Staff Picks: The Wedding of the Waters by Peter Bernstein

Recommended by Gail Askins, Ciruclation Supervisor.

Bernstein tells the story of the making of the Erie Canal with such skill that it reads like an adventure novel. Hacking through the wilderness with axes, saws, and the brute strength of animals and men, the men who built it (and who had never before constructed a canal) were as optimistic and persistent as the young America itself. We not only learn about the gigantic job of constructing locks and canals from Albany to Buffalo, but also the political and economic forces that drove it. I was once again awed at the selflessness and vision of our country’s forefathers.

The Wayne County Public Library Blog will be used as an extension of our Reader’s Advisory service. We will feature regular articles that spotlight new authors, new titles, or recommend ways that our patrons can expand their reading interests. All of these articles will be tagged with the “Reader’s Advisory” label, so to access them all at a glance just click on the “Readers’ Advisory” link under the “Labels” heading, either at the end of each article or in the sidebar.

Staff Picks: The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier

Recommended by Rhonda Konig, Reference Supervisor.

In this book Marillier weaves an engrossing tale about a young Pict boy named Bridei. Bridei is educated in a powerful druid’s household for a daunting future role that is not revealed to him until he reaches adulthood. It is a lonely life for him until the Shining One chooses to send him a fairy sister who he names Tuala. Broichan does not approve of Tuala, but lets her stay in his household so as to not offend the god who sent her. Readers will love the detail about the Pict culture and the bonds that form between her uniquely skilled characters.

I first discovered Marillier when I was working at another library. Her first novel, Daughter of the Forest, was based on the fairy tale “The Wild Swan.” Since I had recently read another novel based on the same fairy tale, I was curious to see another take on it.

If you like this book, I also recommend The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's another fantasy novel based on another mythology: the King Arthur legends.

The Wayne County Public Library Blog will be used as an extension of our Reader’s Advisory service. We will feature regular articles that spotlight new authors, new titles, or recommend ways that our patrons can expand their reading interests. All of these articles will be tagged with the “Reader’s Advisory” label, so to access them all at a glance just click on the “Readers’ Advisory” link under the “Labels” heading, either at the end of each article or in the sidebar.

Staff Picks: The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman

Recommended by Brandon Robbins, Young Adult Librarian.

I had always been into comic books, but had never read the series that is hailed as the greatest ever: The Sandman. I knew that it was a rare gem in the comics world, one that earned praise from both elite academic critics and comic book enthusiasts, a thinking person's title that had weight and depth. But all of this I knew second-hand from reading about Sandman, not from reading the material itself.

Recently, the entire seventy-five-issue-long series has been compiled into a set of ten graphic novels, and I was quite excited to see Preludes and Nocturnes, the first volume in this set, come to the library a few years ago. I took it home and devoured it in a single sitting.

It was a magical book. The story it told was simple, a classical tale about a hero hunting down magic artifacts, but it was told in such an eerie and human tone that it sucked you in and refused to let you go. Gaiman somehow managed to make this dark tale inspiring when it could have been cynical, and there is one scene in particular that is so moving you'll find yourself thinking of it when you most need an uplift.

I went on to read more of Neil Gaiman's work. American Gods is a rich and twisting novel that will bend your mind with its philosophical content, and Coraline is one of the scariest books I've ever read, in a way that good books ought to be scary. But Preludes and Nocturnes will forever be my favorite.

Readers that enjoy books by Stephen King or Clive Barker, or enjoy dark fantasy works and comic books in general, should definitely give it a try. There's no way you won't like it.

The Wayne County Public Library Blog will be used as an extension of our Reader’s Advisory service. We will feature regular articles that spotlight new authors, new titles, or recommend ways that our patrons can expand their reading interests. All of these articles will be tagged with the “Reader’s Advisory” label, so to access them all at a glance just click on the “Readers’ Advisory” link under the “Labels” heading, either at the end of each article or in the sidebar.

So, What Do I Read Next?

The Wayne County Public Library Blog will be used as an extension of our Reader’s Advisory service. We will feature regular articles that spotlight new authors, new titles, or recommend ways that our patrons can expand their reading interests. All of these articles will be tagged with the “Reader’s Advisory” label, so to access them all at a glance just click on the “Readers’ Advisory” link under the “Labels” heading, either at the end of each article or in the sidebar.

