Storybook Apps

When the Academy Awards were announced in January, our attention was drawn to Moonbot, a software developer and creator of The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, an iPad app that doubles as a book (or maybe it’s a book that doubles as an iPad app), which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Short.  Children’s apps for the iPhone & iPad are not new,  and yes, Storybook apps – interactive children’s books for your iPad, have been around. For example, these were the Top Ten Storybook apps according to Kirkus Reviews for 2010. Storybook apps are what’s happening now and probably will be the future of children’s publishing (in some shape or form).  If there were doubts, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore may have changed a few minds.

For those parents who feel left behind in the digital age, we  introduce you to Apps for Homeschooling an app reviewing website that is for homeschoolers by homeschoolers. There are some great children’s apps reviewed here and you don’t need to homeschool to take advantage!  If you’re in shock that a library is promoting Storybook and iPad apps, my humble opinion is if an iPad app is the best way to educate and inform then, YES, do it! With Apple selling 15.4 million iPads last quarter, the digital world will only continue to grow. We know that – but our mission to direct you to helpful resources and information will not change – even if it means pointing you in a digital direction.

Thursday Night – Joyeux Noel!

Please join us, Thursday, January 26th at 7pm as we kick off the 2012 Foreign Film series with  Joyeux Noel.  Nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA Film Award for best foreign film, as well as being the winner of the Leeds International Film Festival and Valladolid International Film Festival Joyeux Noel tells the story of Christmas Eve humanity in the face of a brutal war. It’s a must see!

The Foreign Film series is supported through the continued generosity of the Friends of the Dracut Library.

Andre Dubus III – Townie

On Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 7-8pm, Andre Dubus III will be at our library speaking about his memoir “Townie”.

Andre Dubus III grew up in mill towns on the Merrimack River along the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border. He is the author of a collection of short fiction, The Cage Keeper and Other Stories, and the novels Bluesman, House of Sand and Fog and The Garden of Last Days, a New York Times bestseller. His memoir, Townie, was released in early 2011. Andre has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, The National Magazine Award for fiction, The Pushcart Prize, and was a Finalist for the Rome Prize Fellowship from the Academy of Arts and Letters.

An Academy Award-nominated motion picture and published in twenty languages, his novel House of Sand and Fog was a fiction finalist for the National Book Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Booksense Book of the Year, and was an Oprah Book Club Selection and #1 New York Times bestseller. A member of PEN American Center, Andre Dubus III has served as a panelist for The National Book Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, and has taught writing at Harvard University, Tufts University, Emerson College, and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell where he is a full-time faculty member.

Join us for this wonderful evening! Register by calling 978-454-5474 ext. 6 or online here.

Coat Drop Off

Did you get a new coat or jacket for Christmas? Have you considered donating your older coat or jacket to those in our community who are in need? We are collecting coats in our lobby for the Lowell Transitional Living Center in Lowell. They provide vital services to the vulnerable in our community who are in need of food, shelter and support. No one asks to be homeless, but we can help those we are in a small way. Drop off your coats or jackets (hats, mittens & gloves are welcome too!) in the giant gift box in our lobby now through the end of January (last year you helped us fill the box 7 times!)  On behalf of those who need our help to stay warm this winter, THANK YOU!

Joyeux Noel!

Click here to watch the movie trailer

Start 2012 off by joining the Friends of Dracut Library for their free Foreign Film series! From January 19th-May 17th, the library will be showcase 5 noteworthy films. We begin next Thursday, January 26th at 7pm with Joyeux Noel, a film about humanity in the face of war.

The year is 1914, and as World War I continues to rage across the European countryside, four individuals stuck on the front lines find themselves faced with the unthinkable in director Christian Carion’s Academy Award-nominated account of the true-life wartime event that would offer hope for peace in mankind’s darkest hour. When the war machines began rolling in the summer of 1914, the devastation that it waged upon German, British, and French troops was palpable. On Christmas Eve of that year, the lonely souls of the front lines abandoned their arms to reach out to their enemies on the battlefield and greet them with not anger or hostility, but with the simple, kindly gesture of a much needed cigarette or a treasured piece of chocolate, and to put their differences aside long enough to wish their brothers a sincere “Merry Christmas!” ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Fantastic Mr. Fox – TONIGHT!

