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CMRLS now allows comments on the CMRLS News Blog entries! Let us know if the blog is helpful to you.

CMRLS Library Toolbar

You can now download the CMRLS Library Toolbar! This gives you links to the library website, catalog, calendar, quick reference, this blog, news, weather, and a Google Search box literally at your fingertips. Go to the homepage and click the banner "Stay in Touch - Download our Toolbar". It's that simple!

There is no spyware or adware attached to this and you are not placed on a mailing list! Try it, today!

"Happy Holidays!" from CMRLS libraries.

Holiday Resources @ your library!

Are you looking for:
Christmas videos or DVDs? Click here, to see a list of Christmas videos. Click here, to see a list of Christmas DVDs.
Last minute holiday decorating projects?
Stories for the little ones for Christmas? Hanukkah? Kwanzaa?
New holiday recipes? Christmas music?
Check out the CMRLS online calendar for programs throughout the holiday season!

Happy Holidays!
from CMRLS.

Closed for the Holidays

CMRLS libraries will be closed December 23, 25, and 26 for the Christmas holidays. Branches will reopen Wednesday, December 27 with regular business hours.

CMRLS wishes everyone a very HAPPY HOLIDAY!

Notable Books of the Year @ your library

Books found in the CMRLS collection listed on the 100 Notable Books of the Year, in New York Times:

FICTION & POETRY
Absurdistan, by Gary Shteyngart
After This, by Alice McDermott
Alentejo Blue, by Monica Ali
Black Swan Green, by David Mitchell
Brookland, by Emily Barton
Digging to America, by Anne Tyler
The Emperor's Children, by Claire Messud
Everyman, by Philip Roth
Golden Country, by Jennifer Gilmore
Half of a Yellow Sun, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
High Lonesome: New & Selected Stories, 1966-2006, by Joyce Carol Oates
Intuition, by Allegra Goodman
The Keep, by Jennifer Egan
Lisey's Story, by Stephen King
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by Marisha Pessl
Suite Françoise, by Irene Nemirovsky
Terrorist, by John Updike
Twilight of the Superheroes, by Deborah Eisenberg
A Woman in Jerusalem, by A. B. Yehoshua

NON-FICTION
At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-68, by Taylor Branch
Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West, by Hampton Sides
Consider the Lobster: And Other Essays, by David Foster Wallace
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia, by Elizabeth Gilbert
Falling Through the Earth, by Danielle Trussoni
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq, by Thomas E. Ricks
The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, by Douglas Brinkley
Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany, by Bill Buford
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War, by Nathaniel Philbrick
The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher, by Debby Applegate
Queen of Fashion: What Marie Antoinette Wore to the Revolution, by Caroline Weber
State of Denial, by Bob Woodward
Strange Piece of Paradise, by Terri Jentz
Sweet and Low: A Family Story, by Rich Cohen
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl, by Timothy Egan

Halloween Fun!

Check out these websites for Halloween fun: Answers.com, The Holiday Spot, Ben & Jerry's, Kids Domain, Halloween.com, Enchanted Learning, Martha Stewart, Education World, Family Fun, and PBS Kids.
Check out these books @ your library, and last year's Halloween blog!

Have a safe, happy HALLOWEEN!

BOO! Do you dare read alone?

Horror stories just for you* @ your library...

Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe
The Tragedy of Macbeth, by William Shakespeare
The Monk, by Matthew Gregory Lewis
Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen
Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Twice-Told Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Tales of Mystery and Imagination, by Edgar Allan Poe
The Confidence Man, by Herman Melville
Uncle Silas, by Sheridan Le Fanu
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Island of Doctor Moreau, by H. G. Wells
Dracula, by Bram Stoker
The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James
Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad
The Man Who Was Thursday, by G. K. Chesterton
The Trial, by Franz Kafka
The Dark Tower, by C. S. Lewis
Track of the Cat, by Walter Van Tilburg Clark
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch, by Philip K. Dick
The Green Man, Kingsley Amis
Grendel, by John Gardner
The Exorcist, by William Peter Blatty
Burnt Offerings, by Robert Marasco
Salem’s Lot, by Stephen King
The Wolfen, by Whitley Streiber
The Totem, by David Morrell
Ghost Story, Peter Straub
Red Dragon, by Thomas Harris
The Keep, by F. Paul Wilson
The Damnation Game, by Clive Barker

*Partial list from the book:
Horror: The 100 Best Books, by Stephen Jones and Kim Newman.

