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Family History Month OCTOBER 2010
October-November | 2010
Welcome to the link. I am thrilled that the fall edition of the link features a special message from our Mayor, Annise D. Parker. An avid reader and long time supporter of the Houston Public Library, the Mayor recently joined us to help celebrate the launch of Books on the Bayou – HPL’s One City-One Book program, which took place during the month of September. A strong advocate for children and books, Mayor Parker also helped to launch this year’s library summer reading program. Because of her passion for reading, we thought it would be fun to invite the Mayor to share with us some of her favorite books and authors and how her love for books and reading evolved. You can find the Mayor’s story on page 2 along with summaries of some of the books that were a part of her childhood that she still enjoys today. October is Family History Month. Did you know that HPL’s Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, located on Caroline Street in the Museum District, is considered one of the top genealogy libraries in the country? That makes October the perfect time and the Clayton Library the perfect place to learn more about your family tree. Why not start a new search or complete a search you’ve already begun? For information about resources and programs that will help you explore your family history, please see page 7.
Mayor Annise Parker Shares her Favorite Books and Authors
City of Houston Mayor Annise Parker shares her favorite book character and authors in this edition of the link.
Also launching in October is More Money @ Your Library®, a series of free financial literacy classes and programs designed to help you better manage your money and meet your financial goals. Classes are scheduled in many library locations across the city, and include topics such as budgeting basics, starting a small business, and how to avoid identity theft. For more information, please see page 10. Finally, it is never too early to start planning your Thanksgiving dinner. If you need help planning your menu, HPL is here to help! Please see page 11 for a list of online sources for great recipes or to learn how to download an electronic cookbook. If you are wondering why we spend so much time planning, cooking and enjoying Thanksgiving dinner, page 8 provides information on the history of the Thanksgiving feast. Happy Thanksgiving!
All the Best,
Feature & News
page 2
Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Director
Mayor Annise Parker Friends Book Sale
Attain your financial goals. Participate in More Money @ Your Library financial literacy classes.
October 1 - 31, 2010
www.houstonlibrary.org/moremoney Kids & Teens page 4 Virtual Authors Kids Picks Teen and Kid Movies
RESOURCES
page 6
Family History Month Thanksgiving History Native American History
ADULTS page 9 An Evening With An Afternoon With Fall Book Cribs
TECH IT page 11 Online Recipes Computer Classes & Workshops
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HPL FEATURE
Mayor Annise Parker Shares Andre Norton Booklist her Favorite Book Lost Lands of Witch World by Mayor Annise Parker
I cannot pick one book as my favorite over all others because I am absolutely a voracious reader, and have been since I learned to read. In fact, I have been known to read the back of a cereal box if I have nothing else to read. I have always been that way. Although I will read anything, I gravitate toward science fiction and fantasies. I like these genres because they tend to be about possibilities for the future or the exploration of worlds and realities very different from our own. I do have some very well worn copies of Horatio Hornblower novels from my youth. Hornblower, a fictional officer in the Royal Navy, is the protagonist in a series authored by C.S. Forester. The series traces Hornblower’s adventures in numerous locales, including a secret mission to Central America. I was also partial to Andre Norton’s science fiction. Like my favorites from Hornblower, these books have also been read and reread many times since I was a child. Her characters tend to be underdogs or outsiders who experience rites of passage that take them to their full potential. Animals, especially cats, tend to have prominent roles in Norton’s writing. They can be the ordinary type of cat that we are all familiar with or very exotic with imagined characteristics developed in the author’s mind. As an avid pet lover, I enjoy the tales and experiences Norton creates for these characters. Whether, like me, you enjoy science fiction or would rather curl up with a romance novel or a good biography, I am certain you’ll be able to find something of interest among the thousands of books available for borrowing at the Houston Public Library.
Pick up a copy of the Horatio Hornblower novels at your favorite Houston Public Library Location
This unique world of sorceresses and the many others who fight such adversaries as the Kolder, the Hounds of Alizon, and other threats, has proven to be Miss Norton’s most beloved and popular creation. Today, almost four decades after their first publication, these novels of adventure, excitement, and daring remain as fresh and original as when they first appeared. This series is available in a single volume for new readers of all ages to discover, and for fans to rediscover.
