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This site offers news and discussion about technology, books, digital library content, media items, online library resources and free tech assistance patrons can acquire at the library!
Digital Formats & Their Corresponding Catalogs
Walt Mossberg’s Review of Chromecast & August Tech Programs @ The Library
July 31, 2013 Linda Reimer
Walt Mossberg’s Review of Chromecast: Walt Mossberg is the Wall Street Journal All Things D’ Personal Technology guru and he offers a nice review of the new $35 Google Chromecast streaming device – which I keep mentioning because I think it is a game changer! That is as far as streaming video content goes because if you have an Apple TV or a Roku player – and I own both streaming players – you can’t stream all video content through those players to your TV; but with Chromecast if you use the Chrome browser – you can send whatever video content you can access on our laptop to your television – and that is cool!
And the August Personal Technology Programs Flyer is now up! All tech programs are free so please join us! And also please feel free to print off a copy of our flyer or send the flyer link to anyone you know:
August 2013 Tech Programs for Distribution List Final Edition July 31, 2013
Content Owners Lobby Congress To Update Copyright Law To Their Advantage & Redbox Instant and Vimeo Video Coming To Google Chromecast
July 29, 2013 Linda Reimer
Content Owners Lobby Congress To Update Copyright Law To Their Advantage: Content Owners, who might also be described a large media companies have been lobby Congress to update U.S. Copyright law to their advantage. The companies insist that if stricter copyright laws are not enacted blockbuster films and other entertainment will become cost prohibited to produce due to online piracy of content. To give you a better idea of their world view on this subject they are repeatedly invoking a what is being called a “fair use creep” claim that states that their copyrights are being undermined by a long entrenched copyright rule that allows people to make free use of creative works they are scholars, students doing research of journalists – the media companies would like to see this rule eliminated – which would make it illegal for scholars, students or journalists to use any part of their works for research or journalistic reporting and review purposes – without compensating said media companies I am sure!
Here’s a link to a short Gigaom article on the subject tilted “Content owners warn Congress of “fair use creep,” draw ridicule:”
And just FYI a link to the “Owner’s Rights Initiative” website that is an organization consisting of a number of groups, including The American Library Association, that believe that owners of print books, e-books and audio and video material should have the right to own that material – something the big media companies object to as far as digital content goes:
Redbox Instant and Vimeo Video Coming To Google Chromecast: And if you haven’t heard of it Chromecast is the small flash drive style device that Google has just put on sale that allows you to stream content from your tablet, smartphone or tablet directly to your TV – it costs $35 and is shortly to be updated to include Vimeo and Redbox Instant video apps to add more streaming options to the device. Here’s a link to a Gigaom artilce on that subject titled “Vimeo and Redbox Instant are coming to Chromecast:”
Tagged Chromecast, congress, copyright law, Corning NY, digital content, media companies, public library services., Southeast Steuben County Library9 Comments
Suggested Weekend Digital Catalog Reading, Viewing & Listening Titles
July 26, 2013 Linda Reimer
Brave Music of a Distant Drum by Manu Herbstein: A blind old slave woman, Ama, summons her son to come and write down her story so that her granddaughter and her granddaughter’s children can one day read it and know their history. Ama’s son, Kwame Zumbi – named Zacharias Williams by the white Christians who raised him – considers her an ugly old pagan and has little interest in doing more than is necessary to fulfill his obligation to her. How he is changed by the acts of hearing and writing down the details of his mother’s story is as powerful and important a story as Ama’s.
In The Tree of Forgetfulness by Pam Durban: In The Tree of Forgetfulness, writer Pam Durban, winner of the Lillian Smith Book Award, continues her exploration of southern history and memory. This mesmerizing and disquieting novel recovers the largely untold story of a brutal Jim Crow-era triple lynching in Aiken County, South Carolina. Through the interweaving of several characters’ voices, Durban produces a complex narrative in which each section reveals a different facet of the event. The Tree of Forgetfulness resurrects a troubled past and explores the individual and collective loyalties that led a community to choose silence over justice.
Rules of Engagement\The Reasons for Marriage\The Wedding Party\Unlaced by Stephanie Laurens: Everyone loves a wedding. The quiet country girl. The sophisticated member of the ton. A graceful duchess. Follow these charming ladies and their handsome suitors on their journeys down the aisles of England’s grand cathedrals and castles as they make–and break–society’s most sacred rules.
Rules of Engagement                                                                                                                            — A lady shall never be caught unchaperoned with a stranger.
— A gentleman shall never flirt with a lady below his social standing.
— A lady shall never waltz with a man to whom she is not promised.