CMRLS Libraries to close Labor Day

All CMRLS libraries

will be closed

Monday, September 4,

in observance of Labor Day.

The libraries will reopen

for regular business on

Tuesday, September 5.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

The History of Labor Day: from US Department of Labor

The Origins of Labor Day: from PBS-NewsHour

Labor Day: from FirstGov.gov, includes labor statistics, boating safety, picnic tips, etc.

Barbeque Recipes: from AllRecipes.com

Barbeque University

Plan a Picnic: from RecipeAmerica.com

Take Safety on your Picnic

First Aid: from MayoClinic.com

Food Contamination and Poisoning: from MedlinePlus

Getting Ready for School

No matter what grade your child is entering next month, the best school supply you can get them is a LIBRARY CARD! If you live, work, or attend school in Rankin, Scott, Simpson, or Smith county, you and your children are eligible for a FREE CMRLS LIBRARY CARD. Go to "How do I get my Library Card?" to see just how easy it is. Your library card allows you to check out items from our 21 branches as well as use the online databases and resources.

If you are worried about not getting items returned on time, check out the Early Email Notice service. We will email you three days before your items are due giving you enough time to get them returned to any of the libraries in the four counties; or, you can use this early email notice to go online and renew the items. Either way you won't have late fees!

You may even call our automated system to renew your items or check your account. Make sure you have your library card and your PIN that you registered when you call TeleCirc at 601-825-5450.

Remember, your child's best tool for school is their LIBRARY CARD!

Libraries Closed

All CMRLS libraries will be closed

Tuesday, July 4, 2006.

HAPPY FOURTH of JULY!

Fourth of July is Independence Day!

Kids Domain: July 4th Fun

Fourth of July History and more!

The Declaration of Independence

Presidential Proclamation - 2006

What Presidents Do on July 4th

July 4th Recipes: AllRecipes

Recipes: Whitehouse.gov

Best Sellers @ your library!

The books listed below can be found on The New York Times Best Seller List, Amazon.com Best Sellers, USA Today Best-selling Books, and Book Sense Bestsellers. There is something here for everyone! To request a book, go to Rosie's Web/Online Catalog and type in the title of the book. You will need to have your library card and your PIN (Personal Identification Number) you registered at your library. Your set then to reserve a copy of one of these best sellers for yourself, or find something else you would like to read.

Adult Fiction
4th of July, by James Patterson
Absurdistan, by Gary Shteyngart
Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown
The Art of Detection, by Laurie R. King
At Risk, by Patricia D. Cornwell - A Massachusetts state investigator applies DNA and other forensic techniques to a cold murder case; written as a serial for the The New York Times Magazine.
Baby Proof, by Emily Giffin
Beach Road, by James Patterson, Peter de Jonge - An East Hampton lawyer becomes involved in a highly publicized trial that pits locals against the super-rich.
Black Swan Green, by David Mitchell
Blue Shoes and Happiness, by Alexander McCall Smith
The Book of the Dead, by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child - The final volume of a trilogy involoving Secret Agent Aloysius Pendergast of the FBI and his criminal brother.
The Bookwoman's Last Fling, by John Dunning
The Cold Moon, by Jeffery Deaver - The forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme tracks a serial killer who calls himself the Watchmaker.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown *MOVIE
Danse Macabre (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter), by Laurell K. Hamilton
Dark Harbor, by Stuart Woods
Dead Watch, by John Sandford - A political operative investigates the murder of a former senator.
The Devil Wears Prada: A Novel, by Lauren Weisberger *MOVIE
Digging to America, by Anne Tyler - Two families, one of them, one of them Iranian-American, become involoved with each other when both adopt baby girls from Korea.
Elements of Style, by Wendy Wasserstein
Everyman, by Philip Roth
The Foreign Correspondent: A Novel, by Alan Furst
Full of Grace, by Dorothea Benton Frank
The Hard Way, by Lee Child - When his wife is kidnapped, a man who deals in illegal soldiers turns to the former military cop Jack Reacher.
The Husband, by Dean Koontz - A man whose wife is kidnapped has 60 hours to come up with a huge ransom.
I Say a Little Prayer, by E. Lynn Harris
Killer Dreams, by Iris Johansen - A researcher battles the head of a pharmaceutical company who has perverted a technology she invented in order to turn people into zombies.
Killer Instinct, by Joseph Finder
The King of Lies, by John Hart
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
The Last Templar, by Raymond Khoury
Life of Pi, by Yann Martel
The Man of My Dreams, by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Man from Stone Creek, by Linda Lael Miller
The Night Watch, by Sarah Waters
The Poe Shadow, by Matthew Pearl
Promise Me, by Harlan Coben
The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran
The Rapture, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins - The third prequel to the "Left Behind" series. *MOVIE
The Saboteurs (Men at War), by W. E. B. Griffin, William E. Butterworth IV - Another volume of the "Men at War" series about OSS agents during World War II.
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
Shanks for Nothing, by Rick Reilly
The Stolen Child: A Novel, by Keith Donohue
Suite Francaise, by Irene Nemirovsky, Sandra Smith (Translator)
Takedown, by Brad Thor
Telegraph Days, by Larry McMurtry - A romantic spoof of the Old West from the author of "Lonesome Dove".
The Templar Legacy, by Steve Berry
The Tenth Circle, by Jodi Picoult
Terrorist, by John Updike - A New Jersey high school boy falls under the sway of an imam.
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Twelve Sharp, by Janet Evanovich
Two Little Girls in Blue, by Mary Higgins Clark
The Whole World Over, by Julia Glass