Silver May Tarnish Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie have teamed up to craft a powerful new tale. Told with freshness against the rich Witch World background, this fast-paced adventure by the authors of The Dukes Ballad is a timeless story of the courage and resourcefulness of Lorcan, heir to Erendale, and Meive, a maiden of Landale. After the death and destruction of war takes a terrible toll on both their dales, Lorcan, leading a band of blank shields from other war-torn dales, makes a stand in Meives dale, where they hope to create a safe place where those who have lost land or kin in the war can start new lives.
Dragon Mage Shy realizes that she is lucky to be taken in by her grandparents after her father dies, but life above an antique store in Slade’s Corners, Wisconsin is not exactly the place a teenage girl wants to be. One day while going through boxes of her father’s boyhood stuff, she comes upon a rare old set of dragon puzzles … all of which are missing pieces. Her grandmother recalls the fantastic tales Shy’s father would tell about his travels to lands of dragons and adventure. She always thought that these fantasies were inspired by the puzzles Shy has found. Shy realizes that by mixing and matching the different sets she can complete a single dragon puzzle that combines all of the others. Upon doing so she is whisked away to ancient Babylon where she must continue the duties of her father’s legacy as a servant to the dragon and a savior of the world. These books and other titles from Andre Norton are available at your favorite HPL location and online at: www.houstonlibrary.org/catalog.
Hornblower and the “Hotspur”
Commodore Hornblower
Hornblower and the “Atropos”
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HPL NEWS
Friends of the Houston Public Library’s September 2010 Children’s Book Sale 2 days, 54 volunteers, 17,000 books given a second chance in people’s hearts, hands, and homes. Over $20,000 raised to help the Houston Public Library.
THANK YOU! Nothing would be possible without community book donations and countless hours of hard work and dedication by Friends of the Houston Public Library volunteers:
Rubisela Alanis, Gregory Blechman, Janet Cardenas, Jessica Cardenas, Shanta Chambers, Patricia Chisholm, Adrienne Cobb, Sarah Coronado, Idaliz Cuellen, Rebecca DeLeon, Ann Dolbee, Diane Durbin, Charles Fuller, Maria Guzman, Tod Harding, Doug Havlik, Barbara Hupe, Stacey Hupe, Velda Hunter, Jan Mitchell Johnson, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc., Cheryle Lerch, Toni Lerch, Pam Lightbody, Lola Lopez, Peter Lott, Layne Mason, Diana McKissic, Bella Mendoza, John Miers, Monika Miura, Maria Montiel-Vite, Bill Nix, Claire Noll, Hans Olsen, Monica Ortale, Guadalupe Orellana, Margie Pierce, Ronel Pierre, Joann Pigott, Taylon Randle, Pat Rannila, Dr. Diego Rivero, Bert Schoellkopf, Mary Schoellkopf, Patricia Sinex, Kent Sinex, Lee Smith, Diane Sanders, Karin Telfer, Jean Vorhaben, Lindsey Windham, John Worm, Stanley Zimmer and numerous volunteer hours in the warehouse.
SAVE THE DATE for the 33rd Annual Bargain Book Sale – May 13-15, 2011!
Shall We Gather: The Gregory School Celebrates 140 Years September 18, 2010-January 18, 2011
One hundred and forty years later after its inception, the Gregory School, the first African American Public School in Houston, has reopened and converted into a special collections library, operated by the Houston Public Library. The exhibition Shall We Gather: The Gregory School Celebrates 140 Years examines the unique history of the Gregory School while interacting with new works from the African American Library at the Gregory School’s archival collection. For more details on this exhibit and others at Houston Public Library locations, visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/exhibits. Images from Shall We Gather, Exhibit at the African American Library at the Gregory School
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TEENS
Teen Read Month Almost, Totally, Virtually Here: A Series of Virtual Teen Author Visits In celebration of Teen Read Month
Meet and chat with four famous authors about new books, past books, their writing process or the color of their socks. These author chats are the virtual equivalent of sitting and chatting with your favorite writer at a coffee shop. Information on how to log in to hosting neighborhood libraries locations or how to log in from your home computer to participate will be available on the Houston Public Library web site www.houstonlibrary.org/teens.
AFTER SCHOOL
ZONE
Edward Bloor
Thursday, October 7 | 4:30 PM Author of Tangerine and Taken.
Barry Lyga
Friday, October 15 | 4:30 PM Author of Boy Toy, The Amazing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl, Goth Girl Rising and his newest book Archvillian.
Cecil Castellucci
Monday, October 18 | 4:30 PM Author of The Plain Janes (graphic novel), Boy Proof, Queen of Cool, and Rose Sees Red.
