Library to offer the Annual 2010 Light Up the Village event at the Alum Rock community. Visit Santa Claus and participate in the tree lighting ceremony for the holiday.We also invite you to join us for music, raffle prizes, kids' activities, and free books from Alum Rock Library!

Place: 3116 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose CA 95127

Time: 12/11 1:00-5:30 PM

Visit Santa Claus - 3:30 to 5:00 PM

Tree Lighting Ceremony - 5:00 PM

Soup Day written and illustrated by Melissa Iwai

A girl and her mother spend a snowy afternoon together buying and preparing ingredients for soup.  While the soup is simmering, mother and daughter read and have a tea party.  Melissa Iwai’s web site has beautiful illustrations from her books as well as printable activity sheets.

Other delightful children's books about soup include Growing Vegetable Soup written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert, also available in Spanish, and Mean Soup written and illustrated by Betsy Everitt, also available in Chinese.    

Peter Carey is so associated with Australia through such works as Oscar and Lucinda that it may come as a surprise to learn he has actually lived in New York for a number of years.  His latest novel, Parrot and Olivier in America, is a riff on that chestnut of the high school civics class, Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, and has garnered nominations for both the National Book Award and the Man Booker Prize.   The adventures of two Europeans in the New World at the time of Andrew Jackson is not only highly entertaining but may leave you wondering about how much has really changed since the early nineteenth century. 

You can download a podcast of an interview with Peter Carey done for the Book Show and read a review from the New York Times, the Guardian or the Telegraph.  You can also read an excerpt, or search the catalog here.

Come to the Family Learning Centers (FLC) and check out the English learning resources that we have available for you!  In addition to English as a Second Language (ESL) DVDs, CDs and books, we have ESL software on our FLC computers for you to use.  If you have not used a computer before, we will show you how. 

Starting January 2011, the Family Learning Center at Tully Library will have computer orientation every Saturday from 3-4PM.   Once you completed the orientation, you can come back any time when the library opens to study English using FLC computers.  Simply ask library staff to login for you.  If Tully Community Branch Library is not the most convenient location for you, look for other Family Learning Centers at your local library.

Tự Túc Học Anh Văn!

Đến với Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia đình (FLC) và tìm hiểu thêm về các tài liệu học tiếng Anh mà chúng tôi đã có sẵn cho quý vị!  Ngoài tài liệu học Anh Văn  bằng DVD, CD và sách, chúng tôi còn có nhu liệu học Anh Văn để quý vị học trên máy điện toán.  Nếu quý vị chưa bao giờ sử dụng máy điện toán, chúng tôi sẽ chỉ cho quý vị cách sử dụng.

Bắt đầu từ Tháng Giêng năm 2011, Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia đình (FLC) tại Thư Viện Tully sẽ có những buổi huấn luyện mỗi Thứ Bảy từ 3-4 giờ trưa. Một khi quý vị đã được hướng dẫn cách mở những chương trình học Anh Văn trên đầu máy, quý vị có thể trở lại bất cứ lúc nào khi Thư Viện mở cửa để học tiếng Anh trên những máy điện toán của Trung Tâm. Quý vị chỉ cần yêu cầu nhân viên thư viện mở máy cho quý vị. Nếu Thư Viện Tully không phải là nơi thuận tiện nhất cho quý vị, quý vị hãy tìm đến các Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia đình khác ở Thư Viện địa phương của quý vị.

Estudia Inglés en su propio ritmo!

Ven a los Centros de Aprendizaje Familiar (FLC) y echa un vistazo a los recursos de aprendizaje de Inglés que tenemos disponibles para usted! Además de Inglés como Segundo Idioma (ESL), DVDs, CDs y libros, que tiene software de ESL en nuestros ordenadores FLC para su uso. Si usted no ha usado una computadora antes, le mostraremos cómo.
  

A partir de enero de 2011, el Centro de Aprendizaje Familiar en Tully Biblioteca tendrá orientación equipo todos los sábados de 3 a 4 pm. Una vez que terminó la orientación, puede regresar en cualquier momento en que la biblioteca se abre a estudiar Inglés con ordenadores FLC. Simplemente pregunte a personal de la biblioteca de entrada para usted. Si Tully Comunidad Biblioteca no es el lugar más conveniente para usted, busque otros Centros de Aprendizaje Familiares en su biblioteca local.

Cormac McCarthy is probably better known for his other works, including No Country for Old Men, The Road, and All the Pretty Horses, but many consider Blood Meridian to be his greatest, and indeed one of the finest examples of contemporary American fiction.  A master of narration, McCarthy portrays the contradictions of the Wild West, depicting brutal, gruesome scenes of savagery with a stark and lyrical prose.