Adult Non-Fiction
American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century, by Kevin Phillips
Beyond Band of Brothers, by Dick Winters with Cole C. Kingseed
The Big Bam, by Leigh Montville
Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell - The author of "The Tipping Point" explores the importance of hunch and instinct to the workings of the mind.
Cesar's Way, by Cesar Millan
A Death in Belmont, Sebastian Junger
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America, by Erik Larson
Dispatches From the Edge, by Anderson Cooper - The CNN correspondent describes a year of covering the tsunami in Sri Lanka, the war in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina.
Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings, by Tyler Perry - Musings on life from the man behind "Diary of a Mad Black Woman." *MOVIE
Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz
Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levill, Stephen J. Dubner - A maverick scholar applies economic thinking to everything from sumo wrestlers who cheat to legalized abortion and the falling crime rate.
Good to Great, by Jim Collins
The Great Deluge, by Douglas G. Brinkley
The Great Transformation, by Karen Armstrong
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond
Heat, Bill Buford
I Had the Right to Remain Silent...But I Didn't Have the Ability, by Ron White
In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
Left to Tell, by Immaculee Ilibagiza with Steve Erwin
Lies at the Altar, by Robin Smith
Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, by James L. Swanson
Marley & Me, by John Grogan - A newspaper columnist and his wife learn some life lessons from their neurotic dog.
Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick - How America began, from the author of "In the Heart of the Sea".
Miracle in the Andes, by Nando Parrado
Mockingbird, by Charles J. Shields
My Life in France, by Julia Child - How Julia Child mastered the art of French cooking: a memoir.
Possible Side Effects, by Augusten Burroughs
A Short Guide to a Happy Life, by Anna Quindlen
Sonoma Diet, by Connie Guttersen, et al.
The Tao of Willie, Willie Nelson, Turk Pipkin
Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, by Malcolm Gladwell
What to Eat, by Marion Nestle
Wisdom of Our Fathers, by Tim Russert - The host of "Meet the Press" presents readers' letters about their fathers in response to his book "Big Russ and Me."
The World is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman - A columnist for the The New York Times analyzes 21st-century economics and foreign policy.
The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion

Youth
Al Capone Does My Shirts, by Gennifer Choldenko
The Book Thief, by Markud Zusak - In Nazi Germany, a girl saves books from book-burnigns and shares them with the Jewish man hididng in her basement.
Chasing Vermeer, by Blue Balliett
Eldest, by Christopher Paolini - Eragon in the land of elves; Book 2 in the Inheritance trilogy.
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini - A boy and a young dragon must navigate a bewildering world of dark powers. *MOVIE
Flush, by Carl Hiaasen- To free his father from jail, Noah must catch a casino owner whose boat is polluting the Florida Keys.
Heat, by Mike Lupica
Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen - Trying to solve a mystery, a boy newly arrived in Florida encounters bizarre people. *MOVIE
Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke
Maximum Ride: School's Out - Forever, by James Patterson- Who's trying to kill Max and his flying friends?
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo - A rabbit made of china learns about love and loss.
The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall - On vacation, four sisters befriend a local boy to the dismay of his snobbish mother.
Small Steps, by Louis Sachar
The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo - A mouse, a rat, and a simple servant girl embark on a magical journey.
The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen
The Wright 3, by Blue Balliett - Petra and Calder have to solve a mystery about Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House; a sequel to "Chasing Vermeer."

Children's Illustrated Books
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, by Bill Martin ,Eric Carle
Fancy Nancy, by Jane O'Connor - A glamour girl dresses her family up and takes them out on the town.
Good Night Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann
Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown
Lily's Big Day, by Kevin Henkes - Guess who wants to be the flower girl at Mr. Slinger's wedding?
The Little Engine That Could, by Watty Piper
Oh, the Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss
Olivia, by Ian Falconer - The antic adventures of a precocious pig.
Olivia Forms a Band, by Ian Falconer
Pat the Bunny, by Dorothy Kunhardt
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
Zen Shorts, by Jon J. Muth - Stillwater the giant panda tells classic Zen tales to his young neighbors.

Children and Youth Fiction Series
Alex Rider Adventures, by Anthony Horowitz - A boy spy follows in his father's footprints.
Charlie Bone, by Jenny Nimmo - A king's descendants learn magic at Bloor's Academy.
The Clique, by Lisi Harrison
Junie B. Jones, Barbara Park, Denise Brunkus, Illustrator
Harry Potter, by J. K. Rowling - A boy wizard hones his skills and battles evil at Hogwarts. *MOVIE
Magic Tree House, Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca, Illustrator - Children travel to the past in a spinning tree house.
Pendragon, D. J. Machale - A teenage boy travels through time and space.
A Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket - The adventures of the Baudelaire siblings. *MOVIE
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares - Four friends share magical pants. *MOVIE
Warriors: The New Prophecy, by Erin W. Hunter

Summer Library Programs!

This is the third week into the CMRLS summer library programs! You still have a chance to see "The Snakeman", Inky the Clown, Chuck Galey, Wattsup Jams, storytelling, and so much more! Take a look at the online calendar or read an online copy of What's Happening @ your library on the library home page. The online calendar can be searched by age group or library branch, making it easy to find a program suited for your family at the branch nearest to you.

For some "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales" fun on the internet, go to the summer fun page to visit zoos online, print pictures to color, and find interesting animal facts! Pictures of the summer programs are posted on the site as soon as they come in!

Happy Summer READING!!

Summer Reading Ideas for Young and Old!

Adventures to Read All Through the Summer - a book list from librarian Nancy Pearl, heard on National Public Radio (NPR).

BookSense Summer Picks - a list of great books from picture books to books for teens, from BookSense.com.

"Pawed"cast - an MP3 version of 30 minute broadcasts of animal stories to go along with Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales! the CMRLS 2006 Summer Reading Program, from Alaska's We Like Kids: KTOO-FM . Listen on iPod, personal computer, or any MP3 player.

Good Reads for Teens - Recommended reads for teens and young adults from the American Library Association (ALA).

UC Berkley Summer Reading List - books for college freshman to enjoy (not a required reading list) during the summer!

For more recommended reads, check out Oprah: What to Read this Summer, Curled Up with a Good Book, and the CMRLS Readers Advisory page. And, if you still can't find a "good book", ask your librarian!

Problem with Blog Hyperlinks to the CMRLS Online Catalog

I'm sorry, due to a recent system upgrade the hyperlinks to the CMRLS online catalog created before May 26, 2006 no longer are working. Future hyperlinks will work until the next upgrade! The hyperlink will open a window to the online catalog. You may type the name of the book you are looking for in the search box and still get to the information. I'm sorry for this inconvenience.

What we call progress is the exchange of one nuisance for another. - Henry Ellis, 1859-1939

2006 Movies Based on Books @ your library

Follow the links to information about the movies and then, to Rosie's Web to request the book!
ALICE - Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll
ALL THE KING'S MEN - All the King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren
AQUAMARINE - Aquamarine, by Alice Hoffman
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, by Ron Hansen
THE BLACK DAHLIA - The Black Dahlia, by James Ellroy
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED - Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder: A Novel, by Evelyn Waugh
CHARLOTTE'S WEB - Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White
THE CHILDREN OF MEN - The Children of Men, by P. D. James
CURIOUS GEORGE - Curious George, by H. A. Rey
THE DA VINCI CODE - The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
DEATH AND LIFE OF BOBBY Z - Death and Life of Bobby Z, by Don Winslow
DECAMERON: ANGELS & VIRGINS or GUILTY PLEASURES - The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA - The Devil Wears Prada, by lauren Weisberger
ERAGON - Eragon, by Christopher Paolini
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS - Flags of our Fathers, by James Bradley
FLICKA - My Friend Flicka, by Mary O'Hara
FREEDOMLAND - Freedomland, by Richard Price
GONE, BABY, GONE - Gone, Baby, Gone: A Novel, by Dennis Lehane
THE GOOD GERMAN - The Good German: A Novel, by Joseph Kanon
A GOOD YEAR - A Good Year, by Peter Mayle
HOOT - Hoot, by Carl Hiaasen
HOW TO EAT FRIED WORMS - How to Eat Fried Worms, by Thomas Rockwell
KILLSHOT - Killshot, by Elmore Leonard
LITTLE CHILDREN - Little Children, by Tom Perrotta
THE NAMESAKE - The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri
THE NIGHT LISTENER - The Night Listener: A Novel, by Armistead Maupin
THE PAINTED VEIL - The Painted Veil, by W. Somerset Maugham
PEACEFUL WARRIOR - Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives, by Dan Millman
POSEIDON - The Poseidon Adventure, by Paul Gallico
RUNNING WITH SCISSORS - Running with Scissors: A Memoir, by Augusten Burroughs
STORMBREAKER - Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz
THIEF LORD - The Thief Lord, by Cornelia Funke
THE VISITATION - The Visitation, by Frank E. Peretti
ZODIAC - Zodiac Unmasked: The Identity of America's Most Elusive Serial Killer Revealed, by Robert Graysmith

May is...

May 1, 1939 - Batman Debuts, read an NPR interview with Batman creator.
May 1-7 - Eat Desserts First Week! Forget what your mom said. Sponsored by Rowenas in Virginia, this special week of the year gives you permission to eat your dessert before you eat your peas!
May 6 - National Scrapbook Day - Follow this link for books in the library on scrapbooking.
May 12 - Fibromyalgia Awareness Day - Follow this link for books in the library on fibromyalgia.
May 14 - Mother's Day - Follow this link for children's books about Mother's Day.
May 20 - Armed Forces Day
May 22-29 - National Backyard Games Week
May 21-27 - National Etiquette Week
Get Caught Reading Month
National Arthritis Month
National Bike Month
National Egg Month
National Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month
National Older American Month
National Salsa Month
National Stroke Awareness Month

...and don't forget that Summer Library Programs start in June. Visit your library to register for a summer-full of FUN!

National Turn Off Your TV Week

April 24-30, is

National Turn Off Your TV Week!

Click here for the online calendar to see

the programs offered at your local library.

There are family games and

story times planned,

as well as teen programs, jazz, theater,

and therapy dogs!

So much is happening at your library!

Visit

http://www.tvturnoff.org

for information.

National Minority Health Month!

April is National Minority Health Month!
Click the links below for health information on the Internet*.