Libba Bray
Tuesday, October 26 | 3:30 PM Author of The Gemma Doyle Trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing) and Going Bovine.
TEEN MOVIE PICKS This Fall, experience action, adventure, fantasy and mayhem with this month’s teen movie picks. Check them out online or at your favorite HPL location. -4-
This school year, join the after school fun at the Houston Public Library After School Zones (ASZ). The zones are within walking distance of schools and are for middle school and high school students. The zones are available from 3- 5:30 PM. Programs offered include gaming, craft activities, and tech workshops. Classes range from music creation, film making and stop animation to basic social networking classes. For the latest info on ASZ - visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/events
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KIDS
KIDS PICKS - Books to Enjoy
Bone Soup by Cambria Evans
Known across the land for his infamous appetite, Finnigin is never seen without his eating stool, his eating spoon, and his gigantic eating mouth. When Finnigin finds himself in a new town on Halloween, he hopes to join a great feast with the creatures who live there. But not a body or soul will share any of their food with the ever-famished Finnigin. So what’s a hungry skeleton to do? Armed only with his wits and a special ingredient, will Finnigin be able to stir up a cauldron’s worth of Halloween magic?
Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead by Judy Goldman; illustrations by Rene King Moreno
Upon the death of her beloved Tio Urbano, who has taught her that monarch butterflies are the souls of the dead, young Lupita gains a deeper understanding of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, as it is observed in rural Mexico.
The Halloween Kid by Rhode Montijo. From the illustrator of “Melvin Beederman, Superhero” comes a story about a masked hero and his trusty steed. Together they save Halloween from ruthless toilet-paper-tossing mummies and pumpkin-sucking vampires.
And Then Comes Halloween by Tom Brenner; illustrated by Holly Meade
With poetic language and vivid collage illustrations, a debut author and a Caldecott Honor artist follow all the familiar Halloween rituals in this exuberant picture book, from hanging paper skeletons to carving pumpkins, from costume-making to trick-or-treating.
Holiday Movies Picks for Kids and Families
Four movies to watch during the Fall Holiday Season, from the classic Charlie Brown Series to the current Harry Potter Epic. Find these films and more at your favorite HPL location. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving When Peppermint Patty and a group of hungry pals show up at Charlie Brown’s house expecting food, Charlie Brown is too wishy-washy to refuse. With the help of Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock a very unusual feast is prepared. Coraline A young girl walks through a secret door that she has found in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life, but much better. When her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents, including the Other Mother, try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home - and save her family. The Nightmare Before Christmas The story of Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king, who decides to bring the magic of Christmas back to Halloween Town. Harry Potter Years 1 - 4 This DVD series includes the first four Harry Potter movies based on the Novels; Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone / Chamber of Secrets / Prisoner of Azkaban / Goblet of Fire. Take the holiday weekend and enjoy the beautifully presented, scary and fun Harry Potter movies. -5-
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resources
Family History Month
Begin the Fall by learning more about our Autumn Holidays through Britannica Online for Kids.
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy discusses the wealth of sources available to researchers and provides timely advice on how to use them. The world of family history research, however, is much different than when the previous edition was released. The Internet, enhanced computer technologies, and other advancements have changed the genealogical landscape in the last ten years. The expert contributors to this volume not only explore these new online resources, they also remind the reader that the fundamentals of family history research remain unchanged.
Halloween: From Halloween to All Saints Day. Families can learn about these events. (http://0-library.eb.com.catalog.
Finding your Mexican Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide by George R. Ryskamp, Peggy H. Ryskamp Finding Your Mexican Ancestors, you will discover direct, easy-to-follow instructions that will lead you through Mexico’s carefully preserved records. George and Peggy Ryskamp’s easy style and dynamic approach make finding and using parish records, civil records, and other useful Mexican resources as simple as it is thrilling.
Día de Muertos: Learn the Mexican traditions and rituals of Day of the Dead. (http://www.dayofthedead.com/).
Family history can be an exciting and wonderful way for you to understand yourself, your family and the world. Here are a few books that can help you in your search for your family roots.
houstonlibrary.org/kids/comptons/article-9274739).
Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving feasts and celebrations happen all over the world. Find out more about these gatherings (http://0-library.eb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org/kids/ comptons/article-9277314).
Veteran’s Day:
Learn the history of Verteran’s Day
(http://0-library.eb.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org/kids/comptons/ article-9314011).
