Tech Thursday: Photography

Take a look at these amazing photographs, Slide Show: Secret Lives of the Serengeti,

PHOTOGRAPH BY SNAPSHOT SERENGETI

then take a look at some of our items to help you with your photography skills. You may not catch a giraffe walking by you in the twilight, but you may catch your child's first steps.

David Hume Kennerly on the iPhone: Secrets and Tips from a Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer by David Hume Kennerly

Macro Photography for Gardeners and Nature Lovers: The Essential Guide to Digital Techniques by Alan L. Detrick

The Mobile Photographer: An Unofficial Guide to Using Android® Phones, Tablets, and Apps in Photography Workflow by Robert Fisher

Photographing Your Family: And All the Kids and Friends and Animals Who Wander Through, Too by Joel Sartore and John Healey

~Aisha

Staff Review: The Circle by Dave Eggers

The Circle by Dave Eggers centers on a recent college graduate (presumably in the near future) named Mae, who is lucky enough to land a job working for a company called The Circle. It is a company that bears many similarities to the Silicon Valley corporations we know: a cutting-edge innovator of all the latest in practically everything, headed by a trio of genius personalities. The story follows not only Mae's work life, but also her relationships with her parents and friends, her love life, and her personal thoughts and desires. She feels extremely privileged to be working at The Circle and is determined to shine in its glamorous and fast-paced environment. She is not a particularly remarkable character, but is relatable and sympathetic, and her situation is intriguing enough to want to follow. Early on in the story, I found myself rooting for Mae in her new job, cringing at her mistakes and cheering when she recovered gracefully and received small promotions and praise.

As I read, I often got the feeling that the culture in The Circle is different than the American culture I know, in subtle ways I couldn't quite put my finger on. The culture of Mae's family and other characters living outside The Circle does indeed seem mundane, exactly like the one we live in, with nothing different or exciting. Within The Circle, however, the degree to which everyone reveres information, feedback and social media etiquette, while inspiring at first, becomes disconcerting and frustrating. I was annoyed by and dismissive of characters who blindly value "smiles" (akin to liking something on Facebook) from strangers and extreme transparency. These characters became harder to dismiss, however, as it became more difficult for me to identify why they made me uncomfortable. Mae assimilates faster and faster to her new culture, but I struggled more with each page to answer questions Mae does not seem to stop and ask.

Before reading The Circle, I had heard mixed reviews of it. A few said it is profound with ominous overtones, but many others found it to be mundane, even boring. After finishing the book, I somehow felt that both of these opinions ring true. While the characters were often maddening and lack complexity, the questions raised in The Circle are pointed, relevant and sometimes disturbing questions that I am unable to stop thinking about.

~Rachel, Technical Services

September Magazines of the Month: Wired and Yoga Journal

The start of the school year is a perfect opportunity to explore new things, whether learning the wonders of multiplication or researching the history of scientific investigation. Carnegie-Stout Public Library is, of course, a great starting point for learning something new. Our September Magazines of the Month display the breadth of our collection, with something to appeal to every interest!

Yoga Journal began publication in 1975, and today has expanded beyond the pages of a magazine to DVDs, books, and conferences across the country. Despite their long history, they devote space each month to provide information to people new to the world of yoga, making this a great resource for beginners and experts alike. You can check out a print copy, download an issue from our Zinio downloadable magazine collection, or check out their website to learn more: www.yogajournal.com

Wired magazine is a published by Condé Nast, and focuses on technology and its effects on the world. Offering insight and coverage of the cutting edge, Wired has something for readers interested in culture, economics, science, and more (the term "crowdsourcing" originated in a Wired article). Check out a copy from the library, or check out their website to learn more: www.wired.com

3D Blu-rays at Carnegie-Stout Public Library

3D Blu-rays are ready to check out at Carnegie-Stout Public Library, thanks to a gift from our private, non-profit Library Foundation.

For 3D effects, you will need a 3D Blu-ray player, 3D TV with glasses, and a compatible HDMI cable.