In 1847, a 14 year old Tennessee boy known only as "the Kid" wanders into the Southwest, where he eventually joins with a group of bloodthirsty men who hunt Indians for a living.  Led by the mysterious and learned Judge Holden, the band kills and terrorizes their way across the lawless West.

Not for the faint of heart, this book could be described as a work of Horror as easily as it could be called a Western.  This novel jabs a thumb into the eye of the romanticized Wild West and reminds the reader how the West was really won...through blood and slaughter.

If you want a quick read and like tips about eating healthy, you have to check out Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan.  In this book, he recommends about thirty rules including food practices from cultures around the world.  For example; did you know by skipping the middle aisles of the supermarket you will avoid most if not all processed foods?  There’s more helpful tips inside, so check it out!

Fans of Justin Bieber should definitely check out his first official book Justin Bieber : the first step 2 forever : my story.  In it you will learn more about this multi talented artist who is burning up the charts with his first album.  There's pictures, quotes and lots of stories I'm sure will satisfy his fans.

Before you battle the cold weather outside of Best Buy, come to our “Before You Buy” series at the library to find the best television for you!

You’ll learn about how to find articles and other consumer information about televisions and other products you are planning to purchase. Do all of your research before you hit the stores to save time AND money!

This program is on Tuesday, November 30th from 6-7pm @ Edenvale Branch Library. Seats are limited so be sure to get here on time!

The day after Thanksgiving Day - Black Friday - is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Despite the long lines and packed parking lots, you can still have a safe and positive Black Friday experience and hopefully get through that day with a smile. How? Check out these tips in Laura T. Coffey's article, “Brave ‘Black Friday’ wisely – or just avoid it".

The library will also be open this Saturday, November 27th. You are welcome to stop by and browse the library's great collection of books, movies and music!

Computers have allure, but books have charm.  In It's a Book, a computer-obsessed donkey discovers the joy of books, of reading, from his friend a level-headed monkey.  But where's the power source, the plug?  There isn't any... It's a Book!  A snarky little mouse delivers the naughty punchline; kids will belly-laugh, parents will wince, and author Lane Smith drives his message home.  Hee-Haw!  At this writing, It's a Book has stayed on the New York Times children's picture books bestseller list for 13 weeks.                                                                                                                                                                                                           

You are warmly invited to enjoy a free musical treat. On Tuesday, December 14, at 6:30 PM, Almaden Branch Library will host a performance by the acclaimed South Bay Guitar Society Quartet. Celebrate the holiday season with this enchanting concert of traditional, classical, and popular musical selections from winter, Christmas, and holiday themes. For all ages. Video about the South Bay Guitar Society

Sample from a guitarist who may perform.

You may have noticed that some ebooks links from the catalog are broken. We're working on fixing them but for now, please search for the title directly from the collection pages:

NetLibrary: http://0-www.netlibrary.com.catalog.sjlibrary.org/ 

OverDrive: http://overdrive.sjlibrary.org/

Safari Tech:  http://0-proquest.safaribooksonline.com.catalog.sjlibrary.org/

I heard in the news about the Annual Worlds of Flavor Conference, held by the Culinary Institute of America, November 2-4, 2010. It featured “Japan-Flavors of Culture” this year. Each year since 2003, this Conference “showcases the gold standards of world cuisines that are reshaping American palates and the U. S. foodservice industry.” I searched online and found their website and watch some of the videos from these conferences. For example, the videos of 2009 conference have highlights from a festival of “sauce-slopping, noodle-slurping, chaat-sampling, kabob-nibbling, tamale-savoring, tapas grazing epic tour of the best of world street food and world comfort food.” Go look for yourself!

Among the 2010 presenters of the Conference are several esteemed authors, all authorities in food culture and culinary art, including Ruth Reichl, Harold McGee and Elizabeth Andoh. Below are a few of their attractive and useful titles in the Library for you to consider:

Gourmet Today edited by Ruth Reichl

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

Keys to Good Cooking by Harold McGee

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee

Kansha by Elizabeth Andoh

Washoku by Elizabeth Andoh

By the way, cooking and cookbooks are two of the largest collections in the Library, you may browse our shelves or look up in the catalog by keywords, such as:

Cooking

Cookbooks

Cooking, (Italian, Japanese, United States, etc.)

Cooking vegetables

International Cooking

Food

Food habits

Happy cooking and good eating to you!

First Five of Santa Clara is providing a drop-in service for parents and caregivers during and following our toddler storytime on Thursdays from 10:00 am -12:00 pm.  First Five is able to provide information about Early Literacy, Parenting Workshops and other local resources. No appointment necessary.

Mo Willems is best known for his Pigeon and Knuffle Bunny series, however his Gerald the Elephant & Piggie series is full of great humor for both children and adults. The friendship and adventures shared by this pair are written in a text that is easy enough for children to read on their own, but fun to read together.

