Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 108

Author Barbara Mertz Dies at Age 85

Best-selling mystery author Barbara Mertz died Thursday morning at her home in Maryland.  Barbara Mertz wrote nonfiction books about ancient Egypt, after receiving her Ph.D in Egyptology at the age of 23.  Additionally she wrote mysteries as Elizabeth Peters and suspense books as Barbara Michaels.  Her mystery books mainly featured a daring Victorian archaeologist named Amelia Peabody.  In 1989, Mertz received the Grand Master lifetime achievement award from the Mystery Writers of America.

 

KDL Top Ten – 8/9/2013

Heat up your summer with KDL!  This week’s Top Ten list celebrates Romance Awareness Month.  These are 10 of the most checked-out titles in KDL’s Adult Romance collection!

The Latest Wimpy Kid Title and Cover Art Revealed!

It’s official! The name of the eighth title in the super-popular Wimpy Kid series is — drumroll please – Hard Luck!  It won’t be released until November 5, but you can place a hold on your copy today.

Final Episodes of Breaking Bad are Finally Here!

The final eight episodes of AMC’s highly rated and critically acclaimed Breaking Bad premier this Sunday. Don’t be left in the Albuquerque dust when everyone else is talking about what happens to Walter “Heisenberg” White. Catch up with all of the past seasons with DVDs from KDL.

 

Return Your eBooks Early?

Do you ever wonder how to return an eBook before its due date? Perhaps you just don’t have time to read it now, or you want to allow the next person to be able to read it. Fortunately, there are simple steps to return most eBooks early! Find directions here, and see directions for some of the most common devices below:

Kindle/Kindle App:

Sign into “Manage Your Kindle” account here.
Select the Actions button next to the eBook you want to return.
Click Return This Book.
Click Yes to verify that you want to return the eBook.
If you also wish to delete the eBook from your Kindle Library list, select the Actions button again and click Delete from Library.

Nook/Sony/Kobo:

Connect your reader to your computer. Open Adobe Digital Editions.
Select Library (in the upper left corner). The Adobe Digital Editions library is displayed.
Right-click (control-click for Mac) on the title you’d like to return.
Click Return Borrowed Item.
Click Return to verify that you want to return the eBook.

Tablet App:

From the bookshelf, tap the + button next to the title you want to return.
Tap Return / Delete to display the return options.
Tap Return then Delete to return the title back to the library.

(Selecting Delete only will delete the title from your device, but you will still have it checked out.)

MP3 eAudiobook:

Follow directions here. (Returns of eAudiobooks are currently available for MP3-formatted titles only. WMA eAudiobooks cannot be returned before the lending period is up.)

Thanks for checking out eBooks from ebooks.kdl.org! Please contact us if you have any questions about downloading KDL eBooks.

 

KDL on WGVU Radio

Each month KDL staff join Shelley Irwin on the WGVU Morning Show to talk about what’s going on at the library. This month, listen to Monica (Wyoming branch) and Andy (Service Center) talk about the upcoming Kent County Teen Film Festival.

Enjoy!

Download WGVU8-1-13.mp3

(photo courtesy of Shelley Irwin)

 

How to Find Your Next Favorite Author

When news broke that debut detective novel The Cuckoo’s Calling was written not by newcomer Robert Galbraith but by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling, bookstores and libraries raced to line up for copies.

Those of us who had paid close attention to the reviews earlier this year and who weighed those along with our patrons’ preferences breathed a small sigh of relief when we confirmed we did order copies.

We always try to anticipate what you want to read, watch and listen to and purchase materials before they are released so they’ll be available the very day they go on sale in bookstores. We know you’ve come to expect that from us. Of course, KDL has ordered several more copies of The Cuckoo’s Calling, because now that the book’s true author is known, the wait list is crazy long.

Another thing we’re good at: being your source for unknown authors who truly are making their debut. For some people, paying retail price to read any author, let alone someone they have never read, is not an option. Here, everyone has equal access to all our materials. Let KDL introduce you to your next favorite author.

 

Don’t Forget to Turn in Your Reading Logs!

Summer Reading @ KDL wraps up this Saturday, August 10. If you participated in the reading program, don’t forget to turn in your logs sometime this week. A huge thank you to everyone who made Summer Reading @ KDL such a great success. Once the stats have been calculated, we will make sure to share the numbers with you.

If you have any summer success stories to share, we would love to hear them! Make sure to leave us a comment.

Free Computer & Technology Classes

Whether you’re a computer novice or looking to update your skills, KDL’s free computer classes can help you learn something new! Registration opens today for our September classes:

Computer Basics: Mousing and More
Computer Basics: Where’s My Stuff?
Digital Photos: Creating Digital Photo Movies
Digital Photos: Online Photo Editing Fun
Digital Photos: Online Photo Sharing, Saving and Ordering
Gadgets: B.Y.O. eReader & Tablet Users Group

(pre-registration not required)
Internet: Blogs, Wikis, Social Networking & More
Internet: Email Basics
Internet: Facebook Basics
Internet: Internet Basics & More
Internet: Online Genealogy Research I & II
Internet: Online Security
Internet: Parent Tips for Homework Help
Internet: Pinterest Basics
Microsoft Excel Basics I, II & III
Microsoft PowerPoint Basics
Microsoft Word Basics I, II & III
Career Transitions Workshop: Developing Your Personal Brand (pre-registration not required)
Career Transitions Workshop: Communicating Your Brand (pre-registration not required)
Career Transitions Workshop: Networking (pre-registration not required)
Career Transitions Workshop: Behavioral Interviewing (pre-registration not required)
Career Transitions Workshop: LinkedIn Boot Camp (pre-registration not required if you provide your own laptop)
Speak to a Geek (pre-registration not required)

For class descriptions and schedule, please see our brochure or search our events calendar.

Unless otherwise noted, pre-registration is required and will begin the month before the scheduled classes on the first Monday of each month for KDL cardholders and the second Monday for non-KDL cardholders (if space is still available):

September classes: Registration begins Monday, August 5 for KDL cardholders

(Monday, August 12 for non-KDL cardholders)
October classes: Registration begins Tuesday, September 3 for KDL cardholders

(Monday, September 9 for non-KDL cardholders)
November classes: Registration begins Monday, October 7 for KDL cardholders

(Monday, October 14 for non-KDL cardholders)

To register, please call 616-784-2007.

A Book For Your Bookshelf

Not surprising since I work at a library and love books, I enjoy looking at bookcases.  So when this great new book came across my desk, I had to check it out.  A book dedicated to bookshelves, 305 unique book holders for the lover of books to peruse!  Although I will never actually have one of these in my own house, it is amazing to look at the many great ideas in the book.

If that isn’t enough, make sure to check on pinterest for even more great examples!