The Shuttle Challenger Memorial @ Arlington National Cemetery
Posted by Grace at
11:19 AM
January 26, 2006
HCPL offers more Technical Books Online
Harris County Public Library has upped our subscription level with Safari Tech Books Online. For those of you unfamiliar with Safari, it is a fully-searchable e-reference library that houses a vast collection of technical books from industry-leading publishers.
Are you interested in computer programming, desktop publishing, multimedia, artificial intelligence? Then there's a good chance that Safari has what you are looking for. Below are the subject categories of books currently in our Safari online subscription.
- Artificial Intelligence
- Business
- Certification
- Computer Science
- Databases
- Desktop Applications
- Desktop Publishing
- E-Commerce
- Enterprise Computing
- Graphics
- Hardware
|
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Internet/Online
- IT Management
- Markup Languages
- Multimedia
- Networking
- Operating Systems
- Programming
- Security
- Software Engineering
|
These main categories above are just the high level categories. To give you an idea of the breadth of subjects in Safari, the sub-categories under Programming include:
- ActiveX/ASP
- ActionScripting
- API
- AppleScript
- C
- Cocoa
- C++
- C#
- .NET
- Functional Programming
- J2EE
- Java
- Language Constructs
- Linux
- Logic Programming
|
- Macintosh
- OpenGL
- PalmPilot
- Perl
- PHP
- Python
- Real-Time Embedded Systems
- SQL
- UML
- UNIX
- Visual Basic
- Visual Basic for Applications
- Visual Studio
- Windows
|
6 of these sub-categories even have sub-categories of their own!
In total we are subscribed to over 1,000 books in Safari that cover a wide variety of technical topics. There is even a business section containing about 40 books that deal with subjects from Project Management to eBay to online investing.
We currently have 5 seats reserved in Safari for our users. If you receive a message stating that there is no more room just try back at a later time.
Click here to get started with Safari. You will need your library card to log in remotely.
Publishers on the
Safari Book Shelf |
 |
Posted by admin at
01:02 PM
Changes to the New Books, Audio, & Movies Lists
We are discontinuing the lists of new books, audio, and movies. In their place, we have added several new browse indexes to the catalog:
- New Additions Title Browse - Covers all new items including books. This was an existing index.
- New Audiobook Title Browse - Covers both audiobooks on CD and Cassette
- New DVD Title Browse - Covers DVDs
- New Music Browse - Covers music CDs
- New Video Title Browse - Covers Videocassettes
These indexes, unlike the lists they are replacing, are updated continually as items are processed and sent out to branches. We feel this is a better service as the lists were only updated once a month. The indexes cover approximately the last 60 days.
The indexes can be accessed in the pull-down menu of the catalog search on the front page of the website or in the catalog on the Browse Search page.
To search for a title:
- Select the index you wish to search from the pull-down menu.
- Enter a letter, word, or title in the search box
- Click the red arrow/search
Your results will be an alphabetical list, which can be browsed forwards or backwards.
Posted by Grace at
12:25 PM
January 25, 2006
Marion the Librarian Joins the National Film Registry
The Music Man, which has Marion the Librarian as a character, was added to the National Film Registry in late December 2005 along with 24 other films. Each year, the Librarian of Congress names 25 films that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant to be added to the list. Currently, there are 425 films on the list.