Tonight at 6pm, the Family Movie Night resumes withthe Fantastic Mr. Fox. This is tale about an urban fox who just can’t resist returning to his farm raiding ways. But bad things happen to those who raid the farm, and Mr Fox (George Clooney), finds he must save his community from the farmers’ retaliation. Based on the book by Roald Dahl, this is a family opportunity to read the book and watch the film! As always, Family Movie Night is supported through the generousity of the Friends of the Dracut Library. It is free and open to the public – just bring your pillows and we’ll have the popcorn waiting!!

Family Movie Night Gets Sly!

Sly – like in a fox! Not just any fox – it’s the Fantastic Mr. Fox! On Thursday, January 12th at 6pm, the Family Movie Night resumes with this tale about an urban fox who just can’t resist returning to his farm raiding ways.But bad things happen to those who raid the farm, and Mr Fox (George Clooney), then finds he must save his community from the farmers’ retaliation. Based on the book by Roald Dahl, this is a family opportunity to read the book and watch the film! As always, Family Movie Night is supported through the generousity of the Friends of the Dracut Library. It is free and open to the public – just bring your pillows and we’ll have the popcorn waiting!!

eBooks & beyond

We know what you’re looking for and we’re here to help! Did you get a Kindle, Nook or iPad? Maybe you just want to download some eAudiobooks for your iPod. Here are a couple of sites we recommend. First start here! Yes here at the library.

One-Click digital is a newly purchased resource for Dracut library card holders. It is an eAudiobook service that allows you to check out eAudiobooks from anywhere! We’ll be purchasing new material from Recorded Books on a regular basis, so the selections are always changing. What is so great about this service? It allows multiple users to listen to a book at the same time. Most people don’t realize that with other services like Overdrive, only one user at a time can use the material – which can translate to longer wait times.  We like One-Click and hope you will too!

Overdrive, available to all MVLC libraries, offers both eAudiobooks and ePublications. The plus side is that it offers ePublications not just eAudiobooks.  The downside is that you may have to go on the waiting list in order to get it. Overdrive only has a set number of copies available for use (yes, MVLC has to buy these copies!), so in the case of a wildly popular best seller, you may have a better chance of getting the actual hardcover book faster than the eAudio or ePub. If you’re not the impatient sort, then this won’t be a problem.  However, if you are technologically challenged, you may have trouble just getting started with Overdrive. If that’s the case, please call us – we don’t want you having a frustrating library experience!

It’s no surprise that publishers don’t like the idea of libraries buying an eBook and leading it to countless people free of charge. After all, publishers are in the business of selling books not giving them away. Project Gutenberg, founded in 1971 by Michael Hart,  is the oldest digital library in the world. It’s goal is to digitalized cultural works and make them available for distribution as eBooks. This is an amazing resource for everyone! From the Holy Bible to Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. It’s a wonderful resource and, with the help of volunteers digitizing works, is an ever-growing collection.

Know of any great eBook & eAudio sites we should know about? Please let us know – we’re always looking for resources to share!

One-Click e-Audio Service is HERE!

Great News! The library has purchased Recorded Books’ One-Click Digital Media Service! What does this mean?? One-Click is a service like MVLC’s Overdrive only easier to use. It allows simultaneous uses of audiobooks (Overdrive only allows one person at a time to use an audiobook which means a potentially longer wait to read a book). We also feel that One-Click media has a more straight forward approach to downloading the content, which translates to less frustration for you! To get started you’ll need to “Create an Account” using your Dracut Library card – (sorry, this service is available to Dracut Library card holders only) – but once you create your account you will be able to download content to your device for free! Give it a try – then let us know what you think!

Coat Donations Accepted Here!

Did you get a new coat or jacket for Christmas? Have you considered donating your older coat or jacket to those in our community who are in need? We are collecting coats in our lobby for the Lowell Transitional Living Center in Lowell. They provide vital services to the vulnerable in our community who are in need of food, shelter and support. No one asks to be homeless, but we can help those we are in a small way. Drop off your coats or jackets (hats, mittens & gloves are welcome too!) in the giant gift box in our lobby now through the end of January (last year you helped us fill the box 7 times!)  On behalf of those who need our help to stay warm this winter, THANK YOU!