Living like there's no tomorrow...

Hi! It's Miss Jo. I just finished a book that got me to thinking about what I would do if I found out I had less than a year to live. The book is Deadline by Chris Crutcher.

Ben Wolf is a senior in high school and runs cross-country for his small high school in Trout, Indiana, population 943. Ben goes in for his school physical and finds out he has a terminal illness -- and less than a year to live.

What would you do in this case? I'm sure it's different than what Ben decided to do. Ben decided to not tell anyone -- to keep this information to himself and not pursue treatment. The doctor wanted to tell his parents, but Ben told him NO. He told the doctor that he was eighteen and an adult, and that it was his own personal business. Since Ben was legally an adult, the doctor had to abide by his wishes.

Ben decided to live life to the fullest and even go out for football even though he only weighed 123 pounds. He gets a girlfriend for the first time in his life. He speaks up in class about things he is passionate about, knowing he will cause trouble and that he might not even graduate. (He even tries to get the name of "Main Street" changed to "Malcolm X".) Knowing you are going to die changes how you live your life.

This young man is very likable and is loved by all who know him. While I felt he was brave, I also feel that we need others to help us through difficult and trying times. After the disease starts to affect his life, Ben finally realizes this and tells his family and friends the truth.

This is a very good book and the characters are just like the people we knew in high school. Check it out -- I don't think you will be disappointed.

See you at the library!

On a Roll...

Hi! It's Miss Jo. I just finished a book that I thought you might like to check out.

The book is Derby Girl, and it's written by Shauna Cross. It is a real easy read and just a fun one to take your mind off about going back to school.

Fifteen year old Bliss Cavendar is in high school in a small hick town not far from Austin called Bodeen. Bliss has a mother who is into beauty pageants and she thinks her daughters should be into it, too.

Bliss hates pageants and wants out. Bliss and her friend Pash take a trip to Austin and they end up at a Roller Derby event. Bliss loves it and so she tries out for a team without her parents knowing about it. You have to be 18 to be on a roller derby team, but Bliss lies about her age.

Well, she doesn't really lie -- she just doesn't tell them her age. She makes the team (the Hurl Scouts), and the rest is history.

Between school, parents, work a new boy friend and her new life as a roller derby star, everything is going along fine for Bliss, until her boyfriend cheats on her and her mother finds out about her roller derby life.

Grab your skates and check this book out and see what happens to Bliss and her life as a roller derby queen. Roller Derby is not a beauty pageant, but it is a lot more exciting.

ALL SKATE!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome to 2009. One of our resolutions for this year is to take better care of this blog.

To that end, we have some book reviews coming up (including one this afternoon), and we'll be keeping you informed on books, music, and movies coming up that should interest you.

We invite you to join in! Comment on the blog entries, e-mail us or stop by the library to let us know what you think, and what you're interested in.

Remember, this is your blog. Help us make it better.

See you at the library!

School days, school days...

Well, school's been back in session for a few weeks now, and we're sure you've all started thinking about homework. (Because let's face it: it's just so much FUN to think about, right?)

We just wanted to take a few minutes to remind you of some of the services the library offers that can help you out when it comes time to write that report -- or finish that algebra assignment.

• Tutor.com - having a little trouble grasping that new concept in geometry? Having trouble in science class? Need a little help with that essay for English class? Tutor.com can help!
  
  Tutor.com offers free online help from 2pm - 9pm, 7 days a week. All of the tutors are fully trained, qualified not only to help, but to teach the subject they're helping you with. As an added bonus, you can download the entire help session when you're finished, so you can refer to it later to refresh your memory. Great when test time rolls around. And it's free -- just enter your library card number to access.
  
  
• Texshare Databases/Library of Texas - offers over twenty different online databases providing full text articles from a wide variety of journals, newspapers, magazines, and books; as well as a comprehensive catalog of libraries all over the world. Perfect for doing research when you can't get to the library. Available 24 hours a day! These databases are free, but you'll need to get the login and password from the Circulation Desk to access it.
  
  
• Learning Express Library - offers online study guides for college entrance exams, civil service tests, and more. Prepare for your SAT, ACT, or ASVAB (along with many others) whenever you need it -- no more waiting for the study guide to come back to the library. Learning Express Library will automatically score your practice tests and tell you where you need improvemnt. Free -- use your library card to set up an account.
  
  
• eAudiobooks - need to read a book for class, but just don't have the time to sit down and read it? There's a good chance that netLibrary offers it as an eAudiobook -- simply check it out and download it to your computer or transfer it to a portable media player and listen to it anywhere you go! This service is free, but you'll need to set up an account through the TexShare Database portal, so make sure you get the login and password from the Circulation Desk.
  
  
• Dallas Morning News Historical Archives - offers the original text of the Dallas Morning News from 1885-1977. Great for when you need primary source information for a research paper. This is free; just use your library card number to access it.
  

Are you noticing a trend here? All of this is available to you for free with your library card! It's all here for you to use from anywhere -- you don't even have to be in the library. (Well, except to get your card and get the login and password for TexShare...) It's like having the library open 24/7 for your convenience!

We hope you'll remember these resources when it comes time to do your homework, or if you just need a little extra help in class. All of these links are available at the library's main Web site here: http://www.jacksonvillelibrary.com. Several of them are also available on the sidebar to the right of this blog.

Remember: We're your library, and we're here to help.

See you at the library!

TWILIGHT time has changed....

In response to the release date change for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the release date for Twilight has been moved forward from December 12th to November 21st.

The full story is available here.

Keep those calendars handy -- this is starting to get confusing...

See you at the Library!

"Harry Potter" movie pushed back....

According to this article, the November 2008 release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has been pushed back until Summer 2009.

The new release date is set for July 17, 2009, "to bolster [the studio's] release schedule for the lucrative summer moviegoing season."

The two-part production of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will proceed as planned, with the first part scheduled to be released in November 2010.

(Oh, well. That just gives you more time to read the books!)

See you at the library!

Taking a break from "Dawn"....

Hi! This is Miss Jo. Right now I'm reading Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. (I guess half the world is reading it by now...)

I am pleasantly surprised so far. It's like she called me up and asked me what I would like for her to put in the book. I'm almost finished and everything is working out great!

If you haven't read it, I won't spoil it for you. If you have read it -- all I can say is: "Oh, Edward!"!!!!

Let me know what you think about the book.

See you at the library!