Baby Face (1933)
The Buffalo Creek Flood: An Act of Man (1975)
The Cameraman (1928)
Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort, South Carolina, May 1940 (1940)
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
The French Connection (1971)
Giant (1956)
H2O (1929)
Hands Up (1926)
Hoop Dreams (1994)
House of Usher (1960)
Imitation of Life (1934)
Jeffries-Johnson World's Championship Boxing Contest (1910)
Making of an American (1920)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Mom and Dad (1944)
The Music Man (1962)
Power of the Press (1928)
A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire April 18, 1906 (1906)
The Sting (1973)
A Time for Burning (1966)
Toy Story (1995)
Link via Librarian in Black
Posted by Grace at
04:32 PM
Children's Books Featured on new $.39 Stamps
The US Postal Service has released the Picture Book Animals commemorative set of stamps featuring the artwork of 8 children's illustrators. The featured works are:
Eric Carle. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
E. B. White. Charlotte's Web (Wilbur the Pig)
Dr. Seuss. Fox in Socks
Lucy Cousins. Maisy the Mouse books
Maurice Sendak. Where the Wild Things Are
H. A. & Margret Rey. Curious George Flies a Kite
Ian Falconer. Olivia
Leo Lionni. Frederick
Link via h20boro blog & Icarus.
Posted by Grace at
10:46 AM
January 24, 2006
2006 Alex Awards
The 2006 Alex Awards were announced on Monday, January 23 at the ALA mid-winter convention. The Alex Awards honor ten adult books that will appeal to teen readers.
Judy Fong Bates. Midnight at the Dragon Cafe
Su-Jen and her parents settle uneasily into their new life in a town where they are the only Chinese family, isolated by language and long hours at the diner they own. Things change when Lee-Kung, Su-Jen's half-brother, arrives. He works in the kitchen and smolders under the responsibilities he must carry as the dutiful son, forming an alliance with his mother, a beautiful, bitter stepmother. Su-Jen's father, one of the lo wa kew, the "old timers" generation, works continually for a better future and strives to save face at all costs.
Posted by Grace at
04:47 PM
January 23, 2006
New Bestsellers 1/23/06
The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.
E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal
* = Titles that have previously appeared on the bestseller lists but are new to our catalog
Fiction
Angela Benson. The Amen Sisters
A Christy Award finalist offers a bold and gritty story about one of the most talked about issues in the church--religious leaders who sexually abuse members of their congregations--and how two women heal after betrayal. (E #10)
Lillian Jackson Braun. The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell
James Qwilleran and his famous felines Koko and Yum Yum are back for another mystery-solving stint in the bestselling Cat Who . . . series. While the town of Pickax is swept up in its sesquicentennial celebrations, a hurricane brews, and members of a family fall deathly ill. Qwill has his work cut out for him. (NYT #3, PW #4, WSJ #2)
Martha Southgate. Third Girl from the Left
This novel tells a story of African-American women struggling against all odds to express what lies deepest in their hearts. Like Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay or E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime, it ranges freely through time, fact, and fiction to weave a story about history and art and their place in the lives of three women." (E #3)
Nonfiction
50 Cent. From Pieces to Weight
Featuring unpublished poetry and lyrics taken directly from his journals and scrapbooks, as well as behind-the-scenes photos taken by 50 Cent himself, this is an unprecedented look into the world of one of the most talked about artists in popular music today. (E #4)
SEX AND THE SEASONED WOMAN, by Gail Sheehy. (Random House, $25.95.) The author of "Passages" describes women over 50 who have vital sex lives. (NYT #14)
CONFESSIONS OF A VIDEO VIXEN, by Karrine Steffans. *(Amistad/HarperCollins, $24.95.) A tell-all by an actress who has appeared in many hip-hop videos. (E #1, NYT #15)
Posted by Grace at
11:59 AM
ALA Children's Book Awards Announced
The American Library Association announced the winners of their various children's and young adult book awards on January 23, 2006 at the ALA mid-winter meeting. A new award, the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award, which honors the outstanding book for beginning readers, made it's debut this year; we have added a book list for this award. A book list was also created for the Schneider Family Book Award which honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. The winners are...
John Newbery Medal
Lynne Rae Perkins. Criss Cross
Randolph Caldecott Medal
Chris Raschka, illustrator. The Hello, Goodbye Window
The story of a little girl who finds a magic gateway in the kitchen window of her grandparents' house, and the voyage of discovery she takes. Written by Norton Juster.
