We usually recommend a book to someone because we like the story or the setting or because it’s funny, etc. The other night a patron recommended an audiobook to me because the reader was really good.  Ed Sala’s reading of James Lee Burke’s White Doves at Morning was so compelling that this gentleman had come to the library to find more. The Library includes the name of audiobook readers in the catalog, making it easy to search for a favorite performer:

From the catalog page, select Sound/Video. From the first search box, select Audiobook Word(s) from the menu. In the second search box, enter the performer’s name.

AudioFile, a magazine devoted to audiobooks, has a Golden Voices list if you’re interested in finding more recommended readers or you might like one of Stephen King’s 10 favorite audiobooks.  I personally recommend Flo Gibson’s reading of Persuasion by Jane Austen.  On the page, Austen is amusing to me; but read aloud she is truly funny, with a wicked sense of humor and great timing.  Have you got a favorite audiobook reader?

The Library now offers calendar of events RSS feeds.  This means that you can subscribe to events by age group, event type, or branch just like you would subscribe to a blog’s RSS feed.  You will then get updates on new events in your areas of interest directly in your RSS reader.  If you are not familiar with RSS feeds, watch this video first:

What’s even cooler is that if you have very specific interests, you can now build your own RSS feed.  Simply fill out the form on that page.  For example, if you were interested in movies and also events for kids, then simply click the check box next to Movies and also check the boxes next to the age groups you are interested in.  Once you submit the form, a RSS feed will automatically be generated for you immediately.

This is a great way to keep up with library events, especially if you are already familiar with RSS readers and check your feeds daily.

Public libraries have gotten great press lately as a way to save money and I’ve noticed a lot of new faces coming up to the information desk. These people look pleased but a little confused and they say, “I haven’t been to the library in a long time. I guess you all don’t have a card catalog any more.”

No, we don’t. I don’t know when DeKalb County Public Library switched (help me out here, DCPL oldtimers), but generally public libraries retired their card catalogs many years ago. The computer OPACs (that’s Online Public Access Catalogs) are an improvement over the little drawers in every way — except aesthetics and ambiance. Somehow libraries looked more ‘libraryish’ when the card catalogs lined the walls.

One of our prodigal patrons asked me, “What happened to all the cards and cabinets?”  The cards show up in crafts and in projects like Cartalog, a memorial to the card catalog created from salvaged University of Iowa catalog cards. Los Angeles Public Library lined an elevator shaft with the old cards, matching the card subjects with the department on each floor. The cabinets have been resold, recycled, and repurposed. I’ve found old card catalogs used as coffee tables, kitchen storage units and sewing room cabinets. A quick search on eBay turned up a few card catalogs, all with multiple bids, so they are very collectible.

If you’d like to extend your trip down library memory lane, check out The Library History Buff. It’s a fascinating collection of librariana, and there’s a section on card catalogs. Sigh. Now I miss them.

Doing research and limited to a certain number of resources? Do not fear the Library is here! As a Reference Librarian, I often help people find sources to answer their questions, or write a paper. Often when it is school related, I hear “I can only use blank number of web sources. I have already checked the Internet.” When I ask if they have checked our Reference Database page, I often hear, I cannot use that because we are limited by the number of Internet sources.

Did you know there is a difference between Internet sources and electronic sources? The Library has electronic resources that are different from a web-based source. What is an Electronic Resource? You access the source through your web browser (Internet Explorer, Foxfire, Safari, Chrome…) but these sources were created in print before they were loaded and available on the Internet.

How do you access them? Go to our home page and click on the Reference Database button. Here you will find a list of resources that we have broken down by category. We have over twenty-six print based electronic resources. A few of these sources do have links to the Internet but most have a print-based component.

Curious to know which one you might be able to use? If you move your mouse over the title a short synopsis will show up and tell you what the resource is about and what it includes. For example, the Biography Resource Center’s synopsis indicates that it draws its information from Reference books, and from journal articles including  the Marquis Who’s Who. The Student Resource Center’s synopsis indicates that it draws its information from Reference documents, articles and dictionary entries.

Need an example of a source we have on the page that is an Internet Source? Look at The New Georgia Encyclopedia. According to the synopsis, it contains information on people, places, events and histories of Georgia. The site includes articles and images on every aspect of Georgia and links to related Internet sites. I hope this helps you or someone you know the next time there is a paper due. Remember these Electronic sources are available 24/7 through our elibrary.

In every reader’s life there comes a time when you have nothing to read. A time when you’ve read all the books in the series and the librarian says it’ll be a year before the next book comes out. A time when the book your sister loved is just not working for you.   You’re #11 on the waiting list for that bestseller, and you look around the Library and despair because you know there’s no book sitting on the nightstand at home.

Hey reader — it’s time to get some serendipity in your life. Ready? Let’s browse …

Log in to the Library’s catalog and take a close look at the record for the last book you read and enjoyed. Is there a genre listed? Click on that and you’ll find yourself looking at a list of genre headings. Click on the heading with the most records (that’s the number to the right). Now you’re looking a list of library books in that same genre. Anything look good? Get more information by clicking on the reviews and summaries.

There are no genre headings for non-fiction but look to the left and you’ll find the subject headings. Click on those and see what else the Library has on your topic.

Through DCPL’s website you’ve got access to Novelist, a service designed to help readers and librarians find their next book. Novelist has reading lists for all ages, book group discussion guides and lots of other suggestions for readers. I go there most often for the ‘Author Read-alikes’ over on the left side of the home page.

Check out the Library’s Shelf Help page, where you’ll find lists of recommended books and links to reading resources that should keep you clicking on the computer for hours.

