Database review: Science Online

I have always loved science, seeing how the world works and makes everything go round. Science Online helps explore various research, experiments, and news article related to everything science. In every area; animal science, astronomy, and even biotechnology, you can explore a wide range of information all at once. This database will help anyone, child or parent, expand their knowledge in the fields of chemistry, physics, or biology.

This database will help expand your knowledge in whatever field you pick. With it’s simple layout, you pick the subject you want, select the related topic, and start learning new things. They have news articles, illustrations, videos, and even experiments you can look up. Great for students trying to do research for a school project, I highly recommend this website if you have a love science like I do.   

This post was written by Tyler C.

Are You Due for a Year-End Financial Assessment?

It’s the end of the year, and for many people, that means adjusting their portfolios. If you have a large enough portfolio, you might qualify for assistance from an investment firm. But if you don’t, where do you turn?

The library can help. We subscribe to Morningstar® Investment Research Center. This service brings a wealth of information (yeah, I meant to say that) to wealth management. Look up your stock or mutual fund and see a chart showing how it’s performed over a period of time – from one day to ten years. Read what analysts say about the performance and value of the stock/fund. There are so many metrics to choose from to evaluate your portfolio.

And if it’s time to change up the mix, you can use the stock screener or fund screener to identify investments that meet your needs. For instance, you can search for stocks that give dividends or mutual funds that do not charge fees. You can also search by sector or fund category.

Find Morningstar® Investment Research Center by following this path: Library Home Page -> Electronic Resources -> Business -> Morningstar®. Choose from either In the Library or At Home.  You will need to enter your library card number if you are at home. The only caveat is that only one user can be logged in at a time, so please remember to end your session when you are finished.

Want to learn more? We are offering a class on how to use this fantastic resource on Thursday January 29^th at 7pm. To register, stop by the library, call 732-583-9100, or email Jill at jstafford@lmxac.org. 

This post was written by Jeanette W.

Review: One Stop Shopping for Free Magazines provided by Zinio

I love to knit and even run a high school knitting club, so I am always looking for what’s new in the knitting world.   There are free patterns galore on the internet but I also like to read stories from other knitter’s about their experiences with the craft, and learn about new products coming out, and collect tips of the trade.  In addition to reading books about knitting, I also enjoy reading magazines about knitting.  I enjoy all the bright spreads of people wearing finished projects and even like to peruse the advertisements for different merchandise.  Of course, like everyone, time is always a problem with work and family so I thought I would check out our Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library (MAPL) webpage and click on electronic resources.  There is was, Zinio, offering interactive digital magazines and you guessed it!  It is FREE!  All you need is your trusty library card.

Zinio is the world’s largest newsstand and you don’t even get rained on while making your selections.  It offers full color, digital magazines for your enjoyment.  Browse from the library’s collection of popular titles with no holds, no checkout periods, and no limit to the number of magazines you can download.   Just click on “Electronic Resources” on our Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library Homepage and select “Magazines and Journals.”  You will see Zinio listed and then just click on the Instructions for creating an account and using zinio.  Search magazines by topics, genres (cooking, gardening, etc.)  or by title.  You can even select the magazines in English or Spanish.   You can “shop” at home in your pajamas for the magazines of your choice for free!  What a great deal!  

This post was written by Cecelia R.

Review: 48 hours in Las Vegas and eLibraryNJ

If you’re on the road and need to bring a travel book with you, visit eLibraryNJ to download and/or view ebooks on your tablets, phones, and/or computers.  Recently I downloaded and viewed an ebook in my internet browser called 48 Hours in Las Vegas, which was short, informative and contained pictures, maps and sample itineraries.

 eLibraryNJ is one of the many database services that is available with your library card. Either simply search our online catalog or eLibraryNJ’s catalog to see if an eBook version exists.  Then you can either download/view the selection right away, or place a hold and receive a notification when it’s available to download.  You can also choose a checkout period of 7, 14, or 21 days.  After the checkout period is complete, the downloaded material simply disappears from your device.  Nothing to return, and best of all, no fines!

All you need to use this FREE service is you library card, an Adobe ID, and or Adobe Digital Editions (if you want to download a book to your device via your computer).  During the week there are Computer Technical Assistants at the library who can assist you if you need help. 

This post was written by Dennis K.

Review: Eurythmics and Freegal = Sweet Dreams are Made of This

Because it's back to school time, I wanted to reconnect with my high school days. The best way to do that was to reminisce with my old friends, the Eurythmics.  After visiting our library’s homepage and locating its electronic services, I clicked “Freegal”. All I needed was my Matawan Aberdeen Public Library card to download the following songs:  Here Comes the Rain Again, Love is a Stranger, and my favorite hit of theirs,Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).

You, too, can download up to three songs per week (for FREE) on Freegal!

FREEGAL is a downloadable music service which provides access to about 6 million songs, including access to Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists including Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood, Dave Matthews Band, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Mumford and Sons, One Direction, Pink, Yo-Yo Ma, and many more… New music is available the same day it shows up on iTunes or other stores.   

Remember, all you need is your Matawan Aberdeen Library card! 

To begin your musical adventure, click here.

This post was written by Susie B.

Review: Lightheaded and IndieFlix

Lightheaded (2009)

Lightheaded is a 5 minute animated film, written and directed by Mike Dacko, that I recently watched on IndieFlix. This wonderful, creative little film won first prize for Best Animation at the Rhode Island International Film Festival and is well worth your time if you appreciate quality film making.

What is IndieFlix? IndieFlix is a streaming movie service that gives Matawan Aberdeen Public Library cardholders unlimited access to thousands of award winning independent films! Short on time? No problem. You can choose films to watch based on duration. There are 5 minute films as well as two hour films. In addition to duration, you can choose a film based on genre, film festival, audience (teen, adult, etc.), country of origin. You can even choose based on how much others enjoyed the film. 

Prefer the old classic films? IndieFlix offers many of those, too. Choose from A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), Jane Eyre (1943), All the President's Men (1976), and many, many more!

Click here if you're ready to begin watching some terrific films, and yes, it's all FREE! 

Pass the popcorn!

Adult Summer Reading 2014

Summer 2014 is flying by, isn't it?  It's hard to believe we're already in August and there's only one more week until the end of the Adult Summer Reading Club. Next Monday afternoon, August 11, we'll be doing our Week 7 raffle drawing. Right after that drawing, we'll be pulling together all the raffle tickets collected over the last seven weeks and selecting for the Grand Prize. 

This year the Grand Prize is a collection of  gift cards to FOUR local restaurants!  Bart's Restaurant, Cafe 34 Bistro, Trattoria Rustica Restaurant, and La Riviera Lounge have all generously donated gift cards so we can offer you this fabulous prize! Thank you to our sponsors!

There is still time to read one or even two more books before next Monday. Just be sure to return them and get your tickets in the jar before 2 PM. You can also earn additional raffle tickets by completing one or both of the fun science quizzes located by the Week 7 prize.

Remember, it only takes one ticket to win a raffle prize!

Phishing, vishing, and SMShing

While we at MAPL usually use this blog to post about upcoming library programs or featured library resources, today I'm going to do something a little different.  I'm going recommend a post from another blog. As a public librarian, I'm in the business of providing all sorts of information, and that's what I'd like to do now.

Get Rich Slowly is a personal finance blog that's been around for several years. In mid-February one of their contributors wrote a post titled "Phishing, vishing, and SMShing," and as I read the post I found myself thinking everyone should be aware of phishing scams and how to avoid becoming a victim. What is a phishing scam, you ask? According to the blog post, a phishing scam is a scheme that "encompasses fraudulently obtaining and using an individual's personal or financial information."

It seems we are hearing more and more about phishing schemes, and since the methods used to trick us are becoming more sophisticated, we need how to recognize the schemes so we don't fall victim to them. If you are interested in reading the entire blog post about phishing, you can find it here at Get Rich Slowly's website.

Book Review: New Tech Books

Windows 8: The Missing Manual

Do you have a lot of questions about Windows 8? Since the radical change in Windows last year, many customers are confused on how to use the new features. This book answers beginner questions about Windows 8 like “Where is my Start Menu?” and “Are my old programs compatible?”