Celebrate Family History Month and research your family tree: HeritageQuest Online: U. S. Federal census records and other research materials for tracing family lineages (http://0www.heritagequestonline.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org).
Black Genesis: A Resource Book for AfricanAmerican Genealogy by James M. Rose & Alice Eichholz Designed with both the novice and the professional researcher in mind, this text provides reference resources and introduces a methodology specific to investigating AfricanAmerican genealogy. Information is organized by state. Within each state are listings for resources such as state archives, census records, military records, newspapers, and manuscript collections. The authors are co-founders of the Ethnic Genealogy Research Center at Queens College in New York.
ProQuest Obituaries: Offers more than 10.5 million obituaries and death notices in full-image format from uninterrupted historical archives of top newspapers (http://0-obituaries.proquest.com.catalog.houstonlibrary.org.). National Archives: Offers insight into the lives of people, their families and our history through records from every branch of the Federal government (http://www.archives.gov/ genealogy/index.html).
Family History 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Finding Your Ancestors by Marcia D. Yannizze Melnyk Family History 101 brings the winning approach of Melnyk’s popular Genealogy 101 course to Family Tree Books’ friendly format. Readers ease into family history with: Straightforward tips on tapping the power of the Internet, checklists, forms, case studies and illustrations to make getting started fun and easy, guidance to maximize existing information and become a better family historian. Beginners as well as school teachers will appreciate Melnyk’s reliable instruction and proven approach to the basics!
HPL POWERCARD Borrow your favorite book or movie for up to six weeks FREE with your library card. Visit www.houstonlibrary.org and sign-up!
For more books on Genealogy and Family History Month, visit our web site: www.houstonlibrary.org/catalog. -6-
Family History Month Events and Workshops 3 – 4 PM | South Carolina Research: The Leonardo Andrea Collection Finding early families in South Carolina is made easier with the extensive collection of research compiled by Leonardo Andrea, a prominent genealogical researcher of South Carolina and other southern states. This presentation will highlight some record samples from this collection and show you how to get started researching your own surnames of interest. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.
Lineage Day
October is Family History Month and this is a wonderful time for you and your family to learn more about your lineage. Houston Public Library is home to one of the top genealogical research centers, the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, and this month you can participate in various workshops and events that can help you trace your family’s roots, build family trees, and understand the world of genealogy.
10 – 4 PM | Saturday, October 9 Interested in joining the Daughters of the American Revolution? The United Daughters of the Confederacy? The Sons of the American Revolution or another lineage society? Speak to representatives from many different lineage societies about their organization’s requirements for membership and much more. No reservations required.
iGenealogy Computer Lab 10:30 AM - 5 PM | Friday, October 29
Clayton Library Special Collections Presentations:
10:30 - 11:30 AM | Build Your Family Tree Site Join us in the Genealogy Lab to learn the basics of building a family tree online. Included in the program is a walkthrough of how to set up your family tree using TribalPages.com. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.
10 AM – 4 PM | Friday, October 8
10 - 11 AM |Antebellum Slave Plantation Record Because the plantation was a commercial enterprise, record keeping was essential. Many planters kept journals, crop books, overseers’ journals, and account books in remarkable detail. Family members often kept personal diaries and corresponded extensively with friends and relatives near and far. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.
12 Noon - 1 PM | Build Your Google Bookshelf Learn how to search for information in Google Books, build your online Google library, and create notes to collaborate with others. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. 1:30 - 2:30 PM | Heritage Quest Database Research Heritage Quest is one of the Houston Public Library’s most popular genealogy web sites. Did you know that you can use it to obtain full text access to over 28,000 family and local histories, or to search records from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant application files? And best of all – you can also access the records from your home computer! Come join us to find out how Heritage Quest can help you with your research. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/ Teens.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Texas Convict Ledgers The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and its predecessor agencies have maintained ledgers to record personal data and incarceration information about convicts entering the Texas prison system. The prison system included Huntsville Penitentiary, which opened in 1849, and Rusk Penitentiary, which operated from 1883 to 1917. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. 1:30 – 2:30 PM | From Battlefields to Homefires: Photography in the Civil War The Civil War was the first modern military effort in the United States that combined photography and journalism to relay information about major events. Photographers such as Mathew Brady provided stark realism to readers of various journals while other photographers provided portraits of the Yanks and Rebs as mementos. Join us as we highlight some of Clayton Library’s special collections and Civil War photojournalism. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.
