Good 2 Know

Time to fire up the grill

reference — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:51:39 +0000

It’s time to get out of the kitchen and start cooking on the backyard grill. If you need ideas for what to grill or how to do it, try one of the Library’s many cookbooks and DVDs devoted to grilling. Here are a few:

Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction (641.5784 FLA) is written by the celebrity chef and Food Network host.

Fire It Up: More than 400 Recipes for Grilling Everything (641.76 SCH), by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, answers the question “What can we grill?” Answer is “Everything!”

Barbeque Makes Everything Better (641.76 CHR), by Aaron Chronister and Jason Day, is a collection of easy-to-follow recipes for any occasion.

Zinio, your resource for full digital copies of favorite magazines, has cooking magazines, and you will find some tasty recipes. Questions? Ask Us!

Your Piece of the World

reference — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:03:12 +0000

Now that the weather is finally warming up and Earth Day is here, it’s time to think about sprucing up our own piece of the world. It’s time for clean-up now, and soon it will be time to start planting flowers and vegetables. The Library has a huge collection of gardening books to inspire and assist you. Here are a few new titles to get you started:

The Beautiful Edible Garden: Design a Stylish Outdoor Space Using Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (635 BEN)

Everyday Roses: How to Grow Knock Out and Other Easy-care Garden Roses (635.933734 ZIM)

Straw Bale Gardens: the Breakthrough Method for Growing Vegetables Anywhere, Earlier and with no Weeding (635 KAR)

Annuals, Perennials & Bulbs for Your Home (635.9 HAL)

Online, StCPL cardholders have access to Hobbies & Crafts, which has books and magazines about gardening. Zinio also has gardening magazines that you can download. Questions? Ask us!

Greener Gadgets and More

reference — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 19:48:03 +0000

Greenergadgets.org is a website devoted to helping you live greener. The site is sponsored by the Consumer Electronics Association.

Do you want to recycle electronics? There is a handy tool that provides a list of certified eCycling locations in your zip code.

Try the energy calculator to help you find which devices use more energy, and thus how to conserve energy in your home.

Also, use the site to buy greener by discovering the most sustainable products. Other tips show you how to decrease the environmental impact of your electronic products.

The consumer electronics industry has launched an industry-wide initiative with the ambitious goal of recycling one billion pounds of electronics annually by 2016. This amount would fill up an NFL stadium!

For more green tips, check out our Green Living and Healthy Homes hot topics.

Anglophilia

reference — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:30:52 +0000

Richard III’s recently unearthed skull
Photo: AP/Leicester University

The recent discovery of the remains of Richard III and the unabated love of all things Downton Abbey has us answering lots of questions from Anglophiles lately. So, if you’re a lover of all things English, or even if you just like their TV shows, we can help.

Learn more about Richard III from Biography in Context, or check our online catalog for items on the Wars of the Roses. Have your library card handy in case you see something you want to put on hold!

Richard III

Although not historically accurate, many people’s beliefs about Richard III come from Shakespeare’s history plays depicting the Wars of the Roses (“My kingdom for a horse!”). Of course we have lots of resources for and about the Bard. Here’s a little library trivia: Shakespeare is the only author to have his very own Dewey Decimal Classification number (822.33). We also have access to the wonderful Cambridge Shakespeare Survey Online. All you need is your library card.

Looking for something a little more trendy and suitably English while you’re waiting for Downton Abbey? Try the charmingly touching and funny true-to-life memoirs of Jennifer Worth about being a midwife in London’s East End. Call the Midwife is on DVD, CD, or in print. It’s got it all–a true story, a gritty and interesting setting, quirky and loveable characters–and, of course, the babies.

Whether your tastes run more to Shakespeare or modern memoir, we can help you Anglophiles find exactly what you want. Just ask us!

Banana Joe named Best in Show

reference — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 20:50:27 +0000

Banana Joe, a five-year-old affenpinscher, was named the Best in Show at this year’s Westminster Dog Show. There is no prize money for this achievement, but Banana Joe takes home a silver bowl along with lots of publicity and prestige.

Banana Joe

More than 2,700 dogs representing 187 varieties and breeds competed for honors at this year’s show which was held at Madison Square Garden.

The American Kennel Club recently released its list of America’s most popular dogs. At the top of the list is the Labrador retriever, followed by the German shepherd, golden retriever, beagle and the bulldog.

The library has a large collection of books and DVDs on dog breeds, training, and health. Check our catalog or Ask Us! We’ve also compiled more online information on pet wellness.

