=> from the SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER ... February 22, 2010 BATTLE OF THE BOOKS — CONGRATULATIONS TO BATTLE OF THE BOOKS GRAND WINNERS!!! ... 2 teams from Schoolcraft and 2 teams from Vicksburg were the final players in the 2010 Grand Battle on Thursday, February 18th. Retro Readers from Tobey Elementary School were the first place winners and will take the trophy to reside at their school library for the remainder of the school year and part of next. The students on Retro Readers were Kara Peter, Rylie Dorman, Josie Dorman, Zoe Folsom, Brittany Cook and Megan Markel. Second place winners were The Argonauts from Schoolcraft and those students were Connor Sloan, Davis DeVoe, JB Braford, Noah Troyer, Rielly Troyer and Reilly Puhalski. Third place winners were first time battlers The Reading Ninjas from Sunset Lake Elementary. Those students were Andy Zeman, Tanner White, Tim Gearig, Christian Glascock, Brennan Hamilton and Jake Converse. And 006 from Schoolcraft took fourth place. Those students were Scott Macfarlane, Matthew Dickerson, Aaron Lenning, Lily Wright, Ben Sefton and Sarah Harmelink. It was an exciting night and the players all did well. Congratulations to the Retro Readers and to all those "battlers" for a job well done! SPRING PRESCHOOL STORYHOUR — MARCH 24th thru April 28th, 2009 — "Crazy Concepts" The spring Preschool Storyhour for children ages 3-5 years will be held each Wednesday beginning March 24 and ending April 28. The storyhour will be held from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. and will include stories, songs and fingerplays, activities, craft and snack. Pre-registration is required so call today at 679-5959 and reserve a spot. The theme for this storytime is "Crazy Concepts". COMING SOON TO THE SCHOOLCRAFT LIBRARY-----NEW AUTOMATION SOFTWARE!! ... Thanks to a $24,408 grant the Schoolcraft Community Library received from the Robert C. Reinhardt Library Fund for technology improvements, a new and improved automation system is soon to become a reality. After much research the staff at the Schoolcraft Community Library has chosen Destiny, a software from Follett to replace the current automation software Athena. This is an exciting change for the library to make and will result in some great perks for the patrons as well. The biggest and most beneficial change that patrons will notice immediately is that our collection will be searchable on the internet from the comfort of your own home. You will be able to check to see if we have a book in our collection, if it is on the shelf and if not when it is due back. You will be able to put reserves on books and even renew them via your home computer. You will be able to monitor your own library account to determine if you have fines, how much they are, what you currently have checked out, and when it is due. Moving to Destiny will also provide an enhancement for the patrons when searching for materials through the TitlePeek feature. This provides cover photos, title profiles, table of contents, brief summaries, author notes, first chapter excerpts and published reviews. And last through the WebPath Express feature users will have access to over 50,000 high quality, educator-reviewed Web sites and 107,000 Web links with more updated information which is added on a regular basis. So, keep your eyes open for a brand new experience at the Schoolcraft Community Library coming in March. SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY CLOSING FOR TRAINING ON NEW SOFTWARE ... The Schoolcraft Community Library will be closing for two days—Thursday, March 4th and Friday, March 5th ---for staff training on the new automation software Destiny. The staff will be attending training sessions at KRESA on these days in preparation for the installation of the new software. The library will re-open on Saturday, March 6th at 10 A.M. ready to introduce patrons to Destiny and assist them in searching with their new and improved automation system. INTERVIEWING FOR A NEW JOB???---A NEW WEBSITE JUST FOR YOU!!! ... A free resource is now available that may help those of you setting up interviews in the near future. www.glassdoor.com is an interesting and helpful site with 25 oddball interview questions that companies today could ask. But it goes a step farther and tells you why they might ask the question and just what they are looking for when doing so. Check it out and get prepared to have what might just be the best interview of your life. ADULT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP - Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 ... The next adult book discussion group will meet Wednesday, March 3rd at two times—2 P.M. and 7 P.M. Refreshments will be served. The book for this month's discussion is Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. Books are available for checkout at the Schoolcraft Community Library. Call the library at 679-5959 today to reserve a book or to answer any questions. => NEW ADULT BOOKS ... February 15, 2010 * The Happiness Project: or why I spent a year trying to sing in the morning, clean my closets, fight right, read Aristotle and generally have more fun by Gretchen Rubin * 2010 World Almanac and Book of Facts * The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton * Wild Zone by Joy Fielding * Split Image by Robert B. Parker * Big Girl by Danielle Steel * Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb STAFF BOOKPICK: February 22, 2010 : Alex and Me: How a scientist and a parrot discovered a hidden world of animal intelligence—and formed a deep bond in the process by Irene M. Pepperberg **New York Times Bestseller and Top 10 Book of the Year ... Alex and Me is the story of an African Gray parrot and his owner, and research scientist Irene Pepperberg. Alex had a brain the size of a shelled walnut, yet he could add, sound out words, understand concepts bigger and smaller, more, fewer, and none and he disproved the widely accepted idea that birds possess not potential for language or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. It is the remarkable true account of an amazing, irascible parrot and his best friend who stayed together through thick and thin for thirty years—the astonishing, moving, and unforgettable story of a landmark scientific achievement and a beautiful relationship.

