Juvenile Reading

The Children's area is located at the far right side of the library, and this whole area is dedicated to the children's DVDs, toddler books, Juvenile Easy (JE) and the Juvenile Fiction and Non-fiction titles (JF and JNF). The JE titles can be found around the perimeter of this whole area, and titles are arranged according to author's last name. The inside section is devoted to the JF titles and are also arranged alphabetically by author's last name. Computer terminals and desk and chair sets are also located within this area, along with comfortable pillows and floor mats to encourage readers to stay and take advantage of the variety of children's resources. The Toddler Time programs also meet in this area. Check out past blogs for any updates on the Toddler Time calendar!

What's New?

Check out some of the new titles at Brown Library this month! Our new arrivals are located in the shelves to the right of the front desk. There is also a list showing what titles will be arriving in the weeks to come. Some of the favorites this week include Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and Black Hills by Nora Roberts.

In addition to these new titles, our Adult Fiction (AF) and Mystery (M) collections are still as popular as ever. These titles are sorted alphabetically by author's last name and are located near the rear section of the library. If you need any help finding a specific title or author, please ask one of the staff members for help!

Audiobooks and other Non-Print Materials

All of the library's Audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs are in the same location, to the left of the front desk.

The CDs are up against the well, assorted and organized according to genre of music (country, jazz, musicals, etc.). Each CD label will have both the type of genre as well as the artist's name.

The DVD collection spans three revolving shelves, and each individual DVD is also labeled by genre and name of film.

The Audiobooks are located on two separate shelves in this area, directly between the CDs and DVDs. Fiction and non-fiction titles are mixed together, and the labels specify either fiction or non-fiction as well as the author's last name. This collection is sorted alphabetically.

The CDs may be checked out for a three week period, and only 5 items per library card may be checked out at a time. The DVDs may be checked out on a weekly basis and only 2 per card.

A Guide to the Call Numbers

Books in the library have call numbers, which are like addresses for their location on the shelf. Use this quick reference guide to help you find the resources you are looking for. Each shelf is clearly marked with the appropriate grouping of numbers specific to that area.

000-099 General Works

100-199 Philosophy

200-299 Religion

300-399 Social Sciences

400-499 Language

500-599 Pure Science

600-699 Technology

700-799 Arts

800-899 Literature

900-999 History

Toddler Time Update

Here is the updated schedule for March's Toddler Story Time:

Monday March 1st at 11:00am (Canceled)

Monday March 15th at 11:00am

The 2009 Goodreads Choice Awards

What books were the best of the best last year? Check out the results from Goodreads 2009 list of favorite books by category. Search the OPAC to find any of these titles in our library!


ALL-TIME FAVORITE
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins




FICTION
The Help by Kathryn Stockett





NONFICTION
Columbine by Dave Cullen




MYSTERY-THRILLER
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson




FANTASY
Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris




SCIENCE FICTION
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld




CHICK LIT
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks




ROMANCE
An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon




GRAPHIC NOVEL
Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? by Neil Gaiman




YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen




YOUNG ADULT SERIES
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins




CHILDREN'S
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney




PICTURE BOOK
Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

Internet Use Agreement

Rules for Internet Use

1) All users must have a library card and pin number.

2) All users must sign an INTERNET USE AGREEMENT.

a) Users under 18 years of age must have their parent or guardian sign the Agreement. Anyone between the ages of 16 and 18 years who is enrolled at a college or university may submit proof of enrollment in lieu of parental or guardian consent.

b) Users under the age of 6 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.

3) INTERNET stations will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

4) Based on demand, the Library will set a time limit of 45 minutes on the use of INTERNET resources in order to maximize use.

5) Chatrooms will not be allowed at any time.

6) All overdue fines must be paid before internet access is permitted.

7) Failure to use the INTERNET stations appropriately and responsibly may result in revocations of INTERNET use privileges.

March Movie Madness

March's Movie Madness will begin this Saturday, March 6th, with an afternoon showing of The Time Traveler's Wife at 12:10pm. As always, come 15 min. early as seating is limited. This film is rated Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality.

For those of you interested in the monthly movies shown at Brown Library, check Brown's Bookshelf Blog found at http://www.brownsbookshelf.blogspot.com/. This link is also located at the far right of this blog. Each month, the movies are updated and announced with a quick summary on Brown's Bookshelf.

It's Family Tree Time!