If you do not have a 3D player or TV, the same titles are available at the Library in regular Blu-ray and DVD formats.

Our 3D Blu-ray starter collection is very small. Here's what we have so far:

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

Avatar

The Avengers

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Life of Pi

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Prometheus

Thor

Titanic

Top Gun

Transformers: Dark of the Moon 

We will add more titles as they are released, so please let us know if you have any 3D Blu-ray suggestions!

Mars Science Lab's Curiosity landing - Live!

After 8 1/2 months in space, the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover is set to land on the surface of Mars in the late hours of Sunday, August 5, or, for those of us in the Central Time Zone, at 12:31 a.m. Monday, August 6. NASA will be broadcasting the landing live here on NASA's streaming channel, and the pre-show will begin at 10:31 CST. Click here for a full schedule.

The Curiosity rover is one of the most advanced rovers built, weighing over one ton and about the size of a small SUV. The rover is equipped with a geology lab, a rocker-bogie suspension, a rock-vaporizing laser and seventeen cameras. Its 7-foot arm is equipped with a "hand" that holds five instruments, including a particle x-ray spectrometer.

The Science of Curiosity: Seeking Signs of Past Mars Habitability


The Mars Science Lab (which contains the rover) will enter the Martian atmosphere at speeds up to 13,000 miles an hour. It will take seven minutes from entry to landing during which the lander will decelerate and descend using rockets, a parachute and a sky crane. Curiosity will land inside a 96-mile wide crated known as Gale Crater. Within the crater is Mount Sharpe, a mountain that stands higher than Mount Rainier in Seattle.

Challenges of Getting to Mars: Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror

The Curiosity landing has generated a lot of excitement around the world. "Landing Parties" have been organized in many cities, along with online hangouts. William Shatner and Wil Wheaton have each narrated "The Grand Entrance," a video that explains the science behind Curiosity and guides viewers through MSL's journey, landing and exploration of Mars.

And for those of us who dream of one day setting foot on Mars (guilty!), the privately-funded Mars One project is working on plans to establish the first human settlement on Mars by April 2023. Even if you're not exactly astronaut material right now, Mars One is promising to hold a world-wide lottery for a chance to train for the mission in 2013. One catch though: it's a one-way trip.

Of course, C-SPL has plenty of material to help potential Mars colonists study up for their mission:

Exploring Mars: Chronicle from a Decade of Discovery by Scott Hubbard (523.43 HUB)
Five Years on Mars by National Geographic (DVD 629.43 FIV)
Roving Mars: The Ultimate Adventure (DVD 523.43 ROV)

Space 2100: To Mars and Beyond in the Century to Come by Michael Abrams (629. SPA)
The Universe, Season One, Vol. 1 "Mars the Red Planet"  (DVD 523.1 UNI 1.1)

Keep watching the skies!

~ Allison, Adult Services

Be Tech Savvy @ Carnegie-Stout

Photo by: Josh Fassbind,
flickr.com/photos/
joshfassbind/4683365102

Got a new gadget and don’t know what to do with it? Or do you want to do more with the stuff you already have? We’ve got the resources to help!

Stop by the Recommendations Desk to browse through our collection of books & DVDs that will help you get started with your new device. We also have step-by-step guides to help you use the library's downloadable collection, and of you're new to computers, we also offer computer classes to help get you started.

• Adult Computer Classes
• Carnegie-Stout Downloadable Collection - Click on "My Help"
• Library e-Books on your Kindle: A how-to guide

Dubuque History at Google Books

These two full-text books about Dubuque history are available online for free at Google Books:

Free Audiobook Downloads

Tired of waiting for library materials with a long list of holds? The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown is now available as a downloadable audio book on the Carnegie-Stout Overdrive site. You can listen to it on your computer, mp3 player or iPod. If a title is currently checked out, you can place a hold and be notified via email when it is available. Items in the collection can be checked out for seven days. Other new and upcoming titles include: Dreamfever by Karen Moning, U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton, That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo and Nutureshock by Po Bronson. The most popular titles overall for Dubuque listeners remain the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer.