=> from the SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER ... February 15, 2010 TOT TIME ... The next session of TOT TIME for children 18-36 months old and their parent, will begin Wednesday February 17th from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. and will run for the next 4 Wednesdays (February 24th, March 3rd, March 10th). This storytime includes about 20 minutes of songs, active fingerplays, and a story and then ends with 30-40 minutes of free play. This is an opportunity for parents to connect as well. Pre-registration is required and space is limited so call 679-5959 today to reserve a spot for your child and yourself. BATTLE OF THE BOOKS —Congratulations! to the four teams moving on to the Grand Battle: * Argonauts ... Schoolcraft Middle & Upper Elementary * Reading Ninjas ... Sunset Lake Elementary * 006 ... Schoolcraft Upper Elementary * Retro Readers ... Tobey Elementary ... The Grand Battle will be held at the Schoolcraft High School PAC on Thursday, February 18th at 7 P.M. => NEW ADULT BOOKS ... February 15, 2010 * Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin * Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani * Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian * The Postmistress by Sarah Blake * The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer * Love and War: finding the marriage you've dreamed of by John and Stasi Eldredge STAFF BOOKPICK: February 15, 2010 : The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows ... The German occupation of the Channel Islands, recalled in letters between a London reporter and an eccentric gaggle of Guernsey islanders. This debut by an "aunt-niece" authorial team presents itself as cozy fiction about comfortably quirky people, but it quickly evinces far more serious, and ambitious, intent. In 1946, Juliet, famous for her oxymoronic wartime humor column, is coping with life amid the rubble of London when she receives a letter from a reader, Dawsey, a Guernsey resident who asks her help in finding books by Charles Lamb. After she honors his request, a flurry of letters arrive from Guernsey islanders eager to share recollections of the German occupation of the islands. When the Germans catch some islanders exiting from a late-night pig roast, the group, as an excuse for violating curfew and food restrictions, invents a book club. The "Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" is born, affording Guernseyites an excuse to meet and share meager repasts. (The Germans have confiscated all the real food.) Juliet's fractious correspondents, including reputed witch Isola, Booker, a Jewish valet who masquerades as a Lord, and many other L&PPPS members, reveal that the absent founder of their society, Elizabeth, loved Christian, a German captain. No one accuses Elizabeth of collaboration (except one crotchety islander, Adelaide) because Christian was genuinely nice. An act of bravery caused Elizabeth's deportation to France, and her whereabouts remain unknown. The Society is raising four-year-old Kit, Elizabeth's daughter by Christian. To the consternation of her editor and friend, Sidney, Juliet is entertaining the overtures, literary and romantic, of a dashing but domineering New York publisher, Markham. When Juliet goes to Guernsey, some hard truths emerge about Elizabeth's fate and defiant courage. Elizabeth and Juliet are appealingly reminiscent of game but gutsy '40s movie heroines.   The engrossing subject matter and lively writing make this a sure winner, and perhaps even fodder for a TV series.