The latest in the series, We Are in a Book! Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of being read, but what will happen when the book ends. Be prepared for more laughs and silliness with Elephant & Piggie.

Check out all the other books in the series, as well as other books by Mo Willems.

Come and enjoy the afternoon with us and this fabulous scientist brought to life! Join us today for the 4:00pm show located in the Internet Cafe at the Santa Teresa Branch Library. Order a latte' from Heavenly Brew while you enjoy this event.

Free to all.  Aspiring scientists welcome!

In Lorrie Moore’s long awaited novel A Gate at the Stairs we meet Tassie Keltjin, a 20-year-old college student who is trying to figure out where she fits in the world. In this post-9/11 story, Tassie takes a job as a nanny for a couple that is trying to adopt a baby, where she gradually fits into the tenuous family structure. At school she meets and falls in love with a mysterious man that may be Brazilian. There is also a parallel story of Tassie at home with her own family, where her younger brother considers joining the army to help fight in Afghanistan and Tassie helps her potato-farmer father by donning a bird costume to scare off rodents.

Tassie is a great narrator. She is naïve but also aware of her innocence. Her voice is authentic and humorous, and she often takes the narrative in unexpected directions.

We just received a Maisy Bakes a Cake (pull the tab) book by Lucy Cousins. The author and illustrator of numerous picture books.  This is a wonderful interactive book for two to three year olds and aspiring little chefs.  Maisy washes her hands, measures flour on a scale that moves up and down, mixes ingredients, and opens the oven door to see the cake rise.  The last page of Charley the crocodile showing his sharp teeth eating a piece of cake might be a little frightening to some, but fascinating to others. Overall, this is a fun baking basics title for Toddlers.

Hello teensReachers!

Join us at our Luv Yr Library event - Berryessa Library, Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 3 pm - Group Study Room C.

teensReach group members engage in a fun activity: using the branch’s flip camera, the teens collaborate on a 3 minute video about

- Why they like their library?

- What makes it a special place for them and other teens?

Be creative! This is a great leadership project for teens to show creativity and create a useful video for the branch.

Not a teensReach member yet? Please join and start making a difference at your local library!

After patiently waiting for The Kind Diet to arrive to my home branch, I was very excited to see that it was finally mine for three weeks! This is Clueless star Alicia Silverstone's, first book and I really enjoyed it! It's a cooking and diet book to those who want to get into a vegetarian or vegan macrobiotic lifestyle. All the recipes looked really delicious and the concept of the diet was easily explained in the beginning chapters. Also at the end of the book she lists other recommended reading and even has a website to join to help keep you motivated, ask questions or get recipes. I hope there will be more of her books to come. Another plus? This book used soy based ink and was printed on recycled paper!

Downtown San Jose is gearing up for another busy winter holiday season. Downtown SJ For the Holidays lists holiday events including Downtown Ice, Christmas in the Park, Winter Wonderland, the Holiday Parade, museum exhibits and a variety of events and performances.

Downtown Ice opens Friday, November 19 in its familiar location under the Circle of Palms between the Fairmont Hotel and San Jose Museum of Art. 

Two of my favorite downtown holiday events include the Season of Hope Cathedral Performance Series and the California Theatre winter movies series. While not all dates and performances have been announced, I am eagerly awaiting the schedules. In the coming weeks, check the Downtown SJ For the Holidays website for more dates and times.

The San Jose Mercury News also published a list of upcoming events in the November 18 paper.

Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty

Jeremy is a boy who uses his imagination to draw a friend for himself.  His new friend is very demanding and expects quite a bit from Jeremy.  However, Jeremy learns that it might be good to go outside and make some real friends so he sends the monster packing!

Great illustrations and a wonderful story about making new friends!

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick. Every November Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday of feasting and school children are taught the story of the Pilgrims who arrived on the ship Mayflower in 1620 and settled New England. In this well-researched historical narrative Nathaniel Philbrick fleshes out the background of this American story and its underlying issues of race, violence and religion which began long before the landing of the Mayflower and continued for decades after the first Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims (not all religious separatists) at first kept a tenuous but peaceful relationship with Native Americans.  Both groups were decimated by disease, and soon were at war with one another.  This is the book to read if you want to know the adult version of the widely publicized, but probably not the first, Thanksgiving.

Interview with Nathaniel Philbrick

If you like Antiques Roadshow then you will love the History Channel's very own reality show American Pickers ! Two entrepeneurial vagabondsjourney around America hoping to find antiques for profit!   Check it out or Reserve it!

