Library is Now Open

The Library is now open to the public. All library materials will be due on January 2nd.We will be closed on January 28-30 and a grand reopening is scheduled for January 31st.

Babysit a Bag of Books While We Are Closed

The Monroe Library is beginning the final stages of its renovation project. While this work is being done the Library will be closed from Monday, December 1 through Sunday, December 14.

While we are closed, please check out a bag of books. Babysit them at your house while we move the rest.

• The Library will reopen on Monday, December 15.
• All Library materials will be due on January 2, 2009.
• There will be NO fines charged during December.
• Please DO NOT return items while the Library is closed.
• If you would like to return your items at an earlier date, the Library staff would appreciate that you return these items after December 22.
• While the Library is closed holds cannot be placed on materials.
• Items previously placed on hold will be available for pickup after Tuesday, December 16.
• Please call the Library at 732-521-5000 for construction updates.
• The Library Bookmobile will be off the road during the month of December.
• Library cards for Monroe may be used in numerous libraries in New Jersey. The participating libraries in Middlesex County are:

Cranbury
609-655-0555

Old Bridge
(732) 721-5600, ext. 5024

Edison
(732) 287-2298

Perth Amboy
(732) 826-2600

Highland Park
(732) 572-2750

Piscataway
(732) 463-1633

Jamesburg
(732) 521-0440

Plainsboro
(609) 275-2897

Middlesex County College
732.906.2561

Sayreville
(732) 727-0212

Milltown
(732) 247-2270

South Amboy
(732) 721-6060

New Brunswick
(732) 745-5108

South Brunswick
(732) 329-4000, ext. 280

North Brunswick
(732) 246-3545

South River
(732) 254-2488

Spotswood
(732) 251-1515

In Memoriam Michael Crichton: 1942-2008

Michael Crichton's Official Site

Novels

THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, Knopf, 1969
THE TERMINAL MAN, Knopf, 1972
THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, Knopf, 1975
EATERS OF THE DEAD, Knopf, 1976
CONGO, Knopf, 1980
SPHERE, Knopf, 1987
JURASSIC PARK, Knopf, 1990
RISING SUN, Knopf, 1992
DISCLOSURE, Knopf, 1994
THE LOST WORLD, Knopf, 1995
AIRFRAME, Knopf, 1996
TIMELINE, Knopf, 1999
PREY, Harper Collins, 2002
STATE OF FEAR, Harper Collins, 2004
NEXT, Harper Collins, 2006

Non-Fiction

FIVE PATIENTS: The Hospital Explained, Knopf, 1970
JASPER JOHNS, Abrams, 1977
ELECTRONIC LIFE, Knopf, 1983
TRAVELS, Knopf, 1988
JASPER JOHNS (revised edition), Abrams, 1994

Please check our library catalog to see if titles are available or ask a reference librarian for assistance at (732) 521-5000 or mtplref@monroetwplibrary.org.

Most Popular Book Discussion Titles From Recent Years

Reading Group Guides has put together a list of the top 15 book discussion titles of the year for 2004-2007. Click on a title to learn more about that book.

http://www.readinggroupguides.com/findaguide/best_of_new.asp

National Book Award Finalists in Fiction

Home by Marilynne Robinson

Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon

Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner

The End by Salvatore Scibona

Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen

Please check our library catalog to see if titles are available or ask a reference librarian for assistance at (732) 521-5000 or mtplref@monroetwplibrary.org.

Halloween Mysteries

The Springfield Public Library has put together a great list of Halloween mysteries.

Please check our library catalog to see if titles are available or ask a reference librarian for assistance at (732) 521-5000 or mtplref@monroetwplibrary.org.

Historical Fiction Network

Learn more about favorite historical fiction authors including Colleen McCullough and Jeff Shaara and titles such as Love in the Time of Cholera and the Constant Princess at the Historical Fiction Network.

http://www.histfiction.net/

Favorably Reviewed Titles From 2008

OverBooked.com has put together a list of books that have received three or more stars from major reviewing sources including Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal.

http://www.overbooked.org/stars/allstars/fiction/08.html

Locate a title using the online catalog or contact the Reference Desk at 732-521-5000 x118 or x119 or mtplref@monroetwplibrary.org for assistance finding a book.

Book Lists of Multicultural Fiction

Reader'sAdvice.com has put together comprehensive lists of multicultural book titles- including African-American Fantasy/Science Fiction, East-Asian Interest, Jewish Interest, Multicultural fantasy, and more.

http://www.readersadvice.com/readadv/0genres.html#Multi-Culti

To verify the availability of a title, please check the Library Catalog
or contact the Reference Desk at 732-521-5000 x118 or x119 or mtplref@monroetwplibrary.org

20 Best Sites to Download E-Books

Listen to a book while you travel, commute, or exercise. Here is a list of 20 best sites to download free e-books.


http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/20-best-websites-to-download-free-e-books/

Attention all Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Lovers!

