Libraries Close for Holidays

ALL CMRLS Libraries

will close

Monday, February 18

for Presidents' Day.

Branches will open

regular hours on

Tuesday, February 19.

Items may be renewed online,

through Rosie's Web/Online Catalog

or by phone,

through TeleCirc: 601-825-5450.

2008 Presidential Election

Have you made your mind up yet or do you need help making sense of it all? Try some of these websites to follow along the campaign trail.

From the Librarians' Internet Index:

AltWeeklies.com: 2008 Presidential CampaignCompilation of news stories and commentary concerning the 2008 U.S. presidential election, from more than 100 alternative U.S. and Canadian newsweeklies. Entries include headline, brief story summary, author, publication, and option to email the stories. Also includes links to the full stories. Listed chronologically. From the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies.

Election 2008: Vote by Issue QuizThis quiz helps you "[l]earn about the [2008 presidential] candidates through their platforms, not their personalities. [It] features some of the issues that have gained traction this campaign season." Also includes an "Election Issues" section (top menu, once you enter the quiz) with candidates' statements about health care, immigration, energy, Iraq, abortion, and other issues. From WBUR and the Online NewsHour.

The Onion: War for the White HouseThis satirical publication's coverage of the 2008 U.S. presidential election features "news" stories, humorous candidate profiles and candidate statements on key issues, videos, and a creative description of the election process. From the Onion, which "is not intended for readers under 18 years of age."

PolitiFact.comThis website was created "to help voters separate fact from falsehood in the 2008 presidential campaign. Journalists and researchers from the [St. Petersburg] Times and CQ [Congressional Quarterly] will fact-check the accuracy of speeches, TV ads, interviews and other campaign communications." Searchable; or browse the site's "Truth-O-Meter" by candidate, subject, political party, and other factors. Includes related articles and in-depth features.

Resources found elsewhere on the 'Net:

Declare Yourself - Quick and easy Learn about the 2008 election.

Electoral Vote - Track the electoral college and congressional elections with a red/blue map of the US updated daily using the latest state polls.

2008 Presidential Election from Yahoo! - Full news coverage and opinions on the 2008 presidential election. Find photos, audio, video, and related sites about the 2008 election on Yahoo! on Yahoo!

The 2008 Election with CNN - Latest headlines and video, candidates' positions on the issues, fundraising totals, States to Watch news and analysis, and a unique side-by-side visual ...

NPR & the 2008 Election - In-depth coverage of the 2008 presidential election, Democratic and Republican candidates, and primary elections and caucuses. Listen to audio and video ...

Election 2008 - Ongoing collection of nonpartisan and partisan national polls.

For teachers from Scholastic.com - Read our extended news reports of the Election 2008 campaign. This special report include stories, activities, background information and more.

From USA Today - Up-to-the-minute breaking news coverage of US politics, including election 2008 and the presidential candidates. Visit USATODAY.com for complete access to ...

From Wall Street Journal 2008 presidential election -Learn more about the 2008 Presidential Election with news and headlines from the Wall Street Journal.

Reuters - Election 2008 - Link to Reuters Special Coverage pages for the major 2008 US Presidential candidates.

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!

Best of 2007

If you "Google" the phrase 'best of 2007' today (Jan. 2, 2008), you get 2,050,000 hits! That number will change tomorrow. Here is a list of some of the interesting ones, in no particular order.

50 Best Websites of 2007 from Time
100 Best Companies from Working Mother
2007 World's Best Awards for Travel and Leisure from American Express
Best Books of 2007 from Amazon.com
Best Books of 2007 from Library Journal
Best Cars of 2007 from CNN and Consumer Reports
Best Employers of 2007 from AARP
Best Hospitals of 2007 by US News & World Report
Best of 2007 by Surfing the Net with Kids
20 Top Tens of 2007 by LifeHacker
Best of Zen Habits for 2007 by Zen Habits
Best of the Best Lists by Filmoculous.com (Lots of lists!)
Book Awards Lists
Best CDs of 2007 by NPR Music
100 Best Products of 2007 by PC World magazine
The Best of What's New for 2007 by Popular Science (PopSci.com)
Best Books of the Year by Publishers Weekly
Best of 2007 by Rolling Stone
Best 10 Books of 2007 by New York Times
TV's Best of 2007 by San Francisco Chronicle

Have fun finding out what others thought made 2007 a great year!

