"Take a Child Outside" is a whole week (September 24-30) devoted to enjoying all things outdoors with children.  So show nature to your children and get them moving, whether by taking a hike, just visiting a local park to look for all the kinds of trees we live among, or collecting pictures of the bugs that live in your own back yard.  When you visit the library, check out our display for more inspirational ideas.

Apocalypse Now.  Most all of us have had someone blithely say "Well, it's not the end of the world" when we've shared a personal woe.  But, what if it were the end of the world?  What if something so drastic occured that the world as we know it no longer existed?  What would life be like then?  This display of dystopian novels is sure to catch your attention and get you wondering.

Hurricane Katrina was the cataclysmic force that did destroy the world of New Orleans and its citizens in 2005.  Out of the maelstrom, Dave Eggers penned Zeitoun, the heartrending book at the center of this year's One Book One Community programs and activities in East Lansing and at MSU.  After reading this powerful telling of how one family endured the consequences of Katrina, learn even more about Katrina by visiting this display of other available materials.

Make sure you're prepared when you go to the polls on Tuesday, August 3. 

These web sites will help you review who's running, what they stand for, and view a sample ballot.

Michigan Votes

Publius Voter Guide

Michigan Dept. of State - Voter Information Center

Lansing State Journal - Election 2010

Project Vote Smart

Come to the library and sharpen the joys of summer!

In July, our display spotlight is on "Beach Reads" -- books that are enthralling, mesmerizing, funny, moving, thrilling, cryptic, charming, riveting, jocular  ... well, you get the picture!

And, your "Road Trip" this summer gets the spotlight in another display.  You'll find more than you'll ever need to get the most fun out of your next jaunty excursion!

Since childhood, I've had a fascination with times of warfare and the people who live in them ... the French Revolution, the Civil War, both World Wars.  Through the years, I've read many memorable books on and around the topic, from The Warriors: reflections on men in battle, by J. Glenn Gray, to The Great War and Modern Memory, by Paul Fussell (both of which I highly recommend).

It's no surprise, then, that my eye alighted upon "Beyond Fear: Great Combat Memoirs of the 20th Century," an article in the current issue of Military History.  The editors draw attention to 9 memoirs that demonstrate the spirit, strength, pain, and raw courage that have enabled the best to survive the worst, from World War I through Vietnam.

For a truly compelling reading experience, try a book from the list:

With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa, by E. B. Sledge.
Quartered Safe Out Here: a recollection of the war in Burma, by George MacDonald Fraser.
The Coldest War: a memoir of Korea, by James Brady.
A Rumor of War, by Philip Caputo.
We Were Soldiers Once...and Young:  Ia Drang, the battle that changed the war in Vietnam, by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway.

As we celebrate Father's Day on Sunday, June 20, 2010 ... here are some great recent books that remind us of the importance of fathers in our lives ... no matter how old we get.

The Council of Dads : my daughters, my illness, and the men who could be me, by Bruce S. Feiler.

Father Fiction : chapters from a fatherless childhood, by Donald Miller.

Not My Boy! : a father, a son, and one family's journey with autism, by Rodney Peete.

My Father, the Captain : my life with Jacques Cousteau, by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

Losing My Cool : how a father's love and 15,000 books beat hip-hop culture, by Thomas Chatterton Williams.

No Wonder My Parents Drank : tales from a stand-up dad, by Jay Mohr.

Let your eye enjoy the color and your ear the soothing sound.  Jazz, birds, and non-fiction books are featured this month in library displays.

Summer Solstice Jazz Festival fills the streets of downtown East Lansing on June 18-20, 2010.  Sounds sure to get your body and soul movin' will fill the air.  Get ready when you next visit the library and check out the display featuring jazz books and recordings.

Waking in the morning to the chitters, coos, and trills of all those birds pulls our hearts and minds into the promise of each new day.  Celebrate birds of all feathers by stopping by the birdwatching display the next time you stop in the library.  You can even catch a information-filled preview on the web at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Birding Association.

Summer is always the time to break out of your reading rut.  Take a look at our display of what can only be called "Fetching Non-Fiction."  Pick up a book that strikes your fancy -- and keep your horizons expanding!

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying..." 

June is National Rose Month.  Of course the library has lots of information on growing and appreciating all the beautiful varieties of roses for gardeners and aficionados.

But beyond the literal, the library has wonderful books to read and films to view to celebrate the power of the rose in life and literature.  Below are a few suggestions.  Share your own suggestions by clicking below on "add new comment."

Always looking for a new author to try?

The New Yorker magazine has chosen its "20 Under 40" list of fiction writers worth watching.  It's been more than a decade since the magazine published such a list, which features noteworthy young writers who are relatively unknown but may emerge as future literary stars.  The previous list included authors like Jhumpa Lahiri, Nathan Englander, and Junot Diaz.

Here's the new list.  Dip right in.  For more information, click here.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chris Adrian
Daniel Alarcon
David Bezmozgis

Follow the Library on Twitter and/or Facebook.  Keep up on events, booklists, book news ... and much, much more!

Yes, the East Lansing Public Library has books to read in languages other than English!

Our Community Languages Collection has books for children and adults in 13 other languages . . . everything from folk tales to the Twilight series, everything from popular mysteries to awarding winning fiction.  Come in and take a look!

Arabic
Chinese
French
German
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Persian (Farsi)
Russian
Spanish
Vietnamese

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. 

Clilck through to the catalog to try these notable authors:  Ai, Anita Desai, Jessica Tarahata Hagedorn, Gish Jen, Ha Jin, Maxine Hong Kingston, Jhumpa Lahiri, Chang-Rae Lee, Bharati Mukherjee, Lisa See, Amy Tan, Lois Ann Yamanaka, and Laurence Yep.

Spring is here.  Time to get outside and loosen up.  This month, when you come to the library, browse through our displays for inspiration.

Gardeners and nature lovers are eager to get their hands dirty.  We've got an impressive range of materials on display to get your floral imagination going and to sharpen your cultivating skills.

After freshening your yard and garden, sit back and enjoy a funny book from the "Humor Me" display.  It features books of wit and laughter that are sure to tickle you.

Finally, young and old alike can enjoy the sleuthing skills of Nancy Drew.  We celebrate the 80th anniversary of the consummate girl detective with a display of all things Nancy.

What's the 5th book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson?  The author's first name is Marilyn and she writes a mystery series--who could she be?  Has James Lee Burke written more than the Dave Robicheaux series?

The What's Next Books in Series database (compiled by the Kent District Library) is one of our favorite sites for answering questions about all things related to book series.  It's bound to become a favorite of yours, too.