3 - 4 PM | Fun Findings on Family Search, Did you know that the Texas Death certificates are online and that the US census is available on a free website with a name index? Did you know that many books published before 1924 are digitized and can be downloaded? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, come and learn about changes to the website, www.familysearch.org. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens. Clayton Library for Genealogical Research is located at 5300 Caroline, Texas 77004| 832-393-2600.
For the most up-to-date information on Family History Month and on Clayton Library for Genealogical Research, please visit www.houstonlibrary.org/clayton
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Thanksgiving Feast
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month Native American Heritage, like most cultures, is a rich one, and in the month of November, we will celebrate this culture. This observance started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S. and now has become a month of celebrations.
The Thanksgiving feast that we will enjoy this November derives from another tradition called the harvest feast. In the Native American culture the harvest feast is annual and celebrates the end of harvest. It is also a special time to show thanks for its bounty of life and for family. In 1621, when the Wampanoag Indians shared their harvest feast with the Plymouth colonist it was a symbol of the solidarity between two people who helped each other survive a harsh winter and the transitions of coming to a new world.
The first steps began in 1912 in Rochester, NY when Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian and director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, began talks with the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for the “First Americans.” He was successful and for three years, the Boy Scouts honored one day in May and called it First Americans Day. By 1915 The annual Congress of American Indian Association continued the tradition and declared the second Satruday of May as American Indian Day. By 1916, New York became the first state to declare and celebrate an official First American Indian Day. It wasn’t until 1990 that National American Heritage Month was officially proclaimed and designated to be celebrated in 1990.
Several Thanksgiving feasts occurred throughout the years in the colonies. One in particular was documented by Edward Winslow in A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth and became significant because the meal was between two groups that were coarse threads in the fabric of American history. The official American Thanksgiving holiday that we now experience did not come into existence until Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation in 1863.
This month of observation and celebration is important to all Americans and particularly to Native Americans. The mainstream American lifestyle sometimes makes it a challenge to share and cultivate the Native American culture. Books such as The Earth Shall Weep: A History of Native America by James Wilson and The Wisdom of Native Americans speak to this challenge. It is important that Americans pass down the history, culture and traditions of the indigenous people of America. To know where we are going, we must keep in mind where we have been.
Harvest feast has a long history that can be traced as far back as Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman times. These feasts still occur in these parts of the world. Canada’s Thanksgiving Holiday is the second Monday of October and celebrates the end of the harvest season. Other countries, such as Croatia and Grenada celebrate war victories and independence on their Thanksgiving Holidays. Many countries and cultures have week or month-long festivals that celebrate harvest. China’s Chung Ch’ui festival and the Vietnamese Tet-Trung-Thu festival occur in August and happen across several days. Similar celebrations occur in Nigeria and Ghana. Houston is a diverse city that can appreciate a diverse holiday like Thanksgiving. Enjoy your harvest feast this year in all its tradition. For books on Thanksgiving history and traditions visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/holidays.
Houston Public Library has various materials on Native American culture and history. Visit your favorite HPL location and check them out. (Information for this article was provided by The Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/topics/nativeamericans/about/)
Did you KNOW?
You can find a variety of books, movies, ebooks, and audio materials at your favorite Houston Public Library location. Visit our online catalog and search at www.houstonlibrary.org -8-
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ADULTS
Fall Book Clubs
This fall join one of our several book clubs and discuss some of today’s top authors and novels Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving The Giver by Lois Lowry Bel Canto by Ann Patchett Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder For a list of the most up-to-date book club and book selections, please visit www.houstonlibrary.org/bookclubs.
An Evening With and An Afternoon With Author Series An Evening with Thomas Larson author of The Saddest Music Ever Written: The Story of Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” Wednesday, October 20 | 6 PM
Once the haunt of Jack the Ripper, London’s East End is a vibrant mix of history and the avant garde, a place where elegant Georgian townhouses exist side-by-side with colorful street markets and the hippest clubs. But here race and cultures still clash, and the trendy galleries and glamorous nightlife of Whitechapel disguise a violent and seedy underside where unthinkable crimes bring terror to the innocent. A young mother has gone missing, and only Scotland Yard’s Superintendent Duncan Kincaid and his partner, Gemma James, can stop a vicious killer and protect the child whose fate hangs in the balance.
Central Library | 500 McKinney, 77002
An Afternoon with Dixie Cash author of Our Red Hot Romance Is Leaving Me Blue
Join us for a special presentation from the author of The Saddest Music Ever Written: The Story of Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings”, memoirist Thomas Larson. In the first book to explore Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” music and literary critic Thomas Larson tells the story of the prodigal composer and his seminal masterpiece: from its composition in 1936, when Barber was just twenty-six, to its orchestral premiere two years later, led by the great Arturo Toscanini, and its fascinating history as America’s secular hymn for grieving our dead. Barber’s Adagio is truly the saddest music ever written, enrapturing listeners with its lyric beauty as few laments have.
An Afternoon with Deborah Crombie author of Necessary as Blood Thursday, October 21 | 1 PM
Meyer Neighborhood Library |5005 West Bellfort, 77035
Join us for a special author visit from mystery writer Deborah Crombie, as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Meyer Mystery Book Club. Ms. Crombie will read and discuss her latest book, Necessary as Blood.
Saturday, November 13 | 2 PM
Kendall Neighborhood Library | 609 N. Eldridge, 77079
Leaving Me Blue.
Join us for a special author visit from mystery-writing duo Jeffery McClanahan and Pamela Cumbie—better known as Dixie Cash. The authors, who will both be available to sign copies of their books, will read and discuss their latest book, Our Red Hot Romance Is
Justin Sadler’s just coming to terms with the absence of his dear departed Rachel—but now he’s not so sure she’s departed. Every time he goes home he knows someone’s been there—and if it’s not Rachel trying to communicate from beyond, it’s someone else who’s trying to drive him stark raving bonkers. Full-time hairdressers and part-time West Texas private detectives, Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin—the Domestic Equalizers—have dealt with cheating husbands, cheating wives, shady business deals, Elvis-obsessed shoe thieves, you name it. But ghosts? That’s a whole new rodeo! For the most up-to-date listings on An Evening With and An Afternoon With, visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/hpl-authorseries. -9-
Credit Reports and Credit Scores: Getting The Most Mileage From Credit
Your credit report and credit score, when used together, provide an inspection report of your past use of credit. Accurate information in your credit report is the key to obtaining the best credit terms and rates. Workbook included.
Need to repair your credit? Have more bills than money? Want to create a nest egg for your golden years? The Houston Public Library has the answer for you! We have partnered with several community organizations to bring you More Money @ Your Library速 to help you to attain your financial goals by providing FREE financial literacy classes and programs at all neighborhood library locations. Here is a sample of some of the classes and workshops available:
Check It Out
Learn how to identify benefits of using a bank vs using a check-cashing service, identify types of checking account fees, compare types of checking accounts, open a checking account, write checks, use ATM & debit cards, keep records for a checking account, reconcile a checking account.
Money Matters
This course will help you with some budget basics. By the end of this course, participants will be able to prepare a personal budget. To achieve this objective, the participants will be able to describe the concept of budgeting, recognize the benefits of budgeting, and use budgeting tools. Park Place Regional Library Monday, October 18 | 6 PM (Spanish) Frank Express Library Tuesday, October 19 | 2 PM
Receive useful information on starting a small business and learn about resources available through the Houston One Stop and mentors with SCORE. Johnson Neighborhood Library Monday, October 11 | 5:30 PM Jungman Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 14 | 5:30 PM Melcher Neighborhood Library Monday, October 18 | 5:30 PM
Skills 4 Living
How to Achieve Your Financial Dreams
Lakewood Neighborhood Library Wednesday, October 13 | 10:30 AM Central Library Tuesday, October 19 | 10:30 AM
First Time Homebuyer
This workshop provides consumers with information on budgeting and credit use, obtaining a mortgage, shopping for a home, the appraisal and inspection process, the mortgage closing, and life as a homeowner. Completion of this course may qualify the customer for federal, state, local government or private mortgage programs. Certificate of Completion provided. 2 hours. Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library Wednesday, October 13 | 4 PM Stanaker Neighborhood Library Wednesday, October 20 | 4 PM Kendall Neighborhood Library Monday, October 25 | 4:45 PM McCrane-Kashmere Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 28 | 4:45 PM
Flores Neighborhood Library Monday, October 11 | 5 PM (Spanish) Mancuso Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 14 | 5 PM Pleasantville Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 21 | 5 PM Walter Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 28 | 5 PM
Avoiding Identity Theft
Saving money is an important part of building your financial future. This course will give you some tips to help you get started. It will also show you how your money can grow when you save. HPL Express Southwest Friday, October 15 | 4 PM (Spanish) Carnegie Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 21 | 5 PM (Spanish) Vinson Neighborhood Library Monday, October 25 | 5 PM Park Place Regional Library Monday, October 25 | 6 PM (Spanish) Hillendahl Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 28 | 5 PM
Starting a Small Business
This is a fun and interactive workshop that allows participants the time to think and talk about their dreams. Participants also examine their finances, jobs and resources, and develop an Action Plan to make their dreams a reality. This program is ideal for couples, newlyweds, single parents, new college grads and those who have faced a financial setback.
