Sunday, November 30, 2008

Cool website for the Week of November 30-December 6


Metacritic.com
The coolest review source for new movies, music, books, and video games. It takes all the reviews it can find on from magazines and online review sites and compiles an average score. Even cooler, it gives you access to most of the reviews so you don't have to roam around the internet finding them yourself!

Friday, November 28, 2008

Need help learning another language?



If you're a Cape May County Library card holder, you can access a super cool tool called the Mango Languages that you can use to help learn a foreign language...

Languages offered:
Brazillian Portuguese
German
Mandarin Chinese
Spanish
Italian
English for Polish Speakers
Japanese
Greek
English for Spanish Speakers
French
Russian
English for Brazillian Portuguese Speakers




Want to give it a try?

Try it from home: Click here

Inside the Library? Click here

Monday, November 24, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving



Have a Happy Thanksgiving...we'll be back on Friday the 28th with more...
But for now...

Some interesting Thanksgiving Facts

-The first Thanksgiving in 1621 lasted three full days and featured games and skill displays, as well as feasting. Despite the later association of turkey with this holiday, the original observance called for venison, seafood, duck, and goose.

-Thanksgiving was not a National Holiday until President Lincoln proclaimed it so on October 3, 1863.

-Did you know that the Detroit Lions have hosted a Football Game on every Thanksgiving since 1934 (excluding 1941-1945 due to World War II)

Where did I get this information?
Watts, Linda S. "Thanksgiving." Encylopedia of American Folklore. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. American History Online, Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE52&iPin=EAFolk673&SingleRecord=True (accessed November 5, 2008).

Click here if that link doesn't work

Friday, November 21, 2008

TONIGHT! LIVE! AT THE LIBRARY!

FREE ROCK CONCERT AT THE LIBRARY!


Come on over to the library tonight @ 6:30 PM for a FREE show by the Wizard Rock Band The Moaning Myrtles! We'll also have free snacks and soda.

Ages 12-18 are invited

LISTEN TO THE MOANING MYRTLES HERE!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Tomorrow at the library...

FREE ROCK CONCERT AT THE LIBRARY!



Come on over to the library tomorrow @ 6:30 PM for a FREE show by the Wizard Rock Band The Moaning Myrtles! We'll also have free snacks and soda.


Ages 12-18 are invited

LISTEN TO THE MOANING MYRTLES HERE!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

New Book Wednesday


Fiction
Saving Grace by Katherine Spencer
More Than Friends: A Saving Grace Novel by Katherine Spencer
Star Wars: Legacy of the Jedi and Secrets of the Jedi by Jude Watson
Better Than Running at Night by Hillary Frank
Noman: Book Three of the Noble Warriors by William Nicholson
Appetite for Detention by Sloane Tanen
Playing With Matches by Brian Katcher
Boy Toy by Barry Lyga
Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi
First Time by Meg Tilly
Feathered by Laura Kasischke
The Traitor Game by B.R. Collins
My Father's Son by Terri Fields
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Losers by Matthue Roth
Two Parties, One Tux, and a Very Short Film About The Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman
Hummingbird by Kimberly Greene Angle
Twelve Long Months by Brian Malloy
How To Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Myracle
The Fall of the Templar: Grey Griffins Book 3 by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis
Long Live The Queen by Ellen Emerson White
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous by Nina Beck
Adios to My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer
The President's Daughter by Ellen Emerson White
Almost Famous: A Talent Novel by Zoey Dean
Waves of Grace by Patrick Doherty

Non Fiction
Cesar Chavez: UFW Labor Leader by Kevin Hile
Mass Extinction by Tricia Andryszewksi
Student's Guide to Elections by Bruce Schulman
Punk Rock Etiquette: The Ultimate How to Guide for DIY, Punk, Indie, and Underground Bands by Travis Nicholas
I Can Has Cheezburger? by Professor Happycat
Gay Rights Activists by Kate Burns

Graphic Novels and Manga
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Volume 1
Wolverine Orgins Volume 4: Our War
by Various Authors
Houdini: The Handcuff King by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi
Wolverine Orgins Volume 5: Deadpool by Various Authors
Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America by Various Authors
Wolverine Orgins Volume 2: Savior by Various Authors

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Tonight at the Library...


Teen Movie Night!

Now Showing: Dodgeball (Rated PG-13)
Movie starts at 6pm

We'll have free pizza and soda!

Hope to see you there...

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Cool Website for the Week of November 16-22

To celebrate The Moaning Myrtles live performance THIS FRIDAY at the Cape May County Library, I'm posting their video for their awesome song In Which Moaning Myrtle Moans.

Enjoy!

And remember...

This Friday @ 6:30pm the Moaning Myrtles will perform LIVE at the Cape May County Library

Friday, November 14, 2008

National Game Day @ the Library...TOMORROW!




WHEN: Saturday November 15 10:00Am to 3:30PM

WHAT: We'll have a lot of cool gaming related events going on at the library, such as...