— And above all, an engagement shall not be consummated before the marriage ceremony!
Ready for Kindergarten! From Recognizing Colors to Making Friends, Your Essential Guide to Kindergarten Prep by Deborah J. Stewart: Fundamentals every child should know before they start school. Kindergarten is quickly becoming the new first grade, which means children need to be prepared for a much more demanding curriculum before their first day of school. Ready for Kindergarten! will help parents gauge their child’s readiness as well as show them what they can do to make sure she starts school off on the right foot. Covering everything from emotional development to academic knowledge, this book details 100 skills and behaviors that will not only boost their child’s confidence in the classroom, but also set her up for a happy and successful kindergarten experience. Complete with fun activities for each item, parents will gain valuable insight into their child’s capabilities and be able to develop each skill further. With Ready for Kindergarten!, parents will not only learn more about their child’s abilities and how to prepare her for school, but they will also be able to confidently choose an education path that fits her needs.
Turkey More than 100 Recipes, with Tales from the Road by Leanne Kitchen: Turkey’s culinary customs are as rich and varied as its landscape, and award-winning food writer Leanne Kitchen does justice to them both with more than 170 glorious photographs of the country’s foods and people that make readers want to drop everything and board the next plane. More than 100 recipes from across seven diverse regions—including the narrow streets of Istanbul, a fishing village on the Aegean, and the sheep-lined roads near Lake Van—showcase the best of Turkish cuisine. Comforts of the countryside and delicacies from the Ottoman Court span every course, from simple meze dishes such as spiced lentil köfte to sophisticated rose and pistachio sweetmeats for dessert. This enduring travelogue makes a perfect gift for ambitious cooks and armchair travelers alike.
Zen Under Fire How I Found Peace in the Midst of War by Marianne Elliott: I’m not sure I’m ready for the responsibility, so I double-check with my boss. He reassures me.
“You’ll be fine, Marianne. As long as no one kills Amanullah Khan, you’ll be fine.”
By midday, Amanullah Khan is dead.
Marianne Elliot is a human rights lawyer stationed with the UN in Herat when the unthinkable happens: a tribal leader is assassinated, and she must defuse the situation before it leads to widespread bloodshed. And this is just the beginning of the story in Afghanistan.
Zen Under Fire lays bare the struggles of a war-torn region from a uniquely personal perspective. Honest and vivid, her story reveals the shattering effect that the high-stress environment has on Marianne and her relationships. Redefining the question of what it really means to do good in a country that is under siege from within, Zen Under Fire is an honest, moving, at times terrifying true story of a women’s experience at peacekeeping in one of the most dangerous places on Earth.
“This is an amazing book, kind of like if Eat, Pray, Love had happened in Afghanistan and the stakes were life and death.” —Susan Piver, New York Times bestselling author of Wisdom of a Broken Heart
Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen: Carl Hiaasen is back doing what he does best: spinning a wickedly funny, fiercely pointed tale in which the greedy, the corrupt, and the degraders of pristine land in Florida–now, in the Bahamas too–get their comeuppance in mordantly ingenious, diabolically entertaining fashion.
This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie: Everyone’s favorite folk song, written by Woody Guthrie and sung by son, Arlo, is brought to glorious, toe-tapping life in this production. Includes a biographical segment about Woody Guthrie narrated by daughter Nora Guthrie. This recording was among 29 recorded books recommended by the Association of Library Service to Children of the American Library Association in January 2000. THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND met with exuberant reception in the book world when it was first published, particularly for its illustration. But the book wasn’t complete until now. Guthrie’s familiar, gravelly voice singing the words to his beloved song, verse after verse, only enhances Kathy Jakobsen’s striking folk art in the book. T.B. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine
The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll’s Best-Kept Secret by Kent Hartman: Part Hit Men and part Laurel Canyon, this hidden history of rock and roll chronicles the uncredited studio musicians who provided the soundtrack for a generation during the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The African Force by Ginger Baker:
3 Go do (Francis A. Mensah)
4 Brain Damage: Brain Damage II (Ginger Baker)
5 Ansoumania (Ansou Mana Bangoura)
7 Abyssinia / 1.2.7. (Ampofo Acquah)
8 Ginger’s Solo (Ginger Baker)
9 Want Come? Go! (Thomas Akuru)
10 African Force (Jan Kazda)
In Organic We Trust: In Organic We Trust is an eye-opening documentary that reveals the true meaning of organic. When corporations went into the business and organic became a brand, the philosophy and the label grew apart. But there’s hope for organic and for us! Director Kip Pastor looks beyond the label and unearths inspiring solutions for our health and environmental problems. Individual citizens and communities are taking matters into their own hands, and change is coming from the soil up.