The Internet Speculative Fiction Database provides information on science fiction, fantasy & horror books and authors. Scroll down the page to "Selected Upcoming Books" to see new and forthcoming books by favorite authors. Look under "Other Pages" on the left side of the page for author directories, the top 100 novels as voted by website users, and more.

http://www.isfdb.org/

Latest Titles From Favorite Authors

Reader's Advice, a site administered by Janet Kerns, a retired Librarian based in Oklahoma, on behalf of a small but devoted team of current and former Librarians in various parts of the United States., has put together a list of current and forthcoming titles written by big name authors.

http://www.readersadvice.com/readadv/000999.html

Popular Book Titles in Iran

You may be interested to see what readers are enjoying in Iran.
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=173523

Amazon.com Movers & Shakers

Amazon.com's Movers & Shakers in Books provides a list of books that have gained the most sales at that site within the past 24 hours.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/movers-and-shakers/-/books/002-3501674-3000814

See What Library Staff Members Are Reading

If you are looking for a good book, you may want to check our our Staff Picks Blog. This blog includes book reviews from Library staff members.

http://monroetwp.blogspot.com/

Download a Book From Listen NJ Today

Listen NJ has many great books for you to download including the following titles:

Reconciliation

by Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan in October 2007, after eight years of exile, hopeful that she could be a catalyst for change. Upon a tumultuous reception, she survived a suicide-bomb attack that...

Remember Me?

by Sophie Kinsella

With the same wicked humor and delicious charm that have won her millions of devoted fans, Sophie Kinsella, author of the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller Shopaholic & Baby, returns with an irresistible..

How Come That Idiot's Rich And I'm Not?

by Robert Shemin

IN HOW COME THAT IDIOT’S RICH AND I’M NOT? bestselling author Robert Shemin reveals for the first time the inner-circle secrets of the mega-wealthy. Have you ever wondered why some people attract...

Go to our downloadable audiobooks page to learn how to download a title from ListenNJ.

The 100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century

Online members of the Independent Mystery Bookseller's Association have put together a list of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century.
http://www.mysterybooksellers.com/favorites.html

Take a look and see if your favorites are on the list or use the list to find new favorites.

Blogs on Books and Reading

Here is a list of book-related blogs put together by the Internet Public Library,
a great source for high-quality Internet resources.
http://www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/blog-ent15.00.00/

Interesting Lives

Please check the Library catalog to

see if these items are on the shelf:

My Dark Places
James Ellroy
B - Ellroy

My Friend Leonard
James Frey
362.29 - FRE

Eat, Pray, Love
Elizabeth Gilbert
B - Gilbert

Wait Till Next Year
Doris Kearns Goodwin
B - Goodwin

The Nazi Officer’s Wife
Edith Hahn - Beer
Holocaust - 940.5318

Seven Pillars of Wisdom
T.E. Lawrence
940.415 - LAW

Speak Memory
Vladimir Nabokov
B - Nabokov

Truth and Beauty
Ann Patchett
362.196 - PAT

Big Russ and Me
Tim Russert
B - Russert

Book Discussion Groups

Several Groups exist at the Library to help you meet and
discuss books of interest.

• Coffee and a Book group meets every other month and reads popular fiction. Copies and registration are through the Circulation Desk.
• Non-fiction book discussions are led by Sylvia Deutsch bi-monthly on the first Monday of the month at 10:00 a.m. Copies and registration are through the Circulation Desk.

Current Book Discussions on Events Calendar
Reading Group Guides

Nobel Laureates in Literature

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/index.html

New York Times Bestsellers

HARDCOVER FICTION

Top 5 at a Glance
1. SUNDAY AT TIFFANY’S, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
2. THE WHOLE TRUTH, by David Baldacci
3. TWENTY WISHES, by Debbie Macomber
4. HOLD TIGHT, by Harlan Coben
5. UNACCUSTOMED EARTH, by Jhumpa Lahiri

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE REVOLUTION, by Ron Paul
2. A WOLF AT THE TABLE, by Augusten Burroughs
3. ARE YOU THERE, VODKA? IT’S ME, CHELSEA, by Chelsea Handler
4. HOME, by Julie Andrews
5. ESCAPE, by Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer

Go to the following page for all of the bestseller lists:
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/index.html

Register to Receive Book Recommendations Via E-Mail

NextReads Book Newsletters
http://www.nextreads.com/join.aspx?SID=cb6a19d6-b07f-452c-9104-2a5260851915

Choose from the following newsletters:

Armchair Travel	Audiobooks
Biography and Memoir	Business and Personal Finance
Christian Fiction	Fantasy
Fiction A to Z	Historical Fiction
History and Current Events	Home, Garden, and DIY
Horror	Kids' Books
Mind and Body Fitness	Mystery
Nature and Science	Picture Books
Popular Culture	Romance
Science Fiction	Spirituality and Religion
Teen Scene	Thrillers and Suspense

100 Best Novels

100 Best Novels published in the English language since 1900 chosen by Modern Library and from reader polls:
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

If You Like Jodi Picoult, Please Consider.....

