Showing posts with label readers advisory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label readers advisory. Show all posts

Monday, April 4

Your Personal Readers' Advisory Librarian

 Have you ever been looking for your next book, but you don't know where to start?  What about finishing a series and you want another one like it?  You ask your friends.  You ask your librarian. Or maybe you don't want to ask because that last series you read was a a little risque and you don't want to admit how much you liked it.  Well, whatever the situation, we are here to show you how to find your next great read.  It's right at your fingertips at your library's website!

We're going to take you through this step by step and you are going to wonder where this wonderful tool has been all your life.  First, click on the link above and go to our website. 


Choose Explore  and then Novelist Plus  and then get ready to spend a little time doing what we like to call "book window shopping."  And make sure you've got your library card ready for the next step.










Type your library card number into the Patron ID box.  If you have any questions or problems with this step, call or visit your local branch.  Stop by if you don't have or have lost your library card too.  








Now that you're in, let's have some fun! Most of us have a favorite type of book that we like to read, so this is a great place to start.  Under the Recommended Reads List you can search by age and genre in fiction and non fiction.  There are even sub-genres for each one if you want to get more specific. 

There are also suggestions under I'm in the mood for books that are...  These are more specific and change periodically.  







Maybe you have a favorite author but have trouble keeping up with all of the books they have written or you can't remember the order of the books.  Just type in the name of the author in the search box on the home page and you can find all the answers you need.  Under the authors information you will see a list of their books.  Search by books and you can get them listed alphabetically or by date. Choose series and then you can see each series the author has written and the order of the books in it. This is great if you read anyone other than Janet Evanovich or Sue Grafton.  





Maybe you just finished an epic, life-changing series and are heartbroken because the next book isn't coming out for two years or worse is finished. You want to read another book or series like it ASAP. We've got you covered.  Search for the series on the home page and you will see that each book not only has Title Read-alikes but author and series also.  Plus, there are always suggestions listed on the right side of your screen.  There is bound to be something to help you out in one of those lists. 








 Here is a sample of a read-alike list.  You can even print it out and hand it to your favorite librarian along with your library card and just tell them to pick one and surprise you.  Who knows?  You might find your next favorite series.











If you are the independent type, you'll love this feature.  When you choose a book to see more about it, it tells you how many copies are available in our library system.  If you click on that blue box, it will take you right to our library system's online catalog so you can order a copy and have it sent to the library of your choice.  










Now one more thing before we finish up. If you get in this website and get lost and can't remember all of the wonderful books you found to read, this will be your best friend.  Go to the top and create an account.  Then, when you find a book you want to remember, click on the folder (where the arrow is pointing) and it will save it for you.  









So the next time you get on the Novelist Plus site, all you have to do is sign in and click on the folder in the top right corner and all those great books you want to read are right there waiting for you.  


We hope you will learn to love this site as much as we do.  It such an easy way to find your next book.  Happy reading!






Friday, July 17

Weird Books

These books have actually been written!

1. Do It Yourself Coffins for Pets and People: A Schiffer Book for Woodworkers Who Want to Be Buried in Their Work by Dale Power


2. SPAM: A Biography: The Amazing True Story of America's "Miracle Meat!" by Carolyn Wyman


3. Raising Smart Kids For Dummies by Marlene Targ Trill


4. Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat by Amy Hirschman 


5. Knitting With Dog Hair: Better A Sweater From A Dog You Know and Love Than From A Sheep You'll Never Meet by Anne Montgomery


6. How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack: Defend Yourself When the Lawn Warriors Strike (And They Will) by Chuck Sambuchino


7.  The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification by Julian Montague


 8. Crap Taxidermy by Kat Su



9. Bombproof Your Horse: Teach Your Horse to Be Confident, Obedient, and Safe, No Matter What You Encounter by Rick Pelicano 


10. Extreme Ironing 101: A Quick Guide on How to Extreme Iron Step by Step from A to Z by Howexpert by Marie Claire Medina 


Monday, July 13

A Little Help with What to Read Next

Does your local librarian come to your aid when you are looking for something new to read? We always try. Sometimes, however, even the experts need a little help. "I like Danielle Steel and want a book like hers" or "I just finished all of Stuart Woods' novels and need another author" are fairly easy requests to fill, but sometimes things are a bit more complex. Where is a librarian to turn when they need help with recommending a next read? Often we turn to NoveList Plus. This digital resource provides multiple ways to find recommendations for your next book. And with your CMRLS library card, it is a free service for our patrons.