Every avid reader knows how it feels to discover a new favorite author: you immediately devour every book that person has written, scour the Internet and magazine for every interview the author has ever given, and even look for any movies based on the author’s work.

Then, you’re empty-handed: you’ve exhausted the writer’s body of work and--according to every piece of promotional material you get your hands on--there’s nothing new coming from the author for quite a while. If you want to keep reading, you’ve got to find something new. The library is a great place to start. Not only is it a risk-free way to discover new literature (books are free to check-out, and if you don’t like something just bring it back) but the library staff members are avid readers knowledgeable about what books might match your reading interests.

The Wayne County Public Library offers many ways to help you discover new books and authors that you might enjoy. Not only do we have in-house resources, but also a survey for our patrons to participate in. The Library can also connect you on-line resources that offer book recommendations along with several other useful resources for bibliophiles.

The Reader’s Corner is a located inside the main branch, and the spotlight of this display is the reader’s advisory volumes available for use in the library. Each book details a different genre, breaking down the most popular and notable titles in that genre into even more-detailed listings and giving plot summaries of each title. While visiting the Reader’s Corner, also be sure to pick up the latest issue of Book Page, a periodical that focuses on new and upcoming books and authors, or a copy of our Book Match survey. You can find the Reader’s Corner at the Main Branch immediately to your left after entering through the lobby area under the “Community Information” sign.

Book Match is a service that the Library offers for patrons who would like a list of recommended books. To participate in the Book Match service, simply visit the Library and fill out our Book Match survey. Then, turn it in to the Reference Desk. One of our staff members will generate a list of ten books that fit in with your reading interests. We can either e-mail your list to you or call you to pick it up: whichever method is most convenient for you. The Book Match service caters to readers of all ages, and no matter what your reading interests are we can find a book that you would enjoy. Also, there’s no limit to how many times you can participate; if you finish your reading list, fill out another survey and we’ll generate another reading list for you.

If you would be interested in exploring what book are out there yourself, our patrons have access to two great databases. Both are available online.

Novelist is a reader’s advisory service available through NCLIVE. It is operated by a staff of librarians and offers many resources for finding information about a near-unlimited number of fiction titles. Users can search Novelist’s database in a variety of ways and read reviews of titles from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus; and search Novelist’s database in a variety of ways. They can also find out what titles are in a specific series and read feature articles spotlighting various genres or special topics in literature.

Along with all of those resources, Novelist also offers useful tools such as author read-a-likes, which focus on lesser-known writers that write similarly to famous authors. With this resource at hand, users can find new books that closely match those that they have already read and significantly expand their reading interests. Novelist also has lists of award-winning titles, so readers looking for the best of a particular genre will be able to locate them easily.

Another valuable resource for discovering new titles is a database called Fiction Connection, available through the website Books in Print. Fiction Connection organizes titles by genre, subject, topic, and setting and allows patrons to search using several different options. In just a few clicks, you can turn a broad subject heading (such a “historical romance”) into a very narrow, specific label. If you enjoy books set in a medieval land featuring dragons and unicorns with elements of murder mysteries, a search on Fiction Connection will no doubt bring something up. Fiction Connection also has reviews of titles, plot summaries, and many of the same features that Novelist has.

Books in Print also has several different ways to locate new books to read and find out information about specific titles. User can search their database by the awards a book has read and find where titles are available online for purchase. Unlike Fiction Connection and Novelist, Books in Print also catalogs non-fiction titles as well, making it a valuable resource for history, science, and biography buffs. Readers can also search by award-winning titles and authors.

There is no charge for our library patrons to use either resource; merely having a card grants you access to them, and patrons can access them from home. Novelist is available through NCLIVE and requires a password. Patrons need only show their card at the Reference Desk of the Main Branch of the Wayne County Public Library to get it. Fiction Connection is only available to patrons who registered for their card at the Main Branch. Novelist can also be used at any of the public-access computers at any branch of the Wayne County Public Library system; Books in Print and Fiction Connection can only be used at the Main Branch computers.

