Amish Paradise
Being from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we have a few things that other parts of the country (and world) do not. I’m not thinking about a rabid attachment to one NFL football team or another, or the supposed supremacy of cheesesteak or fries and coleslaw on a sandwich. One thing that is iconic in the Keystone State is the presence of Plain Folk. There are many different people that make up the Plain Folk, and many communities differ even under the name "Amish", in terms of strictness and contact with contemporary culture. Because of the nature of Plain society (being in the world, but not of the world), many people in the larger culture find them quite interesting. Some of the most popular books in our audio collection are books that feature the Amish. One of the most popular writers of these titles is Wanda Brunstetter. She has a number of series, but if you are interested in Amish settings, here are a few to start with:
The Brides of Webster County: Four Bestselling Romance Novels in One Volume (DB 71736). Four novels depict the lives of diverse Amish women in Missouri who struggle with their faith while finding their place in the world. Includes "Going Home", "On Her Own", "Dear to Me", and "Allison's Journey". In the first, Faith Andrews returns home with her daughter after losing her husband. 2007.
Lancaster Brides: Romance Drives the Buggy in Four Inspiring Novels (DB 61984). Four Pennsylvania Amish women fall in love. In "A Merry Heart" Miriam's dream man is marrying another girl. In "Looking for a Miracle" wheelchair-using Rebekah desires acceptance. Outsider Laura, in "Plain and Fancy", comes to Lancaster and falls for Eli. Rachel, in "The Hope Chest", wants her sister's boyfriend. 1997.
The Daughters of Lancaster County (DB 66094). In this companion to "Lancaster Brides", three Amish families in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, endure tragedies and romance. In "The Storekeeper's Daughter" Naomi Fisher longs to marry Caleb, but since her mother's death, she's forced to rear her seven siblings and work in her father's store. 2005.
Welcome to Pittsburgh!
This week, on May 7 — 9, the Carnegie Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is proud to host the “Tri-Regional Conference of Librarians Serving Individuals with Visual and Physical Disabilities”.
This conference provides an invaluable forum for librarians from the Northern, Southern and Midwestern states National Library Service network libraries to meet one another, catch up with old friends, discuss important library issues, and interact directly with representatives from the National Library Service. Session topics include, "Are You Doing Digital Magazines?", "On Call for DB Recall!", and "BARD Pilot in Public Libraries."
In addition to the business of libraries, conference attendees will have the opportunity to see some of the great sights of Pittsburgh, including tours of the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, the Cathedral of Learning Nationality Rooms, as well as the chance to attend a cocktail reception at Phipps Conservatory.
Capping off the events will be a keynote address by Natalie Ruschell, a PA Attorney, partner and sole owner of Ruschell & Associates, LLC
Welcome to Pittsburgh!
Best of BARD: April 2013
Here’s the top five books downloaded from BARD for the month of April. Grisham loses the top spot to Evanovich, and Patterson keeps his strong representation in the charts (and our hearts).
- Notorious Nineteen
- DB 75812
- by Janet Evanovich
- Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and her sidekick Lulu search for an assisted-living facility manager who disappeared from the hospital while facing trial for embezzlement. Meanwhile, Stephanie works as a bodyguard for Ranger, who is the target of a Special Forces adversary. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2012.
- The Racketeer
- DB 75597
- by John Grisham
- Falsely imprisoned for money laundering, small-town Virginia attorney Malcolm Bannister jumps at the chance to trade information for freedom and fingers escapee Quinn Rucker for the murder of a federal judge. Bannister slips away with a new face, a new name — and an agenda. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2012.
- The Forgotten
- DB 75780
- by David Baldacci
- Army special agent John Puller investigates the death of his aunt, who had sent his family a letter asking for help with suspicious activities in her town of Paradise, Florida. Meanwhile, a Bulgarian man arrives in Paradise to infiltrate a group of slavers. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2012.
- Zoo
- DB 75614
- by James Patterson
- Jackson Oz's PhD fast track was derailed when he began warning about changing behavior in animals. But now he is being proven correct: wild and domestic species alike are carrying out brutal attacks. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2012.
- The Midnight Club
- DB 48563
- by James Patterson
- NYPD detective John Stefanovitch was shot trying to bring down drug lord Alexandre St.-Germain. Now Stefanovitch is in a wheelchair working homicide, and a killer is targeting drug dealers including St.-Germain. Stefanovitch and a female journalist want to solve the murders. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 1989.
As a member of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, you are eligible for BARD services. Contact us today to sign up and begin downloading!
Works in Progress
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) is a fascinating part of American history. From the public work projects, to the Federal Writers Project, the WPA attempted to create opportunities where people needed them.