Coretta Scott King Award
Author
Julius Lester. Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue
Emma has taken care of the Butler children since Sarah and Frances's mother, Fanny, left. Emma wants to raise the girls to have good hearts, as a rift over slavery has ripped the Butler household apart. Now, to pay off debts, Pierce Butler wants to cash in his slave "assets", possibly including Emma.
Illustrator
Bryan Collier. Written by Nikki Giovanni. Rosa
John Steptoe Award for New Talent
Jaime Adoff. Jimi & Me
Pura Belpre Award
Author
Viola Canales. The Tequila Worm
Illustrator
Raul Colon. Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart
Do?a Flor, a giant lady with a big heart, sets off to protect her neighbors from what they think is a dangerous animal, but soon discovers the tiny secret behind the huge noise. Written by Pat Mora.
Schneider Family Book Award
Children
Myron Uhlberg. Dad, Jackie, and Me
In Brooklyn%, New York, in 1947, a boy learns about discrimination and tolerance as he and his deaf father share their enthusiasm over baseball and the Dodgers' first baseman, Jackie Robinson.
Middle
Kimberly Newton Fusco. Tending to Grace
When Cornelia's mother runs off with a boyfriend, leaving her with an eccentric aunt, Cornelia must finally confront the truth about herself and her mother.
Teen
Adam Rapp. Under the Wolf, Under the Dog
Sixteen-year-old Steve struggles to make sense of his mother's terminal breast cancer and his brother's suicide. Steve Nugent is in a facility called Burnstone Grove. It's a place for kids who are addicts, like Shannon Lynch, who can stick $1.87 in change up his nose, or for kids who have tried to commit suicide, like Silent Starla, whom Steve is getting a crush on. But Steve doesn't really fit in either group. He used to go to a gifted school. So why is he being held at Burnstone Grove? Keeping a journal, in which he recalls his confused and violent past, Steve is left to figure out who he is by examining who he was.
Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Cynthia Rylant. Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas
When Henry and his dog Mudge go with Henry's parents to visit Great-Grandpa Bill in the home with lots of other grandpas, they lead them all on a wonderful adventure.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award
Sally M. Walker. Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H. L. Hunley
Recounts the development of the H.L. Hunley, the first submarine from it's inception through modern archaelogical expedition to retrieve her from her watery grave.
Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Josef Holub. Innocent Soldier
Posted by Grace at
11:49 AM
January 19, 2006
New Bestsellers 1/16/06
The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.
The Library Journal Lists of Most Borrowed Books in Public Libraries for Fiction and Nonfiction were updated for January 15, 2006.
E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal
* = Titles that have previously appeared on the bestseller lists but are new to our catalog
Fiction
Barbara Taylor Bradford. Just Rewards
In this sweeping novel, the Harte women find themselves in the midst of weddings, in the hold of intrigue, and at the crossroads of the old ways and the new. The bestselling author presents the dramatic conclusion of the extraordinary tale of Emma Harte's great-granddaughters. (NYT #9, PW #13)
W. E. B. Griffin. The Hostage
An American diplomat's wife is kidnapped, and her husband murdered before her eyes. Her children will be next, if she doesn't tell the kidnappers where her brother is--a brother who may know quite a bit about the burgeoning UN/Iraq oil-for-food scandal. There is an awful lot of money flying around, an awful lot of hands reaching out to grab it--and some of those hands don't mind shedding as much blood as it takes. (NYT #1, PW #2, WSJ #2)
Jayne Ann Krentz. All Night Long
When Irene Stenson is summoned to her hometown 17 years after the murder-suicide of her parents, her reporter's instinct, her hunger to know the truth, and a compelling ex-Marine lead her to risk far more than local gossip to sort out what happened to the best friend who summoned her--and what really happened the night her parents died. (NYT #6, PW #6, WSJ #4)
Nonfiction
Sharon Rocha. For Laci, A Mother's Story
The mother's perspective on the Laci Peterson murder case. (NYT #11, PW #14, USA #3, WSJ #14)
Laura Schlessinger. Bad Childhood, Good Life
The author of seven "New York Times" bestsellers and an internationally syndicated radio host, Dr. Schlessinger delivers advice on how to blossom and thrive in spite of an unhappy childhood. It will help readers acknowledge the past's impact, reveal coping styles, and make the choice of a good life. (PW #7, WSJ #5)
WSJ Business
Lee Eisenberg. The Number
Backed by imaginative reporting and insights, Eisenberg urges people to assume control and responsibility for their standard of living, and take greater aim on their long-term aspirations. Not an investment guide, this is a revealing look at common financial and emotional conflicts and how to control them. (#5)
PW Religion
Peggy Noonan. John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father
During his nearly three decades of service, Pope John Paul II became the most recognized person in the world. He upheld many of the traditional values of the Catholic Church while also showing his progressive nature through his lifelong concern for the poor and suffering people of the world. (#6)
Posted by Grace at
02:54 PM
Oprah Announces New Book Club Title
Oprah Winfrey announced on her show this week that Night by Elie Wiesel is the new title for the show's popular book club.