Mark Twain's will stipulated that his autobiography could only be published 100 years after his death.  Twain died at the age of 75 in April 1910, so finally the time has come for the world to read this long suppressed work.  Volume 1 has just been published and has generated enough excitement and curiosity to catapult it onto the New York Times Bestseller List.  Be sure to reserve a library copy from our online catalog. 

Join us every Wednesday for a fun afternoon of video gaming, which starts at 4pm to 5:30pm inside the community room at the Evergreen Branch Library. Bring your friends and have a good time!

Various games include Just Dance 2 and Mario Kart Wii.

Thanksgiving is next week and my mind is on it.  We've got some books that can help you prepare for the holiday whether you are cooking, decorating or traveling.  We've even got some things on how to deal with your relatives!

Cooking: 

I'll mention Paula Deen as someone who's cooking I am trying not to emulate.  But if you are interested - we've got Paula Deen Celebrates!.  Her cooking tends to use a lot of butter and is delicious but not necessarily healthy!

What I'm thinking more about is the Cooking Light Holiday Cookbook or Hungry Girl Happy Hour: 75 recipes for amazingly fantastic guilt-free cocktails and party foods.

Decorating:

I remember making a pinecone turkey for a Thanksgiving centerpiece as a kid.  Kids crafts for Thanksgiving have gone way beyond that!  Check out All New Crafts for Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day Crafts.  For the grown-ups, check out Martha's Classic Thanksgiving on DVD.

History:

Thanksgiving is based in the history of our country.  I have always been moved by the story of Squanto.  This is definitely one to share with your children, to give the holiday more perspective.  Check out The Story of Squanto: first friend to the pilgrims.  And your kids will love Two Bad Pilgrims - the story of John and Francis Billington who were two brothers who arrived on the Mayflower.  They caused a lot of trouble back in the day and this book shares some of their hilarious exploits in a comic book format.

Relationships:

Deborah Tannen's I Only Say This Because I Love You may be an inroads to understanding some family relationship issues.  Listen to David Sedaris' Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim to gain some perspective, have a lot of belly laughs and feel better about your loved ones.

Travel:

It may be a little late for major trips, but with a few days off, you might take a day trip with your family or friends.  Fun with the Family in Northern California, Best Places in Northern California and Grassroutes Northern California Wine Country are just a few of the many books we have on travel in the area. 

Whatever your plans are for next week - here's wishing you alll a Happy Thanksgiving!

Poets and Murder, a Judge Dee Mystery by Robert van Gulik

Add “Cold Case” to “Law and Order” and “CSI,” throw in a dash of “X Files,” and you have a winning recipe for a multifaceted murder mystery in Poets and Murder.  Learn how two seemingly unrelated deaths of a student and a maid Challenge Judge Dee’s “little grey cells.”  Why is the wearing of a cap of great significance?  How can a central character’s boy friend be at her side 24/7 yet having no need of sustenance?  Foxes turning into women – fact or fiction?  Van Gulik’s narrative, set in ancient China, is not only provocative but culturally accurate.  Travel back in time with him to the Tang dynasty for excitement and intellectual stimulation, to a fascinating culture and place where human nature strikes a familiar chord.  This book is available in Chinese and media productions on the legendary Judge Dee are also available in Chinese.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that means that the annual Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot is quickly approaching. Make this fun morning run a part of your Thanksgiving tradition with your family and friends.

This race attracted over 11,000 participants in 2009 and race organizers are anticipating over 15,000 runners in 2010. You can run or walk either the five kilometer course or the ten kilometer course. There is also a Kids Fun Run later in the morning.

The highlight of this race day for me has always been watching the elite men and women race after the citizens’ races. The elite race has attracted participants from around the world and the times are very fast.

Check out the San Jose Public Library for a wide range of materials on running for novices to veterans.

Happy Thanksgiving and join the fun in downtown San Jose on Thanksgiving morning at the Turkey Trot.

Need to find holiday seasonal material along with books and media of general interest?  Come to Friends of the Vineland Library's book sale on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and it will be held in the Community Room.

Get into the holiday spirit at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on Saturday, November 20 at 11:00AM. The amazing Fratello Marionettes will be performing their puppet extravaganza, "The North Pole Review!" Meet Frosty the Juggling Penguin, a Brazilian ice skating snowman, the singing sensation the Hi-Fi Sisters and much more. What a wonderful way to spend a  Saturday morning and of course it's FREE.

