ListenNJ!

How many of you own e-readers or are thinking of purchasing one? Or perhaps you enjoy having an e-book handy on your computer to read or an audiobook on your mp3 device to listen to during a long walk? Did you know you could download free audiobooks and e-books from ListenNJ using your Matawan Aberdeen library card? ListenNJ currently offers over 6000 audiobooks and 2000 e-books! There is something for everyone – adult fiction (including drama, horror, mysteries, science fiction) and non-fiction (including health & fitness, biographies, current events), as well as books for teens. You can checkout up to five books at one time and keep them for up to two weeks, just like regular library books.

Downloading audio and e-books is very easy once you get the hang of it. You simply need to install software found on the ListenNJ website onto your computer, OverDrive Media Console (for audiobooks) or Adobe Digital Editions (for e-books), choose your book, and then follow the steps through to the checkout. Be sure to choose “Libraries of Middlesex County Consortium” as your library since the Matawan Aberdeen Library is part of this consortium and is not listed separately. Our computer technician, Curtis, wrote a very helpful guide for using ListenNJ which can be found on the homepage of our website.

Last week Curtis hosted an e-reader workshop where he showed patrons how to download audiobooks and e-books onto their computers and then demonstrated transferring the books to the e-reader using the Barnes and Noble Nook color. E-books can also be transferred to the Apple iPad, Sony Reader, Border’s Kobo, or the newest Amazon Kindle, or simply left to read on your computer. I attended the workshop since this was new territory for me, too. After practicing with the Nook for a little while, I felt like a pro and wondered why I had waited so long to try ListenNJ. Try it for yourself!

Clubs, movies, and special events ... oh my!

Most people are aware the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library offers story hours for children, but are you aware we also host a variety of clubs, movies, and special programs for our adult patrons that you are welcome to attend? Our various monthly clubs include a lively Mahjong club, a fun and informative genealogy club, and, of course, a very popular book club. In addition, we are beginning a new Pinochle club this June at the request of one of our patrons who is willing to teach others how to play. Every Monday afternoon, and occasionally on Sundays, we show an assortment of movies ranging from the classics to popular new releases. This summer, in honor of the NJ Summer Reading Program “Novel Destinations,” we will also be showing foreign films one afternoon a week. Look for these to begin in mid-June!

Are you currently working on your resume or searching for a job? On Thursday afternoons in May we are offering a series of webinars by Tutor.com that will help you answer tough interview question and polish your resume. If you can’t make it to the webinar, Lynne, one our own staff members who has years of experience helping people polish their resumes, will be conducting a program titled Writing an Effective Resume. Do you own a Kindle, Nook, or Sony Reader? Or are you thinking of purchasing one? Another staff member, Curtis, will demonstrate how to download ebooks from ListenNJ onto the e-readers during the E-Reader workshop. He will use a Nook for the class but he can answer questions about all the e-readers. Check out our Event Calendar for all the details.

One of my first tasks as the new Adult Services Librarian is to add to our current schedule of programming for adults. Over the summer we are beginning a new series called After Hours at the Library on Friday nights, offering different types of live music after the library closes. Stay tuned for information about our first concert in July! As I continue to develop new programs for the library, I’m reaching out to ask you what types of programs would you like to see us offer. Are you a history buff who would like to hear a lecture about a particular period in history? Do you want to brush up on your computer skills for work or learn how to join your friends on the social networking sites? Let me know! Also, if you have a talent or skill you would share with others, contact me at the library and we can discuss your ideas. I’d love to hear from you!