Our growing collection now includes eBooks in either the new Adobe EPUB or standard Adobe PDF format as well as downloadable music, and video. Look for the Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf, a local Dubuque author. The eBook collection can be read on your PC, Mac or Sony Reader.

To check out materials from this collection, you just need a full service library card and Internet connection . Go to the E-Branch Library tab on our website at www.dubuque.lib.ia.us and click on the Download Audio Books and Music link to access the Overdrive collection. Use your library barcode number and PIN to log in and follow the instructions for getting started if you are a first time user. Some titles like the Soloist by Steve Lopez can be burned to CD; the icons by each title indicate format and options for viewing or listening. Check it out @your library!

Welcome to Dubuque, IBM

Welcome, Big Blue!

1,300 JOBS: Dubuque woos IBM, which plans to hire hundreds
Eileen Mozinski, Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Thursday, January 15, 2009

IBM Aims to Bring 1,300 High-Tech Jobs to Dubuque, Iowa
IBM Press Release, 15 Jan 2009

Historic & Transformational Announcement
Greater Dubuque Development Corporation

Governor Culver Announces IBM To Bring 1,300 High-Tech Jobs To Dubuque
Iowa Governor Press Release, Thursday, January 15, 2009

IBM Company Profile, AccessDubuque.com
IBM Company Profile, AccessDubuque.com

IBM To Open Center, Bring New Jobs To Dubuque
Dean Borg, NPR Morning Edition

Don't forget to sign up for library cards when you get here!

~ Mike, Adult Services

The Library Didn’t Have It

The library is a wonderful resource. Books are like art; you are at the mercy of sellers and supply and demand. Books can sell for as little as a nickel or as much as thousands of dollars. Most book range from $15 to $25 but this can add up quick if you like to read.

There was an out of print book I wanted to read but the library didn’t have it. I put a request in for an interlibrary loan and had the book within 2 weeks. The library saves me thousands of dollars a year in book purchases, movie rentals, internet services and database research.

~ Rebecca, Adult Services

Carnegie-Stout Public Library Online Catalog

Dubuque Area Libraries

SILO Locator
Online catalog for all Iowa libraries

SILC
Statewide Illinois Library Catalog

WISCAT
Online catalog for all Wisconsin libraries

WorldCat
Online catalog for libraries worldwide

Interlibrary Loan
Borrow library materials not available at Carnegie-Stout

Purchase Request Form
Suggest titles to be added to Carnegie-Stout collections

BookFinder.com
Search over 150 million books for sale -- new, used, rare, out-of-print, and textbooks

Dubuque Freecycle and Virtual Garage Sale

Got some junk in your trunk? These Yahoo! Groups are very helpful. Free registration is required, but it’s well worth the effort:

Dubuque Freecycle
"Open to all in Tri-State area of Dubuque County who want to 'recycle' pretty much anything rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! Our most important rule? Everything must be free. No trading, money or other recompense - Freecycle is about GIVING!"

Dubuque Freecycle Cafe
"A group where people in the Dubuque area can share local information, chat about local issues (including recycling, of course) or just get to know one another."

Dubuque Virtual Garage Sale
"A Virtual Garage Sale list for the Greater Dubuque, Iowa Area. If you live in or near Dubuque, or are willing to drive here to pick items up, you have found the right spot to list your items for sale!!"

~ Mike, Adult Services

IPTV to explain DTV at C-SPL

On Febuary17, 2009 all television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting analog signals and switch all their transmissions to digital. While TVs that are already hooked up to cable or satellite won't be affected, the estimated 19.6 million people who use antennas will no longer be able to receive major TV broadcasts.

The switch from analog to all-digital is part of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, and requires that all free local broadcast television stations - such as KCRG, KWWL, KCRG and KFXB - turn off their analog channels and broadcast exclusively in digital. Televisions that use antennas will need a converter box to continue receiving broadcast signals.

