Book of the month - Galore

Reading Galore by Michael Crummey took me to another place and time---literally! The novel is written like an old folktale, just as the stories of the people living in this book are like long-ago legends or myths being weaved from one generation to the next. There are many characters to focus on, so I really appreciated the family tree diagram at the beginning of the book! I felt like I got to know each character intimately, although others had a stronger presence such as Mary Tryphena, Judah, and Devine’s widow (who everyone believes is a witch).

It is one of those novels that play out like a weird dream, yet you want to know what happens to all the personalities and you are reminded of the way the book begins when you reach the end. It was quite fascinating how the lives of the Seller and Devine families intertwine and cope with each other, not to mention trying to survive on the Rock known as Newfoundland. The hardships of everyday (sickness, food shortage, cold and brutal weather) really gets you thinking about how we should never take our bare necessities for granted. The book gets you laughing when the mummers come around during the holidays and Horse Chops tries to figure out the love lives of everyone in the village. Truly, there are strange love affairs and forbidden loves, which keep the story entertaining.

Whether the book is believable is not the point. It’s a book that makes you want to believe. There is definitely a sense of some kind of subtle magic working here, and I don’t mean the kind with spells. When you read this, you smile to yourself and wonder if you really could imagine someone being cut out of a whale’s belly, or if ghosts really walk around the village waiting to be forgiven. If you love novels that take you back in time and shower you with poetic descriptions of the harsh realities from land and sea, then this book will make a believer out of you. I’d love to know if you agree with me!

New staff displays

With all the displays going up left and right, front and back, you’d wonder just how much more we can think about? Well, the answer is that there are two new display set-ups just in-between the new arrivals carts and in front of the reference desk. There used to be only one set-up, showcasing English and French new arrivals, but now the focus will be on different displays according to staff suggestions that have some kind of theme to it. There are two displays each, one for English and one for French.

If you have been around recently, you’ve noticed that the English display previously featured the title “Irish eyes are smiling”, in which we put out books written by Irish authors with Irish themes for Saint Patrick’s Day. The display after that was “People of the Bible”, where we had books in fiction and non-fiction, along with videos and learning kits.

Currently up is a display of “Small reads”, which showcase some of the small books that we have at the library. Stay tuned for an upcoming display that will highlight Earth Day: books about the environment. The French display started out with Quebec authors and now features Quebec biographies and documentaries. Keep your eye open for the different and interesting staff suggestions that we will have up. Don’t forget to take a copy of the hand-outs that are usually made to go with the display as well. Ask the Reference librarian about them if you think we ran out; we can always make a copy for you! I hope you enjoy these new displays and I look forward to making one of my own too that I can share with you.

Encyclopedia Judaica Online

You have probably seen the advertising in the library and on our website, and yes, it’s true---the Encyclopedia Judaica is now available online through our website as one of the electronic databases. I have already had people ask me at the reference desk about this and how to access it. All you have to do is go to our website and click on “Reference and Research”. From there you click on “Databases” and then you will get the list, which starts with the online encyclopedias. Encyclopedia Judaica is the first choice. Once you get onto it, there is an option for either the basic or advanced search. Enter anything that you had always wanted information on, regarding Jewish topics, and you will get results within seconds! You can limit your searches to publication title or document type, you can bookmark results that you do find helpful or useful---and best of all, the information is in full text so you will get the whole document. There is also an option to choose subjects or topics that show images (tables and/or charts).

I cannot forget to mention that we do have the 2007 edition of the Encyclopedia Judaica in print just behind the reference desk. There are 10 volumes in the collection and they each have photos and maps, which is something nice to take advantage of. Although the print version is only available when the library is open, the online version is a convenient tool to get those answers when it is too late in the night or you can’t go outside. Discover the Encyclopedia Judaica online and all it has to offer. I will be pleased to help with your searches or answer any questions you may have about this recent addition to our online databases.

Displays all around …

Just another friendly blog to make you aware of what the reference librarians are up to by giving you ideas and sparking the interests for those who want a good book to read. Even before you enter the library, there is a nice display of books in the window that gives readers a chance to take out or put on hold a title they may want to read. The display case changes about every few weeks with a different theme in mind. The one currently on display is “New Arrivals”, but there have been specific themes as well, such as “Library Staff picks”, “Jewish Book Month” or “Latin American Authors”.

If in case you’re wondering---the books in the display case are NOT real copies of the book. They are actually books the library no longer circulates. We’ve placed the covers of the featured books on top, just to show what we have.

One of my favorites from the previous display is: “The curious incident of the dog in the night-time” by Mark Haddon. If you haven’t read it yet, I urge you to pick up a copy. It is a fast-flowing book that I couldn’t put down and along with some laughs, there is a bit of a mystery to solve too. It is written in the view-point of an autistic teenage boy, and you begin to sympathize with the character right away.

