There are many outstanding classic films that have been either nominated or have won academy awards in the near or distant past.  Which films are some of your all-time favorites?  One of my favorites is Casablanca.

San Jose Public Library has the books that inspired the films. 

Here are some of the films that were awarded for best picture:

• Gone With the Wind (1939)
• Mrs. Miniver (1942)
• The Godfather (1972)

For some time, TCM will be showing academy award nominated and winning films during their 31 Days of Oscar program.  Another great way to re-visit those well-loved films! 

It’s time for the monthly check on what your community’s reading! Here’s a selection from the top titles for February. Here’s the list for January and December. Enjoy! 

I recently finished reading J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy. Having been addicted to the Harry Potter series as an adult, I was eager to read Rowling's first offering actually targeted to my demographic.

Something that always struck me about the Harry Potter books was J.K. Rowling's unflinching approach to such dark themes as mortality, destruction and evil. I don't consider encounters with Lord Voldemort, murderous Death Eaters and soul-draining Dementors to be for the faint of heart. I admire Rowling for not allowing a need to "shelter" children from these unpleasant themes get in the way of her storytelling.
 

With The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling is no less willing to confront an adult audience with harsher truths. Only now, she does not need the fantasy setting and the metaphors of dark magic and wizards gone bad to cover very adult themes of drug use, predators, child abuse and other uglinesses. And the reader does not have clear-cut heroes like Harry, Ron and Hermione to root for or villians like Voldemort and Draco Malfoy to deplore. The residents of Rowling's English town of Pagford are often unsympathetic, petty and selfish, but for the most part they are also simply ordinary people just trying to get through life. For me, this greater moral ambiguity made the greatest difference in my experience as a reader of   The Casual Vacancy as opposed to the the Harry Potter novels.  But I still recognize that unflinching storyteller.

Every parent has heard these words before, but when a young girl meets a potato the rolls are changed.  Check out I'm Bored and many more great new picture books at the library.  If you are still bored, join in some of our great events for families (click on links to view times and dates):

• Family Storytime (Spa/Eng) – Cuentos para Familias
• Reading to Furry Friends
• Lunar New Year Craft for Kids

Or take a look at our full calendar of events. 

We will do our best to keep your boredom at bay.

Have you ever wondered what the top ten adult fiction and non-fiction book titles are most frequently checked out each month from the San Jose Public Library? Well, here’s a selection from the top titles for January. I’ll post these monthly so you can see what your fellow library users are reading!

Have you ever wondered what the top ten adult fiction and non-fiction book titles are most frequently checked out each month from the San Jose Public Library? Well, here’s a selection from the top titles for December. I’ll post these monthly so you can see what your fellow library users are reading!