Learn more about the overall WPA with American-Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA: When FDR Put the Nation to Work (DB 69750) by Nick Taylor. This book chronicles the accomplishments and criticisms of the Works Projects Administration (WPA), from its creation by presidential act in 1935 to its dismantlement eight years later. Discusses WPA relief programs that trained workers and created public-works projects designed to improve the nation's schools, bridges, highways, dams, and military bases. 2008.
Learn about the Federal Writers Project with Soul of a People: The WPA Writers’ Project Uncovers Depression in America (DB 68741) by David A. Taylor. This is the history of the 1930s Federal Writers' Project, which employed writers to compile state guidebooks by interviewing local citizenry. It describes workers' experiences with the program and their consequent ability to escape Depression-era poverty. Taylor includes samples from John Cheever, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, and others. Some strong language. 2009.
An example of some of the writing done by the Writers Project is Mississippi: The WPA Guide to the Magnolia State (DB 30414). Written during the Great Depression of the 1930s and reissued half a century later, this guidebook contains a wealth of information on Mississippi heritage. It also provides insights into the lives of blacks and whites in the mid 1930s. 1938.
In addition, see The Rainbow People (DB 36672) by Laurence Yep. Twenty Chinese folktales, selected and retold by the author from stories collected in Oakland, California, in the 1930s as part of a WPA project. The book is divided into sections such as 'Tricksters', 'Fools', and 'Love', each of which is prefaced by a short explanation of how the tales relate to the Chinese-American experience. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1989.
Winner, winner…
A lot of conversation here at LBPH is concerned with new fiction titles and how they may hold up in time. Even more often, we compare them to other titles released during the year. So it came to no surprise that last month's Tournament of Books curated by The Morning News caused a stir. The list included a Pulitzer Prize winner, a National Book Award winner, as well as other critically acclaimed authors. Of course, LBPH has you covered - here are some of the highlighted books:
- HHhH
- DB 76158
- by Laurent Binet
- Historical novel recounts the mission of Jozef Gabcik, a Slovak, and Jan Kubis, a Czech, who were recruited by the British to assassinate Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich, "the Butcher of Prague". Translated from French. Violence. 2012.
- Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
- DB 75765
- by Ben Fountain
- Billy and the other soldiers of Bravo squad come home for a victory tour after an Iraqi firefight they were in was taped and televised. As they experience a Dallas Cowboys game on Thanksgiving, Billy reflects on fame, life, and war. Violence and strong language. 2012.
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette
- DB 75351
- by Maria Semple
- Seattle. Eighth-grader Bee's request for a family trip to Antarctica is the last straw for her mother Bernadette, who has become so socially inept that she hired a virtual assistant in India to handle her life. Just before the trip, Bernadette vanishes. Heartbroken Bee investigates. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2012.
- The Orphan Master's Son
- DB 74282
- by Adam Johnson
- North Korea. Pak Jun Do spends his childhood on an orphan slave-labor crew — even though his father runs the orphanage. Later he is placed on kidnap duty, snatching Japanese citizens whose skills are needed. Over time, his assignments grow increasingly dangerous. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Pulitzer Prize winner. Bestseller. 2012.
- The Round House
- DB 75641
- by Louise Erdrich
- North Dakota, 1988. Thirteen-year-old Joe Coutts's mother Geraldine, a tribal enrollment specialist, is brutally raped at the Ojibwe Round House. Joe and his father, a judge, each search for Geraldine's attacker to bring him to justice. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. National Book Award. Bestseller. 2012.
Important News about Your Magazine Service
Audio magazines are going digital! That means the magazines you have been receiving on cassette will soon begin arriving on cartridge. The sound quality is greatly improved, and the convenience of a single cartridge makes playing your magazines simple. If you do not yet have a Digital Talking Book Machine, please contact LBPH at 1-800-242-0586 or lbph@carnegielibrary.org today, and we will be happy to send you one so you can continue to enjoy audio magazines and books without an interruption in service.
Unlike the cassettes, digital magazine cartridges will be reused, and therefore must be returned when you are finished reading them, just as you do now with the books. The process is the same as with books, simply place the cartridge back in to the plastic container, snap the tabs down, reverse the address card, and place the container in the mail. Audio magazine cartridges are blue, and will ship in dark red containers to differentiate them from books. The embossing on the front of the container is different from the book container, to help you ensure that the magazine cartridge is returned in the magazine container.
If you subscribe to more than one magazine, you may find that the magazine cartridge you receive will contain several magazines. When a cartridge with multiple magazines is inserted into a digital talking book machine, you will hear a short message to guide you to the player’s bookshelf, where you can select a magazine to listen to. Read the magazines at your own pace, but remember it is vital that magazine and book cartridges be returned to ensure continuity of service. Magazines on cassette will be phased out in 2013, so get ready to enjoy the advantages of better sound quality and ease of use with digital audio magazines from LBPH!
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