BlackBerry® audiobook app now available

BlackBerry® audiobook app now available: From the Overdrive Blog:

"If you're a BlackBerry® user, you can now wirelessly download audiobooks from your library's 'Virtual Branch' website. Today, we released the public beta version of our BlackBerry audiobook app, which enables users to download MP3 audiobooks directly to their BlackBerry smartphone. The app joins the previously released versions for Windows Mobile® and Android™.

The beta version of OverDrive's audiobook app for BlackBerry is exclusively available on the OverDrive Media Console page on OverDrive.com. Once the full release is availlable, you and your patrons will be able to find it in BlackBerry App World. If you should receive support questions while the BlackBerry app is in beta, please send them along to our Support Team at support@libraryreserve.com.

In addition to the audiobook apps that are now available, digital book apps for iPhone® are planned in the near future. Stay tuned to the Digital Library Blog for more information on enhancements to the mobile user experience."

Sony® Reader Daily Edition™ is a good option if you have the money

Sony® Reader Daily Edition™ is a good option if you have the money: From the Overdrive Blog:

"With eBooks still being a hot topic, even months after the busy holiday season, I decided to review the newest device from Sony®: the Reader Daily Edition™. Below, I've broken down each aspect of the device from functionality to features and also specifications.

Let’s start with the specs: The Sony® Reader Daily Edition™ is PC and Mac compatible and supports DRM-protected EPUB and PDF eBooks as well as DRM-free content. The device features a large 7” touch screen for easy reading with E Ink® Vizplex™ screen technology. Menu buttons along the bottom of the display make it easy to navigate back to the ‘Home’ screen, change options such as the font size, or simply turn the page. This version of the Sony® Reader™ is even more light weight, weighing in at only 12.75 ounces and 0.6” thick; making it more portable than ever.

I found the interface to be extremely easy to navigate and I was impressed with the new layout of the main screen. Compared to other similar products, the navigation is top notch and an improvement from older versions.

Other features of the Sony® Reader Daily Edition™ include free wireless connection through AT&T’s 3G Network to access the Reader™ Store, a long battery life as expected from all eBook devices which holds a charge up to seven days. Users can read eBooks in a single page or a two page view, which makes reading periodicals pleasurable. Another small, but perhaps significant change, is the option for six font sizes and the ability to look up words using the built-in dictionary function.

As always, I feel the need to be upfront about a few concerns I noticed during my research. The touch functionality is so-so as far as speed, but keep in mind, when purchasing a touch screen device, there will always be a short delay. The screen also has a slight glare when reading under direct light sources, but it’s easily solved by tilting or holding it differently in your hands.

Overall I enjoyed this device. Compared to older versions, it is miles above the rest in features and functionality. But it is on the pricey side, retailing for $399.99 from Sonystyle or even Best Buy. If you can afford it, the Sony® Reader Daily Edition™ will make any eBook reader happy."

Books on Display at HPL

Black History

Authors

Things Fall Apart By Achebe, Chinua 2000-04 - Anchor Books 0072435186 Check Our Catalog …More

Dominion By Baker, Calvin 2006-06 - Grove Press 9780802118295 Check Our Catalog Jasper Merian, newly freed from slavery in Virginia at the close of the 17th century, leaves for the uncharted free territory to carve out a utopia in the wilderness of the Carolinas. His family battles against the natural and occasionally supernatural world, colonial politics, the injustices of slavery, the Revolutionary War, and questions of fidelity and the heart. …More

Daughter By Bandele, Asha 2003-10 - Scribner Book Company 0743211847 Check Our Catalog The gifted and charismatic author of the acclaimed memoir "The Prisoner's Wife" delivers a bold and heartrending first novel that explores the silence of black women and illuminates the fragile complexity of the mother-daughter bond. …More

Mama Flora's Family By Haley, Alex Joint Author Stevens, David 1998-10 - Scribner Book Company 0684834715 Check Our Catalog Soon to be an CBS miniseries, this sweeping family saga of three generations in the mid-20th century is the final, brilliant inheritance from Alex Haley, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Roots". At the center of this poignant novel stands the indomitable Mama Flora, matriarch of an extraordinary family of destitute Tennessee sharecroppers. …More