Night is Wiesel's "terrifying account of the Nazi death camp horror that turns a young Jewish boy into an agonized witness to the death of his family...the death of his innocence...and the death of his God. Penetrating and powerful, as personal as The Diary Of Anne Frank, Night awakens the shocking memory of evil at its absolute and carries with it the unforgettable message that this horror must never be allowed to happen again."
Posted by Grace at
02:20 PM
January 10, 2006
New Bestsellers 1/10/06
The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.
E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal
* = Titles that have previously appeared on the bestseller lists but are new to our catalog
Fiction
Troy Denning. Star Wars Dark Nest III The Swarm War
In the explosive conclusion to the Dark Nest trilogy, Luke Skywalker summons the heroes of the New Jedi Order from near and far, as the Star Wars galaxy teeters on the edge of eternal war. Yet even the combined powers of the formidable Jedi may not be enough to vanquish the deadly perils confronting them. (USA #15)
Jude Deveraux. Carolina Isle
Deveraux uncovers the passions and scandals that take a small town by storm when two cousins switch lives. (USA #10)
Tananarive Due. Joplin's Ghost
An acclaimed suspense writer's latest chilling tale examines how the daughter of a musician and jazz club owner finds her life changed when she becomes haunted by the ghost of Scott Joplin. (E #7)
Greg Iles. Turning Angel
Iles brings the secrets of the South alive in this vibrant novel of infatuation, murder, and sexual intrigue set in his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi. (NYT #8, PW #9, WSJ #8)
Iris Johansen. On the Run
For eight years, single mother Grace Archer has lived a picture-perfect life raising her daughter on a horse farm. When the ghosts of Grace's past violently shatter her peace, she must resume an identity she thought cast off forever, joining forces with a man she thought she'd never see again. (NYT #6, PW #7, WSJ #7)
Sherrilyn Kenyon. Unleash the Night
In her latest Dark-Hunter novel, "New York Times" bestselling author Kenyon tells the story of orphaned Wren Tigarian, a forbidden blend of snow leopard and white tiger, who must fight not just the humans who will never accept his animal nature, but the Were-Hunters, who want him dead for endangering their world. (USA #6)
Judith McNaught. Every Breath You Take
On wealthy philanthropist Cecil Wyatt's eightieth birthday, all the money in the world won't bring back his missing grandson, William Wyatt. The family, the police and the media all have tried in vain to discover the young man's fate. Now suspicion has turned shockingly toward William's own half-brother, the rather distant and enigmatic Mitchell Wyatt. Kate Donovan is tagged as a suspect in a high-society murder case, after a chance romantic encounter on a tropical island paradise with Mitchell Wyatt. (NYT #5, PW #4, WSJ #3)
Fern Michaels. Vendetta
The third story of Michaels's Sisterhood series. Five years ago, Myra Rutledge's pregnant daughter was killed by a hit-and-run driver--the playboy son of an ambassador with diplomatic immunity. The Sisterhood now gathers for a little creative planning, and what they have in mind is a gift for Myra of long-awaited and very sweet revenge. (USA #7)
Mary Monroe. In Sheep's Clothing
Trudy Bell's life has been difficult. She starts over with a new job at Bon Voyage Travel where she finds conflict with the only other black woman, Ann Oliver. (E #5)
Mary B. Morrison. Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This
Darius Jones is the spoiled child of Jada, a ruthless business woman. Darius own's 1/3 of Somebody's Gotta Be on Top which produces films. When his step-father takes over, Darius is furious and on top of that three different women claim to be carrying his child. (E #6)
Denise Nicholas. Freshwater Road
The story of one young woman's journey into adulthood via the political and social upheavals of the civil rights movement. (E #10)
Nonfiction
Kaleem Aftab. Spike Lee: That?s My Story and I?m Sticking to It!
