Resources to Help With Your New Year's Resolutions

We all know that New Year's resolutions are well-intentioned, yet are easy to break. Your resolutions will be easier to stick with if you tell others about them, or write them down. If you can make it through January, your chances of success lasting throughout the year are much better. Somers Library has a wealth of resources to help you get started with your New Year's resolutions.

Trying to lose weight? Books on on weight loss plans are located in 613.25. Need a great exercise DVD to complement your weight loss plan? The library has a considerable collection...look for 613.7 in the DVDs.
                                                              
How about getting out those knitting needles, or learn how to sew? There are all kinds of craft books in the 745.5 area. You will find books on quilting, decoupage, candle making, soap making, embroidery, crochet, wood carving, scrapbooking, origami, polymer clay crafts, painting and photography, just to name a few.

If you want to get organized or adopt a simpler lifestyle to have time to do more meaningful things, check out the 648.8 section. In this area you will find a wealth of books on organizing, and tips to help you take charge of your life.
                                
Perhaps you would like to cook at home more, and eat out less. The library has a wealth of cookbooks to help you become inspired to learn new recipes in the 641 section. Are you itching to try some new desserts? Tips on baking can be found in 641.518. Books that teach you how to can or preserve are located in 641.42. How about learning how to prepare French dishes? Look for books on French cookery in the 641.5944 area.

One of the library’s largest collections is of self-help books, located in the 158.1 area. You will find information on how to deal with abusive relationships, overcoming the need to be perfect, living in the present, discovering your purpose in life and changing things for the better, and mastering the art of manifesting your wishes. 

Take advantage of all the library has to offer you in addition to books and movies -- free lectures, concerts, educational programs, films, and story-times. You can find a calendar of events by clicking here. While you are at it, check out our Pinterest boards by clicking here. Each board covers a specific theme or genre and showcases a variety of books on that topic.
  
We wish you all a very Happy New Year, and may your resolutions be realized in 2015!

Big Fat Books Worth the Effort

So many books, so little time. With longer winter evening hours, there is more time for reading, so now is a great time to catch up on some of the bigger books you have always wanted to read! The following list features fiction titles about books that seem intimidating in their length, but are so very worth the time it takes to read..

►Anna Karinina by Leo Tolstoy 

►Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett 

►Les Miserables by Victor Hugo 

►Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 

►Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 

►Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel 

►War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy 

►Mary Queen of Scotland & the Isles by Margaret George 

►The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough 

►And Ladies of the Club by Helen Santmyer 

►Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund 

►Coming Home by Rosamind Pilcher 

►Somerset by Leila Meacham 

►Hawaii by James Michener 

►Penguin Book of Irish Fiction by Colm Toibin 

►Drood by Dan Simmons 

►The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell 

►The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins 

►Vanity Fair by William Thackery 

►Game of Thrones by George Martin 

►Name of the Rose by Eco Umberto 

►I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb 

►Winds of War by Herman Wouk 

►The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

►London by Edward Rutherfurd 

►Sophies Choice by William Styron

►Underworld by Don DeLillo

Find additional titles on this topic, and many others by visiting our Pinterest boards, or place a hold on any of these books by clicking here.

Mobile Printing @ Your Library

The Somers Library is happy to provide our patrons with a mobile printing service!

Somers Library's Mobile Printing Service lets you print documents, photos, and more from
your own computer or mobile device, inside or outside the library. Use one of the following options:



Option 1

Send print jobs via a webportal by using the following link.
http://www.printeron.net/wls/som




Option 2

Install the PrinterOn App on your iPhone/iPad, Android, Blackberry or Nook to send print jobs.




Option 3

Print an email or attachment by emailing to one of the following unique addresses:




Black and White:
300257941832@printspots.com or wls-som-bw@printspots.com
Color:
300398234945@printspots.com or wls-som-color@printspots.com

How to pick up your print job
Print jobs must be paid for in advance and can then be retrieved at the Print Release Station located at the Reference Desk.