To help you get ready for the switch, Iowa Public Television will be providing a free presentation about the switch to digital TV on Wednesday, May 28 at the Carnegie-Stout Public Library at 7:00 p.m. You'll learn who will be affected by the switch, why the switch is happening and how you can make sure you will still be able to receive broadcast signals after the switch. A digital television expert will also explain how to apply for a coupon to help pay for a converter box.

For more information, click here to download a DTV Fact Sheet (PDF 167 KB), or visit these Websites:

• DTV Answers (National Association of Broadcasters)


• Iowa DTV Answers (Iowa Public Television)


• The Digital TV Transition (Federal Communications Commission)

~ Allison, Adult Services

Computer Classes Winter 2008

The latest schedule for Carnegie-Stout's free computer classes has been published. You can view the class schedule at the Adult Services Programs and Events page, or by clicking on this file:

Carnegie-Stout Computer Classes Winter 2008
(PDF, 44 KB)

This winter's series of classes includes an introduction to the Library's new HP Compaq 6710b laptops. Remember, registration is required and seating is limited, so if you’re interested in taking a class this winter, stop by the Library or give us a call today at 563-589-4225 option 4.

New Laptops Available for In-Library Use

Through a Library Foundation grant funded by the Dubuque Racing Association, the Carnegie-Stout Public Library now has 10 Hewlett Packard Compaq 6710b laptops available for in-library use. To check out a laptop, patrons must be City residents over the age of 18 with a valid Library card and a picture ID. Before the first use of a laptop, the Responsibility & Checkout form must be read and signed at the Circulation Service Desk.

"The HP Compaq 6710b works as hard as you do" according to a HP website. The computer has the latest Intel Core 2 Duo 2Ghz processor, a 15.4 diagonal widescreen, a standard memory of 1 gigabyte plus four USB ports and a DVD-writer optical drive. Windows XP is the operating system.

Adult Services Manager Michelle Hellmer says, "There are often times when all twelve of the terminals in our Internet Services Center are in use, particularly on Wednesday mornings when we offer computer classes. The laptops with wireless Internet access give library users more options during our busiest times."

For more information, call the Library Circulation Desk at 563-589-4225 option #3.

Goodreads: Read More Than Your Friends!

Need a place to keep track of all the books you have read or want to read? My friend recently invited me to sign up at Goodreads, a social networking site for book lovers.

Goodreads allows you to create lists of books to read, rate books from 1 to 5 stars, and even write book reviews. And book lists are printer friendly so you can bring your list to the Carnegie-Stout Public Library with you!

Goodreads also lets you keep in touch with friends. You can create your own groups of friends and see what titles they have recently added to their "bookshelves."

My friend and I have had a competition for years about who has read more books. She's read over 300 books, while I am at a mere 157. My friend counts kids' books, though – that's not fair, is it?

Anyway, Goodreads has inspired me to read more. I can't wait to rate my "currently reading" book and switch it over to a "read" book. I am about 20 pages from 158 books read!!

One caveat about Goodreads: When you sign up, be aware that there is an option for you to enter the password to your personal email account, like Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, Gmail, etc. Entering your personal email account password allows you to see which people in your email address book already subscribe to Goodreads, and to automatically send invitations to those who have not signed up yet.

I chose not to enter my email password, as many people in my address book are business related, and I did not want to accidentally send an invite to a business contact.

For more details, see the Goodreads privacy policy, "about us" page, "how it works," and blog.

Happy reading and happy listing!

~ Angie, Circulation Services

Book and Movie Suggestions

Need help picking out a good book to read or movie to watch? No problem! Take a look at our new book and movie suggestions page. This fancy new page includes:

• Over 20 free e-newsletters highlighting titles and authors in several categories, updated and delivered daily, weekly and monthly by email or RSS feeds
• Book and movie descriptions, annotated with reviews, author interviews, audio and video clips, and direct links to titles in Carnegie-Stout Public Library's online catalog
• New York Times best-sellers lists, book awards lists, religion selections, and more
• Links to Carnegie-Stout databases and resources, like Novelist, a fiction database of 135,000 titles, and NetLibrary's eAudiobook Center, featuring downloadable digital audio books
• Links to other websites, such as Book Sense Picks, Overbooked, and Movie Review Query Engine

Happy browsing!

