2011's most circulated book @CBCPL

Understandably, it’s a bit late to be doing a reflective post about 2011, but better late than never, I say!

What was popular at the CBCPL in 2011? Amongst the favorites: Stieg Larsson’s posthumously published trilogy of gritty crime novels; books related to food, be it a manual or a memoir;  historical fiction set in other countries; fast-paced and suspenseful legal thrillers; biographies about an Egyptian queen and an American football and war hero; Malcolm Gladwell’s compilation of essays and research into the common factors to success; a breakdown of events behind the recent financial crisis; and an annual favorite, detailing the hiking trails in Corvallis.

Based on circulation statistics, the following were the top ten, most circulated, books at the library.

Top Ten Fiction

• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
• The Lacuna: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Reversal by Michael Connelly
• The Confession by John Grisham
• Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer

Top Ten Nonfiction

• Corvallis Trails: Exploring the Heart of the Valley by Margie Powell
• What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell
• Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
• Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan
• Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary by David Sedaris
• Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
• Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer
• Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia
• The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis

As we move forward with 2012,  we look forward to discovering new and exciting stories that will capture our attention.

Posted by Lindy, a second floor librarian

All of the second floor librarians have a variety of responsibilities, including staffing the reference desk; responding to questions via chat, email, and phone;  selecting materials for the collection; technology troubleshooting; web work and social media; and assisting with library programming.

Our new librarians have strong technology and customer service skills. To help you get to know them, here is a photo and a little bit about their background.

	Lindy interned on the second floor in 2008, so you may recognize her from back then.  In addition to having worked in libraries, she has also worked with student athletes both at OSU and in Florida. Her masters is from Florida State University.  A former college soccer player, Lindy enjoys reading, hiking, and adding to her collection of LP records.
	Bonnie joins us from Austin, Texas where she was a reference librarian at the Central Library in downtown Austin. She loves to read (comics and fiction, especially), find and listen to great music, play video games, garden, and enjoy the scenery by hiking or biking. Her masters is from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
	Charles has been working in Oregon libraries for 6 years, beginning at CBCPL as an on-call Librarian, and he’s very happy to return. He has lived briefly in India, Hong Kong, and Canada, where he got his library degree. He likes to hike, read mostly cookbooks and science fiction, and tinker with computers. He still can not juggle five objects at once, but practices occasionally.

Stop by the reference desk and say hi to the new librarians.  Of course all of us would love to meet you if we haven’t already, so introduce yourself the next time you’re in the library!

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Image credit:  Welcome! by Jimmy_Joe on Flickr

This month’s Random Review is on March 14th and will feature Marisa Chappell reviewing The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.  A New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of the Year, this is an epic, beautifully written chronicle of one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life.  Random Reviews are over the noon hour and you are welcome to bring your lunch.

The March 21st selection for the Library Book Club is Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson.  Like most librarians, I tend not to buy books for myself, but I did buy and hang on to a copy of this book; it’s a great read. As always, we meet on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Library Board Room. Copies of the book are still available at the second floor reference desk.

If you have any questions about March events, or about anything else, please call us at the reference desk at 541-766-6973.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Image credit: Model Milwaukee Road by Tabbymom Jen

Forms & booklets

Although we will not have tax forms and booklets to give away, we will again have a folder of reproducible forms and booklets at the library.  If you are doing your own taxes, printing out federal tax forms from the IRS and state forms from the  Oregon Department of Revenue is the best ways to get your forms. We will have computer access to these sites and get help you get the forms you need.  Prints are 10 cents a page.  The library has a tax page with useful links and information, including phone numbers to have tax booklets sent to your home.

Free tax filing

If you need more assistance, the AARP tax aide volunteers will again provide free electronic filing at the library — no forms required!   The tax aides will be at the Corvallis Library accepting drop-in clients from January 31st through April 17th on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 PM.  The tax aides will also provide drop-in assistance at The Elks Building, 1400 NW 9th St. in Corvallis, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11:00 to 3:00.  Appointment-only sites include The Philomath Public Library (Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10:00 to 2:00), and the Chintimini Senior Center (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 10:00 – 2:30 and Thursdays 6:00-7:00 PM).  Please call 541-766-6704 to make an appointment.

Nobody loves tax season, but we want it to go as smoothly as possible for you.  Our tax page has the most up to date information and you can also call us at the Reference desk, 541-766-6793 if you have any questions.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

This survey is sponsored by The American Library Association (ALA) and the Public Insight Network from American Public Media (APM), a producer of public radio programs that broadcast nationwide (e.g., Marketplace and Performance Today). They are partnering to learn more about how people use libraries, and the information, social and civic needs of communities.

On the survey website you can read an inspiring story about Oscar, once a young teen father who says he never would have graduated from high school without audiobooks and the libraries that provided them.  We hope you will consider sharing your library stories with us whether they are lighthearted or serious.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Image credit

You can check out the Kill a watt monitors directly from the circulation desk for two weeks.  The monitors are provided in partnership with the Energy Trust of Oregon.

The library also has books like the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings about reducing household energy consumption.  Click here for a list of titles, and feel free to contact us at the reference desk at 541-766-6486 with any questions.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

This is the last week to send us your photo of you with your library card.  We are posting these photos to Facebook in celebration of library card sign-up month in September.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Wednesday, September 21 the Library book club meets at 7:00 in the Library Board Room to discuss The end of overeating by David Kessler.  Contact the reference desk at 541-766-6793 for more information.

Thursday through  Saturday
The 10th Annual Fall Festival Fine Arts Showcase will be held in the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library’s Meeting Room and features the work of over 30 local artists who were invited to be a part of the show.  Hours are: Thursday 10:00 – 5:00; Friday and Saturday 10:00 – 5:00. Click on the link to the Corvallis Fall Festival website for more information.

On Saturday, September 24, from 10:00 to 4:00, the Friends of the Library will be having a used paperback book sale on the Library’s front plaza.  Cake in honor of the Friends  50th anniversary will be served at 2:00 pm.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Image credit: “The Perfect Place to Take a Book” by Brian Hathcock on Flickr

alexandra.regan@ci.corvallis.or.us

Click here to see a fun slideshow of folks with their library cards.  If you like, you can post your own photo to this slideshow, which was put together by the American Library Association,  or email it to me and I can do it for you.  Don’t worry, I won’t post it to the slideshow without your permission.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Photo credit:  Ari’s Library card by Edgar Crook on Flickr

Quilt County 2011

If you come to the library today you will notice that it has been temporarily transformed by color and pattern.  The gorgeous quilts hanging from the atrium and on the walls of the second floor today through September 29th were made by members of the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild of Lebanon.  The variety of quilt styles and sizes reflect the diversity of the Guild.  Curated by Erin Kahle and Jean McDaniel.

Visions of Home

Thursday, September 8th at 7:00 in the library’s main meeting room is an exciting local author event with Marjorie Sandor, Charles Goodrich, and George Estreich.  Please click here to read the previous blog post on this Thursday’s program.

Posted by Alex, a second floor librarian

Quilt image credit: Color study: log cabin 2 ~ 2007 by Sherri Lynn Wood on Flickr

House image credit: Kenyan farmhouse by Angela Sevin on Flickr