Graphic Novels aren’t just for kids and geeks.  I read a great one called Forget Sorrow by local artist and author Belle Yang.  She lives in Carmel and has illustrated and written several books for children.  This is her first foray into graphic novels.  It chronicles her family history in Manchuria during the Second World War.  A history she couldn’t relate to growing up in America.  It’s only when she returns to her parent’s home, seeking protection from an abusive boyfriend, does she start to become interested in her father’s tales. I really enjoyed the graphic novel format in telling such a personal story. Graphic novels for adults are becoming more and more prevalent, check out these other titles:

• Trouble Maker  by Janet and Alex Evanovich
• The Exile  by Diana Gabaldon
• The Losers  by Andy Diggle
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies  by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

Your local San Jose library has a fantastic selection of holiday music CDs for grownups and kids available for you to enjoy this season, all FREE of charge. Where else can you access for free Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Mariah Carey, Dora the Explorer, Gene Autry, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, and Doris Day each singing their special rendition of "Here Comes Santa Claus"? Other songs that may be found range from novelty hits such as "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" to traditional favorites such as "Silent Night" or the Barenaked Ladies’ version of “Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah.” It’s all here!

You can borrow library music CDs for one week and renew them online for another week, as you sip a cup of creamy eggnog. Music CDs are not requestable, so it’s good to visit your library soon before the best are taken. The lovable Christmas Scrooge would applaud your holiday spirit, and the pre-Christmas Scrooge would champion your fiscal responsibility. You can't lose.

  Join us at our weekly Teen Craft Programs at the Berryessa Library. 

The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Read by Campbell Scott

An unabridged production

It was just a coincidence … fifteen-year-old Michael Berg becomes ill on his way to school and he is dramatically rescued by Hanna. His rescuer, Hanna, is twice his age and in time becomes his lover. Michael falls head-over-heels in love with Hanna; beguiled by her interest and passion. There’s one odd thing.  Hanna never speaks about her past, especially the war years (World War II). This puzzles him and he is even more confused when she simply disappears from his life.

Years later, Michael is a law student and he sees Hanna once again as the defendant in a gripping war crimes trial.  Hanna is on trial for a cruel and inhuman war crime; a crime of unfathomable treachery.  He can’t believe what he is hearing and feels confused and betrayed on many levels.  Michael slowly realizes that Hanna may be guarding a secret she considers more shameful than murder.

Like adventure stories?  Mysteries?  Treasure hunts?  Intrigue?  Maybe you're a history enthusiast.  Ah, and let's not forget that touch of romance. 

Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell has it all.  The library has the book, ebook, and audiobook versions!  Our hero Kate Stanley is on the track of a long-lost Shakespeare play.  Who will get it first?  Kate?  The killers?  Which set of killers?  In the course of this tale of derring-do, we globetrot from England to Harvard to Washington DC to Spain to the US Southwest. 

While the bulk of the tale takes place in the present, two other time periods are covered: early 1600s England, where we meet a young playwright caught up in a romantic triangle at King James' Court.  Guess who?  And later on, in the great American Wild West of the late 1800s, we catch up with a few more colorful characters, miners and adventurers and con artists, setting the stage for the web of intrigue that Kate Stanley and company face in the present. 

As an added benefit, author Jennifer Lee Carrell has a knack for passing on Shakespearean information, and yes, trivia, in a fun, exciting, give-me-more manner.  Who knew that a Mexican War lieutenant by the name of Ulysses S. Grant, sans beard, played Desdemona?

Altogether, this is a rollicking, page-turning adventure.  Enjoy!

Lately I've been noticing new acquisitions to our 'oversized' book collection or what I like to call "Coffee table books".  One that especially caught my eye is Vanity Fair, The Portraits: A Century of Iconic Images.  Inside you will find 95 years of beautifully commissioned photography for Vanity Fair. 

This collection showcases the talents of Edward Steichen, Omogen Cunningham, Annie Liebovitz, Mario Testino, David LaChapelle and Bruce Weber to name a few.  There is a wide range of subjects including writers, athletes, musicians, and actors.  Sit back, relax and enjoy the skillful work on display here!

When your book is residing in the majority of best-seller lists you typically don't need any additional publicity to alert the reading public to a title's existence. That being said, Jonathan Franzen will never sell as many books as a lot of other writers on those lists, but his writing will, and does, speak for itself as the voice of an important and serious American novelist of the era. His latest book Freedom is a story about a midwestern American family, like his previous book The Corrections, and the sweep of time it takes to grow-up, raise a family, and generally live a life. The thing is, nobody can seem to write as convincingly as Franzen when it comes to creating densely rendered characters and, in fact, creating life from the pages of text he is so expertly adept at producing. Franzen's writing is impressive in its scope and provides innumerable episodes in which the reader can ponder insightful passages or just simply admire the manner in which he can combine expertly crafted sentences to make the process of writing a novel, correct that, a great novel, seem all so simple.

A word of caution, reader: this is in many ways a dark story, but eminently fulfilling nonetheless. There are plenty of holds on the book at the moment, but great art is worth waiting for and I, for one, haven't read a better piece of serious contemporary fiction this year. Highly recommended? It's Franzen ... READ IT!