-Video games all day! We'll have our Nintendo Wii's and XBox 360's set up all day for you to play.

-Video game tournaments throughout the day. Test your might at the Super Smash Brothers Brawl and other games and see who's the best in Cape May County.

-Join in and play Pictureka! as we attempt to set a world record with other libraries across the nation and have the most people playing a board game at one time!





SEE YOU AT THE LIBRARY!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Want to help us break a world record?



This Saturday at the Library we'll be celebrating National Game Day.

Part of the day's events includes a world record breaking attempt...we'll be joining in playing Pictureka! with other libraries around the nation. We're going to use the game to try to set a record for the most number of people playing a boardgame at the same time.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ACCOMPLISH THIS!

Stop in at the library between 10am-3:30pm on Saturday November 15th to be part of history in the making!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

New Book Wednesday


Fiction
Shattered Mirror by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
One Small Step by P.B. Kerr
Revelations: A Blue Bloods Novel by Melissa De La Cruz
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Planet Pregnancy by Linda Oatman High

Manga
Ultra Maniac Volume 1 by Wataru Yoshizumi
Captive Hearts Volume 1 by Matsuri Hino
Rosario + Vampire Volume 1, 2, and 3 by Akihisa Ikeda
Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation Volumes 1, 2, and 3 by Yoshiyuki Nishi
Batman: Death Mask by Yoshinori Natsume

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Veterans Day



We're closed today, but we'll be back tomorrow at 8:30am.
See you then!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Cool website for the Week of November 9-15


Ever watched a video on YouTube that you wanted to download?

Give ConvertTube a try. It allows you to download videos that you find online in multiple formats.

Click here for ConvertTube

Friday, November 7, 2008

Book Review: "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer

The Host—by Stephanie Meyer
What is all the fuss about?—and a small spoiler alert.

By Melissa The Librarian

Science Fiction is not exactly my forte. Although I have read a few sci-fi works recently, I haven’t had a chance, or the time, to invest in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Series. So I thought I would read her first adult novel, The Host. (She is currently one of the most popular author’s out there, with the first Twilight movie coming to the big screen in November.) The novel begins with a soul called the Wanderer, who along with her species, has invaded Earth and taken over the lives of all humans. The alien invasion doesn’t mean to cause us harm, in fact, they are probably the most polite aliens ever created (E.T. aside.) They just want to experience the everyday lives of humans; however, taking over the planet and invading bodies has caused our extinction—with a handful of survivors.

When the Wanderer is implanted into her human host, she soon discovers that she is not alone and Melanie Stryder is still occupying in her own body. Plagued by memories from Melanie’s life, and struggling to fit in her new role on Earth, Wanderer sets out on a journey to find out if Melanie’s young brother and love interest, Jared, have survived the occupation. As the story progresses, Wanderer finds herself living underground with humans who accept her, despite the fact that she is an alien. Although there are protests from some of the survivors, the humans still bring her into the secret and fragile world, and treat her as if she was one of their own. Yet, there are still dangers floating very close to Wanderer. She knows some of the humans would relish in her death—revenge for the human race! The aliens have also sent one of their own to find out where and why she has disappeared. Wanderer is also dealing with the fact she and Melanie are sharing the same body, as well as thoughts. When all these elements collide—fear, confusion, love, and hate, the Wanderer and Melanie struggle to understand each other’s feelings for the circumstances they have been unwillingly thrust into.

I thought that The Host had an opportunity to be a more exciting novel, especially towards the end, but it never quite developed. Meyer is writing to a adult audience for the first time, and I believe she tried a little too hard trying to convey her thoughts about the decency and struggles human race. Her story sounded very familiar to me, without being able to directly apply it to another movie or novel. It moved very slowly without ever turning into something that conveys sympathy or excitement to the reader. I felt that The Host would have a climactic ending, since it’s over 600 pages, but the story just trickled. In all, the novel never reached the potential I thought it would contain, but then again, I am not a science fiction reader. I tend to gravitate to other genres, such as biographies and Victorian fiction. This was a new and different read for me. So although I was not impressed with the work, others may love it because it is more in tune with their taste. I just wish it had been a little more flavorful for me.


(Thanks for the review Melissa!)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Movie Review: Labyrinth



Are you now or have you ever been a fan of the Muppets, Fraggle Rock, Sesame Street, and or Star Wars? If so, then you must watch Labyrinth; it is the brainchild of Jim Henson, Frank Oz, and George Lucas. Labyrinth was theatrically released in 1986 by the Jim Henson Company and Lucasfilm Ltd. It is the story of fifteen year old girl named Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) and her journey through a magical labyrinth. She has a mere thirteen hours to complete the maze and reach the Goblin City. If she fails, her baby brother will be turned into a goblin by Jareth the Goblin King. The challenge may seem simple enough, but Jareth does not play fair. He cheats Sarah out of time and uses his powers against her. Of course, I will not tell you how it ends, but I will say that Sarah meets several interesting characters. She befriends Hogel and Ludo. Hogel is a dwarf like creature who is torn between being her friend and helping Jareth sabotage Sarah. Ludo is a big hairy beast that wants to protect Sarah.

The story is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland; Sarah embarks on a journey and is faced with the most perplexing challenges and unusual creatures. Moreover, the film is somewhat similar to other movies from that era. It bears a striking resemblance to The Dark Crystal; which is not surprising since it was also co-directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz. And much like The Never Ending Story, Labyrinth is full of lovable creatures and puppets. The special effects and puppetry done in the movie are most impressive. All of the work was done without the aid of computer-generated imagery (CGI). The movie also includes a killer soundtrack. All of the songs were originally written for the movie and performed by David Bowie, one of the coolest men alive.

If you like fantasy movies, want to see a young Jennifer Connelly, or love everything Bowie then you must come to the Cape May County Library to borrow Labyrinth. It is in the teen room for your viewing pleasure.

-Review by Lisa Marie, The Technology Librarian

Why thank you for your kind review Lisa Marie. I agree with you so much, that I'm going to highlight this as one of Justin's Picks. Woo hoo, etc!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

New Book Wednesday


Graphic Novels and Manga
Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation Books 2, and 3 by Yoshiyuki Nishi
(VOLUME 1 IS ON ITS WAY! Reserve it now!)
Star Wars Omnibus: Tales of the Jedi Volume 2 by Various Authors
Negima! Magister Negi Magi Books 1, 2, and 3 by Ken Akamatsu
Tokyo Pet Shop of Horrors Book 2
(VOLUME 1 IS ON ITS WAY! Reserve it now!)
Mixed Vegetables Book 1 by Ayumi Komura
Manga Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet by Sonia Leong
Tokyo Mew Mew Books 4, 5, and 6 by Mia Ikumi and Reiko Yoshida
(Click here for books 1, 2, and 3)
Rosario + Vampire Book 2 by Akihisa Ikeda
(Volumes 1 and 3 are on the way! Reserve them now!)
One Piece Book 6 iby Eiichiro Oda
(Volumes 4 and 5 are on their way! Reserve them now!)
Fruits Basket Books 14. 15, 16, 17

Fiction
Dark Dude by Oscar Hijuelos
Love and Lies: Marisol's Story by Ellen Wittlinger
The King's Arrow by Michael Cadnum
Dear Julia by Amy Bronwen Zemser
The Ghosts of Kerfol by Deborah Noyes
The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott
Zombie Blondes by Brian James
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Nothing Pink by Mark Hardy
The Fortunes of Indigo Skye by Deb Caletti
Imaginary Enemy by Julie Gonzalez
Would You by Marthe Jocelyn
Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohen and David Levithan
Down To The Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole
Tiger Moon by Antonia Michaelis
Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern
Cathy's Key: If Found Call 650-266-8202 by Stewart, Weisman, and Brigg
The Devil's Breath by David Gilman
Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin
Kitty Kitty: A Novel by Michele Jaffe


Non Fiction
Gay America: Struggle for Equality by Linas Alsenas
Organic Foods by Debra A. Miller
David Beckham by Michael V. Uschan
Hillary Clinton by Dwayne Epstein
Lebron James by Anne Wallace Sharp
Postpartum Depression by Debra A. Miller
Sickle Cell Disease by Lizabeth Peak
David Suzuki's Green Guide by David Suzuki and David R. Boyd
Top 10 of Everything: 2009 by Russell Ash
The Devil on Trial by Phillip Marguliies and Maxine Rosaler


DVD's
Led Zeppelin (a Concert film...very cool!)
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
Speed Racer

Music CD's
Gym Class Heroes-The Quilt
Lil' Wayne-Tha Carter III
Metro Station-Metro Station

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Election Day...VOTE!

Election Day! After today, one of these men will be the next President of the United States of America.

If you are 18 and have registered to vote, I urge you to do so! Here's some facts about elections and politics (thanks to Carol) "For a bunch of guys who were ticked off abuot representation, they didn't give much thought to this voting stuff!" Did you know that: -The original constitution (1787) didn't address voting by citizens at all. It was left to the individual states. -Some amendments were needed to prevent voter discrimination, such as: Race (1870) 15th Amendment Gender (1920) 19th Amendment Paying a Tax (1964) 24th Amendment Age of at least 18 to vote (1971) 26th Amendment ...And believe it or not, people living in Washington D.C. didn't get the right to vote in national elections until 1961.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Cool Website for the Week of November 2-8


What is it?
Bubbl.us is a simple and free web application that lets you brainstorm online.

Why use bubbl.us?
Create colorful mind maps online
Share and work with friends
Embed your mind map in your blog or website
Email and print your mind map
Save your mind map as an image


Here's a quick example of what you can use Bubbl.us for: