Database Spotlight: Freegal

You may've heard that Carnegie-Stout now offers downloadable music to our full service patrons (residents of the city of Dubuque who have a current library card, and those non-resident patrons who have purchased access at the platinum level) through Freegal, a new database. Freegal allows you to log in with your library card number and PIN (most likely the last four digits of your phone number), and download up to three free mp3s each week.

It's really that simple! But if you have any questions, run into any problems, or just want to chat about some cool music you discovered in Freegal, you can stop in to the library, give us a call (563) 589-4225, send us an email (yourlibrarian@dubuque.lib.ia.us), or leave us a comment!

The trickiest part about Freegal is finding something to download. There are thousands of songs, and you can search by title or artist, but the browsing options are limited to a handful of descriptive categories. In my first test of Freegal, I got lucky. I found an mp3 download for a South African rap song I've been looking for a legal copy of for years. I also found a download for my favorite song of the summer. I know it's been said that Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" is the anthem of Summer 2013, but personally I've been loving a song off of Two Door Cinema Club's 2010 album.


~ Sarah, Adult Services

Staff Review: Austenland by Shannon Hale

As a Reader's Advisory librarian I try to keep abreast of what's hot in the world of books. I may not have time to read all of the latest best sellers, but as long as I have an idea what "everybody" is reading, I'll be ready to help a fan of Downton Abbey or Game of Thrones find an alternate book to enjoy while they wait out the hold list.

I'm willing to bet though that most Dubuquers haven't heard of Austenland, much less read Shannon Hale's engaging work of chick lit. Although, now that a movie adaption starring Keri Russell is due for a theatrical release on August 15th, I could be wrong!

Jane Austen and her novels remain a perennial favorite, and over the years we've been treated to any number of adaptions, remixes, continuations, and homages. You can trace Austen's influence across a wide variety of literature and pop cultural sources. All around the world readers swoon for the taciturn charms of Mr. Darcy.

Jane Hayes falls squarely into the category of Darcy-obsessives, particularly the Colin-Firth-as-Darcy-obsessives (much like Bridget Jones before her). When Jane's beloved great-aunt dies, she's given an unusual inheritance, an all expenses paid luxury vacation to Austen-themed resort in England. This isn't a serious work of literature, but it's a fun bit of escapism for us Austenholics with a charming little romance and some genuinely funny bits.

Essentially, if you liked Lost in Austen, you'll probably enjoy Austenland! If you haven't heard of Lost in Austen either, it's a charming romantic comedy about a young woman named Amanda who suddenly finds that she's switched places with Elizabeth Bennet. And if you find yourself wishing you could visit Austenland, keep hope! A recent celebration of Pride and Prejudice's 200th anniversary saw people attending a fancy dress Regency dinner in England.

Still not enough for you? Great! I've got more!

Images from the 2005 Keira Knightley Pride & Prejudice paired with quotes from Parks & Recreation.'

Pamela Aidan first self-published her retelling of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, but her charming story quickly gained a large audience and a traditional publisher. A richly detailed view of the familiar story from the perspective of Darcy told in three novels. The series starts with An Assembly Such As This.


Thug Notes is the creation of Sparky Sweets, PhD. A series of videos mash-up hip-hop with analysis of literary classics (think Alistair Cookie and Monsterpiece Theater). I'm endlessly tickled by the Thug Notes video for Pride & Prejudice (there are a few swears):

-Sarah, Adult Services

August Magazines of the Month

Our magazines of the month for August are Adventure Cyclist and Runner's World. Two titles to inspire you to get out there and explore the many running and biking trails in the tri-states region! Or to keep you inspired on those days when the weather inhibits outdoor activity.

Adventure Cyclist is a publication of the Adventure Cycling Association, which was formed in 1973. The organization's focus is on bicycle touring in the United States, from local weekend trips to cross country expeditions. Over the years they've expanded coverage to international bicycle adventures, and they provide information, reviews, maps, and more on their website: www.adventurecycling.org

Runner's World began publication in 1966. The magazine started as a publication run from the Kansas home of Bob Anderson, but todayis published in 14 international editions (source). The magazine provides information, tips, and training plans to runners at all levels, and is available as part of our downloadable Zinio collection. You may also enjoy their website: www.runnersworld.com

Staff Review: Adventure Time ... and cats!

Lately, I've been in a bit of a reading funk. While it seems impossible, I may have grown tired of YA dystopia (at least until Horde, Flame or UnSouled finally come out). In the meantime I've been picking up short, humorous books and graphic novels, many of them offshoots of television shows or websites and many of them about cats. Here are some of my favorites:

Adventure Time, vols. 1 & 2

If, by some chance, you're not an avid watcher of children's cartoons like I am, Adventure Time is an animated TV series on Cartoon Network created by Pendleton Ward. Imaginative, silly and subversive, the series follows Finn the human and Jake the dog and their adventures in the Land of Ooo. Adventure Time Volumes 1 and 2, written by webcomic veteran Ryan North and illustrated by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb, are wonderful companions to the TV show. I was a little wary that the show's magic wouldn't translate well onto the printed page, but I'm happy to say I was wrong. One of the best parts of the books are the hidden messages at the bottom of each page, some of which require decoding! Spin-offs the the original comic books have been published, including Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens by Meredith Gran and Adventure Time: Playing with Fire by Danielle Corsetto and Zack Sterling. Even if you haven't seen the show, I highly recommend the comic books!

Tiny Confessions: The Secrets of Dogs, Cats and Everything by Christopher Rozzi
Tiny Confessions is a collection of single-panel illustrations in which the subject - cat, dog or seashell- confess their most intimate secrets. Rozzi sells art prints of select confessions and maintains a Tumblr, dailytinyconfession. The book is funny, short and, on occasion, hits a little too close to home ...

Henri, le Chat Noir: The Existential Musings of an Angst-Filled Cat by William Braden
Henri, le Cat Noir, rose to Internet celebrity status through his series of black-and-white videos on YouTube, in which he expresses his special brand of angst-ridden feline philosophy (narrated in French, bien sûr). His book, written by William Braden, is a selection of his most profound observations and meditations. I challenge anyone to read this book without a French accent.

I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano and Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed: And Other Heartwarming Letters from Kitty by Jeremy Greenberg
In the same vein, both I Could Pee on This and Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed are collections of humorous (unintentional of otherwise) writings by cats. I Could Pee on This is collection of poems written by comic strip author Francesco Marciuliano (he also writes Sally Forth and the webcomic Medium Large) that allows us to peek into the inner thoughts of feline companions. Not always profound (unlike Henri) but always hilarious, these poems are perfect for cat owners. Not to be left out, dog owners can look forward to I Could Chew on This: And Other Poems by Dogs later this month.

Sorry I Barfed on Your Bed offers similar insight into our cats' lives. A collection of letters written to the humans in their lives, such as "Clump Scooper" or "Enabler," they address such pressing issues as the need to sleep more than 12 hours a day, to concern over a perceived addiction to eating grass. Each letter is accompanied by a photo of the "author," presumably in mid-dictation.

Two upcoming web-inspired books that I'm looking forward to reading are Lil' BUB's Lil' Book: The Extraordinary Life of the Most Amazing Cat on the Planet (early September) and Allie Brosh's Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened (late October). Fortunately, I'm finding plenty of other books to occupy me in the meantime!

~ Allison, Adult Services