Recently, a patron read Lisa Wingate's best selling novel, Before We Were Yours, and raved about how much she enjoyed the book. Of course, she went straight to Lisa Wingate's novels on our shelf and checked out a few others. It wasn't long before she returned to bring back the novels, disappointed that they were not to her liking. Enter NoveList Plus where we were able to access a list of books that were read-alikes for the book Before We Were Yours.  With this information, we were able to pull novels for the patron that were what she was seeking to read.

To access NoveList Plus, click on the Digital Library tab on our web page and select Virtual Reference Collection. We have many excellent digital resources available that may be accessed through the Virtual Reference Collection page. If you click to access NoveList Plus, you will be prompted to input your CMRLS library card number.  Simple searches are easy to do if you are familiar with navigating on the Internet. NoveList Plus is linked with our card catalog so you can elect to place a hold on an item when you locate what you want to read. For more complicated searches, you may contact your local branch for assistance or there are YouTube videos from EBSCO that may assist you as well. Simply enter "NoveList" into the YouTube search bar to see what videos are available.

Another help feature for locating a book can be accessed by clicking on the Explore tab on our web page, The librarians at Mississippi Library Commission will recommend titles for you if you answer a few questions. Click on BookMatch to try this service. You will notice you may also access NoveList through the Explore tab. The Explore section of our website is full of reader's advisory help. NextReads and GoodReads are a few other digital resources for book recommendations. And if you are forever forgetting what books you have read, check out Beanstack. With this app, you can participate in reading challenges, log the books you read, and even write book reviews.

Happy reading!





Wednesday, February 17

"What's good to read?"

A question heard many times a day at a library..."What's good to read?" Well, we could take a minute and poll the staff and any visitors in the library, but there is a much easier way.

Subscribe to a NextReads newsletter, a monthly newsletter from CMRLS that is populated with books that fit the genre you choose. And, what a list you have to choose from...Armchair Travel to Tween Reads. You won't have to subscribe to the newsletters if you don't wish to do so. Our Inboxes get pretty full, too! If you see a newsletter that you wish to read, click the name of the newsletter. You will get a short description of the content and whether the information comes to you monthly or every other month.


Place a checkmark beside any subject or subjects that interest you; provide your email address and sit back and wait for 8-10 reading recommendations in each scheduled email! If you wish to see the latest issue before you subscribe or if you just want to read them online, click the link View Latest Issue.

Once you've found a title in the newsletter that looks interesting, click it. The link takes you directly to the CMRLS Catalog where you may place a hold on the book, audio, or downloadable eBook or audio.
For those who want even more reading recommendations look for NoveList Content in the catalog. This is the information found when searching a James Patterson title, NYPD Red4. The first recommendations are other Thriller series. Click Show Titles below on of these and you are given the titles in the series, in order. Click Why this match? and see what about these books are like the original title you chose.





BEGINNING OF LIST SHOWING TITLES IN THE SERIES
 As always, if recommendations are still needed, ALWAYS ask, "What's good to read?"

Wednesday, September 30

Are you thinking about holidays?

Looking for holiday movies to entertain kids out of school or visiting guests? Here are CMRLS Library catalog entries of videos, DVDs, and Blu Ray recordings where the search SUBJECT= HalloweenThanksgivingChristmasKwanzaa; or Hanukkah.

Looking for holiday recipes? Click here.

Holiday decorating? Click here.

Holiday music? Click here. For downloadable music of all types click here -> FREEGAL.

What's the difference you ask? The first link is to CDs and audiocassettes found in one of the twenty (20) CMRLS Libraries. The second link? It's FREE music! It's yours! You keep the music on any computer or MP3 device, including smartphones AND you may download five (5) FREE songs each week...every week! Yes, FREE; but you must have a CMRLS Library Card.