This is the story of a true American original, told in definitive detail through a lively chorus of voices that are not always in perfect agreement but are never less than opinionated, amusing, and as exciting as Lee himself. (E #10)
James Cramer. Jim Cramer's Real Money *
Written in Cramer's distinctive turbocharged style, this is every investor's guide to what you really must know to make big money in the stock market. (PW #12)
Betty DeRamus. Forbidden Fruit
Gleaned by Pulitzer Prize finalist Betty De Ramus from unpublished memoirs, Civil War records, and from descendants of runaway slave couples, "Forbidden Fruit "is a fascinating collection of true and largely untold stories from the Underground Railroad. (E #4)
Connie Guttersen. The Sonoma Diet
The science behind the diet -- learn why it works! Mouthwatering recipes, rich in flavor and nutrition. Bonus: Diet guide pullout to make following the diet a breeze when on the go. (PW #14, WSJ #14)
Posted by Grace at
04:25 PM
January 05, 2006
New Books/Movies/Audio Lists Updated
The New Books, Audios, and Movies lists have been updated with titles cataloged in December 2005.
Posted by Grace at
11:39 AM
January 04, 2006
New Bestsellers 1/2/06
The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.
The Publisher's Weekly Audio bestsellers for fiction and nonfiction were updated for January 2.
The Criticas Spanish Language fiction and nonfiction bestseller lists were updated for December.
E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal
* = Titles that have previously appeared on the bestseller lists but are new to our catalog
Fiction
Maya Angelou. Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem *
In this beautiful, deeply moving poem, Maya Angelou inspires us to embrace the peace and promise of Christmas, so that hope and love can once again light up our holidays and the world. (NYT #5, PW #3, WSJ #3)
Nonfiction
John Grogan. Marley and Me *
Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans. (NYT #3, PW #3, WSJ #2)
Posted by Grace at
04:37 PM
January 03, 2006
NEW! Thompson Gale Legal Forms
We have long had a need for a good legal forms resource and are happy to announce the addition of the Thompson Gale Legal Forms database. The database provides access to a multitude of Texas legal forms including those for divorce, wills, and real estate. Access to forms is available through a keyword search or you can browse by legal area.
You will need a valid Harris County Public Library card to access this database remotely.
Posted by Grace at
04:54 PM
NEW! Ancestry.com
We are very excited to announce an exciting addition to our collection of databases . . . Ancestry.com. Ancestry.com is a genealogy resource with numerous databases including the US Census, immigration records, court documents, military records, and vital records. Ancestry.com is distributed to libraries by Proquest and joins our popular HeritageQuest database as a genealogy resource.
The initial screen is a search entry that will search across all of the Ancestry.com databases. This can be limited by country/state and year range. Results are broken down by type of record. An advanced search is also available.
Visit your local branch to use this exciting new resource today!
Ancestry.com is available for users who are physically inside a library building; there is no remote access to this resource.
Posted by Grace at
04:33 PM
Donna M. Jackson. 
Julian Barnes. 
Linda Fairstein. 
Raymond Khoury. 