I Say a Little Prayer By Harris, E. Lynn 2006-05 - Doubleday Books 9780385512725 Check Our Catalog Bestselling author E. Lynn Harris is back with another winner--a sexy, shocking, and immensely satisfying novel that explores some of today's toughest and most controversial issues. …More

Dirty Game By Holmes, Shannon 2007-05 - St. Martin's Griffin 9780312359010 Check Our Catalog Holmes, the undisputed king of urban lit and #1 "Essence" bestselling author of "Bad Girlz" and "Never Go Home Again," returns with his blazing new novel. …More

Payback: The Return of C.R.E.A.M. By Jones, Solomon 2009-03 - Minotaur Books 9780312348380 Check Our Catalog Karima "C.R.E.A.M." Thomas stands before a judge as an accomplice in the murders of two drug dealers. Suddenly, a scream tears through the courtroom, and when the smoke clears, her mother lies dying on the floor. Soon, others in Karima's family are targeted, and one thing becomes clear: Unless she finds the killer first, Karima will be the next to die. With the help of Captain Kevin Lynch, Karima races to untangle a web of family secrets that threaten her very life. As she unlocks the shocking truth about her past, Karima closes in on the killer, and in a deadly struggle against an enemy as ruthless as herself, Karima is determined to get one thing - payback. …More

Me, Myself and Him By Joy, E. N. 2008-03 - Urban Books 9781601629548 Check Our Catalog Locksie left the church behind to make a life with her live-in boyfriend. But lately, something just hasn't felt right. Hannah tries to offer advice, but she is having marital problems of her own. Now each woman must find the strength to face the truth about her relationship--and about herself. …More

God Ain't Blind By Monroe, Mary 2009-09 - Dafina Books 9780758212214 Check Our Catalog "New York Times"-bestselling author and beloved storyteller Monroe revisits the cast of characters her readers have been waiting for, in this highly anticipated new addition to the acclaimed GOD series. …More

The Man in My Basement By Mosley, Walter 2004-03 - Thorndike Press 9780786262427 Check Our Catalog …More

Player Haters By Weber, Carl 2004-02 - Dafina Books 1575669099 Check Our Catalog Telling stories about contemporary relationships like no one else around, Weber takes an engaging look at the romantic entanglements of player haters. …More

Bliss By Zedde, Fiona 2005-08 - Kensington Publishing Corporation 0758209193 Check Our Catalog In her incendiary first novel, an up-and-comer crafts a sizzling and insightful story about a young Jamaican-American career woman who discovers that there's much more to life than work--and much more to love than meets the eye. …More

Gas Prices to Go Up this Summer

Gas Prices to Go Up this Summer: From GovGab:
"I am very fortunate that throughout my life I've had many opportunities to travel.

One thing in all my adventures remains consistent. Whether I've gone to the moon, or to the Jersey shore for a few days, my parents ask me the same two questions, without fail, upon my return.

1. What'd you eat?

2. What was the price of gas there?

With summer approaching, gas prices are expected to rise. Experts are saying it will likely go into the $3 - $3.25 range. It's not supposed to be as bad as last year when prices reached over $4 in some parts of the country.

Somewhat relieving is that the price increase is not due to American consumption - it's because of the price of crude oil, for which the demand continues to go up from places like China.

Since our economy is still, well, nothing to brag about, do you think this forecasted price increase will impact you? How will it change your daily life? Or summer vacation plans?

Luckily, there are some tips to save on gas. Check these out."

Are You Missing Your W-2 Form?

Are You Missing Your W-2 Form?: From GovGab:
"It’s tax season once again, and time to gather all the forms and tax records you’ll need to file your tax return. One of the most important documents you’ll need is your W-2 form. We always hear from a lot of people who didn’t get their W-2’s and don’t know what to do. So if you haven’t received your W-2 yet, read on.
Your employer is required to give you copies of your W-2 form by January 31. If that didn’t happen, the first thing you should do is contact the employer and see if you can resolve the issue together. If that didn’t work and you still don’t have your W-2, then it’s time to contact the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). They’ll ask you for some information and then they’ll contact the employer and request the form.
Did you know that even if your employer doesn’t provide the W-2 form in time, you’re still required to file forms with the IRS? Yep. Things start to get a little tricky at this point, so if you’re in that position you should check with the IRS to be sure you file the correct forms.
And just so you know, the rules are pretty similar if you did receive a W-2 from your employer, but it was incorrect.
I wish you a happy tax season and a hefty return!"