And what if you’ve clicked and clicked, followed up on links and recommendations and still you have nothing to read?

I have one more suggestion — the Library Game. To play this game requires a certain boldness, a willingness to step away from other peoples’ suggestions and read a book you know nothing about.  Stand in front of some bookshelves (can be fiction or non-fiction, whatever looks most promising). Close your eyes. Select 3 books from the shelves, one from up high, one from the middle and one from down low. Open your eyes. You must read at least 50 pages of each book you picked before you give it up. (The rule used to be you had to read the whole book; but you know, life is short and books are long, so 50 pages it is).

Too silly for you? Ok, but the Library Game is how I discovered one of my absolute favorite writers, which led to me discovering a lot of other favorite writers, which saved me from having Nothing To Read for a long, long time.

Remember Lisa Loeb? She was the singer behind the hit single “Stay (I missed you)” that was featured in the movie, Reality Bites. Ms. Loeb talks about how important libraries are in the following video produced by the American Library Association.

As she sings, “Everybody feels this way, and I do.” I agree with the sentiments Ms. Loeb expresses and love the line about having “intellectual curiosity.” Hopefully, you feel this way too!

I discovered this video on Visibility @ Your Library, the blog of the American Library Association’s Public Information Office.

I was helping a person several days ago who was looking for business information.  She lived in another county.  I mentioned to her that the county she lived in also provided access to Reference USA.  As we continued exploring resources that might help her, I suggested Business and Company Resource Center.  I informed her that her local system did not provide access to this resource.  She asked me how she could obtain a card.  For an annual fee of $45, a non-resident can obtain a card.  She wanted to know what else we had that would make it worth her while to spend that kind of money.  Do you know what your DeKalb County library card provides for you?

Here is the brief list that I gave her: for adults, we offer not only the business electronic databases (Reference USA, Business and Company Resource Center, Demographics Now and Hoover’s Company Capsules and Profiles), but we also offer language learning resources (Spanish, French, German and Italian), Health and Wellness Resource Center (health and drug information), and Georgia Legal Forms; for students we offer Learning Express Library (sample tests, electronic books on a variety of tests and basic skills building), Literature Criticisms, Student Resource Center (Literature, History, applied Sciences and Social Studies), and African American Experience (great for African American history).

The list above is just a sample of the electronic resources that we provide at the library.  We of course offer print (books), music and DVDS.  I also mentioned that we have downloadable eAudiobooks and electronic books.

My DeKalb County library card is one of the most valuable cards in my wallet.  I would pay the annual fee of $45, if I did not work for the library system.  My own home library system does not offer the wealth of information or entertainment value that you are entitled to have as a citizen of DeKalb County.  So where is your card?

Dominique Wilkins, star forward for the Atlanta Hawks in the late 80s and early 90s, scored over 25,000 goals in his NBA career. Mr. Wilkins stopped by the Decatur Library earlier this summer to film a PSA. See it here on DCPL’s YouTube page:

You can read more about Dominique Wilkins’ amazing basketball career at the NBA’s website.

As you’ve probably noticed, the library’s website has been completely revamped (and along with it, the look and feel of this here blog!). So for the next few Thursdays, I’ll highlight a new feature of the website that you may not have explored yet.

You may have heard the term RSS bandied around, but what exactly is it? The term stands for Real Simple Syndication and it’s a great way to keep updated on changes to a website. I found this great video on the web that explains what RSS is in very simple terms:

There are lots of RSS feeds out there. And the library’s website has many as well. For instance, this very blog has an RSS feed. If you scroll a little down the page on the right hand side, you will see the RSS icon. If you click on it to subscribe (or use your favorite feed reader), then every time we write a new blog post on DCPLive, it will show up in your feed reader!

The library also has many RSS feeds to help you keep up with our collection. These feeds will update on a regular schedule to reflect what new books we have acquired. You can keep track of different genres (for instance New Mystery Books or New Historical Fiction) so that you can only get updates on what you’re interested in. There is also a feed called Great Reads, No Waiting which consists of adult fiction titles that requires no waiting. You can find a complete list of the library’s RSS feeds here.

Have you ever wished you could read an out of print book from your childhood? Perhaps you’ve been pining for one that you find listed on book seller sites, but their asking price is too steep. Maybe you’re interested in a book that’s just a few years old, but is not in the DCPL collection. Or you might need a copy of an article from a journal owned by colleges and universities that you can’t access/obtain through GALILEO.

All of these situations are great examples of when your DCPL Interlibrary Loan service can help. Interlibrary Loan is a technical sounding name for a wonderful process of sharing books between library systems that is happening every day in libraries all across the country. Numerous libraries participate in this, since no library (not even the Library of Congress) can own every book or journal that someone desires.

Neat, you say. So how do you get started?

You will want to visit your local DCPL branch and ask for an Interlibrary Loan Request form. This sets the whole process in motion. Be sure you let the staff at the desk know at which branch you’d like to pick up your book. It’s also very helpful if you give us as much information as you can about the item, particularly things like author, title, publisher, copyright date and ISBN.

Here are some important things to remember about Interlibrary Loan:

1, You will need an unblocked library card to make use of this process.

2. Reference books, CDs, videos and DVDs, and books published within the last year are not available through ILL.

3. There is a charge of $3.00 per item, and you may have up to 3 items in process at one time.

4. Since we’re borrowing from another library system, your items will take a bit longer to get; we recommend you allow for a minimum of two weeks.

Isn’t it great to know that you can borrow books outside your local library collection? Here’s one more reason to love your local DeKalb County Public Library.