FLOTUS–From Martha to Michelle

reference — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:56:05 +0000

When did the term “First Lady” come into popular use when referring to the president’s wife? In the early days of the U.S. there was not a generally accepted title for the president’s wife. When Lucy Hayes, wife of the 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes, accompanied her husband to San Francisco in 1877, the press referred to her as “The First Lady of the Land” and the title stuck.

Some First Lady trivia: Which First Lady was once the national president of the Girls Scouts? (Answer: Lou Hoover) Which First Lady was the first to earn a graduate degree? (Answer: Pat Nixon) Which First Ladies were divorcees when they married their husbands? (Answer: Florence Harding and Betty Ford)

To learn more about our First Ladies, check out the First Ladies’ National Library in Canton, Ohio, which was established when Hillary Clinton was our First Lady. The library is open for tours and workshops. It organizes events and exhibits. Michelle Obama is the library’s honorary chairwoman.

Our Library has many books on our First Ladies. More first lady biographies are available in our online resources, too. Check our online catalog or Ask Us!

Taxing, indeed

reference — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:02:51 +0000

If you’re an early tax filer, you’re probably frustrated by your inability to get your hands on the forms you need.

Because of the legislation passed on January 1 (remember the “fiscal cliff” deal?), many federal forms and instructions need to be rewritten. In addition to updating forms, the IRS must also test their programming and processing systems. According to the IRS, most people will be able to begin filing January 30.

Some forms may not be available until late February or early March, including a few popular forms like Form 8396 Mortgage Interest Credit and Form 8909 Energy Efficient Appliance Credit.

The fastest way to get your refund is to e-file. You can file for free with the IRS, if you meet income requirements. And everyone can file their Illinois returns free online with WebFile from the Illinois Department of Revenue. WebFile will begin accepting returns January 30.

Need help with forms, filing, or have questions? Try our Tax Time hot topic; come in to use our print and online resources; or check out a book or pick up forms (when they send us some), to take home.

Soup’s On!

reference — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:50:00 +0000

January is National Soup Month. The Library has many soup cookbooks to help you find the perfect recipe to please your family during these cold winter days. Browse the cookbook section with the call number 641.813 or try one of these titles:

Soup, Glorious Soup by Annie Bell (641.813 BEL)

The Best Soups in the World by Clifford A. Wright (641.813 WRI)

Soup of the Day by Kate McMillan (641.813 MCM)

Taste of Home Soups (641.813 TAS)

Soup! by Vava Berry (641.813 BER)

125 Best Soup Recipes by Marilyn Crowley (641.813 CRO)

Too cold to leave the house? Download Saveur, The Food Network Magazine, Taste of Home, or one of the other cooking magazines available from Zinio, our online magazine resource.

As always, if you require any assistance, please Ask Us!

President Lincoln, Movie Star

reference — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:36:46 +0000

Have you seen the new Spielberg movie Lincoln and want to know more about the events depicted in the movie? Are you trying to remember what you learned in American History way back when? We have lots of books about Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, the Civil War, etc.

Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin is one of the sources used by the creators of the movie. 973.7 GOO)

A. Lincoln: a Biography by Ronald C. White Jr. is a comprehensive biography of the president. (B Lincoln)

Giant in the Shadows: the Life of Robert T. Lincoln is a biography of the Lincoln’s oldest and last surviving son. (B Lincoln)

Mary Todd Lincoln: a Biography by Jean H. Baker is a definitive account of the troubled former First Lady. (B Lincoln)

Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief by noted historian James McPherson is a study in how Lincoln worked with his military to defeat the Confederacy. (973.7 MCP)

Questions? Ask us!

e-Reader Holiday Buying Guide 2012

reference — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:27:26 +0000

Yes, it’s that happy time–our annual eReader purchasing advice. With more and more eReaders and tablet computers flooding the market, please take time before you buy to be sure that your gizmo will download library materials. Get a complete list of more than 100 library compatible reading and listening devices.

Whether you want a Nook, iPad, Kindle or an “off brand” tablet, CNET has reviewed the major players in the field for you. They even talk about library borrowing! Read the review, or stop in to see reviews from Consumer Reports. (Ask us how to use our Lexis Nexis online subscription to read Consumer Reports reviews from home.) If you’re only interested in the newest gadgets, MediaBistro has their top five.

Once you have your reader, smartphone or tablet, connect to our eBooks & Media page to get started. Want in-person support? Stop by any time (well, maybe not five minutes before we close), and staff will help you download your first item. We also regularly hold drop-in help sessions. Just check your current issue of Discover, our website, or give us a call for more information.

Finally, if you’re feeling an overload of technostress, we once again recommend turning to the Medieval Help Desk for a laugh. I know we post it every year, but it’s still funny!