Who says reading must be all about the books? Not us! Check out our favorite websites & blogs!

This morning, Sally, Janet, Judy, and I presented Reading 2.0, an Adult Summer Reading 2010 program that revealed our best picks for websites and blogs - the kind that you feel compelled to tell everyone you've ever met about because they are just. that. awesome!  They are our favorites, so, of course, that means they are a combination of informational, quirky, and fun...and fair warning - some are completely addictive! Here's the list to explore and keep you busy reading this summer!

Erica's picks:

Planning a trip to the city? Try HopStop & OpenTable
Are you a lifelong learner? Try AcademicEarth
Going fashionably green on a budget? Try Eco-Chick
Want to simplify your life? Try ZenHabits & SlashFood

Janet's picks:

In search of the truth? Try Snopes
Frustrated by automated phone menus? Try Get2Human
Want more leg room? Try SeatGuru
Hmmmm................. Try FindAGrave

Sally's picks:

Want to enjoy reading online? Try Readability
Looking for a geeky pleasure? Try ResourceShelf
Want to be "in the know?" Try The New York Times Most Popular
Time is not an issue? Try ALDaily
Want to have a good laugh? Try CakeWrecks
Wondering what librarians do for fun? Try AwfulLibraryBooks

Judy's picks:

Want entertainment on-the-go? Try Pandora & Hulu
Just want to get away? Try National Geographic Travel Blog
Interested in personal health & wellness? Try MayoClinic
Going green? Try AlternativeConsumer

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Andrew*

Look for Darien Library Staff travel tips every Monday this Summer!  Each week on the website we’ll be featuring a different travel destination and sharing our favorite activities, places to stay, eat, and what to read before and during a trip.

If you’re planning a trip this summer, definitely visit Places on the 2nd Floor and check out our huge selection of travel guidebooks.  From Martha’s Vineyard to Europe and Asia, the collection features all of the best publishers including Frommer’s, Fodor’s, Lonely Planet, and more.  Additionally, don’t forget about the Travel Writing collection, also found on the 2nd Floor, which may just inspire your next trip!

Stay tuned for “Mondays on the Move” every Monday during the summer!
 

Don't let the dog days of summer get you down...

The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) recommends the following during times of extreme heat:

• Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun.
• Stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine if air conditioning is not available.
• Consider spending the warmest part of the day in public buildings such as libraries, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, and other community facilities. Circulating air can cool the body by increasing the perspiration rate of evaporation.
• Eat well-balanced, light, and regular meals. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
• Drink plenty of water. Persons who have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; are on fluid-restricted diets; or have a problem with fluid retention should consult a doctor before increasing liquid intake.
• Limit intake of alcoholic beverages.
• Dress in loose-fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
• Protect face and head by wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
• Check on family, friends, and neighbors who do not have air conditioning and who spend much of their time alone.
• Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles.
• Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day. Use a buddy system when working in extreme heat, and take frequent breaks.

Further information is available at the FEMA website.

Flickr photo courtesy of zoomar.

In addition to the books below, be sure to check out TheStreet.com Ratings, which can be found with our other investment, finance, and business resources.

Whether you're writing a short story, a novel, a play, an essay, a poem, a thesis, or a memoir, we admire you. We really do. Writing is hard work! And while everyone has his or her own preferred writing style, there is often a common goal - to get published. Darien Library has some great resources for writers looking for their big break. Take a look at the book list below and come browse our shelves on the 2nd floor for additional writers' resources.

Special information for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private non-profit organizations affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred March 12, 2010 - May 17, 2010:

Recovering from a disaster, natural or otherwise, is often more traumatic than the event itself. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), assistance may be available to those who suffer damage, regardless of income. The following resources are designed to guide people to the appropriate federal, state and local agencies for both immediate and long-term assistance.

Disaster Assistance available from FEMA:

• How to Apply for Assistance
• FEMA teams offer home repair at local stores
• FEMA facts you should know about disaster assistance
• FEMA disaster recovery center opens in Norwalk
• Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program

Disaster assistance available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA):

• SBA Disaster assistance available to private non-profit organizations in Connecticut
• SBA fact sheet (including loan details)

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) disaster relief for individuals and businesses:

• Connecticut taxpayers who were unable to meet federal tax obligations because of severe storms and flooding March 12, 2010, may qualify for tax relief.
• IRS relief form
  

Additional useful information:

• How to avoid a home repair scam 
• How to minimize the likelihood of mold contamination

Please open the attachments below to access the forms.

(Image courtesy of Flickr user joannamkay.)

Recently, while at a convention in New York, I was having trouble locating a major (huge!) exhibit area. Feeling puzzled and lost, it was by pure coincidence that I found myself in very familiar territory...right next to the Google booth. Of course Google would know! 

I asked.

They shrugged.

Though I found it amusing at the time, the reality is, in virtual life as well as real life, Google is great but it cannot get you everywhere. The Library, however, can help you locate the online resources and articles that (even) Google can't access. 

Facts on File, New York Times Historical, Mergent Online, Biography and Genealogy Master Index, Reference USA, and Consumer Reports Buying Guide are just a few of the available resources. Click here for an alphabetical list, and click here for an overview of our online resources and research tools.

As a member of the Darien Library community, you may use them free-of-charge. While at home, you will need to provide your library card number so that we can verify that you are a Friend or town resident.

(DL Did You Know is a new way for us to get the word out about the wonderful services and resources that Darien Library (DL) provides. Each installment will direct our members to information that may have escaped their notice; our way of knowing that you're in-the-know about all things DL.)

Water travel for recreational use, cruising and rules of the road (nautical).Also included in this list are some of the major magazines devoted to sailing.

There are two new options for Darienites to explore the organic and local food movement while helping to keep our community green. Whole Foods Market, known for its natural, organic offerings and efforts to protect the environment, will host its grand opening this week at the store located at 150 Ledge Road. Also, the Darien Farmers' Market has returned! Located behind the Post Road firehouse and across from the Goodwives Shopping Center, the market will run every Wednesday from 11am to 6pm through the holiday season. Produce, flowers, baked goods, meats, dairy - both of these venues have got it all, along with expertise and friendly advice to help you turn your weekday dinner into a spectacular culinary delight!

Still undecided about the entire local vs. non-local, organic vs. non-organic food movements? It's still too early to tell if this movement will be anything but a craze - but why not check out some of the books and DVDs we have on the subject and decide for yourself!

Take a trip from Europe to Alaska without leaving the comfort of your favorite chair. You can go from snow capped mountains to the beaches of the Caribbean.