Other topics include security, included software, Internet Explorer, photos and video, backing up, printing, and more.

Network Security

With the rise of malicious hackers on the Internet, it couldn’t hurt to become savvier in the world of cyber security. With this book, you can learn to defend your network against a wide range of existing and emerging threats.

Topics include attacker types, exploits used, and how to prevent them from accessing your data.

Microsoft Word 2013

Microsoft has done it again. In their latest version of Microsoft Word, they have added support for Windows 8, which allows for office documents to be manipulated in the cloud!

Learn how to create documents on your PC or touch-enabled device, create custom styles/templates, organize content, collaborate on SkyDrive, and more.

Kindle Fire HD: The Missing Manual

Do you own a Kindle Fire? Maybe. Do you know how to use it? Maybe not. This book is written to bring you up to speed on how to use a Kindle Fire HD. You’ll learn how to download music onto the device, browse the web, watch TV shows and movies, and of course, read!

Other topics include sending email, playing games, listening to audiobooks, and more.

Laptops for Dummies

Learn the basics of laptops with this book. If you are considering buying one, this book will help you assess your needs. If you already own one, this book gives step by step instructions on how to set it up, what the different slots are, how to start it, how to connect to the Internet, and maintain it.

HTML

Have you ever wanted to design your own website? How about modify and existing one? With this book, you can get started with creating custom websites in minutes. Learn the key skills and concepts, practice your knowledge with hands on exercises, get tips from the experts, and more.

Other topics include multimedia, Cascading Style Sheets, and JavaScript.

Networking for Dummies

This book will put you on your way to becoming a networking guru. It begins with an overview of standards, hardware, network operating systems, and other essentials, and moves on to TCP/IP, security, servers, and finally, Linux. 

Reviewed by S. Lutz

Book Review - The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan

A stunningly good first novel, this book had me hooked from the start. Grace Winter tells us her story of how she became a newlywed, a widow, and on trial for her life, all by the age of 22. Grace is introduced to the reader as she walks through the rain to a hearing. Her light-hearted antics in the rain present a stark contrast to the story that immediately follows.

It is 1914, two years after the Titanic. Grace and her new husband, Henry, are aboard a luxury liner returning to America after their European honeymoon when the liner is stricken by a mysterious explosion.  Henry maneuvers to get Grace on a lifeboat, which the survivors soon learn is filled beyond its capacity.

As the survivors battle the elements, and each other, Grace recollects the unorthodox way she and Henry met, and the new life of privilege she thought she had attained. Her narration weaves between the days that drag on and on, waiting for rescue, and the saga of the life that brought her to the ill-fated honeymoon.

I do not usually like a book with a prologue that relates an event and then flashes back to the story leading up to that event. I spend most of my reading wondering when the event will happen. That was not the case with this book. While I knew there would be a trial, I did not hang on waiting for the offense that prompted that trial. Because the ordeal on the lifeboat was so engrossing and harrowing, I waited for their rescue, and took all other events as they came. And very often, I found myself wondering what I would do if I were in that situation.

Since this story is told by Grace, from her point of view, there are elements we can never know completely. Characters and events can only be as thoroughly related as they are known to her.  The setting is also colored by the time period in which it is set, with that era’s view of gender and class. Grace emerges as both creator and victim of her circumstances, and is as memorable and complex as the events she describes.

Reviewed by Jeanette Walker

Book Review - All Roads Lead to Austen: A Yearlong Journey with Jane

I stumbled upon All Roads Lead to Austen: A Yearlong Journey with Jane by Amy Elizabeth Smith while searching for an ebook to read on the train this summer. I browsed through Freading ebooks since I knew everything would available for download immediately (no wait list!)  While I'm not an Austenite, I do seem to gravitate to books centered around Jane Austen's books ... The Jane Austen Book Club is a good example of this.

I'm also an armchair traveler so I really liked that All Roads Lead to Austen is part travelogue. During a yearlong sabbatical from teaching, Smith journeys to six countries in Latin America (Guatemala, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina) to conduct reading groups using three of Austen's novels - Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma - in an attempt to discover if Austen's books translate across time and culture.  Since this book is a memoir, it was lots of fun for me to "meet" real people from these Latin American countries, not just fictional characters created by an author. 