Brown Library now offers ancestry.com, an online subscription based Web site for family history and genealogy research. Come in and explore our local history and genealogy room located within the reference section of the library. This genealogy room houses a 2,000-volume collection and includes U.S. census records, archival and marriage records, manuscripts, local cemetery records, and back issues of the Washington Daily News (on microfilm).

Check out this link to view some online tutorials, or webinars, on searching records through ancestry.com. This site is extremely helpful for those new to the search process.

http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Webinars.aspx

Tips for Searching the OPAC

What is an OPAC?

OPAC is short for Online Public Access Catalog. In other words, the OPAC is an automated, electronic card catalog that allows you to find all the items the library has to share. Understanding the options available in the simple search process will help you plan your search strategy and obtain consistent search results. In general, when you perform a simple search you:

1. Enter the term(s) to be searched in the appropriate box

2. Select the field to be searched (authors, titles, subjects)

3. Select the search type

4. Click the Search button to launch the query and display a list of matches.
Note: The result set indicates places in the record on which search terms were matched and the number of matches per record, providing information about whether the result is relevant to your search.

5. Select an item on the list of matches to display the item record (In some cases, you will need to select from a second results list before an individual record is displayed).

At Brown Library, the OPAC can be found at the front of the library, adjacent to the front desk. There are two terminals available to search, with plenty of scrap paper and pencils to jot down search results. Staff members are always available to help with any search issues and concerns you might have.

For further and more detailed information, check out this link to the OPAC:
http://brownlib.washingtonnc.gov/TLCHelp/IPACHelp.htm

A link to the OPAC is also included at the far right of this blog.

Young Adult Literature, established in 2007

The Young Adult section at Brown Library is relatively new, only existing since 2007. This section, dedicated to both the younger and older teen, contains over 800 titles, with various series books, non-fiction biographies and self-help books, and some of the more recent contemporary works. There is something for everyone! This section of the library is located towards the left side of the library, right behind the CD and DVD collections. Look for the YA signs, and browse through this collection when you have some spare time. We are constantly working on updating and improving this YA area, with new titles added on a regular basis.

If there is a specific book you are looking for, whether for a school related assignment or simply for pleasure reading, check out the online catalog, or OPAC. The terminals are located next to the front desk, and this catalog offers various search methods including title, author, and subject searches. A link to this catalog is also included at the far right side of this blog. The abbreviation YA lets you know that this book or material is classified as Young Adult. YAF symbolizes Young Adult Fiction, and these titles are listed alphabetically by author's last name. The YANF, or Young Adult Non-Fiction titles are arranged numerically by call number, with the first few letters of the author's name at the bottom of the label.

If you are still having trouble, ask for assistance at the front desk. There are some great materials in this section for the avid teen reader, so check out one of the Twilight series books, Lauren Conrad's latest Sweet Little Lies, or one of the classics like the Chocolate War. Happy reading!

Calling all Teens

P.S. Jones Middle School and Brown Library are partnering up to improve teen resources and involvement in the library. It is the goal of the library to draw in a younger crowd, and the first step in accomplishing this goal is the creation of the Brown Library Teen Advisory Board. This group of teens will work with the library in such areas as promotion and publicity, technology, writing, and creativity. Various committees were formed at yesterday's meeting, with a group of teens working to accomplish the goals of each specific area. We look forward to working with such a dedicated group of individuals, and if you have any questions or would like to become involved, give us a call!

(252) 946-4300

Look for an announcement next month with a time and date for the next meeting.

Toddler Time!

For those of you interested in the children's programs offered at Brown Library, this blog is for you! Stella Olivares is our children's coordinator, and she does a wonderful job creating activities for children in the community. Many of her programs combine storytime and crafts, while at the same time incorporating the relevant seasons or holidays into the activity. The February schedule includes the following programs:


Monday, February 1st at 11:00 AM

Monday, February 8th at 11:00 AM (Spanish Story Time)

Friday, February 12th at 3:00 pm (Valentine's Day Party)

Monday, February 15th at 11:00 AM

(Toddler Story Time is a 30 minute story time adventure for your tot, ages 18 months to 3 years. Each child is to be accompanied by a parent or caregiver).

Check the online schedule for future programming:
http://www.ci.washington.nc.us/client_resources/government/toddler%20fall%20schedule.pdf

(the spring schedule is almost complete and will be updated as soon as possible).