Books can be so expensive, right?! That's why the library is so awesome. Borrow them for free! But on the flipside, what this also means is that we often must wait until books are released in paperback before we can buy a lot of copies of them. Sometimes this can take months, even years. (Ahem...Mr. Potter and Mr. Cullen, I'm looking in your direction.) But hey, maybe you missed these the first time around, or maybe it's time for a re-read. Check out some of these Young Adult Fiction titles newly released in paperback and coming to a branch near you:

 Witch & Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

 Check out prolific author James Patterson's first novel for teens. Torn from their parents in a society increasingly controlled by the government, siblings Wisty and Whit are incarcerated in a totalitarian prison where they discover they have incredible supernatural powers.

Overblown marketing riding on Patterson's coattails, or actually a good book? The reviews for this book have been pretty mixed, but why not decide for yourself? The sequel The Gift is coming out next month, whether you like it or not.

 Touch by Francine Prose

 Ninth-grader Maisie's concepts of friendship, loyalty, self-acceptance, and truth are tested to their limit after a school bus incident with the three boys who have been her best friends since early childhood.

I read this last year when it was published in hardcover. It is intense and thought-provoking. You get to see so many different perspectives, and your assumptions will likely change multiple times while reading. It would be a great book for a book club discussion or essay assignment.

 The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

 Fifteen-year-old vampire Nina has been stuck for fifty-one years in a boring support group for vampires, and nothing exciting has ever happened to them--until one of them is murdered and the others must try to solve the crime.

This isn't your typical vampire romance. It's got mystery, lots of humor, and yes...vampires. Even if you are feeling "vampired-out", this is a fun read. 

 Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

 So maybe you are still in the mood for some paranormal forbidden love. Sure, why not? There are plenty of new titles to choose from, like Hush, Hush, finally now in paperback!

High school sophomore Nora has always been very cautious in her relationships, but when Patch, who has a dark side she can sense, enrolls at her school, she is mysteriously and strongly drawn to him, despite warnings from her best friend, the school counselor, and her own instincts. His deal...He's a fallen angel. Cool, right? And not too much of a spoiler due to the obviousness of the cover. ;) 

Well, that's my Teen Fiction paperback roundup for November. You can always check out what's new for teens by checking our regularly-updated New Teen Materials page or by subscribing to the RSS feed there. Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reading!

When I first read Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris I was hooked!  Sookie Stackhouse is a loveable psychic who falls in love with a vampire because she can't read his mind!  I couldn't wait to get to the next book, Living Dead in Dallas.  Now, all these years later, there have been 10 Sookie Stackhouse novels and a collection of short stories published. 

And of course, I can't leave out the HBO series, True Blood.  This is the tv series that brought Sookie to the masses.  It seems like everybody knows True Blood but not everybody knows the novels that came first.

For those of you who've seen True Blood and find it a little too adult themed and graphic, you will be pleasantly surprised at the way the stories are told in Charlaine Harris' novels.  Let's just say that HBO decided to spice things up for the small screen and leave it at that...

Sookie Stackhouse navigates the treacherous world of the supernatural and as each book unfolds, discovers new wonders and dangers.  Vampires are only the tip of the iceberg.  She meets and fights and falls in love with werewolves, shape-shifters, fae creatures, witches - you name it!  And each of these are fully formed characters who are more than just their supernatural abilities - some are sweet and loveable, some are tightly wound and some are just plain evil.

If you're ready to jump in and give Sookie a try - here's your reading list in order and in numerous formats!

Dead Until Dark                       ebook

Living Dead in Dallas               ebook   large print

Club Dead                                 ebook 

Dead to the World                  ebook   

Dead as a Doornail                  ebook   large print

Definitely Dead                        ebook   large print

All Together Dead                   ebook    large print    audio book

From Dead to Worse              ebook    large print    audio book

Dead and Gone                       ebook    large print    audio book

Dead in the Family                  ebook    large print    audio book

A Touch of Dead - Sookie Stackhouse Short Story Collection ebook  audio book  large print

How does the future of society look, to you? It doesn't look too bright according to these recent books that credit the effects of information technology on humans for decreases in reading and other signs of impending societal decline. The fact that these interesting books are not flying off our library shelves kind of supports their arguments, if you get my drift. Check them out.

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr is a very well written book positing the view that your behavior on the inherently distracting Internet impedes your ability to achieve deep reading behavior that is necessary for education, professional work, and other endeavors. Carr references scientific research to buttress his claims and is an excellent writer even on a subject that could be hard to make interesting. This is an easy-to-deep-read book.

The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future  by Mark Bauerlein is a book that is hard to stop reading, not because it is well written so much as because it paints a riveting but depressing portrait of Generation Y's educational and intellectual shortcomings. Well documented, the book focuses on the intellect of under-30-year-olds, not only concluding that they are the "dumbest generation" but doing a good job of refuting those academics who contend otherwise.

Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age by Maggie Jackson is an easy-to-read book that includes significant documentation in support of its thesis that modern multitaskers' inability to focus attention will usher in a period of societal decline. Unfortunately, the book itself would be better, if more tightly focused on fewer points and less sensationalistic in predicting a Dark Age due to general inattention.

Related books that are also recommended for this topic are You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier and The Overflowing Brain: Information Overload and the Limits of Working Memory by Torkel Klingberg.

Our very popular West Valley Library series of  UCCE Master Gardeners programs will resume in January 2011.  Topics being considered for upcoming lectures include:  pruning trees, growing tomatoes (a very popular recurring program), more information about growing & preparing Asian vegetables, building raised garden beds, growing succulents, successfully cultivating California native plants, and dealing with pests in the garden. 

Check our web page or monthly calendar for more detail.  We are also expanding our program, each lecture will take place from 6:30-8PM in the Community Room here at West Valley Branch Library. 

I'm often asked about the music we use for the library's popular Music and Movement with Preschoolers program. Some of my favorite action songs for young children are by Hap Palmer, Greg and Steve, and Jim Gill.  You can find them, and lots of other great music for kids, in the children's section of our music CD racks. 

Add to the fun by making simple musical instruments from household items. For instance, a pair of wooden spoons make great rhythm sticks. Fill plastic Easter eggs with dried beans and tape shut, and you've got a pair of maracas.

Have fun, and join us for the next Music and Movement program at Willow Glen Library on Wednesday, December 1, at 11:30 a.m.

Do you love cats?   If the answer is yes, check out Binky the Space Cat,  written and illustrated by Ashley Spires. Binky is an adorable black and white cat who takes care of his household which consists of a big human, a little human, and a toy mouse.   Binky protects his household from tiny, pesky “aliens” with six legs and wings.   This whimsically illustrated book is great for elementary school students, including reluctant readers.  Preschoolers with longer attention spans may also enjoy this book. 

Other delightful books by the same author include Binky To The Rescue, Binky Under Pressure and Binky Takes Charge.     

Lớp học Thư Pháp Chữ Việt đã bắt đầu Ngày 6 Tháng 11 mỗi Thứ Bảy.  Nếu quý vị thích thơ, ca dao Việt Nam, mời quý vị đến học đông đủ.  Lớp học miễn phí.  Lớp học tại phòng Family Learning Center.  Không cần ghi danh trước.

Every autumn, I find myself listening to music by The Cure again.  

It might be Robert Smith's wailing vocals, teen angsty lyrics, or perhaps the generally slower pace of the songs meshes up with the slower pace I feel as colder weather sets in.  The Library has several albums by The Cure, all good for fall-time listening.  We also have a DVD of live performances and music videos, titled (go figure) The Cure.  

An 80s and 90s sensation, this alternative-goth-punk-rock band is still touring...and yes, Robert Smith's hair is still poofy.  If you are completely unfamiliar with the band, a good album to start with is Staring at the Sea, a collection of singles from earlier in their career.  You're likely to enjoy The Cure if you're a fan of Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey, or Echo and the Bunnymen.

You can listen to preview clips of many of The Cure's songs on Amazon, see a plethora of their videos on YouTube (including the epic "Lovesong"), and read more about the band's history on Wikipedia and AllMusic.com.  

I maintain that The Cure's Disintegration is the best album ever made by any band.  What's your favorite album?

The BBC4 Series The IT Crowd (is absolutely a must-watch for anyone with a job involving any technology at all.  And if you're in tech support, the tag line "Have you tried turning it off and back on again?" will resonate with you truly.  Beyond that, pretty much anyone who works in an office setting will find this hilarious as well.  Much along the same lines as the original UK version of The Office, The IT Crowd is often slapstick to the point of ridiculousness.

The poor unappreciated IT guys down in the basement, Roy and Moss, get a new boss, Jen, with no knowledge of technology at all.  In fact, she doesn't know what IT stands for (that Information Technology, hey!).  Hilarity ensues.  Not many shows make me actually laugh out loud, but every episode of The IT Crowd does just that.  I'm such a fan that I have a "Team Moss" t-shirt that I will not part with for anything.

The Library has the first three seasons, with the fourth one just released and soon to come.  So start watching from the beginning now and be ready for more!

Love poetry? Love to create poetry? Plan to visit with Poetry Center San Jose every third Thursday from 6:30 - 9 PM in Willow Glen Branch Library's Community Room. The group features readings from a local poet, critques, and an open mic session. Come and celebrate the poetry artform!