AND, there's more that's FREE! Beginning *Oct. 1, 2015, you also have the option to stream three (3) hours of music each day from ready made playlists or those you create on FREEGAL (much like using Pandora or
'heart' Radio) without using your five (5) FREE downloads.

Ask staff to get you started or just download the FREEGAL app from your App Store. It's FREE, also! Then you can begin creating your playlists and downloading FREE music from the 28,000 music labels you'll find on FREEGAL!

FREEGAL also has music videos--and they are FREE, too!



CMRLS Library Card = FREE + LEGAL Music

*CORRECTION: Live streaming will begin on October 25, so get your FREEGAL account set up soon. You'll have access to 9 million songs, 15,000 music videos, and endless playlists that you create yourself. Five (5) free downloads each week and 3 hours streaming each day!

Wednesday, March 9

Celebrity Novels

Between the Bridge and the River: A Novel is by that late night talk show host with "the accent", Craig Ferguson. Reviews say this novel is hilarious and irreverent. Let us know what you think of the book.

Other recent celebrity novels are:
Let us know what you think! Should they keep their day jobs?

Monday, September 13

Long Lost by Harlen Coben


Patron Book Review:

"Harlan Coben is a prolific suspense writer. This novel doesn’t disappoint. It grabs your attention immediately and is a page turner until the very end. The characters are familiar from his Myron Bolitor series of books. Nevertheless, he does a great job of building their personalities so that this book is a stand alone if you’ve never read his others. The mystery is not unraveled until the end and I doubt that many are able to project the ending until they actually read it." Click here to see if it's available!

Monday, May 10

National BBQ Month


Yummy! May is National BBQ Month! The library is a wonderful place to pick up some grilling tips! From Food Networks' The Neelys, Bobby Flay, Sandra Lee, Paula Deen to heavyweight champion George Forman, check out the CMRLS BBQ collection today! Get a head start on your recipes and dazzle at your next cookout!

Tuesday, February 17

Look at Next Good Book!


Next Good Book is found on the CMRLS website and can be used with or without signing up for an account. You will find new book lists on the CMRLS Bookshelves for "Living on a Shoestring", "Resumes and Interviews", and "Looking for a Job or Career". These CMRLS Bookshelves contain lists of books found in your libraries. You can search for books by subject or check out the New York Times Bestseller lists or dozens of different awards lists. Click on "Catalog" in any of the lists and request that book be sent to your library. If CMRLS doesn't have the book, speak to your library staff about requesting the book through I-L-L.


By signing up for a FREE account with Next Good Book you can comment on books you've read, read comments by others, and even keep a list of books you've read or want to read (and decide if you want to share your list with friends). If you need help setting up an account, just ask your library staff! Happy reading!

Friday, May 30

JUNE is Audio Book Month


Are you planning a family vacation this summer? Gonna' have to be stuck in a car for hours? Take along a family-friendly audio book! Your library has them on cassette tape, CD, even a "Playaway."


What's a Playaway, you ask? It's a MP3 player (pictured above) on which the book is loaded; you can listen through earphones (or an external speaker, just like you use for iPod or other players). This is battery operated and comes with the batteries needed to listen to the book, even the long ones! No CDs or tapes to lose under the car seat or forget where you last put them! Patrons are listening to these while exercising and doing chores around the house; its small enough to fit in your pocket or hang around your neck.


Check here for a list of books on tape @ your library, here for books on CD, and here for Playaway.


Have a GREAT summer listening to books!

Tuesday, April 29

Celebrate 100 Years - Ian Fleming

May 28, 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ian Fleming who gave us that famous spy, James Bond! Check out his books and the movies @ your library. Take a look at the website Ian Fleming Centenary for a brief biography and news of the latest theatrical release coming in November. And, because of Fleming's Bond, not only do all of us expect spies to have great gadgets, we expect them to dress the part. Who would think of a spy not owning an x-ray vision camera pen and a tux, or two?

If you have enjoyed the Bond movies and haven't read the books, why not start with the latest release, Devil May Care, by Sebastian Faulks, writing as Ian Fleming. Just can't wait for your name to come up on the request list for Devil May Care? Try these series titles...

Hawke, by Ted Bell
Quiller bamboo, by Adam Hall
The spy who came in from the cold, by John Le Carre
Eye of the storm, by Jack Higgins

Still looking for something that reads like a James Bond novel? Ask your librarain!

Friday, March 7

LookyBook

Take a look at LookyBook, a great website with children's picture books that you can read online. I think my favorite is Bad Kitty, by Nick Bruel. I hope you enjoy it!




Wednesday, January 30

Best-selling Books @ your library

This is a list of best-selling books @ your library as of 1/6/08 from USA Today...
Use Rosie's Web/Online Catalog to search for and request any of these best-selling titles.

Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
Atonement - Ian McEwan
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
I am Legend - Richard Matheson
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
The Innocent Man: Murder and injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
You: Staying Young - Michael F. Roizen
Shooters - W. E. B. Griffin
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
The Golden Compass - Phillip Pullman
Double Cross - James Patterson
The Friday Night Knitting Club - Kate Jacobs
Exlipse - Stephenie Meyer
Shadow Dance - Julie Garwood
Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
World without End - Ken Follett
Become a Better You - Joel Osteen
Shadow Music - Julie Garwood
I am America (And So Can You!) - Stephen Colbert
The Overlook - Michael Connelly
T is for Trespass - Sue Grafton
The Subtle Knife - Phillip Pullman
Deceptively Delicious - Jessica Seinfeld
Blood Brothers - Nora Roberts
Blood Dreams - Kay Hooper
Stalemate - Iris Johansen
The Amber Spyglass - Phillip Pullman
The Darkest Evening of the Year - Dean Koontz
12 Second Sequence - Jorge Cruise
The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
90 Minutes in Heaven: A true story of Death and LIfe - Don Piper
The Daring Book for Girls - Andrea J. Buchanan
The Dangerous Book for Bosy - Conn Iggulden
The Shape Shifter - Tony Hillerman
Your: On a diet - Michael F. Roizen
People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks
Jim Cramer's Stay Mad for Life - James J. Cramer
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Charlie Wilson's War - George Crile
Next - Michael Crichton
No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
The Choice - Nicholas Sparks
Born Standing Up - Steve Martin
Hide and Seek - Fern Michaels
Shopaholic & Baby - Sophie Kinsella
Stone Cold - David Baldacci
What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff
The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
Star Wars: Darth Bane rule of two - Drew Karphyshyn
The Glass Castle: A memoir - Jeannette Walls
Cross - James Patterson
Someone to Love - Jude Deveraux
The Alchemist - P{aulo Coelho
Playing for Pizza - John Grisham
Harry Potter and the Deathly Haloows - J. K. Rowling
The Best Life Diet - Bob Greene
The Audacity of Hope - Barach Obama
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A natural history of four meals - Michael Pollan
For One More Day - Mitch Albom
The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
Blizzard of the Blue Moon - Mary Pope Osborne
Hunters: A Presidential Agen Nove - W. E. B. Griffin
The Emperor's Children - Claire Messud
Rhett Butler's People - Donald McCaig
The Suspect - John Lescroart
Women & Money - Suze Orman
The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers - Lillan Jackson Braun
The Venetian Betrayal - Steve Berry
Suite Francaise - Irene Nemirovsky
Home to Holly Springs - Jan Karon
Book of the Dead - Patricia Cornwell
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J. K. Rowling
confessor - Terry Goodkind
The Boleyn Inheritance - Philippa Gregory
Cesar's Way, Cesar Millan
The Almost Moon - Alice Sebold
Unnatural Exposure - Patricia Cornwell
Just a Taste - Deirdre Martin
The Nine - Jeffrey Toobin
The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Good to Great - Jim Collins
Deadly Gamble - Linda Lael Miller
Free Lunch - David Cay Johnston
Protect and Defend - Vince Flynn
World War Z - Max Brooks
Boom - Tom Brokaw
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
Lone Survivor - Marcus Luttrell
Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki
Dear John - Nicholas Sparks
Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
Flesh and Bone - Jefferson Bass
You: The owner's manual - Micael F. Roizen
Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
Snakehead - Antohony Horowitz
My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

February is Library Lover's Month!