Important: All print jobs will be held for 4 hours.

Cost:
• B&W: $0.15 per page
• Color: $0.25 per page


Patrons with Windows PCs who print frequently can streamline their printing process by downloading and installing the “PrintWhere Driver” on their computer.
Just ask a librarian for help or visit: http://www.printeron.com/services-support/downloads.html

Literary Reference Center  is a full-text database that combines information from major respected reference works, books, literary journals as well as original content from EBSCO Publishing. It has been specifically designed for public libraries, secondary schools, junior/community colleges, and undergraduate research and contains: 

• full text for more than 35,000 plot summaries, synopses and work overviews
• nearly 100,000 articles/essays of literary criticism
• more than 253,000 author biographies (including more than 22,000 in-depth biographies)  
• more than 460 literary journals  
• more than 693,000 book reviews  
• nearly 78,000 classic and contemporary poems  
• more than 19,600 classic and contemporary short stories
• more than 6,500 author interviews  
• more than 8,200 classic texts and much more

In addition, Literary Reference Center  includes Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature, Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature, Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature, Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, The New Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, Beacham's Research Guide to Biography and Criticism (six volumes), The Oxford Illustrated History of English Literature, The Columbia Companion to the 20th Century American Short Story, all of MagillOnLiterature Plus, and much more. (description taken from EbscoHost)

The Great Courses and Modern Scholar series feature college professors delivering college level material on subjects such as fine arts, religion, history, science, and literature in an engaging and entertaining way designed to stimulate and inform lifelong learners. Courses are available either in  DVD, or Audio CD format. To find a list of individual titles, simply type in the phrase Great Courses or Modern Scholar in the catalog search box. While at the library, take a look at the library's newly re-shelved collection.

It Takes a Village...

Somers Library card and key chain

Through a wonderful and successful cooperation between the Somers High School and the Somers Library, we have opened or replaced over 200 library cards for 11^th and 12^th grade students!  Pamela Read, the high school librarian and teachers Christine Drysdale, Carol Lieto, and Michael Agostino were instrumental in making this wonderful idea into a reality. 

As we move further and further into the digital age, it is so important that students master the use of online databases and ebooks as this has become a necessary skill for high school and college learners of today.  A library card not only gives access to books, but patrons have access to many digital resources:

• Digital databases such as online encyclopedias, online literature resources, online academic and general journal articles, online newspaper articles, and more.
• Ebooks and downloadable audio books (Overdirve, Freeding, Totalboox, and OneClick)
• Digital Downloadable music (Freegal) 
•  Downloadable music and video (Hoopla)  
• Downloadable comics (Comics Plus)

Visit our website at somerslibrary.org to access these collections.  

The Somers Library and Young Adult Librarian, Tara Ferretti, would like to thank the Somers High School for this productive collaboration! 

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The Somers Library Battle of the Books 2014! Congratulations on a job well done!

Earlier this year, we asked for Somers volunteers from grades 4^th through 9th to represent the Somers Library in the Westchester Library System first annual Battle of the Books.  The Battle of the Books is a book-based trivia tournament for Westchester youth with the goal to promote a love of reading in kids and teens, to expose them to titles and authors that they might not encounter otherwise, to encourage them to think of their local public library as a resource for entertainment and to inspire teamwork and good sportsmanship in an atmosphere of friendly competition.  The battle teams are broken down to 2 levels:  one with teams from grades 4^th-6^th and the other from grades 6^th-9^th.  Each team was expected to read five books, practice with their teammates for the battle and then represent the Somers Library on October 18^th 2014 at the Battle of the Books! 

Early on, we knew we had some bright, eager, enthusiastic kids willing to take this challenge! During the summer, each team member was given copies of the 5 books for their team, which were generously sponsored by the Friends of the Somers Library. We met as a large group during the summer as well to get to know each other, to think up team names, to create our distinctive tee shirts, and to participate in team building exercises.   