Another little display we have at the Reference desk are books periodically put out according to a theme (such as art in fiction), or are in sync with an event that is happening at the time. Right now, we have a display of books from the author Norman Mailer, to honor his passing away several weeks ago. If you are a fan of him or want to check out what he wrote, come to the Reference desk and ask any of the librarians for his books---or help yourself to one of the books at the desk.

When you walk to the Mystery section, you will see a display up of Jewish Mystery books, accompanied by a bibliography and bookmarks. This display also changes often. We had featured mystery authors previous to this and will continue to do so when the Jewish Mystery display is done. Come by frequently to see the changes of all the displays and don’t miss out on taking home a few great books, even if they are not the newest ones out there!

Need a suggestion?

If you're ever scratching your head and wondering what is the next thing you should be reading, take a look around the Reference desk and see the new things that were printed just for that purpose. Right now, there is a display of nine beautifully colored book marks---each with different genres to give you an idea of what is out there. Behind each of these book marks, you will find a list of authors who write that certain genre. Not only do you have a way to keep your place in a particular book you are reading, you are given more suggestions to keep you reading! I went crazy for these when I saw them, because even as a librarian, I sometimes turn to them for ideas---plus they’re just fun.

Other things to look for are the bibliographies that we have just put out at the Reference desk. The new ones for November are “Thrillers” and “Jewish Love Stories”. These booklets are filled with suggested readings with a little synopsis of what each book is about. If you can’t get enough of suspense and want to see what is recent, pick up a copy of the Thrillers bibliography. If you are in a more cozy mood and want to read a selection of older and newer books with Jewish romance, take a copy of the Jewish love stories bibliography. Bibliographies are made by the librarians and we try to release a new subject or two about every month. The last bibliographies that were on display were “Science Fiction” and “Chick Lit”. If these still interest you, you may come to ask for them at the Reference desk or ask to browse through the Reference copies.

The best thing about the bookmarks and bibliographies is that they are free! We try to give the best kind of reader’s advisory for those who need a little push for what to read next or maybe introduce a new type of book that someone has never considered to read before. Come on over to the Reference desk and ask what is out there, while picking up a few of these “helpful hints”. Remember, we’re always here at the desk to give you suggestions for any type of reading, even if it is not on a bookmark or in a bibliography. I hope you will see how fun these materials are to help you in your quest for the next great book, and we’ll make sure that you’ll never run out of things to read!

Book Club Frenzy!

For all you readers out there who have got that burning desire to get together with others and discuss the literary themes of an intriguing book, you’re gonna love the new service we now have at the library.

First and foremost, if you are interested in starting a book club but don’t know which book to choose, we now have book club kits in English and French that can be borrowed from the Reference desk. There are currently fourteen kits, each containing eight novels and a folder with information about the book, such as reviews, biographies of the author, interviews, and discussion questions. These kits are a great start to having and continuing that book club you have always wanted.

If you have found the kit you want but have no place to discuss, there’s a solution to that too! We now offer a room every Thursday that you can reserve for these book club discussions. The room is available the whole day and can be booked in four hour slots. Meet up with your group every month in the morning, afternoon, or evening---whichever is better for everyone.

For more information about what kits are available and to reserve the room for your club, just call the library at (514) 485-6900 and ask for Reference. I personally have never been part of a book club but it really is a fun way to wind down and share your thoughts and ideas with friends about how stories affect you. It gives you the excuse to really commit yourself to something you love and look forward to every month, and in between----you’re reading! While I’m at the reference desk, I invite you to come by to express your interest in this great idea. I hope you will be excited as ever to start a club and use the services and facilities that we have to offer. Happy reading to all and enjoy!

Research is just one click away!

Are you ever up in the wee hours of the night trying to pull together that last minute assignment that’s due the next morning? Need the right resources or sources from a reliable place but realize that the library is closed?

Remember, it’s getting close to that time of year again where midterms are coming up and you need to hand in those huge papers that are worth half your final grade! Not to worry---the articles you may need can be found online through our library’s website 24/7. Just go to the Reference and Research section where you can look through our databases and retrieve timely articles on practically any subject you are looking for.

Want a simple trustworthy description of a person, place or thing? Go to our online encyclopedias. Want a few articles to strengthen your argument on a topic? Choose from databases such as Proquest, Biblio-Branchée, Masterfile Premier, Repère and more! Looking for information on business? ThomasNet and Canadian Company Capabilities can help.

For the Literature students out there, try our databases that will help with reviews of books or author information. The convenience of having these jewels online at any time is a gift and life-saver. Don’t forget that we also have a “useful websites” section that might help you search for tidbits of information when you need to research stuff in the areas of Government, Health, and Law. Even as a librarian, using these databases have really helped me find the right type of information for a patron when they didn’t have their own computer, or know the fastest way to retrieve an effective outcome. Take advantage of the databases online because it was a blessing to use these overnight when I, myself was a student. Time is of the essence, so when it’s 2:00am and you still need that perfect article, all you have to do is click! Happy researching and good luck!