LibraryPoint Blog

If one of your New Year's resolutions was to finally get organized, you may be starting to feel frustrated with your progress and thinking of giving up until next year. If that's the case, here are some free organizational apps to help fight your case of Resolution Fatigue. A more organized you may be just a click away.

TeuxDeux

On January 11, 2013 CRRL Headquarters had the pleasure of welcoming the Rappahannock Astronomy Club to Fabulous Friday: Shoot for the Stars. Mr. Jerry Hubbell, President of RAC, and Mrs. Linda Billard, the editor of RAC’s newsletter, came and talked to a group of thirty-two parents and children. The focus of the program was constellations and how we can see shapes in the stars the same way we see shapes in the clouds.  After Mr. Hubbell talked about some of the better known constellations, he and Mrs.

The University of Mary Washington's 2013 Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series begins Thursday, January 24, 7:30pm, with a lecture on Julius Caesar by Philip Freeman, author of Julius Caesar:

More than two thousand years after his death, Julius Caesar remains one of the great figures of history. He shaped Rome for generations, and his name became a synonym for "emperor" -- not only in Rome but as far away as Germany and Russia. He is best known as the general who defeated the Gauls and doubled the size of Rome's territories. But, as Philip Freeman describes in this fascinating new biography, Caesar was also a brilliant orator, an accomplished writer, a skilled politician, and much more. Julius Caesar was a complex man, both hero and villain. 

Find out more about this lecture on Mary Washington's web site.

All lectures in the university's Great Lives series are held in Dodd Auditorium in George Washington Hall, and are free and open to the public.

The second annual Take Your Child to the Library Day is set for Saturday, February 2, 2013.  This special day serves as an encouragement to families across the nation to visit their local libraries and discover their many resources.  Nadine Lipman, a children's librarian in Waterford, Connecticut, came up with the idea for Take Your Child to the Library Day and selected the first Saturday in February as the annual day of celebration.

2012 saw the debut of the latest version of Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 8.  Windows 8 debuted in an unusually tense atmosphere for a Windows device, as “Wintel” (Windows PCs powered by Intel processors) faced unprecedented threats from tablets and smartphones in the marketplace.  Windows 8 PCs faced sales declines over the 2012 holiday period, and the changes in the interface of Windows 8 from Windows 7 have been a major cause of concern for many consumers. Questions such as, “How can I find my old files if I upgrade to Windows 8?” and “Will Steam run in Windows 8?” are extremely common. Another common topic for questions is the difference between Windows 8—the operating system for conventional Windows desktop and laptop PCs, and Windows RT—the operating system for Windows tablets.  In this article, let’s take a look at how compatibility in Windows 8 works and what the differences between Windows 8 and Windows RT mean.

The next LEEP workshop for childcare providers is scheduled!

Upcoming LEEP Workshop

Have fun with Early Literacy Practices: Talking, Singing, Reading, Writing, and Playing. 
Come listen, sing, and play.
When: Thursday, February 21, 2013  7-9pm (snow date February 28, 2013)
Where: England Run Branch, 806 Lyons Blvd. 
RSVP  540 899-1703 for the February 2013 workshop

A relative of one of my customers called me from Hawaii to tell me that I had to read this book. I can always tell it is he when I pick up the phone and hear, "Aloha!!!"  He didn't want to tell me too much about Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist, because he didn't want to spoil anything for me. However, he did want me to call him to discuss the book as soon as I finished it.

After reading it, I have to say that if you like Stephen King, you would enjoy Little Star, which focuses on two girls—one of whom is a sociopath and another who idolizes and wants to be just like her.

Many of us were disappointed when our predicted snow failed to materialize last week. So, if you really need a snow fix, try one of these frosty reads!

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Freedom Maze by Delia Sherman gives readers a look at America’s past while at the same time encouraging them to take a hard look at its present. The novel centers around a 13-year-old girl named Sophie who lives with her recently divorced mother in New Orleans, Louisiana. The story opens with Sophie being taken to a rural part of Louisiana to spend the summer with her maiden aunt and ailing grandmother at the family’s crumbling plantation house while her mother stays in the city and studies to become an accountant.