The Somers Library Battle of the Books Team 2014

When the start of the new school year began, each team split up to work as separate groups.  The Lightning Books, the 6^th-9^th grade team, and the Lightning Books Jr, the 4^th-6^th grade team met 8 times during the 6 week period from the start of school to the battle date! On the evening before the battle we had a Pizza Party and Pep Rally to show them how much we appreciated their hard work.

On Saturday morning October 18^th, our teams showed up at 9:00am at the Scarsdale Middle School where they battled against teams from other libraries in Westchester County.  Both teams made a good showing!  The Lightning Books were only eliminated after a grueling third round and the Lightning Books Jr. were eliminated only after a challenging fourth round!  Although the Ossining Library team won for the older bracket, and the Bronxville team won for the younger bracket, the two teams from the Somers Library are winners in our book!!! We could not have asked for a more hardworking and dedicated group.  The Somers Library would like to thank the team members, as well as their parents, volunteer coach Holly Rivlin, and the Friends of the Somers Library. 

The Lightning Books Jr.

The Lightning Books

Lightning Books (6^th-9^th team):  Alex Chuang, Sara Chuang, Max Caron, Jordan Cowie, Mackenzie Curcio, Matthew Kushner, Dominique Pugliese and Sofia Toledo.

Lightning Books Jr. (4^th-6^th team): Braeden Barry, Carleigh Carbonaro, Leigha Carnow, Hunter Rose Duffy, Keira Ferretti, Zoe Hopper, Maria Klimentova, Maggie Parsons, Hannah Roth and Jay Wilkinson

Is There An App for That?

It seems like there's an app for everything, from boredom busters through meal planning and more. How do you know what some of the best apps are to download? Shopping for apps can be daunting and overwhelming, so where does one start? The library offers a variety of books about apps that you can check out, or you may request to be placed on a holds list.

• The Rough Guide to the Best iPhone and iPad Apps
• The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps
• iPhone and iPad Apps for Absolute Beginners
• The Rough Guide to the Best Android Apps
• Google Apps Express
• Amazing Android Apps for Dummies
• Best iPad Apps
• Google Apps for Dummies
• 101 Killer Apps for Your Pocket PC
• Incredible iPhone Apps for Dummies

Awesome Box

Awesome Box is a collaboration with the Harvard Library Innovation Lab. It allows the community to see what books, movies, and music others have found particularly entertaining, helpful, or eye-opening. Check it out and don't forget to leave your own recommendations at our 'Awesome Box' located next to the reference desk. Need more awesome suggestions? A librarian can help you find even more suggestions at the Somers Library. Don't see an item you just recommended? Sometimes we may get quite a few awesome recommendations in a day. If we're overwhelmed by awesome recommendations, the specific item you returned might be pushed off the front page fairly quickly, so you might not always see it. If it really was incredibly awesome though, we suggest you recommend it to your friends to check out - if an item gets enough Awesome recommendations it will eventually show up in the Most Awesome section!  Check out what is awesome at our library at http://somerslibrary.awesomebox.io/

Teen Summer Reading Challenge

Participants in the Teen Summer Reading Challenge were asked to read as many books as they can over the summer.  Those reading 10 or more books were eligible to participate in a raffle to win Amazon gift cards.  This summer there were 12 ambitious teens who met that goal.

The Somers Library would like to congratulate the raffle winners of the Teen Summer Reading Challenge 2014:

Anthony C. - First Prize Winner

First Prize – $100 gift card to Amazon - Anthony C.

Second Prize – $25 gift card to Amazon - Peter H.

Third Prize -- $15 gift card to Amazon – Natalie M.

Honorable mentions go to the following readers who read 10+ books:

11 books:  Catherine G. & Natalie M.

12 books:  Francesca F.

14 books:  Matthew K.