New Titles

We recently got in over 60 new titles!  Most of these were recommended or requested by you and your peers.  Take a minute to look through the new arrivals list, browse the new ebooks and audiobooks, or ask Mr. B or Mrs. Webb about them.

(Your login credentials for ebooks and audiobooks are the same as what you use for AR access.)

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Photo from
https://twitter.com/TheLBDofficial

*This paragraph is based entirely on my own opinion.*  Suffice it to say that most adults over the age of 30 have no clue what YouTube really is.  They know there are videos there - most of which I am sure they would describe as rather inappropriate or sometimes entertaining.  They may even admit to you that they have found great how-to videos to help them with things like changing out electrical outlets or building a greenhouse.  They don't know, though, that it is a platform for impressive art and creativity - that there are shows with episodes and channels with regular programming.  It's up to you to educate them.  Really.  I can't do it all on my own.  Help these people out.

Ok.  Off my soapbox now and on to the point.  One of the most interesting YouTube Channels I've come across recently is called the Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  (I'm about a year behind on this - as I am in many areas, but it's worth sharing just the same.) The classic novel Pride & Prejudice has recently turned 200 years old, and yet it is alive and well in this vlog-style modern retelling of the novel.  In a series of 3 minute video diaries, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bennet brings the whole Pride & Prejudice story into the modern world, but perhaps more interesting than that is the infusion of other social media platforms into the show.  The characters are on Twitter and Tumblr for viewers to follow & interact with in between episodes. Just so you know, the videos are teen rated.  

If you want, you can check out the show from the beginning on the show's website or check out the YouTube channel directly.

The ultimate point of this post is actually not to make you the next Lizzie Bennet superfan.  It's to remind you that we live in a world where creating your own successful TV show is as simple as having a camera and a great idea.  Use the technology available to you to make your mark on the world.  There's no telling what you can come up with.  Click the Read More link if you want to watch the first video.

Nicholas Sparks - Author of the Month

Photo from NicholasSparks.com

Nicholas Sparks is one of the most successful contemporary authors in the United States.  His novels - mostly love stories that appeal to female readers - have sold millions of copies in the US and across the world.  Every one of this novels has been a New York Times Bestseller, and eight of his books have film adaptations including the soon-to-be-released Safe Haven starring Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel.   

On a personal level, Sparks was a track and field athlete in high school and at the University of Notre Dame, and he has coached.  He is married and lives in North Carolina - where his books are typically set.  If you want to know more about him, check out the FAQ page on his website.  It's full of his own answers to questions about why he writes, his writing process, and his life.  You can also find him on Twitter @SparksNicholas.

Our collection of Sparks books is highly popular, but the books that are currently available for checkout can be found displayed in the fiction section of the media center.  Let us know what your favorite Nicholas Sparks book is!