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.

Libraries Close for Holidays

Florence, Lake, and D'Lo libraries are still closed!

Meanwhile, your CMRLS library card is valid in all public libraries in Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith counties. To find the nearest CMRLS library to you, click here. The staff is friendly and helpful in all the CMRLS libraries, and they understand you want "your library" to open soon. Renovations and repairs take time, so please be patient. Let the CMRLS staff help you find what you need.

The holidays are just around the corner! All CMRLS libraries will be closed Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23, for Thanksgiving. Libraries will be open regular hours beginning Saturday, November 24.

Ann Graham and Brandon Library staff

Ann and Brandon Library staff, originally uploaded by CMRLS Photos (click to see more pictures.)

Ann Graham (seated, second from left) and staff of the Brandon public Library pose for a picture on September 22, 2007, at Ann's retirement reception. Ann served CMRLS 20 years, first at Forest Public Library and then the Brandon Public Library, beginning in 1996.

Thank you, Ann, for all your hard work!

National School Bus Safety Week

Oct. 21-27 is National School Bus Safety Week. Check out the website for statistics and a booklet of activities to help make everyone become aware of the need for School Bus Safety. This from the National Association for Pupil Transportation. Also, check out School Bus Info from the School Bus Information Council. Read the House resolution of the 109th Congress for National School Bus Safety Week, here. Find school bus stories for little ones, here.

Be Aware,

Cross with Care!

National School Bus Safety Week

Oct. 21-27, 2007

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!

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.

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

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

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.

CMRLS Libraries to close Labor Day

All CMRLS Libraries will be closed

Monday, September 3, for

Labor Day.

The Libraries will open

regular hours beginning

Tuesday, September 4.

Have a safe and happy

Labor Day!

Are you waiting to read The Quickie, by James Patterson?

The Quickie*, by James Patterson, is very much in demand at the moment.

The Quickie, James Patterson. Plotting revenge against her unfaithful husband, NYPD cop Lauren Stillwell inadvertently triggers a series of events that spiral dangerously out of control and is forced to take a secret job that threatens everything she stands for. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Co., 2007, 400 p.

If you are looking for something to read while you wait, try these great authors...

• John Sanford
• Greg Iles
• Ridley Pearson
• Jeffery Deaver

and these titles...

• Harlan Coban - Tell No One
• Douglas Kennedy - The Big Picture
• Joseph Garber - Vertical Run
• Dan Greenburg - The Exes
• Matthew Hall - The Art of Breaking Glass
• Tess Gerritsen - The Apprentice
• Lisa Gardner - The Next Accident
• Lee Child - The Hard Way
  

Look at NextReads for the Thrillers and Suspense book lists. Just sign up with your email address and we will email you a monthly list of titles just like these; or you can read the lists online!

A Day to Remember

It's been two years, today. A somber memory, with personal losses or our knowledge of someone else's loss. And, just like the question, "Where were you when President Kennedy was shot?" the question, "Where were you when Katrina hit?" will be repeated many times over our lifetime.

The papers and news segments today will consist of Hurricane Katrina, the devistation, and where we are today. If you would like to read through some of the reports, look at the pictures or read fiction based on that day, check out Hurricane Katrina from the CMRLS library shelves.

The libraries also have materials that may help with life changing events, depression, and healing. NextReads, the libraries' email book lists, has categories on "Spirituality & Religion" and "Mind & Body Fitness" that may help someone still going through traumatic times. Both of these lists, and all other categories, may also be read online. And, as always, if you can't find what you are looking for...ask a librarian!

Looking for a good book?

Are you looking for a good book? CMRLS will send you a NextReads email with at least 10 titles in the category you chose. Even if you don't want to receive a monthly email, you can to the NextReads site and view the current lists! Click here if you would like to see all the past lists!