You can see all the digital items you can check out via STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG
Or via the following link:
And if you have a smartphone or tablet look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books and download them to your tablet or smartphone.
Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.
Have a great weekend!
Tagged albums, audio books, audiobooks, Corning NY, ebooks, free e-books, music, Online Library, public library services., Southeast Steuben County Library, STLS Digital Catalog, videos4 Comments
Amazon Interviews Famous People, The New Google Nexus 7 Tablet & More On Google Chromecast
July 25, 2013 Linda Reimer
Amazon Interviews Famous People: Amazon has just launched a new series of its Kindle shorts. This new series of short e-books called “First Up” will feature interviews with famous people. And the first famous person interviewed for the series is former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Peres discusses a number of subjects from the expected ones regarding the history of Israel and the Middle East to unexpected ones which include Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook and brain science!
Here’s a link to a short Gigaom article on the new Kindle shorts titled “Amazon launches interview singles first up President of Israel:”
And a shortened link that will take you directly to the Amazon page for the Peres interview, which is officially titled “President Shimon Peres: The Kindle Singles Interview (Kindle Single),” if you want to know more:
The New Google Nexus 7 Tablet: At the same press event that Google hosted to unveil its Chromecast Wi-Fi streaming video device the company also unveiled a new Google Nexus 7—and this is notable because every single review I’ve seen of the new Nexus 7 tablet has been a positive one – many tech reviewers are even saying this tablet is better than the current version of the iPad Mini which costs quite a bit more. The Nexus 7 is going on sale shortly (you can pre-order one right now) for $229 and the entry level 8 GB iPad Mini sells brand new for $329 (although you can find reconditioned and guaranteed iPad Mini tablets in Apple’s outlet store for $279). All the reviewers are saying that the screen of the new Google Nexus is better and the processor is better – and overall the tablet is just better than the current model of the iPad Mini that was released in the fall of 2012 – although to be fair that tablet was better overall than the original Google Nexus tablet. And no doubt Apple will be refreshing the iPad Mini series later this year. However, if you want solid 7” tablet than you might want to consider the new Google Nexus.
Here’s a link to a CNET review of the Google Nexus which compares it to the current version of the iPad Mini:
More On Google Chromecast: And I was swamped yesterday so I didn’t really expound on why I think the Google Chromecast may just be one of the next big tech things! So let me elaborate just a ltitle bit. This device will easily allow people to send any videos or photos they have on their laptops or tablets to their HDTVs – wirelessly and it only costs $35! So if you want to watch any video content from the web that you can’t get through your cable box or streaming video player (i.e. Apple TV, Google TV, Roku) this new device will easily allow you to stream that content to your TV. And the device looks like a flash drive so it is a small device that simply fits into the HDMI input on the back of your TV and allows your laptop or tablet to easily talk to your TV and tell it to play the videos that you bring up on your laptop. So it is rather cool!
Here’s a link to a USA Today article on the subject which is probably a bit more accessible than the BBC article I cited yesterday. This one is called ‘Why Chromecast is such a big deal for Google;”
Have a great day!
Owen, Laura Hazard. (2013, July 25). Amazon launches interview series on Kindle Singles; first up” President of Israel. Gigaom. Online. http://gigaom.com/2013/07/25/amazon-launches-interview-series-on-kindle-singles-first-up-president-of-israel/
Roettgers, Janko. (2013, July 24). Why Chromecast is such a big deal for Google, and a threat to Apple. Gigaom. Online. Accessed July 25, 2013. http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/07/25/google-chromecast-gigaom/2586431/
Stein, Scott. How the new Nexus 7 and iPad Mini compare. CNET. Online. Accessed July 25, 2013. http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3126_7-57595296/how-the-new-nexus-7-and-ipad-mini-compare/
Tagged Corning NY, personal technology, public library, Southeast Steuben County LibraryLeave a comment
Google’s New TV Chromecast Dongle & Speculation That A Less Expensive iPhone Is On The Way
July 24, 2013July 25, 2013 Linda Reimer
Google’s New Chromecast TV Dongle:  Google announced today that starting today they will begin selling a $35 “Chromecast Dongle” in the U.S. This small device will connect to an HDMI plug on a television and allow users to use it  to stream video content from laptops and tablets to their television sets. You can of course already do this if you plug your computer into your television via a cable but this new Dongle will allow you to do sans cables via Wi-Fi and for only $35 so this just may be the hit streaming video product Google has been looking for!