Adult Services Book and Movie Suggestions

Playaway Digital Audio Books

Playaway digital audio books for adults, teens, and kids are now available for checkout at Carnegie-Stout Public Library.

Playaways are the simplest way to listen to audio books. They are about half the size of a deck of cards, and each come preloaded with a book. Simply plug in earphones or earbuds and enjoy!

Examples of Playaway titles in our adult collections:

The collectors / David Baldacci
Crisis / Robin Cook
Dark tort / Diane Mott Davidson
Dark celebration / Christine Feehan
Dark voyage / Alan Furst
The debutante divorcée / Plum Sykes
The Englisher / Beverly Lewis
Fear and loathing in Las Vegas / Hunter S. Thompson
The glass castle / Jeannette Walls
The hot kid / Elmore Leonard
The kite runner / Khaled Hosseini
Man in the middle / Brian Haig
Marley & me / John Grogan
Motor mouth / Janet Evanovich
Muhammad / Karen Armstrong
No good deeds / Laura Lippman
No country for old men / by Cormac McCarthy
On Agate Hill / Lee Smith
Over her dead body / Kate White
The right attitude to rain / Alexander McCall Smith
The shape shifter / Tony Hillerman
Sharpe's fury / Bernard Cornwell
State of denial / Bob Woodward
Ten big ones / Janet Evanovich
Wicked / Gregory Maguire

Computer Classes Fall 2007

Do you, or someone you love, need help with computers? Nothing happens when you try to "double click"? Don't worry, the Library has free computer classes!

We're offering a range of classes this fall, from computer basics to overviews of some of the Library's most powerful research databases. For example:

• Our Novelist class will teach you how to find fiction reviews, award-winning titles, discussion guides, author read-alike lists, and more


• Our Newsbank class will teach you how to access full-text articles from the the Dubuque Telegraph Herald and other local and national newspapers


• Our RefUSA class will help you find phone numbers and addresses for individuals and businesses across the U.S.

Remember, registration is required for all computer classes, and seating is limited. So if you're interested in taking a class this fall, stop by the Library or give us a call today at 563-589-4225 option 4.

Welcome to W. 11th & Bluff

Welcome to W. 11th & Bluff, the official blog of the Adult Services Department at Carnegie-Stout Public Library.

The name of our blog, W. 11th & Bluff, comes from our location at the intersection of W. 11th and Bluff Streets in Dubuque, Iowa.

Very clever, huh? Heh, heh!

W. 11th & Bluff, the blog, will feature news and information about library-related topics, such as:

• Announcements about upcoming book discussions, movie screenings, and computer classes


• Reviews of books, DVDs, CDs, and other library materials


• Tips and tricks for using our research databases and online library catalog


• Links to interesting and informative sites on the Web

Please feel free to bookmark and read W. 11th & Bluff at your own convenience. Our address is:

http://www.dubuque.lib.ia.us/adult/blog/

You are also welcome to use a feed reader to subscribe to the blog's RSS feed. Our feed address is:

http://www.dubuque.lib.ia.us/adult/blog/?feed=rss2

Or, if you prefer, we will send an email to you each day that the blog is updated. To subscribe to email notifications, visit this page:

http://www.dubuque.lib.ia.us/adult/blog/?page_id=26

W. 11th & Bluff is powered by WordPress blogging software, and we are currently using a modified version of Brian Gardner's Silhouette theme.

If you have any questions about W. 11th & Bluff, please send an email to us at yourlibrarian@stout.dubuque.lib.ia.us, or give us a call at Carnegie-Stout Public Library at 563-589-4225 option #4.

See you at W. 11th & Bluff!

~ Mike