NextReads is a GREAT service for adults, young adults, and kids. There is even a picture book list! Where else can you find ready-made lists of titles with a link to the CMRLS catalog so that you can go ahead and request the book while you are reading about it? Still can't find a book you want to read? Ask your library staff to suggest a title. Just tell the staff member what you have read that you liked and what you have read that you didn't like. We will find your next favorite book for you!

Remember, if you can't find a good book, ask your library staff for help or visit NextReads.

Today in History

August 1, 1831
London Bridge Opens!
Of course it wasn't the first one, and everyone knows something about the earlier one..."London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down..."

August is also Back to School Month, Black Business Month, Cataract Awareness Month, Family Meal Month, Get Ready for Kindergarten Month, and National Inventor's Month.

Time for School!

Your Library has a great tool to add to your school supply list, a FREE library card. Anyone living, working, or attending school in Rankin, Scott, Simpson, or Smith counties is eligible for a card. A library card can benefit the youngest student just starting, the high school senior planning her future, or the life-long learner as he seeks career changes. And, not only can you find this in your library, but the library's website has many resources you may use at home or the office. http://www.cmrls.lib.ms.us

MAGNOLIA - Full text databases; magazines, journals, newspapers, and reference materials. There are search engines geared to age levels to make homework help easy. Searchasaurus for the elementary student; Kids Search for the middle school student; and Student Research Center for high school student. Each database can be searched alone for the researcher with specific interest, such as the Consumer Health Complete or the Business Interface. Ask at your library for the MAGNOLIA access code.

Auto Repair Reference Center - 26,000 Domestic and Imported vehicles from 1945 to present, 70,000 technical service bulletins & recalls, wiring diagrams, factory drawings, step-by-step photos, specifications & maintenance schedules, and MORE!- Contact your Library for the access code.

Electronic Reference Books - Full text reference books (with pictures) on history, biographies, literature, countries, animals, and science for middle and high school students. Contact your Library for the access code.

Heritage Quest - Genealogy databases. Enter your Library Card barcode to access this database.

Learn-A-Test - Practice for ACT, SAT, GED, and so much more. This now includes self-paced computer tutorials; learn to master Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more! Contact your Library to create an account.

Rosie's Web/Online Catalog - This is the libraries' online catalog. You may search for audio, video, and books; make requests and have your items delivered to your local library for pick-up, and check your patron account...at any time of the day, from any computer!

Quick Reference - This is a collection of hand-picked reference websites, sorted by subject, to help with quick answers. It's a great "first stop" for homework help, general questions, and even NEWS.

Web Resource Library - This is even a bigger collection of hand-picked websites, sorted in Dewey Decimal order, just like the library book shelves. Find reputable websites for most any subject you are interested in.

Online Book Clubs - Want help finding something good to read? Have a chapter a day sent to your email address. Read the selection through the week and if you want to finish reading the book, just check with your library.

NextReads - Still want help finding something good to read? Have a list of books sent to your email address on subjects or genres that you like to read. Each entry contains a picture of the front cover (sometimes you really can tell alot about a book by it's cover!), a short blurb about the book and a link to Rosie's Web so you can request the book be sent to your library for pick-up. All from your email!

Early Email Notification - Another GREAT email service...tell the staff at your library that you want to register your email address for Early Email Notification. That's all it takes! We will send you an email three days before your library items are due. You can even have your child's items emailed to your email address!

CMRLS Tool Bar - Download this to have library links placed right on your browser page. It's a direct link to Rosie's Web/Online Catalog, Quick Reference, news, and weather! Your information is not stored anywhere and there is no SPAM sent to your email address.

Email Reference - If you can't get to the library for homework help or help with a question, email us! There is a short form to fill out, and Monday-Thursday, 10-8, Friday 10-5, and Saturday, 10-4 we will help you with your questions.

It's time for school, do you have your library card?

Thank You Rouse Elementary Venture Students!

SRP 2007 BANNER-7,
originally uploaded by CMRLS Photos.

For the last couple of years the 2nd grade Venture class of Rouse Elementary School in Brandon has helped the 21 CMRLS libraries decorate for Summer Reading. Please take a look at these great kids and their hard work. Thank you, students! Teacher: Janet Paczak(also a member of the CMRLS Puppet Team.)