Vinson Neighborhood Library Monday, October 11 | 5 PM Park Place Regional Library Monday, October 11 | 6 PM (Spanish) Carnegie Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 14 | 5 PM (Spanish) Hillendahl Neighborhood Library Thursday, October 14 | 5 PM
Pay Yourself First
Houston One Stop and S.C.O.R.E.
The fastest growing crime in America is identity theft. Learn how to protect yourself from thieves who want to steal your information. Anyone can be a victim of this crime. Learn how to protect yourself and your assets. Tuttle Neighborhood Library Friday, October 15 | 10:30 AM (Spanish) Dixon Neighborhood Library Monday, October 18 | 11 AM Smith Neighborhood Library Friday, October 22 | 10:30 AM Meyer Neighborhood Library Friday, October 29 | 10:30 AM
Location addresses can be found on page 12 of this publication. For a complete and up-to-date list of events and resources, visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/moremoney. - 10 -
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TECH IT
NEXTREADS
Recipes Online
If you love food and love to cook, online recipe sites can be inspiration for your meals. These sites have thousands of recipes and strategies to help you make wonderful meals and desserts.
Are you looking for a few good books to read? Sign up for our e-newsletters and get great book suggestions by e-mail. We’ll deliver reading lists right to your inbox along with new gems, bestsellers, and related titles.
To get started, visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/nextreads
Featured Computer Workshops and Classes
Free computer classes are offered for adults and teens throughout the Library system. Classes are taught in English and Spanish and include Word, Power Point, and Introduction to Excel course. We also have technology and social media classes. Below is a small list of some of the classes you can enjoy at Houston Public Library:
Fifty Plus Computer Club
AllRecipes.com – This site has thousands of recipes for all types of taste. You can find recipes local to Houston or from other parts of the world. This site gives you tips on what to serve with the different dishes and gives you a chance to critique recipes.
Mondays | 11AM - 12PM Hillendahl | 2436 Gessner Rd., 77080 Learn the most basic computer skills needed to function in today’s electronic world.
Twitter Basics
Vegetarian Times.com - A magazine for person living or interested in the vegetarian or a vegan life, also has an extensive and diverse database of vegetarian delights. A form is available for users to custom-make a list of recipes desired.
Wednesdays | 10:30AM - 12:30PM McGovern-Stella Link | 7405 Stella Link, 77025 Find out why everyone’s talking about Twitter. Get news updates, market your business, follow friends and celebrities!
Mobile Show & Tell
Kraftrecipes.com - Kraft is a household name and online, it brings simple and easy to make recipies for you and your children to enjoy. This site has a section for persons watching their waist and their budget and, if you like, you can sign up for weekly recipe ideas to be delivered to your email weekly.
Saturday, October 23 | 2PM - 4PM Central Library | 500 McKinney, 77002 Are you in the market for a smartphone? Do you wonder what is the difference between a Blackberry, Android and an iPhone? How to find the best free apps? Then this is the class for you!
Recipe.com This recipe site has a lot to offer. One section in particular, the “how-to” section of the site gives great advice and directions on how to substitute ingredients, temperatures and times for cooking different meats poultry and fish and microwaving tip.
PhotoThing!
Saturday, October 30 | 2PM - 4PM Central Library | 500 McKinney, 77002 Learn basic photo editing skills, photo storage and publish your photos to the web. We will use Photofunia, Fotoflexer, Picnik, Flickr and Panoramio. You are welcome to bring your digital images and a USB drive to save your work.
DOWNLOAD A COOKBOOK TODAY! Need recipes for Thanksgiving? Download a cookbook today with Houston Public Library partners, netLibrary and Overdrive. To download, visit www.houstonlibrary.org/download
For a complete list of computer classes and workshops visit: www.houstonlibrary.org/services. - 11 -