My absolute favorite part of the book is when Smith asked the members of her reading groups to suggest the authors from their country that they thought she should read. I diligently jotted down the author's names, vowing to read as many of them as I possibly can (translated into English, of course). I won't embarrass myself by revealing how many of the authors were new to me.

If you are curious about All Roads Lead to Austen, you can check out additional reviews on Goodreads.

This book review was submitted by Jill S.

Freegal 4.0 Is Here!

If you're not already familiar with Freegal Music, it allows you to download 3 FREE songs per week from a collection of over 7 million songs!   The songs are downloaded as MP3 files and they are yours to keep forever. Freegal Music currently has music from over 28,000 labels, including the complete catalog of Sony Music Entertainment.

In addition to songs, you can now download music videos from Freegal.  The music videos count as 2 credits compared to the 1 credit cost of each song, but like the songs, the MP4 video files are yours to keep forever. Choose from over 10,000 videos from artists including Adele, One Direction, Miley Cyrus, Michael Jackson, and many, many more.

Another feature new to Freegal 4.0 is the ability to create a wishlist of songs that you'd like to download in the future.  This will come in very handy when you see all the new songs being offered!

Each person with a Matawan Aberdeen Library card is given 3 credits per week (Monday to Sunday) which you can used to download songs and videos. To access Freegal 4.0, please visit our website at www.matawanaberdeenlibrary.com, click on Electronic Resources, select Music, and then click on the Freegal icon ... or simply click here. You can browse without signing in, but you must sign in with your library card number in order to download videos or songs.

Enjoy!

This post was written by Dennis K. and Jill S.

Book Review: Unleashed by David Rosenfelt

If you are a dog-lover, (as I am) and you like mysteries, (as I do), then you will love this latest mystery from the author, David Rosenfelt.  It is an addition to the Andy Carpenter series, but it is also enjoyable as a stand-alone.  Rosenfelt lived in Patterson, New Jersey and this is his 11^th Andy Carpenter mystery featuring this New Jersey city.

 Andy is an independently wealthy, criminal defense attorney.  His main interest is his girlfriend, his dog, and the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue center.  So it is no surprise that he is reluctant to take on new clients but after much persuading agrees to take on his accountant’s friend, Barry Price.  Unfortunately, Barry dies in a plane crash before meeting Andy.  It is soon discovered that the plane crash was not accidental and Barry’s wife is arrested for his murder.   Without spoiling the mystery, I can tell you that the story involves a mob of international terrorists threating a major attack on the United States, a group of octogenarian computer whizzes who assistant our attorney, and of course, you will meet some pretty special dogs, and have a thoroughly entertaining time.  This book will keep you turning the pages as fast as the plot keeps coming up with unexpected twists and turns to the very exciting end. The story is told with Andy’s wisecracking humor and unusual courtroom behavior and candid observations.  All this keeps his fans coming back for more and I believe you will be a fan after reading, Unleashed.

After you read this novel you may want to try his nonfiction book, Dogtripping.  Rosenfelt is an ardent dog lover and has rescued many throughout his life.  This book chronicles his funny account of a cross-country move from California to Maine, and the beginnings of the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue center.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that the family did this move with twenty-five rescue dogs, eleven volunteers, and three RVs?

As a side note, I would also like to add that one of our own staff members at MAPL has met David Rosenfelt and has corresponded with him.  She is also a lover of dogs.

Genre:  Legal thrillers; Suspense stories   Writing Style:  Compelling; Witty

Book reviewed by Cecelia R.

Adult Summer Reading Club ends soon!

Week 7 raffle prize

There are only a few days left to participate in the 2013 Adult Summer Reading Club.  While the Children and Teen Summer Reading Clubs both end on Friday, August 9 with the Finisher’s Day activities, the Adult SRC will continue until Monday, August 12 @ 1 PM.   This means you have plenty of time to finish that book you’re currently reading, or even start a new book if you are a fast reader.  Just remember to return your book (or audiobook) by Monday @ 1 PM to get that last raffle ticket.