Elizabeth Berg
Patricia Gaffney
Kaye Gibbons
Jane Hamilton
Alice Hoffman
John Irving
Sue Miller
Anna Quindlen
Carol Shields
Ann Patchett
Cathie Pelletier
Richard Russo
Anita Shreve
Nicholas Sparks
Lily Tuck
Anne Tyler
Eudora Welty

Looking For a Good Laugh?

Here's a list of humorous authors compiled by subscribers of the Fiction_L mailing list

· Andersen, Susan
· Banks, Leanne
· Barnett, Jill Bewitching and Dreaming
· Bartholomew, Nancy light mysteries with romance
· Berg, Patti
· Bevarly, Elizabeth
· Bird, Sarah
· Cabot, Meggin
· Cabot, Patricia
· Carmichael, Emily
· Civil-Brown, Sue
· Colwin, Laurie
· Cooper, Susan Rogers light mysteries with romance
· Criswell, Millie
· Crusie, Jennifer
· Donovan, Susan new author, shows great promise
· Duncan, Alice
· Evanick, Marcia
· Evanovich, Janetlight mysteries with romance
· Fforde, Katie
· Fielding, Liz
· Finnamore, Suzanne
· Garwood, Juliehistoricals only
· Gibson, Rachel
· Grayson, Kristine
· Greyle, Katherine
· Heller, Jane
· Heyer, Georgette
· Hill, Sandra time travel and contemporary
· Holden, Wendy
· Howard, Linda recent romantic suspense
· Ivory, Judith
· Jones, Luanne
· Kenner, Julie
· Keyes, Marian
· Kistler, Julie
· Kurland, Lynn
· Lee, Karen
· Linz, Cathie
· McFadden, Corey
· Medeiros, Teresa
· Michaels, Kasey
· Michaels, Lynn Mother of the Bride
· North, Hailey
· Ortolon, Julie
· Phillips, Susan Elizabeth
· Quinn, Julia historical author
· Resnick, Laura
· Rice, Patricia
· Ridgway, Christie
· Schulze, Dallas
· Shalvis, Jill
· Sinclair, Linnea
· Wells, Robin
· Winters, Jill
· Wrede, Patricia C. & Stevermer, Caroline Sorcery and Cecelia
· Zigman, Laura

Please check with the Reference Staff for assistance finding books by these authors.

A.K.A. - Otherwise Know As

Find out the pseudonyms used by your favorite authors at these web sites:









a.k.a. - Also Known As http://www.myunicorn.com/pseudos.html

Author Pseudonyms http://www.trussel.com/books/pseudo.htm

Romance Author Pseudonyms http://www.fictiondb.com/RomanceDB/Default.htm

Science Fiction Author Pseudonyms http://www.hycyber.com/SF/author_pseudo.html

National Book Award Winners for Fiction

Looking for a good read? Here is a list of National Book Award Winners for Fiction.

http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/readers/awards/adult/nba.htm

Learn more about the National Book Awards.

Movies Based on Books

Based on the Book, created by the Mid Continent Library System, is a compilation of over 1,250 books, novels, short stories, and plays that have been made into motion pictures. View entries by movie title, movie release year, book title, or book author.

http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/readers/movies/

Looking For a Good Read? Novelist is For You!

Novelist is an online database that can help you locate:

• Books with similar themes to books that you have enjoyed
• Author biographies
• Book descriptions
• Book Discussion Guides
• Lists of award-winning titles
• And much, much more
  

Click on the link below to access Novelist. Choose "home" if you are logging in from home. Choose "in Library" if you are logging in from inside of the Library. If logging in from home, please enter your entire 14 digit barcode number.

http://www.monroetwplibrary.org/research.htm#novelist

Need help with Novelist? The reference staff will be happy to offer you assistance with using Novelist.