If you need any assistance using any of these resources, feel free to call the Reference Desk at the Main Branch: 735-1824 ext. 5100. Also, the Library encourages you to participate in the Book Match service. We love to read, and love recommending good books that we’ve enjoyed even more.

The Sixties: A Film History of America's Decade of Change and Crisis

Last year, the Wayne County Public Library hosted a film-and-discussion series on the Post-War Years of American history. With the guidance of Dr. Alan K. Lamm, a history professor from Mount Olive College, participants examined the late 1940s and the 1950s and discussed the repercussions of cultural and political events of that time.

Many of the events of this era laid the ground-work for a society steeped in tradition and conformity, and those traditions and conformist ideals would eventually be challenged in what is often considered the most turbulent—no doubt the most controversial and arguably the most memorable—decade in American history: the 1960s.

In the early part of this decade, the Civil Rights Movement demanding racial equality and an end to legal segregation would grow in support. Average citizens became more cognizant of foreign involvement in American politics—and the involvement of America in foreign politics. The cultural unrest experienced by America’s youth would find a voice in rock-and-roll and the Beat movement.

As the sixties progressed, causes for rebellion increased, shattering what remained of the consensus and complacency of the Post-War Era. At times, the very survival of American society seemed threatened; not from nuclear holocaust as in the previous decade but from the violent dissatisfaction experienced by segments of America’s own population. The wide-spread conflict gave birth to images that remain vivid in our collective memory: the horrifying succession of assassinations, urban rioting, and masked police in fogs of tear gas; campus buildings under siege and masses of sprawling youth at rock festivals; the haunted faces—soldiers and civilians alike—of the Vietnam War. The United States was experiencing a massive breakdown: a breakdown of faith in its ideals, its institutions, and its prospects.

Clearly Americans experienced the decade in strikingly different ways. The vast majority of people did not engage in protest and many were offended by the rhetoric and actions of the activists. Moreover, the sixties fell far short of becoming the total political and spiritual revolution some believed it to be. But the explosion of creative energy that defined the decade was more than an adolescent outburst or an orgy or permissiveness. It was a clarion call to change.

It’s only fitting that the Library follow-up last year’s popular study of the 1940s and the 1950s with a look at this turning point in American history and culture. The Sixties: A Film History of America’s Decade of Crisis and Change will be held at the Main Branch in the Gertrude Weil Auditorium. The film series will be six sessions: one session each Sunday beginning on April 15 and ending on May 27. Each session will last from 2 to 4 PM.

As with last year’s series, Dr. Alan K. Lamm will be leading the discussion that follows each film. Dr. Lamm is a former Army Chaplain and Army Historian. He holds degrees from Mount Olive College, UNC-Greensboro, Duke University, and the University of South Carolina.

All patrons all welcome to participate, but space is limited for this program. To sign-up or for more information, feel free to call the Reference Desk of the Main Branch at 735-1824 and ask to speak to Matt Bolen.

Walking Across Egypt

Literature has an amazing power to bring people together, to connect strangers by touching on life experiences that we can all relate to. In that spirit, the Wayne County Public Library sponsors Wayne County Reads each year. Ever since the first Wayne County Reads in 2003, it’s always been a success—and this year looks to be no different.

As is customary, Wayne County residents will be encouraged to read the same book within the same amount of time and then attend public events centered on the book. Walking across Egypt will be the focus of this year’s Wayne County Reads, having been chosen by the community by way of a ballot.

Walking across Egypt is the story of Mattie Rigsby, a 78-year-old widow that lives in Listre, North Carolina. She is “slowing down” and spends her time supporting her church and playing hymns on a piano. Mattie has accepted the fact that she doesn’t have much time left and has already made arrangements for her burial so as to not be a burden on her family.

But despite the fact that she is ready to bow out gracefully, Mattie regrets one thing—she has never had any grandchildren. Her adult children have never married (despite the encouragement from their mother), and it’s unlikely they ever will.

When a stray dog shows up at her home, Mattie calls the town dogcatcher, feeling that caring for the dog is a responsibility she is unable to accept. But when she learns of the dogcatcher’s nephew—a young man named Wesley who was raised in an orphanage and is now in a reformatory school—Mattie feels compelled to care for the young man. She visits him, bringing him food, and makes an impression on him such that he escapes the school and seeks her out, hoping that she will take him in. Mattie discovers that she needs the challenge and sense of purpose that Wesley brings just as much as he needs her love and attention, and against the advice of her children she takes him in.

