The Art of Racing in the Rain was a book that kept reappearing on my desk. I for one do not read books where the hero is a dog. We all know how that turns out and I wasn’t going to put myself through it, especially when my beloved four footed companion was nearly seventeen.

After about a year of this book showing up on my desk, I finally took it as a sign. Maybe it was something I needed to read. I knew my old girl was long past  a normal lab life so maybe I could learn something.

I was prepared and had the hankies at the ready. This is a five hanky book, but it was comforting despite all the tears. There are laughs and smiles and yes the dog dies, but along the way we learned  “racing in the rain” was the metaphor for skillfully navigating through life’s turns and surface conditions.

In the end readers are left with a sense of order and completion and I do believe Enzo will come back as a man!

I have recommended this book many times and often am met with the same reluctance I had, but literature prevails. Isn’t that why we read? To feel the feelings and experience life?

Now when I look at my dog, I really do wonder – what is she thinking?

 

For more on The Art of Racing in the Rain visit the official Website of author, Garth Stein at http://www.garthstein.com/arr/

Read comments (0)

The World Book Web offers a reference system for all age groups seeking accurate and relevant information. Over 18 data-base sites that can be used from the very youngest pre-schooler to the College student that needs help in writing a research paper.

World Book’s two reference sites for younger patrons features educational games, Stories, Songs, Poems (all read by “Human” professional readers) and information written at a lower reading level.

The Advanced site for High and college  students as well as adult patrons features a “One Integrated Search” for both secondary and primary sources.

The World Book motto for the last 90 years has been, “Easy Reading is Hard Writting”. World Book allows readers of all reading abilities the opportunity to explore their world around them.

Most library systems have World Book Online. For example, at the Multnomah County Library online, its at https://multcolib.org/resource/world-book-encyclopedia. You will need an ID, which is usually your library card ID number and a password. The password is usually your online library password. If you have a problem, talk to your librarian.

Read comments (0)

I plan this as an article on all the magic that exists in a library – from worlds of adventure to unlimited knowledge. It is coming, so please be patient.

By the way – you can get infinite knowlege from the Internet, but I still like picking up a book!

This may be part of the magic. Always look to your local library for their free databases to find exactly what you are looking for from auto repair to genealogy.

Some of the Best Databases out there accessible with a library card at most libraries.

All-Data Auto Repair
Vehicle repair information from the industry leader—includes vehicle diagrams, service bulletins and recalls

CultureGrams ProQuest; www.proquest.com/en-US/catalogs/databases/detail/culturegrams.shtml

Profiles of over 200 countries, each U.S. State, and all 13 Canadian Provinces. Maps, flags, symbols, timelines, history, economy, geography, population and more

ConsumerReports 

EBSCO; www.ebscohost.com/public/consumerreports

Full access to Consumer Reports magazine website with professional and user ratings—includes links to Consumer Reports Network.

 

Gale Virtual Reference Library: Gale, part of Cengage Learning; http://gale.cengage.com/gvrl

HeritageQuest Online

Genealogical material including family histories, census records, genealogical serials, local histories, and primary sources in full image.

Oxford Scholarly Editions Online
Oxford University Press;www.oxfordscholarlyeditions.com

ProQuest; www.ebrary.com/corp/academic.jsp

Worldbook Online 

 

Read comments (0)

I wanted to creat a blog to discuss books, but except for a simple example I did for a schoolwork assignment, I did not have much experience. My brother, Gordon, a web designer, suggested that I use WordPress to set up my blog and suggested this book, WordPress for Beginners: A Visual Step-by-Step Guide to Creating your Own WordPress Site in Record Time, Starting from Zero!.

This is an excellent book!. It very quickly guided me through the setup of a WordPress site, including finding a template I liked and loading it in. You need virtually no experience to create a blog after reading this book. The instructions and diagrams are clear and easy to understand. I am hooked and plan on keeping this blog filled with some of my favorite Library discoveries. Thanks Dr. Andy – love the book.

Read comments (0)