Here’s a link to a BBC article on the subject titled ). Google launches Chromecast low-cost TV dongle
Speculation That A Less Expensive iPhone Is On The Way: There has been quite a bit of speculation via the tech rumor mill recently that Apple is working on a less expensive iPhone and an interesting Guardian article on the subject throws out some suggestions as to what the iPhone would be like and what corners Apple would have to cut in order to produces a cheaper iPhone.
Here’s a link to a Guardian article on the subject titled “A cheaper iPhone: what it would cost, and what it would leave out (and in):”
Have a great day!
Lee, Dave. (2013, July 24). Google launches Chromecast low-cost TV dongle. BBC News. Online. Accessed July 24, 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23437476
Arthur, Charles. (2013, July 24). A cheaper iPhone: what it would cost, and what it would leave out (and in)The Guardian. Online. Accessed July 24, 2013.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/jul/24/cheap-iphone-price-lte-plastic-apps
Tagged Apple, Chromecast Dongle, Corning NY, Google, iPhone, Southeast Steuben County Library3 Comments
National Safety Board Wants Cars To Talk To Each Other, 3D Printing Ready To Go Mainstream & Cool Long Exposure Photo Gallery
July 23, 2013 Linda Reimer
National Safety Board Wants Cars To Talk To Each Other: The National Safety Board has just made a recommendation that all new cars be equipped with computer technology that allows them to talk to each other and thus avoid traffic accidents. This is in response to fatal school bus crashes that occurred in Florida and New Jersey in 2012. The technology to do this is already available and it is included in the newly emerging self-driving cars – like the Google driverless, aka self-driving, cars. I think this is a cool idea because most traffic accidents occur due to human error. Drivers get distracted by their cell phones, conversations with others in the car and an endless number of other things and then those drivers don’t drive a safely as they might and accidents can occur. Imagine a car that wouldn’t allow an accident to occur – ideally there wouldn’t be any injuries of fatalities involved in driving or riding in a car at least not due to human error – and that is a cool idea!
Here’s a link to a Boston Herald article on the subject titled “Technology for cars to talk to each other urged;”
3D Printing Ready To Go Mainstream: I came across an interesting article on the subject of why 2014 will be the year that 3 D printing goes mainstream. It seems that a number of the patents on 3 D printing technology expire  next year which will result in a drastic drop in the price of basic 3 D printers so we should see affordable home 3 D printers in the very near future.
Here’s a link to the article which is titled “Why 3D printing is set to explode in 2014;”
Cool Long Exposure Photo Gallery: On a final note for today here’s a link to a cool gallery of long exposure photos found on the Mashable website – this doesn’t really have anything to do with technology except perhaps for the fact that some of the cameras used in taking the photos may have been digital cameras – but the photos are cool! The photos feature a misty waterfall, a foggy almost gothic looking shoreline, fishing boat seen under a glorious starry night-time sky and a number of other cool things in the 13 photo gallery. Here’s the link:
Have a great day!
Photo Challenge Long Exposure. Mashable. Online. Accessed July 23, 2013. http://mashable.com/2013/07/23/long-exposure-photos/
Technology for cars to talk to each other urged. (2013, July 23). The Associated Press. Online. Accessed July 23, 2013. http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/national/2013/07/technology_for_cars_to_talk_to_each_other_urged
Impact Lab. Why 3D Printing Is Set To Explode in 2014. Online. Accessed July 23, 2013.
Tagged 3D printer, 3D Printing, automobile safety, Corning NY, driverless cars., Long Exposure Photos, Mashable, National Safety Board, self driving cars, Southeast Steuben County LibraryLeave a comment
Weekend Digital Catalog Suggested Reading, Listening & Viewing July 20 & 21, 2013
July 20, 2013 Linda Reimer
The Bat by Jo Nesbo: The electrifying first appearance of Jo Nesbø’s detective, Harry Hole.
Inspector Harry Hole of the Oslo Crime Squad is dispatched to Sydney to observe a murder case. Harry is free to offer assistance, but he has firm instructions to stay out of trouble. The victim is a twenty-three year old Norwegian woman who is a minor celebrity back home. Never one to sit on the sidelines, Harry befriends one of the lead detectives, and one of the witnesses, as he is drawn deeper into the case. Together, they discover that this is only the latest in a string of unsolved murders, and the pattern points toward a psychopath working his way across the country. As they circle closer and closer to the killer, Harry begins to fear that no one is safe, least of all those investigating the case.