Constitution Monday-Amendment 18

AMENDMENT XVIII
Passed by Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified January 16, 1919. Repealed by amendment 21.
Section 1.
After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2.
The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3.
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

Budget Your Trip Helps You Budget and Plan for Travel at Home and Abroad [Travel]

Budget Your Trip Helps You Budget and Plan for Travel at Home and Abroad [Travel]: From LifeHacker: "
If you're looking to do some traveling, Budget Your Trip can help you not only plan your travel expenses but track them while you're traveling.
Budget Your Trip is a web site devoted to planning and budgeting travel expenses. You'll find no shortage of web sites that cater to helping you budget in general but the feature set of Budget Your Trip is heavily geared towards travel planning. You can plan a trip from scratch or build your trip budget off the existing averages and sample budgets they have for a variety of locales. If they don't have a budget for the locale you're traveling too you can always save yours and add it to the global averages so future users can get an idea how much it costs to hit the mean streets of Whytucky, Kansas.

We'd definitely encourage you to double check any odd items you see in the projected average budgets however. While we found the averages to be reasonable in most instances, we found a few odd balls in the mix—$2,719 average daily alcohol expenditure for budget travel in Paris made us wonder if there was a decimal problem or a traveler out there somewhere we really needed to go tour Paris with.

In addition to estimating your travel expenses you can actively track and update them as you travel. Penciled in $200 for your daily accommodations but got offered an upgrade to an ocean view for $215? Swap it out on the fly and a new budget is generated.

Have a favorite tool for travel planning, budget-related or otherwise? Let's hear about it in the comments.

BudgetYourTrip [via MakeUseOf]

"

New Credit Card Rules

New Credit Card Rules: From LifeHacker:
"Even though I rarely use credit in the check out line, credit card debt is part of my life. I can't say that I completely understand my monthly statement (I just pay it) but hopefully the next one will make more sense. I'm optimistic because new Federal Reserve Board rules that require credit card companies to be clear with consumers go into effect today.

In May 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility,
and Disclosure Act of 2009 (also called the Credit CARD Act).
The law is considered to provide the most sweeping changes in card
protections for consumers since the Truth in Lending Act of 1968. Some of the new law went into effect in August.

Among the rules that start today, credit card companies have to notify you 45 days in advance of increasing your interest rate, changing fees (which now have caps), or whenever they plan to make any other significant changes to your card agreement. Companies cannot increase the interest rate of a new account for the first year and these increased rates can only apply to new charges. There are a few exceptions to these rules, such as introductory interest rates that expire in less than a year and revert to previously disclosed rates. The Federal Reserve Board has set up a website to help consumers choose a new credit card.
What do you think of these new credit card rules?

"

Upcoming Events at Hackley Public Library

	Friends of the Library Board Meeting February 22, 2010 4:00 pm.  Meets at the Torrent House

	Monday Storytime February 22, 2010 6:45 pm Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun.  Each session ends with a craft project.  Sign up required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.

	Toddler Storytime February 22, 2010 11:00 am Stories and activities aimed at 18 to 36 month olds.  Toddlers and grownups attend together.  Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.

	Evening Toddler Storytime February 23, 2010 6:45 pm Youth Services Stories and activities aimed at 18 to 36 month olds.  Toddlers and grownups attend together.  Registration is required. Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.

Plan for what if? February 23 6:30pm So you’ll never have to say “What now?” No one knows what the future may bring, but you can ease your “what ifs” by attending this seminar.  Learn how Long-term Care Insurance can help protect the freedom you enjoy today. Presented by Brenda Hoskins of Allstate Insurance with attorney Linda Kaare.  For more information cal Hackley Public Library at 231-722-7276.  Seating is first come/first served.

	Tuesday Storytime February 23, 2010 11:00 am Youth Services Storytelling, picturebooks, fingerplays, holiday tales, and special fun.  Each session ends with a craft project.  Sign up required. Call 231-722-7276 x 230

	Introduction to Excel February 24, 2010 9:00 - 10:30 am Introduction to Excel will cover the basics of spreadsheets and is designed for people who have some experience using a mouse.  Registration starts on February 1st.