=> from the SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER ... February 08, 2010 BATTLE OF THE BOOKS — Coming Soon!! ... The Schoolcraft Community Library is hosting its 16th annual Battle of the Books on Saturday, February 13th at the Schoolcraft High School PAC. Preliminary Battles will begin at 10 A.M. and run throughout the day. Semi-Final Battles will begin at approximately 3:15 P.M. Preliminary Battle Schedule (word document) for Saturday, February 13th, 2010 ... The Grand Battle will be held at the same location on Thursday, February 18th at 7 P.M. This year teams of readers from Schoolcraft, Vicksburg and Parchment will "battle" for the trophy, which resides this year at Tobey Elementary. The teams consist of 5-7 players from 4th-6th grades and are coached by parents, grandparents, teachers and former battlers. The list of 12 pre-selected books the teams have been reading from is available on the library website at schoolcraftlibrary.org We invite you to come and watch the students wow you with their knowledge of the books and enthusiasm for reading. REMINDER! — Favorite book votes are due at the Schoolcraft Community Library on Wednesday, February 10th VALENTINE PRESCHOOL STORYHOUR - Wednesday, February 10th ... The Schoolcraft Community Library is hosting a one-day Valentine Preschool Storyhour for children ages 3-5 years of age. It will run from 10-10:45 A.M. There will be stories, fingerplays, songs, a craft and snack. Pre-registration is required so call today to reserve a spot. 679-5959. BROWN BAG STORYHOUR ... Brown Bag Storyhour for children in Young Fives and Kindergarten will be held on Wednesday, February 10th from 11:10 A.M. to 11:50 A.M. Remember to bring a brown bag lunch, a drink and good listening ears. The theme will be RED. We look forward to seeing you. If you have any questions call the library at 679-5959. NOTE: The dates for the remainder of the school year are as follows: Wednesdays, March 10th, April 14th and May 12th. => NEW ADULT BOOKS ... February 08, 2010 * Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich * When March went Mad: the game that transformed basketball by Seth Davis * Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah * Worst Case by James Patterson * Penny Pincher's Club by Sarah Strohmeyer * Still Alice by Lisa Genova => NEW DVDs ... February 08, 2010 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, The Dark Knight, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Father of the Bride: Part 2, Cars(replacement), 27 Dresses. STAFF BOOKPICK: February 08, 2010 : No One You Know by Michelle Richmond (author of The Year of the Fog) ... All her life Ellie Enderlin had been know as Lila's sister—until the day Lila, a top math student at Stanford, was murdered, and the shape of their family changed forever. Twenty years later, Ellie is a professional coffee buyer who has never put down roots. When in a chance meeting she comes into possession of the notebook that Lila carried everywhere, Ellie returns home to finally discover the truth about her sister's death—a search that leads her to the motives and the fate of a man who profited from their family's grief, and ultimately to the deepest secrets even sisters keep from each other. This is a riveting family drama about loss, love, and the way hope redefines our lives—a novel at once heartbreaking, provocative and impossible to put down. => NEW ADULT BOOKS ... February 01, 2010 * Blood Ties by Kay Hooper * The Boy who Harnassed the Wind by William Kamkwamba * Mark Twain: man in white by Michael Selden * Act of Treason by Vince Flynn * Separation of Power by Vince Flynn * Spy on the Bus: a memoir of a company rat by Margean Gladysz => NEW DVDs ... February 01, 2010 Australia, Ballet Shoes, Bride Wars, The Other Boleyn Girl, Prince Caspian, The Proposal, Marley and Me, Slumdog Millionaire, The Soloist, 17 Again STAFF BOOKPICK: February 01, 2010 : The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer ... William Kamdwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was a mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger, and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills in a book and he dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his life and the lives of those around him. His neighbors may have mocked him and called him misala—crazy—but he was determined to show them what a little grit and ingenuity could do. So in this inspiring story William used only resources available to him in his own village to build a windmill, which did elevate the lives and spirits of all those in his community. And his achievements with wind energy should serve as a model of what one person with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face. A moving and exciting and true story.

=> ongoing ...

SAVE AT THE SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY!!! ... Are you looking for ways to reduce your budget and save the environment at the same time? Why not try checking out the variety of magazines offered at the library? The library offers over 30 periodicals, which include magazines, newsletters and a couple local newspapers. Magazines can be checked out for 2 weeks and you can save money, catch up on the latest news and gossip around the world, find a new recipe or learn something about the changing world of health, computers or finance. Why not give it a try? INTERNET POLICY AT THE SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY ... In effect as of March 26th, 2008, the Internet Use policy now states that a current library card or a piece of Government issued identification (ie., Driver's license, voter's registration card, a student ID., etc.) must be presented to use the internet. Also, if you are under 18 years of age, a parent's signature will be required to access the Internet. Wireless Internet access is also available at the library and though ID is not required to access this service, the library does require a patron signature after reading the Wireless Internet Policy and to abide by those same guidelines as those using library computers. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the library at 679-5959.