Bride on the Loose by Debbie Macomber: Jason Manning is content with his life as a bachelor, a slob and a sports fan. Then a precocious girl named Carrie Weston decides to play matchmaker, introducing him to her mother, Charlotte. To his relief, Charlotte is as averse to marriage as he is. But Jason’s feelings start to change once he gets to know his Bride on the Loose.
The Iron King (The Accursed Kings, Book 1), The Accursed Kings Series, Book 1 by Maurice Druon: Library Journal Review: This first book in a seven-part historical series that chronicles the beginnings of the Hundred Years’ War and the fall of the Capetian kings sets the foreboding mood and relentless slow-march tempo that drives the characters forward to their dooms or noble destinies. At its heart is the French monarch, Philip the Fair (1268–1314), grandson of Saint Louis, who rules with an iron fist; it’s his persecution of the Knights Templar, including burning its Grand Master at the stake, that sets the stage for his downfall. Adding to the intrigue is Druon’s marvelous depiction of the swirl of those lives that move around him. The Iron King can be only as strong as those who serve him, after all. VERDICT Seasoned with sex, betrayal, brutal warfare, cold pragmatic calculating, and curses from the lips of martyrs dying at the stake, this tale cuts a memorable swath through the reader’s imagination. The flavor of the times, the smells, sounds, values, and superstitions give this work a fine readability as well as a sensation of reality. With an introduction by George R.R. Martin, who cites this French epic series as an influence on his Game of Thrones, Druon’s acclaimed work (first published in 1955) will find an audience with fans of historical fiction and Martin.—Russell Miller, Prescott P.L., AZThe Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb
Built-In Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business by Jeff Korhan: How to redesign your business for social relevance and profitable success.
Marketing today is driven by the customer. The old mindset was finding customers for your products and services. The new one is collaborating with the customers whose trust you have earned to develop better products and services for them. Businesses that succeed today acknowledge that they are in shared relationships with customers, employees, and other influencers in the community–even competitors. Built-In Social provides a step-by-step approach to building a business channel that aligns your business with its ideal customers and ensures your organization’s continued relevance and success.
Intended for mainstream businesses that want to get results from social media networking and marketing but have been frustrated by the obstacles, namely, the lack of a basic method or structure (and a practical step-by-step approach) for converting relevant social qualities into profitable outcomes
Author Jeff Korhan is a speaker, trainer, and coach helping mainstream small businesses increase their influence, enhance customer relationships, and accelerate growth
Built-In Social will show you how to turn visibility, authenticity, accessibility, community, and relevance into measurable and profitable gains.
Ghosthunting Ohio on the Road Again by John B. Kachuba: On this leg of the journey you’ll explore the scariest spots in the Buckeye State. Author John Kachuba visits more than 30 legendary haunted places, all of which are open to the public—so you can test your own ghosthunting skills, if you dare.
Join John as he visits each site, snooping around eerie rooms and dark corners, talking to people who swear to their paranormal experiences, and giving you a first-hand account.
Enjoy Ghosthunting Ohio On the Road Again from the safety of your armchair or hit the road, using the maps, “Haunted Places” travel guide with 50 more spooky sites and “Ghostly Resources.” Buckle up and get ready for the spookiest trip of your life.
Lean In Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg: Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.
Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2010, she gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto.
In Lean In, Sandberg digs deeper into these issues, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to cut through the layers of ambiguity and bias surrounding the lives and choices of working women. She recounts her own decisions, mistakes, and daily struggles to make the right choices for herself, her career, and her family. She provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career, urging women to set boundaries and to abandon the myth of “having it all.” She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women in the workplace and at home.
Written with both humor and wisdom, Sandberg’s book is an inspiring call to action and a blueprint for individual growth. Lean In is destined to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can.
Note: If you’d rather listen than read this title is available as an e-audio book too!
The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age by Janet Wallach: A captivating biography of America’s first female tycoon, Hetty Green, the iconoclast who forged one of the greatest fortunes of her time.
No woman in the Gilded Age made as much money as Hetty Green. At the time of her death in 1916, she was worth at least 100 million dollars, equal to more than 2 billion dollars today. A strong believer in women being financially independent, she offered valuable lessons for the present times.
Abandoned at birth by her neurotic mother, scorned by her misogynist father, Hetty set out as a child to prove her value. Following the simple rules of her wealthy Quaker father, she successfully invested her money and along the way proved to herself that she was wealthy and therefore worthy.
Never losing faith in America’s potential, she ignored the herd mentality and took advantage of financial panics and crises. When everyone else was selling, she bought railroads, real estate, and government bonds. And when everyone was buying and borrowing, she put her money into cash and earned safe returns on her dollars. Men mocked her and women scoffed at her frugal ways, but she turned her back and piled up her earnings, amassing a fortune that supported businesses, churches, municipalities, and even the city of New York itself.
