Free Software – Photo Story 3 for Windows

Would you like to compile a slide show of pictures with some text and music?  Or maybe you do this already and would like to make that work easier.

This program allows you to touch-up, crop or rotate pictures with a single click.  Add special effects, soundtracks, and even your own voice to your story.  The small file size makes it easy to send your work by e-mail, which is very different from MS PowerPoint and the large files it creates.  You can also view these on your computer or television.

The download file says it is for Windows XP, but it has been updated and now works with Windows 7.  Oh, did I mention that it is FREE!

This Microsoft product allows you to load dozens of photos at one time, you can then move them around, by dragging and dropping them, to get the sequence you want.   If you add music, it plays for the length of the show, automatically fading at the end. 

 

Use this link to get your copy today!

 

Charlotte Janes,

Head of Systems and Administration

What is YA? Under Cover

Not long ago, I read this blog post that explores, in depth, the covers on YA books. I too had been noticing the headless girls and foofy dresses. But the one that I noticed the most was the Blue-Black trend. So many of the books I read had blue and black covers! Let me demonstrate.

I loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Filled with amazing creatures, a romance, and a darn good story, I was enchanted. Cover?Blue and black, of course.

I had been meaning to read Tim Wynne-Jones' latest book, Blink and Caution, because I kept hearing people talk about it. Set in inner-city Toronto, this is a real thriller featuring fake kidnappings, drug-dealing (scary) boyfriends, accidental shootings, and of course, a bit of friendship and hope. And also, a blue and black cover.

So I started looking around... and noticed that the blue and black theme was rampant. It is used for all sorts of genres, from mystery to romance to thriller to realistic and historical fiction. Here are some more examples, just to give you a small taste! What cover trends have YOU spotted?

Increase in fees for overdue and lost items

 It's been 15 years since AVRL has made any increase in fines and lost fees, but we are doing it on July 1. Why?

Well  …  has the cost of books gone up since 1997?  Have staff wages increased?  Yes to both of those questions, so it definitely costs us more to stock and re-stock our shelves these days. 

We place no limits on the number of items a patron can borrow, the number of holds he/she can place, and we don't charge for library membership.  What a deal !   If each borrower returns his material on time, in good condition, and doesn't lose his library card, he can coast along using the library for years, never directly giving us a penny!

Did you know that public libraries in Nova Scotia are required by the government to raise 3% of their total annual budget?   So if our patrons don't bring materials back on time, or if they lose a book or dvd, we do feel it's fair to ask for a little cash.  Libraries are funded, in small part, by taxpayer dollars so remember that other taxpayers are waiting to use those overdue items.

We make it easy to bring your books back on time. Our library has introduced email reminder notices. If you've given us your email address, an automatic message will be sent 2 days prior to when your material is coming due! I've found this very helpful - and likely you will, too. It gives you the chance to either finish reading the book really fast, or ask for a renewal. Talk with staff about adding your email address, or go to your account online and click on "Change Address" at the bottom of the page.  

Click here to see the new fine and lost fee structure which starts on July 1.

And I've mentioned that hilarious Seinfeld episode about an overdue library book in an earlier blog posting – it's the episode about the Library Cop.  If you still haven't seen it, watch it here.

--Wendy Trimper

Short and Sweet

Why do some people think big is better?  Just because it's long doesn't mean it's good.  It's all in the way you use it.  People complain they just get into it and it's all over too quickly for them.  I'm talking about short stories here so get your mind out of the gutter!

When I recommend books, lots of people tell me they don't like short stories.  In fact they hate them.  They feel cheated with a short story because it seems unfinished and leaves them wanting more.  A publisher once told me that a collection of short stories sell even less than poetry books!    I just don't get it.   There is nothing better than a short, crisp, spare story that draws you in from the first line and quickly pulls you through to the end.  It's the perfect thing to read before bed or else you stay up way too late reading a novel and waiting for the right spot to stop for the night.

The queen of the Canadian short story is undoubtedly Alice Munro.  For nearly fifty years she has provided the best stories often reflecting our day-to-day lives.  My favourite is Lives of Girls and Women but they're all great.  Margaret Atwood has also dabbled in this genre with Bluebeard's Egg and Wilderness Tips.  

Bestselling author Emma Donoghue published a great collection of short stories called Touchy Subjects before she hit it big with her novel Room.    Russell Wangersky of Newfoundland delights with his collection of interwoven short stories in the recently published Whirl Away.

So when you don't have enough time to devote to a novel, try some bite sized pieces of short stories.  Trust me, you might like it.

Frances Newman, Regional Librarian