WI-FI at the Schoolcraft Community Library!!!! --- Wireless internet service has come to the Schoolcraft Community Library. So whether you are traveling through town, needing to quick check your email or an important website for a research paper for school, you can bring your laptop to the library and hook up.

HARDING'S eScrip COMMUNITY CARD FOR THE SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY -- The Schoolcraft Community Library has partnered with Harding's Market in the Harding's eScrip Community Card to help raise funds for the Schoolcraft Community Library and you can help! It is easy and is a great way to help the library. Here's how you can help. Just go to a Harding's Market and ask for the Harding's eScrip Community Card. Then you can activate your card by one of two easy methods. You can call 1-800-931-6258 and register your name with our library or if you prefer you can register online at www.escrip.com/hardings.jsp and follow the instructions there. Then each time you make a purchase at any Harding's Market you give them your Harding's eScrip Community Card to scan and presto you have helped the library with up to 4% of your purchases. No having to remember to keep receipts and then bring them to the library anymore! Just a quick phone call and a swipe of a card and you have given your help to the Schoolcraft Community Library. So, join today and start those savings coming in to the library. Many thanks to all who have helped in the past with their Harding's receipts and many thanks in advance to all who will help us in the future. Call the library at 679-5959 if you have any questions.

Friends of the Library
The "Friends of the Library" believe in the importance of the library and encourage the use of the facility. The purpose of "Friends" is to enhance library services by providing invaluable voluntary assistance and supplemental income through charitable donations and fundraisers.

The "Friends" meet on a regular basis at the library. If you believe in the importance of the library, consider joining us.

QSAC: Quality Service Audit Checklist -SCHOOLCRAFT LIBRARY ATTAINS "ESSENTIAL LEVEL" OF QUALITY SERVICES FROM LIBRARY OF MICHIGAN - The Schoolcraft Community Library is proud to announce that it is one of 10 Class II libraries in Michigan who have qualified for the Essential Level requirements from the Quality Services audit checklist known as QSAC. There are seven categories of achievement which include human resources, governance/administration, services, collections development, technology, facilities and equipment and public relations/marketing. By focusing on these key areas the Schoolcraft Library has demonstrated a strong commitment to customer service. There are 78 class libraries in the State of Michigan and so the Schoolcraft Community Library is proud to have been one of the first 10 to have achieved this goal.

NOTE: LASER JET CARTRIDGE RECYCLING PROGRAM ... The Schoolcraft Community Library regrets to inform its patrons that the Laser Jet Recycling Program has once again been discontinued. You can still recycle your ink jet cartridges and any old cell phones as well in the bags provided at the library, but laser jet cartridges will no longer be accepted. You may be able to dispose of them through Office Max or there is a recycling center near the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds. Many thanks for your support of this program while it lasted.

previously ...