She relished a challenge. When her aunt died and did not leave Hetty the fortune she expected, she plunged into a groundbreaking lawsuit that still resonates in law schools and courts. When her husband defied her and sank her money on his own risky interests, she threw him out and, marching down to Wall Street, quickly made up the loss. Her independence, outspokenness, and disdain for the upper crust earned her a reputation for harshness that endured for decades. Newspapers kept her in the headlines, linking her name with witches and miscreants. Yet those who knew her admired her warmth, her wisdom, and her wit.
Set during a period of financial crisis strikingly similar to our current one, acclaimed author Janet Wallach’s engrossing exploration of a fascinating life revives a rarely-mentioned queen of American finance.
Hornblower and the Crisis, Horatio Hornblower Series, Book 11 by C. S. Forester: Although unfinished at the time of C. S. Forester’s death, Hornblower During the Crisis delivers a full measure of action at sea-the hallmark of this incomparably exciting series of historical adventures. On the threshold of securing his first post as captain, Hornblower finds himself forced by the exigencies of war to fight alongside a man whom he has unintentionally helped to court-martial. And for the first time Hornblower assents to engaging in espionage in his efforts to bring victory and glory to England in the Napoleonic Wars. This extant fragment of Forester’s final Hornblower novel is followed by the author’s notes regarding the novel’s conclusion. Also included in this volume are two stories-“Hornblower’s Temptation” and “The Last Encounter”-that depict the great sea dog Hornblower in his youth and old age, respectively.
People Who Walk in Darkness, Inspector Rostnikov Series, Book 15 by Stuart M. Kaminsky: Inspector Rostnikov is a Russian bear of a man, an honest policeman in a very dishonest post-Soviet Russia. Known as “The Washtub,” Rostnikov is one of the most engaging and relevant characters in crime fiction, a sharp and caring policeman as well as the perfect tour guide to a changing (that is, disintegrating) Russia. Surviving pogroms and politburos, he has solved crimes, mostly in spite of the powers that rule his world. In People Who Walk in Darkness, Rostnikov travels to Siberia to investigate a murder at a diamond mine, where he discovers an old secret…and an even older personal problem. His compatriots head to Kiev on a trail of smuggled diamonds and kidnapped guest workers, and what they discover leads them to a vast conspiracy that not only has international repercussions but threatens them on a very personal level.
Children’s Favourites, Vol. 2 Original Recordings (1933-1952) by Various Artists
Digital Audio Download Includes:
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
When We Were Very Young: Buckingham Palace
The King Who Couldn’t Dance (The Worry Song)
All I Want for Christmas Is My 2 Front Teeth: (All I Want For Christmas Is) My Two Front Teeth
I’m Popeye The Sailor Man
On The Good Ship Lollipop
Little Man You’ve Had A Busy Day
When We Were Very Young: Christopher Robin (Vespers)
Choral Concert by Oxford Girls’ Choir ( A Garden of Music – a Rich Collection of Music from the Medieval World)
Digital Audio Download Includes:
1 Summer is icumen in
2 Mirie it is
3 Bryd one brere
6 Quant voi la fleur
10 Tout leis enmi
16 Dou way Robin
17 Foweles in the frith
19 Angelus ad Virginem : Angelus ad Virginem
21 Veni Sancte Spiritus : Veni Sancte Spiritus
22 Summi Triumphans Regis
23 Veni Creator Spiritus
24 Collegerunt: Collegerunt pontifices
Police Patron (for kids!): A fallen electrical cable zaps Radar the Police Car and grants him special powers, but his newfound energy brings new found responsibilities. Radar now has what it takes to stand up to the Badger Brothers; a shady duo plotting to steal and bottle the town’s water supply. With the help of his friend, Dottie the Otter, Radar must defeat the criminals to save the town – and the environment!
Tuck Andress – Fingerstyle Mastery: Tuck Andress is a master of fingerstyle guitar who now shares his subtle skills and techniques with you.
Tuck gives in-depth demonstrations and explanations about every aspect of fingerstyle, including walking bass patterns combined with chords, comping rhythms, voicings, vibrato, sliding, leading with the melody, various right- and left-hand techniques…and much more.
A superb course in fingerstyle mastery!
You can see all the digital items you can check out via STLS Digital Catalog may be found on the library’s homepage of SSCLIBRARY.ORG
Or via the following link:
And if you have an smartphone or tablet look for the OverDrive Media Console app in your app store – it is the app that will allow you to check out free library e-books and audio books and download them to your tablet or smartphone.