Sometime after 1 PM we’ll draw for the Week 7 raffle prize, a beautiful basket of assorted summer goodies and two new books – Unwritten by Charles Martin and The Moon Says It Will by Vell Sweeney. Next we’ll pool together all the adult raffle tickets from the entire summer and draw for the Grand Prize - a Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight (courtesy of the Friends of the Library)!

Remember, you can’t win if you don’t enter!  Good Luck everyone!

Book Review: Full Body Burden by Kristen Iversen

Have you ever heard of the Rocky Flats Plant in Jefferson County, Colorado? If not, don't worry, because after reading Full Body Burden by Kristen Iversen, you'll learn the history and the secrets behind the plant.  In Iversen's autobiography she writes about her childhood (from heartbreak to family secrets and her family experiences living near the plant), and of course the real agenda behind Rocky Flats. Most residents living near the plant believed they were making cleaning products, but secretly it was a working nuclear plant creating plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons.  Throughout the book she highlights specific workers and their experiences in the plant along with events happening in her family and is able to interweave these two topics into a wonderful narrative.   
Kristen Iversen's autobiography of her time growing up near the plant reads more like a work of fiction, and at times you have to remind yourself that these events really happened and that the people highlighted were real.  If you enjoyed the movie Erin Brockovich you will love reading this book about the secrets that a plant hid from its community and the outcomes that followed the residents and workers.   

This post was written by Dennis K.

Book Review: The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer is the story of six friends who meet at summer camp in 1974 and remain part of each others lives for the next few decades. It’s a summer camp for the arts so the book has plenty to say about creative people and what role creativity plays in their lives. Is it enough to be talented without ambition? Is it better to be talented and lucky, or wealthy? At what point do you "settle"? Smart and funny, The Interestings has well drawn characters, with dramatically different lives and relationships. They support each other, they drift apart. They share secrets and lies. They celebrate each other but they can also be jealous. Wolitzer has a remarkable eye for detail, and ear for dialogue. She captures a lot of life’s beautiful small moments and larger truths. The Interestings is aptly named, and a great addition to your summer reading list.


This post was written by Susie B.

Prizes and Fun are guaranteed this summer at MAPL!

Sign up now for our annual Adult Summer Reading Club. Every time you return a book, audiobook, or Playaway, you will have the chance to win fun weekly prizes such as gift cards, gift baskets, and much more! The more you read, the more chances you have to win. In order to win prizes you'll need to register for the club at the Circulation Desk.  You'll be assigned a number and receive a FREE tote bag courtesy of the Friends of the Library. While you're there pick up a brochure with details on all the amazing programs going on at the library this summer! Learn about Life At An Edwardian Manor (7/22 @ 7 pm) , the History of the Jersey Shore (7/31 @ 7 pm), or listen to the music of Gregory Irish (7/19 @ 7 pm), plus so much more.  The sooner you get started, the more chances you'll have to win. At the end of summer all the raffle tickets will be put back in the jar for a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight (also from the Friends of the Library).

Good luck to everyone!

This post was written by library intern, Dennis Kuhn, with reference librarian, Jill Stafford.

Peeling the Onion

I like books that evolve and reveal, and like peeling an onion, show what’s underneath or what’s behind. Two of my favorite books of this sort are People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks and Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.

People of the Book follows Hannah Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, as she restores the Sarajevo Haggadah, a beautifully illuminated Hebrew manuscript created in fifteenth-century Spain. Hannah has her own life story drama, but for me the real drama came as she peels apart the book and finds the relics that reveal the book’s rich history: an insect wing fragment, wine stains, salt crystals, and a white hair. Inspired by the Haggadah’s true story, each relic’s origin is imagined with touching, engrossing stories that bring each character to life. In fact, at times, I found myself more interested in the people of the book’s past than in Hannah’s story. Yet, there is mystery and intrigue afoot around one of the oldest Sephardic Haggadah’s in the world, and Hannah unwittingly is entangled in the connivance. I have read this book twice and still love it.