NEW DVDs ... January 25, 2010 * The Proposal, Up, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Nancy Drew, Hardball, Stand By Me, The Prince and Me, Benji—4 movie collection, Save the Last Dance, You've Got Mail, Footloose, Annie, In the Key of G—Gilmore Festival, The Kite Runner, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider, The Mighty Heart, Independence Day and I Robot NEW ADULT BOOKS ... January 25, 2010 * Up in the Air by Walter Kirn * Kisser by Stuart Woods * The Wolf at the Door by Jack Higgins * Catalyst: a tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey * Glenn Beck's Common Sense: the case against an out-of-control government, inspired by Thomas Paine by Glenn Beck * Intervention by Terri Blackstock * Unshaken by Francine Rivers * Unveiled by Francine Rivers * Consent to Kill by Vince Flynn * Executive Power by Vince Flynn ... January 18, 2010 * Death of a Valentine; a Hamish Macbeth mystery by M.C. Beaton * Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman * Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran * Nefertiti by Michelle Moran * The Blind Side; evolution of a game by Michael Lewis * The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith * Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn * Treasure Hunt by John Lescroart * Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson ... January 11, 2010 * Fired Up by Jayne Krentz * Burn by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy * Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker * Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier * The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister * Noah's Compass by Ann Tyler * Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky * Impact by Douglas Preston * The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles ... January 04, 2010 * Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughin * Witch and Wizard by James Patterson * Michigan Trees: a guide to the trees of the Great Lakes region by Burton Barnes and Warren Wagner * Christmas Jars by Jason Wright * The Expectant Father: facts, tips and advice for Dads-to-be by Arinn Brott * The Executor's Guide: settling a loved one's estate or trust by Mary Randolph * Texas! Chase by Sandra Brown * Vanishing Act by Fern Michaels * Sinus Survival: the holistic medical treatment for allergies, colds and Sinusitis by Robert Ivker * Appaloosa by Robert B. Parker * The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson * Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran * Sizzle by Julie Garwood * The Honor of Spies by W.E.B. Griffin * Blood Bond—Texas gundown by William Johnstone * Purgatory: Matt Jensen: the last mountain man by William Johnstone * West of the Law a Ralph Compton novel by Joseph West * Nightfall at Little Aces by Ralph Cotton => NEW CDs For ADULTS ... January 18, 2010 * Look Again by Lisa Scottoline * The Help by Kathryn Stockett * Louis L'Amour collection: The Black Rock Coffin Makers * Dutchman's Flat * Mistakes can Kill You * The Nester and the Piute * Riding for the Brand by Louis L'Amour

ADULT BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP - Wednesday, January 27th 2010 ... The Schoolcraft Community Library will be hosting its next Book Discussion Group on Wednesday, January 27th at two times—2 P.M. and 7 P.M. The book for January is Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. . Multiple copies of the book are available at the library, so call today to reserve a copy and sign up for one of the times listed. You are sure to enjoy yourselves. Refreshments will be served. Call the library at 679-5959 with any questions or to sign up or reserve a copy of the book.

STAFF BOOKPICK: January 25, 2010 : Blind Side: evolution of a game by Michael Lewis ... A book from which a block buster movie has recently been released is the story of a young man named Michael Oher. Michael is one of thirteen children by a mother who is addicted to crack; he does not know his real name, his father, his birthday or how to read or write. He takes up football, and school, after a wealthy, white, Evangelical family plucks him from the streets. Then two great forces alter Michael: the family's love and the evolution of professional football into a game where the quarterback must be protected at any cost. Michael becomes the priceless package of size, speed and agility that is necessary to guard the quarterback's greatest vulnerability—his blind side. This book though supposedly about football, is actually an extraordinary story of love and redemption. Don't miss it!

STAFF BOOKPICK: January 18, 2010 : Dog On It: a Chet and Bernie mystery by Spencer Quinn ... Chet the wise and loveable canine narrator and Bernie the down on your luck private investigator are quick to take a new case involving a search for a teenage daughter. This well-behaved and gifted student may not have been kidnapped, but she has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. With Chet's highly trained nose leading the way, their hunt for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locales—until the bad guys try to turn the tables and the resourceful duo lands in the paws of peril. This delightful new series is followed up with the new title Thereby Hangs a Tail.

STAFF BOOKPICK: January 11, 2010 : Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay ... It is Paris, July 1942 and Sarah, a ten-year-old girl, is taken with her parents by the French police as they go door-to-door arresting Jewish families in the middle of the night. Desperate to protect her younger brother, Sarah locks him in a bedroom cupboard—their secret hiding place—and promises to come back for him as soon as they are released.   Sixty years later: Sarah's story intertwines with that of Julia Jarmond, an American journalist investigating the roundup. In her research, Julia stumbles onto a trail of secrets that link her to Sarah, and to questions about her own romantic future. NOTE: This book will also be the February book discussion title.

STAFF BOOKPICK: January 04, 2010 : Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran ... The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time—a tale of unbridled passion with earth-shaking political consequences. Feared and hunted by the powers of Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Antony's vengeful rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt. Their orphaned children, ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander, are taken in chains to Rome and delivered to the house of Octavian's sister. The siblings cling to one another and to the hope that they will one day return to their rightful place on the throne of Egypt. The fateful tale of Selene and Alexander is brought brilliantly to life in Cleopatra's Daughter and is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this glorious and tumultuous period in human history. Emerging from the shadows of the past, Selene, a young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, will capture your heart. (This is the third book in a trilogy—the first two books are Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen).