It's a Rainy Day, It's a Rainy Day!

It really is a rainy day and we haven't had too many of those lately. We probably need two or three days of soaking rain to get our water levels up. We will still complain, however, about getting wet and ruined plans and how just plain annoying it is to have a truly rainy day.

Rainy days at the library are never fun. People stay home and don't come visit us or they dash in and drop their wet books on the counter and run back out between the rain drops. We look around for paper towels to dry off the wet items and plastic bags to put books in for a the few people who do show up. There is a whole rainy day routine.

A rainy or snowy (hate to mention that word in September) day doesn't have to separate you from your library, however. By accessing the library homepage on your computer at home, there is a plethora of opportunities waiting for you. I know you use the homepage or you wouldn't be reading this blog, but do you really use the homepage? Have you clicked on all the links to check out library programs, on line data bases and related Ledyard homepages? Just by clicking on the library catalog and going to my account, you can view the items you have checked out, renew any coming due before the rain stops and check to see if any of your requests have arrived at the library, so you can decide if a trip out in the rain is worth it. You can also search the library catalog and request books, movies, audios or magazines that are of interest to you. Check out the downloadable audio link to view the titles that are available to download to your computer and portable listening device (MP3 player, not Ipod), no matter where you are in the world, rainy or not.

So even though it is a rainy day and we can't go out and play, there is still so much that your library offers you.

Read a Good Book Lately?

While you were sitting on the beach or under the wide blue sky this summer, did you read a really good book? Every time someone comes in the library and asks me that question, I never quite know what to answer. Yes, I read a lot of good books over the summer, but my good books may not be your good books. Do you like to read fiction or nonfiction? Do you like mystery or romance? You may think the newest Stephen King is great but I would be scared to death just thinking about one of his books. I wouldn't read a James Patterson book if you paid me, well yes, if you paid me I would, that is just an expression, but I would never pick up one of his books by choice. I wouldn't open a Danielle Steel or a Nora Roberts. In fact, I almost never read anything that appears on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Best sellers, or I must be a changin', however, because I just looked at a recent list and I have read three of the top fiction and one of the nonfiction. I will leave the titles to your imagination, but let me know the good books you have been reading lately and I might just tell.