Monday, December 17

December Closings and Holiday Material

CMRLS Libraries will be closed Saturday, Dec. 22 through Tuesday, Dec. 25, for the Christmas holiday. Libraries will open for regular business on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

So, be sure to check out the holiday videos & DVDs before the 22nd; and the holiday cookbooks; and the children's easy books to keep everyone occupied! Brandon Library even has jigsaw puzzles to check out! How about holiday music to play in the background? Let the library help make your celebration special.

Did you know...
The U.S. Postal Service expects to deliver 20 billion pieces of mail between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. The busiest mailing day is set for Dec. 17, as more than three times the average daily volume of cards and letters should be mailed (more than 275 million versus 82 million). This and other interesting holiday facts can be found at the US Census website.

Wednesday, October 3

Teen Read Week - Oct. 14-20

"LOL @ your library" during Teen Read Week 2007

Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, and educators. It is celebrated each year during the third week of October. Since 1998, Teen Read Week has encouraged teens to make time to read for the fun of it; use their local library to discover their interests; and get reading materials and participate in events at their school or public library.

Teen Read Week is administered by the Young Adult Library Services Associations (YALSA), the fastest grouwing division of the American Library Association. For 50 years YALSA has been the world leader in selecting reading, listening, and viewing for teens.

Check out these books and see the YALSA book lists!

Check out the programs @ your library!

Thursday, September 20

Did you know...

September is National Piano Month? It is also National Biscuit, Chicken, Honey, Mushroom, Rice and Wild Rice Month! There is a meal in there somewhere. Here is a webpage with recipes for chicken, mushrooms, and rice recipes; and click here for chicken and honey recipes!

It's Update Your Resume Month! The G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library will be holding a two-part program to help with this. Monday, Oct. 1 and Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 6:00 p.m., participants will learn the basics of writing a winning resume; and will spend time drafting individual resumes. The programs last until 8:00 p.m. Registration is required. Call the library at 601-919-1911. This a free program.

Monday, September 17

New York Times Bestsellers @ your library

A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
The Wheel of Darkness, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Bones to Ashes, by Kathy Reichs
The Elves of Cintra, by Terry Brooks
Tree of Smoke, by Denis Johnson
Play Dirty, by Sandra Brown
The Quickie, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
Songs without Words, by Ann Packer
Sweet Revenge, by Diane Mott Davidson
Lord John and theBrotherhood of the Blade, by Diana Gabaldon
Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan
Power Play, by Joseph Finder
The Secret Servent, by Daniel Silva
Force of Nature, by Suzanne Brockmann
The Tin Roof Blowdown, by James Lee Burke
The Burnt House, by Faye Kellerman
High Noon, by Nora Roberts
On the Road, by Jack Kerouac
Still Summer, by Jacquelyn Mitchard
The View from Mount Joy, by Lorna Landvik
Lean Mean Thirteen, by janet Evanovich
Waking with Enemies, by Eric Jerome Dickey
The First Commandment, by Brad Thor
Malice, by Robert K. Tanenbaum

Monday, September 10

Patriot Day - September 11, 2007

These are just a few links to information concerning September 11, 2001. Your librarian can help you find even more resources for those writing papers or preparing homework assignments, or those just remembering that tragic day and the days that followed.

Celebrate September 11 as Patriot Day.

September 11 Terrorist Attacks - materials @ your library
September 11 Digital Archives - includes more than 150,000 digital items, with more than 15,000 digital images
September 11 Resources from http://www.lii.org
Resolution naming 9/11 as Patriot Day
Presidential Proclamation Recognizing the first Patriot Day

Thursday, September 6

National Grandparents Day

Don't forget National Grandparents Day, Sunday, September 9. Honor them on this day by acknowledging the wisdom and heritage they can or did provide. Take a minute to click through the official website and of course stop by your library for books on grandparenting, elder care, senior citizens, genealogy, and much more.