Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 132

More eAudiobooks Now Available in MP3

Good news for eAudiobook lovers — titles from popular audiobook publishers Books on Tape and Listening Library are now available in MP3 format! This means that these eAudiobooks can now be downloaded directly to a much wider variety of devices, including Mac, iPhone and Android.

Popular authors from these publishers include:

Terry Brooks
Lee Child
Tom Clancy
Harlan Coben
Eoin Colfer
Justin Cronin
Clive Cussler
James Dashner




Ken Follett
Lisa Gardner
Sue Grafton
John Grisham
Laura Hillenbrand
Robert Jordan
Lauren Kate
Sophie Kinsella




Erik Larson
Stieg Larsson
Madeleine L’Engle
Lois Lowry
George R. R. Martin
Jo Nesbø
Tamora Pierce
Rick Riordan

 

Visit http://ebooks.kdl.org and download one today!

 

Early Lit Bits: Book Review — “A Kiss Like This”

 A Kiss Like This by Mary Murphy

Kisses, kisses, everywhere! Each animal has its own way of smooching in this large, lift-the-flap book. Share this book one-on-one with your child, and imitate the noises each animal makes when they kiss their little ones. Blow kisses back and forth with children when reading to a group, and then have them pretend to be each animal. Talk about other animals not mentioned in the book and ask how they would kiss their babies. The illustrations are similar to Lucy Cousin’s Hooray for Fish, and the two books would pair well together.  Listen to Laurie Berkner’s song, Blow a Kiss, and sing along!  Talking and singing with your child helps boost vocabulary and are great ways to get your child ready to read!  

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

Tom Rademacher at KDL Plainfield Branch

Tom Rademacher, author and Grand Rapids Press columnist, will be speaking at the Plainfield Township branch on Tuesday, April 16 at 12:30 PM. The cost for this event is $6.50 and will include a catered lunch. Prepayment is required by Monday, April 8. This event is sponsored by the Plainfield Friends of the Library. Registration is required; call 784-2007 for information on how to register. The Plainfield Township branch is located at 2650 5-Mile Rd. NE. Please join us for this fun and informative event!

 

Rademacher at KDL Plainfield

Tom Rademacher, author and Grand Rapids Press columnist, will be speaking at the KDL Plainfield Branch library on Tuesday, April 16th at 12:30 pm. The cost for this event is $6.50 and will include a catered lunch. Prepayment is required by Monday, April 8th. This event is sponsored by the Plainfield Friends of the Library. Registration is required; call 784-2007 for information on how to register. The Plainfield Branch is located at 2650 Five Mile Rd NE. Please join us for this fun and informative event!

Sign Up for a Library Card… Prizes Await!

Spread the word! Now is the perfect time to sign up for a KDL library card.

If you sign up for a library card before March 31, you have the chance to win some amazing prizes including an overnight stay at the JW Marriott, a three-month family membership to the YMCA, gift certificates and more! All you have to do is sign up for a KDL card and participate in our Find Your Happiness Scavenger Hunt, which will introduce you to all the amazing free services KDL has to offer. Visit your local branch for more information or to sign up. Happy Hunting!

Check out all the vendors that donated prizes. If you visit any of these businesses, make sure to thank them for their generosity and community involvement.

Don’t forget… KDL is your place for happiness!

 

KDL Top Ten – 3/15/2013

What a group!  Looking for a unique way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  Then check out one of the titles from this rather eclectic Top Ten list.  These are ten of the most popular items at KDL featuring Ireland, or something Irish, this year!

Do you have a favorite book, movie or album highlighting something Irish?  If so, please share below.

 

Free Writers Conference — Register Now!

Last year, nearly 100 people attended our inaugural Celebrate the Mitten Author Showcase, and we heard it over and over: please do this next year!

Consider it done. Registration is open for this year’s event, a free half-day writers conference featuring local publishing insiders and published authors who will lead sessions on how to market your book, out-of-the-box ways to make money as a writer and traditional vs. self-publishing, among other topics.

All genres and skill levels are welcome. Pre-registration is required and participant spots are limited — last year’s event drew nearly 100 attendees, so… seriously: register now! Everyone who does will be entered for the chance to win one-on-one mentoring with publishing pros in attendance.

To register, click here, ask at a branch or call 616-784-2007.

Saturday, April 20, 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM – Cascade Township branch

Presenters:

Susan Bays, publisher, Arbutus Press

Jon Bradley, children’s book author

John Forsberg, military science fiction author

Cheri Hallwood, children’s books author and publisher

Ryan Hipp, children’s books author and illustrator

D.E. Johnson, fiction author

Mardi Link, true crime author & memoirist

Lisa Orchard, young adult fiction author

Kris Nelson, creative director/principal, StoryLook Design

John Warnock, short story author, humorist and novelist

 

For Discounts on Gardening Stuff, Show Your KDL Card!

Yeah, we said it: your library card can get you discounts at select area merchants.

Look for this image at the following vendors and show your KDL card to connect with special discounts. Visit these local businesses and let them know you appreciate all the perks of having a KDL library card!

Clique Coffee Bar , 1600 East Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, 10% off all orders
Creekside Garden Center , 4015 Fruit Ridge Ave. NW, Grand Rapids, 10% off all merchandise (not in conjunction with other discounts)
Grand Rapids Griffins , Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, $7 off the price of a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for all Sunday and Wednesday home games
PJ’s Pizza , 3836 52nd St. SE, Kentwood, 10% off all orders
Quaker Steak & Lube , 515 28th St. SE, Kentwood, 15% off all orders

 

Lost on the Lady Elgin

Award-winning author and diver Valerie van Heest will present “Lost on the Lady Elgin” at 6:30 PM on Monday, March 18 at the Sand Lake / Nelson Township branch.

Van Heest will share the  fascinating story of the Lake Michigan sinking of the Lady Elgin in 1860. Get a deeper look at the state’s maritime heritage! Sponsored by the Friends of the Sand Lake Library.

Place a hold on books and videos by Valerie here.

 

“Get Appy with Your iPad” Cancelled

Due to instructor illness, the “Get Appy with Your iPad” program scheduled for 3:30 PM today at the Gaines Township branch has been CANCELLED.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope you can instead join us for the other session of this program on Thursday, April 18, at 6:00 PM.