New York Times Bestseller Lists

Here are the current fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists from the New York Times

HARDCOVER FICTION

Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE APPEAL, by John Grisham
2. REMEMBER ME?, by Sophie Kinsella
3. 7TH HEAVEN, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
4. STRANGERS IN DEATH, by J. D. Robb
5. THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS, by Kim Harrison

Complete Hardcover Fiction List »

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

Top 5 at a Glance
1. LOSING IT, by Valerie Bertinelli
2. LIBERAL FASCISM, by Jonah Goldberg
3. BEAUTIFUL BOY, by David Sheff
4. IN DEFENSE OF FOOD, by Michael Pollan
5. PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL, by Dan Ariely

Complete Hardcover Nonfiction List »

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/index.html

Friends of the Library Annual Book & Media Sale

When: Beginning Saturday, April 26, 2008 through Friday, May 2, 2008

Details: The Friends of the Monroe Township Library will hold its Annual Book & Media Sale April 26-May 2, where you can purchase gently used books and media at bargain prices! The book sale offers thousands of donated items sorted into fiction hardcover and paperbacks, non-fiction, children’s books, movies, music, and audiobooks. Gift books, better editions, and coffee-table books are offered at individual bargain prices.

Donation Guidelines:

Donations of clean, lightly used books and media are accepted at the main desk during Library hours. Due to limited storage space, up to two bags of donations can be accepted per visit. For a donation receipt, please leave name, address, and a count of hardcover, paperback, and media items in each bag. Donations should not be placed in the book return slots.

We regret that we cannot accept encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, or textbooks. Business, health, and computer books should not be more than five years old. Media must be in working condition and cannot be taped or downloaded due to copyright laws. Children’s books, newer fiction, timely non-fiction, history and biography are especially welcome. Donations will be accepted through April 20^th.

Book Sale Schedule:

Saturday, April 26: Preview Day, from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm, with a $1.00 entry fee for all adults.

Sunday, April 27: Opening Day, from 1:00-4:00 pm

Monday, April 28: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Tuesday, April 29: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Wednesday, April 30: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Thursday, May 1: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Friday, May 2: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm...Friday is Bag Day – fill a bag for $1.00!

Pricing:

Hardcover books: $2.00 Trade paperbacks: $1.00

Mass-market paperbacks: 50 cents DVDs: $4.00

Videos and music CDs: $2.00 Audio books: $3.00

Children’s books: 50 cents

Special items in all categories will be priced as marked.

Cash and checks are accepted for payment at the Book Sale.

Magazine Sale: Concurrent with the Book Sale, back issues of magazines will be for sale across from the Circulation Desk during Library hours.

2008 Coffee & a book Titles

Up From Orchard Street
by Eleanor Widmer
Monday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, February 26 at 10:30 a.m.



The Thirteenth Tale
by Diane Setterfield
Monday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8 at 10:30 a.m.


Death comes for the Archbishop
by Willa Cather
Monday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 24 at 10:30



The Madonnas of Leningrad
by Debra Dean
Monday, August 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 26 at 10:30 a.m.




Water for Elephants
by Sara Gruen
Monday, October 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 28 at 10:30 a.m.





The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho
Monday, December 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 16 at 10:30 a.m.

• Sign up and reserve your copy of the book a month before each meeting.
• Refreshments served.
• Questions? Contact Reference Librarian Monica Teixeira at (732) 521-5000
  

Need Help With Your Book Discussion?

ReadingGroupGuides.com can help you locate titles for your discussions. It also provides guides with sample questions and tips for starting and running a group, leading discussions and more.

What are the latest titles from Faye Kellerman, Janet Evanovich, and Nora Roberts?

The What's Next database from Kent District Library helps you search series fiction. A series is two or more books linked by character(s), settings, or other common traits.(e.g. Sue Grafton's "A is for Alibi", "B is for..." etc. or the "Star Wars" series)

http://ww2.kdl.org/libcat/WhatsNextNEW.asp

Bookcrossing- Love a Book? Let It Go!

At BookCrossing, you can register any book you have on the site, and then set the book free to travel the world and find new readers.

Leave it on a park bench, at a coffee shop, at a hotel on vacation. Share it with a friend or tuck it onto a bookshelf at the gym -- anywhere it might find a new reader! What happens next is up to fate, and we never know where our books might travel next. Track the book's journey around the world as it is passed on from person to person.

http://www.bookcrossing.com

Author Video From Simon and Schuster

Click on the right arrow on the bottom of the page to play this video.

Love Your Library Month

Once again Barnes and Noble is partnering with the New Jersey State Library and the New Jersey Library Association on "Love Your Library" month in February 2008 to help fund the Statewide Summer Reading Program at all Public Libraries in New Jersey. Barnes and Noble will donate a percentage of every sale from every customer who presents a book fair voucher at every Barnes and Noble store in New Jersey during the month of February.
Print Voucher