MedlinePlus is the National Library of Medicine's web site for free consumer health information. It is a selective list of authoritative health information resources from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other organizations.
MedlinePlus African American Health
Alzheimer's Association: Black/African American Communites - Information about the impact of Alzheimer's in the Black/African American community.
NOAH - New York Online Access to Health - Provides access to high quality full-text consumer health information in English and Spanish.
National Women's Health Information Center - A gateway to a vast array of Federal and other women's health information resources.
African American Women - Includes links to health topics of special concern to African American women.
National Medical Association - The NMA promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. They serve as the collective voice of physicians of African descent and they are a leading force for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases - Information on a broad spectrum of metabolic diseases such as diabetes and endocrine disorders.
Health Information Publications
Easy to Read Publications
Healthfinder - Healthfinder is a free gateway to reliable consumer health and human services information.
"Just for You" - Focuses on special health concerns based on gender, age, race, ethnic origin.
BlackHealthcare.com - A culturally oriented and ethnically focused comprehensive internet-based health and medical information provider diedicated to addressing the special health problems of African-Americans.
Closing the Gap - A national campaign to bring the best health information to African Americans and other communities of color, and to help consumers take charge of their health.
National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute - Seven booklets with information on diet, cholesterol, physical fitness and more.
Heart Healthy Cooking African American Style - Booklet which brings together many recipes prepared in heart healthy ways.
African Amercan Resources - Gateway toward achieving Healthy People 2010 goals; includes resources, conferences and more.
Prostate Cancer Screening: A Decision Guide for African Americans - Discusses the pros and cons of prostrate screening.

*Health Information on the Internet. 2006. National Library of Medicine & National Institutes of Health.

Polkville Library Opens for NLW!

The Polkville Library reopened its doors Monday, April 3, just in time to celebrate National Library Week! Branch manager Joyce Bradshaw, Polkville Mayor Robert Miles, and many wonderful citizens of Polkville, as well as CMRLS headquarters staff, worked hard to reopen the library as promised! The library was enlarged and additional shelving installed to give the Polkville Library a new face and needed room. Check out the Polkville Library webpage, the pictures will be posted soon.

Happy National Library Week!

Carolyn Haines visits during NLW!

Nationally known author, Carolyn Haines spoke at Flowood Library on Monday, April 3, during National Library Week. Ms. Haines kept the audience entertained with stories about her writing and teaching. Afterwards she signed her newest book, Penumbra, which will be in bookstores this week and in the libraries this month.

About Penumbra: Marlena Bramlett, a young mother married to the wealthiest man in the area, is raped and beaten beyond recognition. Marlena had been entertaining her lover at a picnic in the woods, and her six-year-old daughter is missing after the attack. Jade Dupree, Marlena's unacknowledged half-sister (her mother is society dame Lucille Longier and her father an unknown black man) is determined to find her niece with the help of white deputy sheriff Frank Kimble (from her website http://www.carolynhaines.com).

"While suspenseful and violent, Haines' literary thriller never loses sight of the poignant story at its heart. Transcending the usual mystery conventions, this is highly recommended." -The Library Journal

Carolyn Haines is also a recepient of the 2004 CMRLS Patron's Award for Crossed Bones, a Sarah Booth Delaney mystery.

For other books by Ms. Haines that are found in CMRLS libraries , click here.

Summer Registration

Acorn wants you to know that the summer library program this year will be so much fun. It's "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales," all about animals and the people who care for them.

Registration for summer reading
is May 29-June 2.
Stop by your local library to register
for a summer full of FUN.
The Snakeman and Inky the Clown
will be appearing at a library near
you this summer;
along with many other fun
programs, contests, and drawings!

Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales
Summer Reading Program 2006

Polkville Public Library Getting a Facelift!

The Polkville Library is closed while it is being remodeled and enlarged. Check the website periodically for pictures of the transformation and the announcement of the Grand Opening!

A Few Staff Picks

Click on the title to request a copy for yourself!

• Comfort & Joy, by Kristin Hannah - Joy goes through a really difficult episode in her life and is not dealing with it very well. When she finally tries to "get away" she's in a plane crash that leaves her in a strange situation with a handsome man and his son. This story has a very interesting twist that left me with my mouth open. (J., RL)
• The Tarnished Eye, by Judith Guest - A page-turner about the murder of an entire family at their summer home and the unveiling of their killer. (A., FW)
• Missing Mom, by Joyce Carol Oates - A coming-to-terms novel, again about a murder, and the daughter who must unravel her complicated feelings about and relationship to her mother. (A., FW)
• New Mercies, by Sandra Dallas - This is the story of a young woman who learns that she has inherited the "mansion" of an aunt she didn't know she had and must go to Natchez to claim it and discover an intriguing side of her family...set in 1933. (A., FW) & (A., FW)
• Even Now, by Karen Kingsbury - This is a beautiful story about two people, who as teens decided to keep their baby despite the fact that the grandparents wanted them to give the child up for adoption. This story follows a journey of 20 years and is filled with love, hope and the promise that love does survive. (G., FL)
• Mary, Mary: A Novel, by James Patterson - I would recommend to anyone who loves thrillers. Alex Cross is on vacation in Las Angeles, California. With his reputation for solving murders, he is asked to help solve the murder and mutilation of well known actresses. A signed note, Mary Smith, is left at each scene stating more deaths to follow. (W., SE)

FREE TAX HELP!