Forgotten Garden, I realize, is similar in that a book leads to a historical past. Found abandoned on a pier in Brisbane, Australia, a young girl carries a suitcase that contains some clothes and a single book of fairy tales. On her twenty-first birthday, the harbor master who adopted her tells her the truth of her origins. Feeling lost and foundation-less, Nell, as she was named, has little but the book to lead her to her true past. After many years of pondering her past, Nell decides she will finally travel to England but she is suddenly left to care for Cassandra, her granddaughter, and her search is thwarted. After Nell’s death, Cassandra finds clues that set her off on the hunt. Her pursuit leads to all the layers of Nell’s story being unpeeled. This book intertwines stories more “densely” than People of the Book does, in that chapters jump between time frames more rapidly and diversely, but each chapter is dated and each story is easily followed. Nell and her granddaughter Cassandra are both strong women, each with a tale I loved following. The unveiling of Nell’s childhood home will likely sound familiar to fans of The Secret Garden with some traces of Downton Abbey thrown in, as well. I have only read this book once but know it too will be read again.

This blog post was written by Adult Services Librarian, Jeanette Walker.

Book Reviews: New Computer Books

The Matawan Aberdeen Public Library has recently acquired some new books that are perfect for tech-geeks and aspiring learners alike. The books range from topics such as:

·         Communicating with Siri

·         Cloud Computing

·         Pinterest

·         Searching the Internet Effectively

·         Blogging

Talking to Siri by Erica Sadun is a great way to learn how to maximize your productivity with your iOS device. Learn how to teach Siri to recognize requests and take dictation more accurately, launch apps, look up movie reviews, send messages by voice, answer math and science problems, and more.

Cloud Computing in Easy Steps by David Crookes is a great way to get started in learning to utilize the cloud. Written in plain English and full of illustration, this book is easy to follow from Chapter 1. Learn how to use Google’s cloud services, such as Google Drive & Google Calendar, as well as services such as Microsoft’s SkyDrive, Dropbox, Apple’s iCloud, and more.

 

My Pinterest by Michael Miller can show you how to get started on the latest social network, Pinterest. Read how to create new pinboards, pin items such as intriguing digital media, comment on your friends’ pins, and more. This easy read is complete with easily understandable pictures that will enable you to immediately get the hang of the site.

 

Extreme Searcher’s Internet Handbook by Randolph Hock is an excellent tool for power users. Learn how to optimize your search engine of choice to instantly redirect you to your page of interest. Whether you’re looking for Historical Documents, Statistics, Maps, Professional Directories, or Databases, this book will assist you in learning to become an efficient Internet searcher.

Blog Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community by Joy Deangdeelert Cho is an excellent start on the journey to blogging online. Learn how to design an attractive site, manage content, choose the right advertisements (if any), use great photos, and more. While the book may be text heavy, it is worth the read for any aspiring blogger who wishes to make a name for themself.

 

Hybrid Cloud for Dummies by Judith Hurwitz is a book primarily aimed at aspiring technical professionals. Concepts include information management with regards to hybrid clouds, identifying business value, delivering cloud services, and making it all work together seamlessly.

Come check out these books and our technical book selection today!

Skyler Lutz

Computer Technical Assistant

Matawan Aberdeen Public Library

Freegal = Free and Legal Music

I hope everyone who comes into the library or has visited our website is familiar with Freegal, the awesome service for downloading FREE mp3 music files that can be played on any music device.  Freegal has changed quite a bit since it's debut a couple of years ago. First of all, there is so much more music – over 3 million songs from 10,000 labels including the labels of Sony Music Entertainment. They have tens of thousands of popular artists in hundreds of music genres.  You can find albums such as:



Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience

Brad Paisley’s Wheelhouse

P!nk’s The Truth About Love


Children will enjoy albums such as:



Blues Clues Boogie

It's a Wiggly Wiggly World!

Dora the Explorer Party Favorites

There’s a Freegal app for the iOS devices available at the Apple Store as well as an app for the Android at the Google Play Store.

Finally, if you want to keep up with the latest offerings by Freegal, check out their blog here.

You can download three mp3 files every week.  All for FREE with your library card from the Matawan Aberdeen Public Library!

Enjoy!