Library Love Fest

Chill Out- Read!

Some interesting book news from across the pond…The Telegraph reports something I think we already know: reading reduces our stress levels and ‘being taken into a literary world eases the tensions in muscles and the heart.’  Sign me up!

-Virginia 

Michael J. Fox

The ever-amazing Michael J. Fox is about to hit the airwaves to talk about his new book, Always Looking Up which goes on sale tomorrow, March 31st.

The author of #1 New York Times bestselling Lucky Man writes about the role of faith and family in his life, the starting of his foundation, and how he keep his optimistic viewpoint. Check out the trailer for his ABC special here.  Right out of the gate, Michael will appear on Oprah which will air tomorrow, March 31st.  Other dates to mark on your calendar:

• ABC-TV/"Good Morning America" -- 2 segments – Wednesday, April 1, and the Wednesday, May 6 (to promote Michael J. Fox's ABC Special).
• "Live with Regis and Kelly" - April 1st
• "Letterman" -- April 2nd
• “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” – April 6th
• "Larry King Live" -- 20 minute taped interview to air Wednesday, April 8th (will show clips from ABC special).
• "Jimmy Kimmel" -- April 28th (timed to Michael's trip west for Los Angeles Times Festival of Books event on 4/26).
• The View – May 7th
• ABC-TV hour long entertainment Special, produced by Michael J. Fox, entitled  "MICHAEL J. FOX: ADVENTURES OF AN INCURABLE OPTIMIST" - to air on May 7th at 10PM, following "Grey's Anatomy."

-Virginia

Judging a Book by its Title: Spring and Summer edition

Have you ever read a book because you loved the title? Last week’s New York Times had a piece on “odd” book titles that prompted me to think about our strangest ones.  Here’s what I came up with:

B is for Beer by Tom Robbins. On sale next month, B is for Beer is a children’s book about beer.  For adults.  If you’re still stumped, check it out here.

My Goat Ate Its Own Legs by Alex Burrett.  A debut collection of tales that explores the weird what-ifs of evolution, devotion, and universal disaster. 

Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing by Lydia Peelle.  A stellar debut collection of short stories that take place in the American South. 

What do you think? Would you take these books out of the library? 

-Kayleigh

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Have an awesome weekend!

-Kayleigh

Weekend Reading Spotlight

Virginia came into my office and surprised me with a question about what I'll be reading this weekend. Check out my video debut, and the novel that has me missing my stop on the morning commute: Blue Angel by Francine Prose.  Deliciously risqué, Blue Angel is a withering take on today's academic mores and a scathing tale that vividly shows what can happen when academic politics collides with political correctness. Have you read it? Let me know what you think!

-Kayleigh

Seeds of 'Change'

Left, right or center, First Lady Michelle Obama wants your kids to eat their veggies! Check out this article from School Library Journal. 

The President and First Lady aren’t alone when it comes to the challenges of getting children to eat healthier foods.  We hope they have a copy of Deceptively Delicious on their bookshelves. Jessica Seinfeld’s guide for parents who want their kids to be healthy jumped to the #1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list when it was published back in 2007. Its time-friendly strategies to get kids to eat wholesome meals and snacks, and live a healthy, nutrition-filled lifestyle, were a huge hit.

So here’s to more artichokes and less Cap’n Crunch.

-Virginia

It’s Not Easy Being Green…

…But it sure is cool!

Check out the Des Moines Public Library’s efforts to go green and don't miss this amazing video that shows how one man’s garbage truly is another man’s…art!

Has your library ‘gone green’?  Let us know what efforts your library has taken to help the planet.  25 lucky LIBRARIANS (sorry, general readership) will win a copy of You Are Here: Exposing the Vital Link Between What We Do and What That Does to Our Planetby Thomas Kostigen.  This New York Times bestselling author (who spoke at the ALA conference last year) is the Anderson Cooper of the environment. He takes us to the most extreme environmental areas on the planet to show how what we do from the comfort of our own home affects people, places, and things across the globe.

We will randomly select 25 winners from the entries received. No purchase necessary. The last entry will be accepted 2 days after this posting. Approximate retail value of each prize: $25.95. Estimated total prize value: $648.75. View rules here: Download Librarylovefest-blog-sweepstakes  Leave a comment below for your chance to win!

-Virginia

A Stroll Down Memory Lane...

My love for libraries began at the Rochdale Village Branch of the Queens Library in New York.  It looks a little different now, with computers taking the place of microfilm and microfiche machines.  I am also very happy to see more books available to patrons!   Every time I walk in, I still get the same feeling I had during my first visit to the library.
When I was very young, my older sister would go out after school and I would ask my mother where she was going.  She would say “she went to the library”…and I asked “what is a library and why can’t I go?” So after my mother told me about the library, being the nosy (I mean inquisitive) child I was, I had to see this place for myself.  

I finally got my chance to go.  The next day my mother took me to the library.  When I walked in, I remember seeing so many shelves of books.  I wondered how on Earth I was going to read them all!  I just knew there was a new world out there and it was my goal to discover it!

HarperCollins Has Gone Digital!

We’re saving trees with an online catalog.

Starting this month, all HarperCollins sales catalogs will be phased out and publications will now be searchable online by going to: www.harpercollinscatalogs.com

The new online catalog is even better than a printed catalog because you will be able to search titles and create lists, sorting by author, title, category, ISBN or pub month.  You’ll also be able to get up-to-the-minute news of any add-on titles, important schedule changes, national publicity alerts, and more.

This online catalog will be an extremely useful tool not only for acquiring new books but it will also help you fill holes in your collection by providing easy access to backlist titles by every author in the catalog.  Once you’ve had time to navigate the site, we’d love to hear your feedback.

Send an email to: librarylovefest@harpercollins.com  

Thanks so much.  Have fun checking out the catalog!
-Virginia

Download Press Release- Digital Catalog Launch

What's Your Craziest Library Moment?

Over on The Roaring 20s, I'm asking readers for their craziest library story.  I was inspired by this news article, about a 26 year old who was locked in his local library.  The best 5 stories will receive a complete set of Harper Perennial’s Olive Editions: Michael Chabon’s The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Milan Kundera’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated.  Email your best story to roaring20s@harpercollins.com or leave one in the comments of the post. Happy writing!

-Kayleigh