Digital Catalog music and video titles must currently be downloaded to a Windows computer to enjoy.
Have a great weekend!
Tagged Corning NY, free e-books, public library services., Southeast Steuben County Library, STLS Digital CatalogLeave a comment
High Tech Ways To Find Your Lost Keys, Why Apple Should Leader The Way To DRM Free E-Books, Amazon King of Audios & Google To Add Cable TV Content
July 18, 2013 Linda Reimer
So many tech stories so little time! And of course Thursdays in the summertime are super busy in library land so this will be a short posting that links to four interesting articles regarding personal technology – in other word I promise not to get up on my soap box and go on about any personal tech issues!
Article 1. “Locate Lost Keys With These 10 Handy Gadgets” – this article is from the tech site Mashable and offers a slideshow of 10 gadgets that will benefit tech fans who frequently lose their keys! If you’re like me and that occasionally happens to you check it out!
Article 2. “Apple should lead the move to DRM-free ebooks” – this article is from Macworld and offers examples as to why Apple is the ideal company to lead the publishing world into a customer friendly DRM free e-book era!
Article 3. “How Amazon Became the King of Audiobooks: Recorded books are now a billion-dollar business, which Amazon dominates perhaps like none other” – wow what a long title! The basic gist of this story is an enlightening one for most of us – and that is that Amazon which is known as the King of E-Books is also the King of Audiobooks! Amazon’s Audible company sells more digital (aka downloadable) audio books than any other audio book seller right now.
Here’s a link to the article: http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/07/how-amazon-became-the-king-of-audiobooks/277836/
Article 4. “Google Pitches Online TV Service to Media Companies: Streaming of Traditional TV Programming Is Also Planned by Others” – I keep talking about how streaming of movies and TV shows via the Internet is the next phase in the Internet Revolution and this article discusses how Google is working towards that end by trying to obtain traditional TV content – i.e. cable content that right now is initially offered to television fans only via traditional cable company TV packages – for its Google TV Media streaming player.
Have a great day!
Elliott, Amy-Mae. (2013, July 18). Locate Lost Keys With These 10 Handy Gadgets. Mashable. Online. Accessed Jly 18, 2013. http://mashable.com/2013/07/18/find-keys-apps/
McElhearn, Kirk. (2013, July 17). Apple should lead the move to DRM-free ebooks. Macworld. Online. Accessed July 17, 2013. http://www.macworld.com/article/2044161/apple-should-lead-the-move-to-drm-free-ebooks.html
Osnos, Peter. (2013, July 16). How Amazon Became the King of Audiobooks: Recorded books are now a billion-dollar business, which Amazon dominates perhaps like none other. The Atlantic. Online. Accessed July 17, 2013.  http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/07/how-amazon-became-the-king-of-audiobooks/277836/
Stewart, Christopher., & Ramachandran, Shalini. (2013, July 16). Google Pitches Online TV Service to Media Companies: Streaming of Traditional TV Programming Is Also Planned by Others. The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal. Online. Accessed July 17, 2013. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324348504578610050212447028.html
Tagged Amazon, Apple, audiobooks, e-books, Google, NY, Southeast Steuben County Library Corning5 Comments
Spotlight On Online Library Resources: Kids Info Bits Library (AKA Database)
July 17, 2013 Linda Reimer
There are several new online resources available to patrons through the Southeast Steuben County Library website and one of them is a neat database for kids called “Kids Info Bits.” And Kids Info Bits can actually be thought of as a cool online library for kids and anyone else who is looking for basic information on a variety of topics.
The Kids Info Bits library has twelve general categories:
History & Social Studies
And you’ll find even more resources under the umbrella of those menu categories!
For example, if you select the Science & Math category you’ll find articles and information within the following Science & Math sub-categories:
Chemistry & Physical Sciences
And if you select the History & Social Studies category you’ll find articles and information within the following History & Social Studies sub-categories:
Money, Business & Economy
Other Government & Political Leaders
And then under the sub-category sections there are even more subjects you can choose!
For example, if you select the Math & Science sub-category of “Space & Astronomy” a menu will display offering you articles and information on the following subjects:
Life on other planets
Moon flights and landings
Moons of other planets
Northern and southern lights (Auroras)
And likewise if you select the History & Social Studies sub-category of “U.S. History” a menu will display offering you articles and information on the following subjects:
Colonial America (Thirteen Colonies), 1600-1775
Declaration of Independence, 1776
Discovery and exploration of America
Frontier and pioneer life
Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806
Persian Gulf War, 1991
United States Civil War, 1861-1865
United States Constitution and Bill of Rights
United States history in general
United States history, 1783-1900
United States history, 1901-2000
World War I, 1914-1918
World War II, 1939-1945
Also of note, under each sub-category there are tabs that offer you even more ways to acess information – they include: “Reference,” “Magazine,” “Newspapers,” “Maps, Flags & Seals,” “Charts & Graphs,” and “Imagines.”
So there is a great deal of cool information to be found in the Kids Info Bits library which is a free resource for patrons to use via the link on the library’s homepage and which contains information you will not necessarily find for free by doing a Google search.
To access the Kids Info Bits library:
1) Go to the library’s homepage found at: http://ssclibrary.org/
2) Click on the Research link located near the top of the page (it is found on the fifth book spine from the left which is green) – the Research page will display.
3) On the Research page click on the Subscription Services link and the list of Subscription Services page will display.
4) And then click on the Kids Info Bits link – which is the first link on the list and presto you’ll enter the Kids Info Bits library – sort of a mini-library within the larger online resources of the Southeast Steuben County Library.
Kids Info Bits is a cool resource and I urge everyone to check it out!
Have a great day!
Tagged Corning NY, free library resources, Kids Info Bits, Online Library, online library resources, Southeast Steuben County Library1 Comment
AT&T To Offer Wireless Service Sans Contract, The NY Times Gives A Simple Explanation of The DOJ v. Apple E-book Anti-Trust Case & New Apple TV Service Coming
July 16, 2013 Linda Reimer
AT&T To Offer Wireless Service Sans Contract:  AT&T has announced it will begin offering a new cell phone service later this month called AT&T Next. And the AT&T Next service will allow customers to purchase their cell phones without signing a contract and without putting money down on their phones. Instead customers will pay for their phones over time – a little bit each month; the price varying of course, depending upon which phone a customer buys and how much it costs. And the monthly charge for the phone will be added to the customer’s monthly bill for cell phone service.
Also of note, this new plan will allow customers to upgrade to a new phone after a year so people won’t be locked into a contract and will be able to upgrade their phone to a new one yearly if they wish.
I imagine this new plan will probably be very popular among those people who love new gadgets; because as cell phone technology has evolved and cell phones have become more sophisticated not everyone wants to upgrade their cell phone each year. Some cell phone users will be perfectly happy to use the same HD screen smart phone they already have for the next three or four years. However, for those of us that like to have the newest technology in our hands ASAP – this is a nice new option!
Here’s a link to a Wall Street Journal article on the new AT&T Next service titled “AT&T to Offer Option to Forgo Wireless Contract;”
The NY Times Gives A Simple Explanation of The DOJ v. Apple E-book Anti-Trust Case: The New York Times offers a simple – and thus easy to understand – document that chronicles the recently concluded U.S. DOJ v. Apple Anti-Trust Suit over e-books – just FYI – here’s the link:
New Apple TV Service Coming: Tech reporter Jessica Lessin broke an exclusive story yesterday – that Apple is negotiating with cable television companies to offers those who own Apple TV player access to live cable TV shows. In the near future Apple TV customers will be able to access live television content through a Premium service that will also allow them to skip ads. And Apple will actually pay the cable companies for the ads that consumers skip! And what you might wonder will Apple get out of this? I think the answer to that is to get more people using its Apple TV Player which is designed and the interface of the player created, maintained and updated by Apple. The more people get into the Apple ecosystem the more money Apple stands to make and cable companies which have been losing money on ads ever since DVRs came into vogue will profit by making money from the commercials including with live television programs whether Apple TV customers watch them or not.
It will be interesting to see what happens with this new and improved Apple TV service as I can see it taking off and becoming much more popular than an expensive large Apple HDTV might be as that would no doubt cost mega bucks. In contrast, an Apple TV player, which requires Wi-Fi, costs only $100.
Here’s the link to the Lessin article titled “Exclusive: Apple Pitches Ad-Skipping for New TV Service;”
Have a great day!
Gryta, Thomas. (2013, July 16). AT&T to Offer Option to Forgo Wireless Contract: Customers Get More Upgrades If They Pay Full Price for Phones. The Wall Street Journal. Online. Accessed July 16, 2013.
Key Excerpts From the Apple E-Books Ruling. (2013, July 10). The New York Times. Online. Accessed July 16, 2013.
Lessin, Jessica. (2013, July 15). Exclusive: Apple Pitches Ad-Skipping for New TV Service. Jessica Lessin. Online. Accessed July 16, 2013.
Tagged Apple, Apple TV, AT&T, Corning NY, personal technology, public library, Southeast Steuben County Library2 Comments