Visit the Pearl, Brandon, or Richland library for FREE tax help from VITA or AARP.

Richland Library - AARP - Each Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Pearl Library - AARP - Each Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Brandon Library- AARP - Each Friday, 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Richland Library - VITA - Each Saturday, 1:00 until 4:00 p.m.

Be sure you bring pertinent information, as well as last year's tax returns!

Library Lover's Month Drawing

Be sure you stop by one of the 21 CMRLS libraries during the month of February. Each time you use your library card this month you may enter to win one of three prizes that are on display!

February is...

American Heart Month, Library Lover's Month, National Black History Month, National Children's Dental Month, and National Pet Dental Month, and so much more! Click for websites with further information.

Library Lover's Month is especially important to CMRLS this year. We asked local businesses to display a Valentine for the library, so look around while you are out this month and see who "loves their library!"

If you are looking for resources for Black History Month homework assignments, check these out:

African American Lives, from PBS
African American Odyssey, from the Library of Congress
Black History Month Resources at Librarians Internet Index
Black Voices, AOL African American and Black Culture Community
Thomson Gale's Black History Month Free Resources

And, if you looking for some interesting information about Valentine's Day, click here!

Happy Library Lover's Month!
from CMRLS.

The Chronicles of Narnia @ your library

Check out the books, audios, previous video adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia and information on C. S. Lewis @ your library.

This information, taken from http://www.aslan.demon.co.uk/narnia.htm, may be of use to you as you read The Chronicles of Narnia. There are at least two ways to read the books; either chronologically as they were published or in the chronological sequence of the events of the stories.

Listed as they were published:

1. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (published 1950)
2. Prince Caspian (1951)
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
4. The Silver Chair (1953)
5. The Horse and His Boy (1954)
6. The Magician's Nephew (1955)
7. The Last Battle (1956)

Listed as the chronological sequence of events:

1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle

Whether you decide to read the stories in the order they were published or in the chronological order of events, you can find the books @ your library!

You may also want to check out these websites:
The Chronicles of Narnia: Movie Website
Into the Wardrobe: A C. S. Lewis Website
NarniaWeb: The World's #1 Source for Narnia Movie News
The Lions Call: An online Narnia community which includes discussions, games, teacher resources, fun facts, and more!
Narnia Fans: By and for fans of C. S. Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia
KidsReads.com: Narnia Trivia Game
The Narnia Story: Listen free, online, to the Narnia story; or download the MP3.
The Narnia Fan Site
The Narnia Blog by Infuze

Authors @ your library in January 2006!

Pearl Library, January 4, 10:30 a.m.
Jimmy Bonner, author of Propping on a Gooseneck: Boyhood Wanderings of the Last of the White Mississippi Delta Sharecroppers, Coahoma City, MS, will be at the Pearl Library for the Coffee Break Books for Men. The talk will be followed by a book signing and refreshments.

Florence Library, January 9, 12:00 noon
Bernice Rayford, author of Collard Greens and Ham, will be at the Florence Library for a book talk.

Brandon Library, January 26, 12:00 noon
Paige Cothren, author of 23 books, will be at the Brandon Library. Come meet this author from Natchez. He played football both at Ole Miss and professionally. He speaks publicly 200-300 times yearly and is both humorous and informative.

Pearl Library, January 27, 12:00 noon
Eleanor Hughes, author of It's Hard to Believe with No Salt, No Sugar, will be at the Pearl Library for a Brown Bag Affair; demonstrating through taste testing how people with diabetes can enjoy delicious dishes.

And, for those of you wanting to be an author @ your library...
Southern Writers Group will meet at the Flowood Library on January 13, 12:00 noon. Bring lunch and discuss the craft of writing with others interested in writing. The group will also meet on January 26, 6:30 p.m., for a discussion.