This novel is Edgerton’s second, and has been consistently well-reviewed. Thomas L. Kilpatrick of Library Journal has called it “a beautiful story of determination, made more poignant by a Southern small-town setting.” Kirkus Reviews call it “an unpretentious, deceptively slight, and perfectly-toned comic novel” while praising Edgerton’s ability to inspire his readers with “a laughable comedy that hits the mark and lingers.”

Clyde Edgerton is from Bethesda, a small community outside of Durham, North Carolina. He attended UNC Chapel Hill where he majored in English and learned to fly a small plane while participating in the Air Force ROTC program. After graduation, her served for five years in the Air Force and then completed a Master’s degree in English. While teaching at his old high school, he completed a doctoral program and started writing in 1978. He has won numerous fellowships and awards, including five notable book awards from the New York Times. To learn more about Clyde Edgerton and his works, visit his official website at www.clydeedgerton.com.

As the kick-off time for Wayne County Reads draws nearer, the Library will begin announcing events that tie-in to the themes, setting, and characters of Walking across Egypt. Events in the past have included lectures, panel discussions, film showings, and stage productions. As usual, the Library will be ordering extra copies of Walking across Egypt for readers to check out; the book will also be available for purchase at the Goldsboro Books-A-Million.

Be sure to check back regularly on the Library’s website and blog—as well as at the Library itself—for more updates.

Geeks and Gamers Festival

Video games and books seem to have little in common. Games are often seen as pure entertainment, media that offers no intellectual or artistic merit. Books have always been held in high regard as a method to exchange ideas and inform the masses. The widely-held belief is that if books are the fruits, vegetables, and whole grains of an intellectual diet, then games are the candy, soda pop, and potato chips.

While most popular games that appeal to consumers are designed primarily for entertainment and diversion, there are many games that examine human emotion and experience, politics, and literary themes in a serious manner. Likewise, many books exist as guilty pleasures, delivering stories that do little but fill up the reader’s free time. Games such as Metal Gear Solid 3, Halo, and America’s Army mirror current topics of interest such as warfare and terrorism. Titles like Shadow of the Colossus and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic introduce elements of morality and human ethics into their game design. And of course, the ever-popular computer game The Sims emulates human social interaction and the concept of a hierarchy of needs for the playable characters. It’s hard to argue that all video games are merely expensive toys when presented these games; much like it’s hard to concede that all books are valuable learning tools when shown Harlequin romances.

Both games and books are important and useful. A skilled gamer has strong analytical thinking skills. They are good at solving puzzles, formulating strategies, and making decisions. There’s a reason that computer technicians and mathematicians are known for being avid gamers; the two worlds merge well together.

Likewise, avid readers are creative and philosophical. They enjoy exchanging ideas and opinions, discussing and debating current issues, and trying to understand abstract concepts such as love, grief, or friendship. And since many games allow you to create your own characters and explore fantastical worlds, its not hard to imagine a person who loves to read and create being an enthusiastic gamer.

Of course, a person who is both an avid gamer and a fervent reader has the potential to develop especially sharp thinking skills.

The Wayne County Public Library would like to acknowledge the value of video games—as well as their predecessors, board games—with the first ever “Geeks and Gamers Festival” to be held on September 16th and 30th in the Gertrude Weil Auditorium at the Main Branch of the Library. The event will appeal to avid gamers, readers, and anyone interested in gaming culture.

Not only will the library have various board games open to play and displays of science-fiction and fantasy books (all of which will be available for check-out on that day), but as our main event there will be a tournament for the video game Dance Dance Revolution on each day. Sign-up is necessary for participation in the tournament, but anybody is welcome to come participate in the other activities. Though gamers range in age from children to professional, working adults, this is an event with our youth in mind; kids and teens from 10 to 19 years of age are eligible for the tournament and many of the activities will most readily appeal to them.

For more information, call the Wayne County Public Library at 735-1824 ext. 5100 and ask for Brandon. More details will be made available at a later date.