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West Branch Library Renovation Community Meeting
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Library Launches Small Press Collection
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Home Delivery Service Available for Somerville Residents
If you are a Somerville resident but cannot come to the Library because of a physical disability, we'll come to you. We'll bring books, videos, magazines, or printouts--whatever materials we normally loan out. Materials are loaned on a special-services card for six weeks and can be renewed.
This service is available for free to Somerville residents. Call the
Central Library at 617-623-5000, ask for the Reference Department, tell them you need Community Services assistance, and let the librarian know what you're interested in reading, watching, or listening to.
You can also contact
Phil at [email protected] or at 617-623-5000 ext. 2944 to inquire about this service.
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Staff Spotlight: Tim
Tim has worked at the Library for over a year as our Technology Librarian. Among other things, he keeps our computers in working order, offers technology instruction to members of the community and our staff, and has started our
Small Press Collection.
Tim says his favorite thing about working at the Library is being able to help people use technology in the ways that work best for them. He hopes that everyone in the community takes advantage of not only our collections, but our services as well--
free technology instruction in particular.
Outside of work at the SPL, Tim is very involved in the Somerville community. He is a community artist, having exhibited his work both locally and internationally. He lives in Somerville with his wife and son.
If you would like to learn more about the technology instruction Tim offers at the Library or in collaboration with the
Somerville Media Center, please contact him at tdevin
@minlib.net or 617-623-5000 ext. 2963.
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Adult Recommendations
This issue's recommendations come courtesy of Julie at the Central Library and Max at the West Branch Library.
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This graphic novel follows the adventures of the very large and extremely hairy Oaf Jadwiga. A doll-maker and kitten philanthropist, Oaf lives in a city that looks a lot like San Francisco. The stories and drawings in this book can be quite explicit, but
Wuvable Oaf
manages to be both hilariously crude and adorably heartwarming. Recommended for adults.
Recommended by Julie
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Everybody knows what to expect from Dan Brown at this point: Robert Langdon is once again on the run in a location full of beautiful art as he and a woman assistant must race against time and a conspiracy. Brown shakes the formula up a bit this time, by thrusting his hero into the dizzying world of Spain's Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Armed with cutting edge technology in the form of a superpowered Siri, Langdon has to uncover the clues hidden in cutting edge art if he has any hopes of saving a world-shaking scientific discovery from being lost forever. The book promises action, intrigue, and answers to humanity's origin, and it delivers in such style that you'll be left clamoring for the obligatory sixth installment in the series.
Recommended by Max
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Provenance by Ann Leckie
A comedy of manners and science fiction adventure, Provenance is the latest novel by Ann Leckie, author of the critically acclaimed Ancillary series. Ingray Aughskold is a likable young protagonist in this stand alone coming-of-age story. A cozy read for cold winter nights.
Recommended by Julie
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This newly found novel isn't a
Jurassic Park story, but it has enough action and dinosaur bones to tide readers over until the next movie. Shorter on cutting edge science than Crichton's usual fare,
Dragon Teeth is an adventure story that shows that in the Old West digging up fossils was just as dangerous as digging for gold. Join William Johnson as he deals with gunslingers, crosses paths with Native Americans, battles the harsh elements, and more in a quest that will bring mind-blowing discovery to light while changing his life forever.
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YA (Young Adult) Recommendations
This issue's YA recommendations come from Christina, Ellen, and Cassie at the Central Library.
Intertwined, the first book of its series, follows a teenage boy, Aden Stone, who has four souls inside of him, each with its own unique ability. Eve, the only female soul, can time travel. Caleb can possess bodies. Elijah can see the future, and Julian can raise the dead. Some of the biggest mysteries of the story and, in my opinion, the most important were
Who were they? (before Aden) and
Where did they come from?.
The real conflict of the story began when he met Mary Ann, who also had natural born abilities. When they first met, they created this energy that summoned every kind of supernatural creature (vampires, werewolves, fairies, goblins, etc.) into the city where they were residing. Some of these supernatural creatures wanted to study Aden or kill him, but the majority wanted to know how he was able to summon them. As Aden and Mary Ann keep seeing each other and their friendship grows, they eventually find out that their past and families' history collided with each other.
Recommended by Christina
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Birdwatcher or not, readers of all ages will find award-winning author Nancy Plain's
This Strange Wilderness fascinating. The author captures Audubon's sense of adventure and wanderlust while also making it clear that Audubon's family and their support was one of the keys to his success as a naturalist, artist, and author. As you might expect, this book comes replete with a good selection of Audubon's masterful drawings.
Recommended by Cassie
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One day, fifteen-year-old Alfonso Jones is cast in the part of King Hamlet in his school's play and shopping for his first suit with his friend. The next day, he finds that
he has become a ghost himself after being shot by a police officer who mistakes a clothes hanger for a gun. This powerful and beautiful graphic novel then follows Alfonso as he watches his family and friends struggle with their grief and use it to fuel their activism. This book is packed with history and opens dialogues on subjects such as racism and police brutality while emphasizing the need to speak out against injustice.
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It's a good thing that Ed Kennedy doesn't ask much of life since he can barely keep it together in even a minimal way. He just drifts along, driving his cab, playing poker with his friends, and hanging out with his smelly old dog. But when he starts getting anonymous notes in the mail--playing cards with cryptic instructions--he's forced into a new role: messenger...and maybe something more.
Recommended by Ellen
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Children's Recommendations
This issue's recommendations come courtesy of Annamarie and Cathy at the Central Library.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Prickly Meg Murray, her misfit brother, Charles Wallace, and her close friend, Calvin O'Keefe, travel
through time and space to rescue Meg's scientist father, who is trapped on a dark planet ruled by evil.
While the plot is sweeping, what I've always loved best is flawed, insecure, chip-on-her-shoulder Meg.
From the novel's opening line, "It was a dark and stormy night," we are led through the layers of
darkness and light that Meg must manage, whether it's Meg's loneliness and fear that stormy night (
softened by the late-night liverwurst and cream cheese sandwich made by Charles Wallace and the
cocoa simmering in the saucepan), or the introduction of Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Witch, the
eccentric trio of oddball neighbors who at once seem like the best kind of grandmothers and aunties and
guide Meg on her journey of transformation. The hint of romance between Meg and Calvin struck
me square in the heart the first time I read it as a 10-year-old and has stayed with me all these years.
Recommended by Cathy
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Young Isaac Gutenberg wasn't interested in much, until the day he met a shopkeeper who told him about the legend of
The Book of Gold. Somewhere in the World there is one very special book just waiting to be discovered. The story follows him around the World, searching for
The Book of Gold. He opens and quickly closes every book that doesn't turn to gold, until the day he actually reads the words. Then Isaac finds something better than gold; he finds his curiosity instead, encouraging young children to pick up a book and read.
Recommended by Annamarie
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Jeremy Draws a Monster by Peter McCarty
Like many Somerville kids, Jeremy lives on the top floor of a three-story apartment building. He stays inside all day drawing, and one day draws a very demanding and impolite monster: "Arrgh," said the monster. "Draw me a sandwich. I'm hungry!" Of course the monster doesn't say thank you. After one too many demands, Jeremy draws the monster a bus ticket and a suitcase and decides to play with the kids outside. The sharpness of the monster, whether pointy teeth or personality, are softened by the monster's rounded lines and calm blue hue. There's plenty of white space to create a quiet, solitary feel, but also helps focus our attention on the monster's bad behavior, and all of the subtle humor. A storytime favorite, parents will have a lot of fun reading aloud. And there's a sequel!
Recommended by Cathy
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This book follows a tattler and his classmates and a challenge to stop.
His teacher starts the Tattle Battle and the rules are simple: two teams, one week, no tattling.
It comes along with the following pledge...
"If a friend is sick, hurt,
or in harm's way,
then telling someone is okay!
Unless it's sickness, danger,
or bullying I see,
I will mind my own business
and worry about me."
Recommended by Annamarie
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Gadget 101: One-on-One Technology Instruction
Did you receive a new laptop, smartphone, tablet, or smartwatch last month but are still having trouble getting used to it? Are you finding it frustrating to set up that FitBit or digital photo frame? Let us help!
Call or e-mail our Technology Librarian, Tim, to set up a Gadget 101 appointment. Bring your new gadget or device in for a
free one-on-one help session. These sessions are available to all Somerville residents.
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