Ever feel like you don't quite fit in? Like you'd love something exciting to come whisk you away from your everyday life? Then you're not only like the rest of us, but you're just like Leonard in Alan Mendelsohn, The Boy from Mars by Daniel Pinkwater, the author of many children's and young adult books. So who's Alan, you might be wondering? Well, therein lies the book. This science fiction adventure takes them from a bookstore to aliens, space, and beyond. Recommended for readers as young as 4th grade, this is still a completely entertaining read for adults too. If you've ever felt picked on or bored out of your head with school, check out Alan and Leonard's adventures.

Kids, we know that homework can be tough. We hope all you students (and parents!) out there already know about all of the great online resources we offer right here on our website under Research and Homework. You can take advantage of Live Homework Help daily from 2pm-midnight and get free homework help online from certified tutors. You can also browse our databases covering many different subjects to find articles and other sources for your research.

But did you know that you can now come to West Valley Branch Library on Thursday afternoons for some face-to-face homework help with our excellent teen volunteer tutors? That's right! No need to sign up in advance...Students in Grades K-8 are welcome to join us in West Valley's Family Place Area on Thursday afternoons from 5-6pm for our new drop-in Homework Hour! Our volunteers can help you work through that tricky math problem, essay question, or any other homework-related needs.

Author David Herlihy will visit the Willow Glen Branch Library on Saturday, November 11 at 4 PM to discuss his latest book, The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance. It chronicles the amazing story of two turn-of-the-century cyclists: one who attempts to circumnavigate the globe, but disappears. The other starts off in an effort to unravel the mystery.

Once a quarter, we offer a FREE Singing Class for Vietnamese Seniors 50 or older. The next class starts on January 8, 2011 and ends on March 26, 2011. Learn how to read music and practice singing Vietnamese songs. Sheet music will be provided by the instructor, Thanh Tran, a volunteer and social worker from County of Santa Clara. No prior experience in singing is required.

Lớp học hát miễn phí cho người Việt cao niên mỗi chiều Thứ Bảy từ 1g00-3g00 tại thư viện Tully. Lớp sẽ bắt đầu vào ngày 8 tháng 1 năm 2011 và kết thúc vào ngày 26 tháng 3 năm 2011. Mỗi học viên sẽ được chọn hai bản nhạc và giáo viên sẽ cung cấp bản nhạc miễn phí. Ghi tên tại lớp vào ngày khai giảng. Không cần phải có kinh nghiệm.

From before the time Mark Twain and Bret Harte wrote about the gold rush, women in the new state of California were also writing about their experiences.  A good starting point for finding more about these women writers is No Rooms of Their Own: Women Writers of Early California, edited by Ida Rae Egli.  This anthology includes poems, stories and essays by Sarah Eleanor Royce, Lucy Young, Dame Shirley, Helen McCowen Carpenter, Frances Fuller Victor, Josephine Clifford McCrackin, Jessie Benton Fremont, Hipolita Orendain de Medina, Georgiana Kirby, Ina Coolbrith, Mary Hallock Foote, Charlotte L. Brown, Ellen Sterling Cummins Mighels, Adah Isaacs Menken, Ada Clare. 

Read more about these writers in this review from California Historian.

Read selections from this anthology in Google Books

Scripts and podcasts of selections by some of these authors can be found at the California Legacy Project

The California Room of San José Public Library has works by and about many of these writers.

New York based Actor and old movie afficianado, Steve Hayes, has been hosting a video blog for the past year all about the great old movies you may have never seen. 

His vlog, Tired Old Queen at the Movies, features one great movie a week.  Steve is really knowledgeable about the movie industry and all the Hollywood dish from back in the day and he shares all of it with you in a conversational style.   He's your friend who can tell you just which film to watch when you're in the mood for a film noir or a grand hollywood musical.

Recently, he shared one of Hitchcock's lesser known works, Stage Fright, starring Marlene Dietrich and Jane Wyman.  Once you hear what Steve has to say about it, you'll be sure to want to come to the Library and pick up a copy from our DVD collection. 

The Library has most of the over 55 movies he has profiled.

Greg's adventures continue in the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid book: The Ugly Truth. Find and request a copy for yourself now! 

Here's a quick summary: While trying to find a new best friend after feuding with Rowley, middle-school slacker Greg Heffley is warned by older family members that adolescence is a time to act more responsibly and to think seriously about his future.

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Refusing to become an unpaid servant in her brother’s household, widow Dina Dalal takes in a student boarder and hires two pariah tailors to do piecework in her simple tenement flat.  These four unlikely characters together form a household unit, dependent on each other for sustenance and support.  A tale of urban slum life in Mrs. Gandhi’s India of the 1970s, where everything can be fixed – for a price – and where being in the right place at the wrong time can have disastrous consequences.  A comparable book with a similar theme is The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.