	Introduction to Excel February 24, 2010 6:00 - 7:30 pm Introduction to Excel will cover the basics of spreadsheets and is designed for people who have some experience using a mouse.  Registration starts on February 1st.

	Black History Calendar Contest Awards February 27, 2010  2:00 pm Student artists  --- winners in the Black History Contest ---  are honored at this event. Attendees will get a sneak preview of their art Please call the Youth Services Department at 231-722-7276 x 230.

Mini Class on the Internet March 3 2:00 pm Mini classes cover a very specific topic and run from 30 – 60 minutes.  No registration is required, just show up!  All classes will start at 2:00 pm in the Julia Hackley Room.  If you have your own laptop feel free to bring it along, otherwise these are watch and learn classes.

New Links on our site

• Mailbox Map - / usps mailbox
  A google mashup to locate blue USPS mailboxes, USPS locations and UPS Stores

I am hackleyref on Delicious
Add me to your network

Tech Wednesdays

The library staff has been conducting a series of Tech Wednesdays this winter on various Internet topics.  To see the presentations on Social Networking, check out the Library's web page for Events, then click on Mini classes.

The presentations on how to use the catalog are at Books and More--Using the Catalog.

The presentation on using Netlibrary is at Books and More--Online Books

You're Doing WHAT? : Tales of Grit, Good Luck and Triumph on the Appalachian Trail

7 PM Thursday, March 18 at the Muskegon Museum of Art

Judy Ross shares her Appalachian Trail hiking experiences, including the rich cast of characters she met between Georgia and Maine, stories of storms, floods and things that go bump in the night, and the delightedly competent and shockingly incompetent person she found herself to be.

The program is sponsored by Read Along the Lakeshore, and will be held at the Muskegon Museum of Art. Read Along the Lakeshore 2010, is a One Book, One Community program featuring A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.

This program encourages all members of the community to read the same book at the same time, and then, talk about it with others to create a kind of area-wide book club.

Fennville District Library, Hackley Public Library, Herrick District Library, Howard Miller Public Library, Loutit District Library, Muskegon Area District Library, Saugatuck-Douglas District Library, and Spring Lake District Library make up the libraries of Read Along the Lakeshore 2010.

Judy is married to Mark, and is the proud mother of two fine young men, Matt and Brian. As a family they've hiked, sailed, backpacked, canoed, cross country skied, and bicycled. She has participated in duathalons and many running events. At 57 she ran her first and only marathon. She is now retired, but most recently worked at Hackley Hospital as a Shift Manager (fancy term for Nursing Supervisor). In the '90s she taught English at both MCC and GVSU and has an MFA in Creative Writing.

For more information contact Hackley Public Library at 231-722-7276 or Muskegon Area District Library at 231-737-6248.

Books on Display at HPL

Black History

Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events By Smith, Jessie Carney 2002-12 - Visible Ink Press 1578591422 Check Our Catalog Readers can revel in the stories of barrier breaking African-American pioneers in all fields--arts, entertainment, business, civil rights, government and more.150 photos. …More

Love By Morrison, Toni 2003-10 - Knopf Publishing Group 0375409440 Check Our Catalog Winner - 2004 ALA Notable Fiction Selection A BookPage Notable Title From the internationally acclaimed Nobel laureate comes a richly conceived novel that illuminates the full spectrum of desire. More than the wealthy owner of the famous Cosey Hotel and Resort, Bill Cosey shapes the yearnings of six women for father, husband, lover, guardian, friend--yearnings that dominate their lives long after his death. …More

The Long Fall By Mosley, Walter 2009-03 - Riverhead Hardcover 9781594488580 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title A new mystery series from the author of the classic work "Devil in a Blue Dress" offers a new character, a new city, and a new era. …More

The Man in My Basement By Mosley, Walter 2004-03 - Thorndike Press 9780786262427 Check Our Catalog …More

Soul City By Toure 2004-09 - Little Brown and Company 0316741582 Check Our Catalog …More

Deadly Reigns By Woods, Teri Author Smith, Curtis 2005-06 - Teri Woods Publishing 0967224977 Check Our Catalog …More

Dutch: The First of a Trilogy By Woods, Teri 2003-11 - Teri Woods Publishing 0967224942 Check Our Catalog …More