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January 31, 2008

Spring Adult Technology Classes

It seems like only yesterday that we wrapped up our fall 2007 classes, but it's already time for our spring classes! The registration lottery for our spring 2008 adult technology classes will open on our website at 9 a.m. on Friday, February 22, and close at 9 p.m. on Monday, March 3. Registrants will be notified of their registration status by Monday, March 10, the week the classes begin.

We’ve got an exciting spring planned. Here are some highlights:

Diane McKeever will introduce us to the new look and feel of Office 2007 with a full slate of classes, from Beginning Word to Creating Graphs in Excel. Virginia Ferrante-Iqbal will return with a reprise of her Beginning Illustrator class. We've added a fifth class this spring, to give students a chance to ask more questions and get more hands-on practice with the software. George Zariff will repeat his popular four-part classes on Photoshop Elements and full Photoshop. Web design expert Pam Barnet will conduct a one-day overview on web design, giving you all the information you need to set up your own site. And she'll also offer a four-part Dreamweaver class for those who want to create their own site from scratch. Yours truly will complete the offerings with classes on photo-sharing websites, del.icio.us, and backup options for home computer users.

A little something for everyone, don’t you agree? We hope you’ll join us!

Posted by JudyS at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2008

Researching Jane...

On January 13th, PBS began airing The Complete Jane Austen, a collection of six film adaptations and one original feature, of Austen's novels. Whether you're studying Austen's classics in school, reading for pleasure, or a fan of period pieces, you won't regret spending Sundays with Jane .

The next movie on tap is Northanger Abbey and will premier this coming Sunday, January 20th.

If watching the movies has piqued your interest, I would recommend visiting the website that PBS has dedicated to The Complete Jane Austen series. It's a wonderful source of information on all things Jane - synopses, biographies, teaching guides, character analyses, social and historical perspectives, and recommended readings for both academic research and just for fun. Watch the interview with screenwriter Andrew Davies and learn how he worked the classic Austen themes of longing, betrayal, and redemption into brand new, trademark scenes for each of the four new adaptations.

Book Club-goers, you'll also find a downloadable kit for creating book clubs for Austen's novels; it includes discussion questions, activities, bookmarks...even recipes for food discussed in the literature! England isn't well-known for its hard-to-pass-up delicacies, but why not try A Perfect Cup of Tea from Sense and Sensibility, or White Soup from Pride and Prejudice? I think the recipe for Bakes Apples from Emma sounds delicious!

In addition to PBS's website, the Library has some great resources for anyone who is interested in Austen and 19th century British literature. If you're searching from home, remember that you'll need your Library card to enter our databases. For assistance in searching the databases or located any of the following items, please contact Information Services:

What Do I Read Next?
This database provides reading suggestions based on titles of books that you have enjoyed in the past, as well as on genre, author, time period, characters, setting, and even age of the reader. Let's say you enjoy historical romances set in England during the 19th century; you can input all of these factors and What Do I Read Next will customize a list of books for your next reading adventure. Try Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (my fav!) or Bleak House by Charles Dickens (long, but worth the 880 pages!)

Gale Literature Resource Center
This database allows you to search for "Austen" under "Authors By Type" and you'll find biographies, articles, criticisms, novel overviews, further readings by and about Jane Austen, and links to additional Austen-dedicated websites.

All Things Austen: An Encyclopedia of Austen's World
A two-volume set of writings about the settings of Austen's novels, these books discuss topics such as clothing, accessories, entertainment, military life, education, and business.

Jane Austen: A Companion
An entertaining guide to all of Austen's works and includes biographical commentary as well as essays on themes found in the novels.

Tea with Jane Austen
A lively presentation of the importance of tea in Austen's time and the presence of tea in each of her novels. Find recipes for Lemon Cheesecake for Fanny and Edward and Plum Cake for an Elegant Breakfast.

Calling all Jane Austen fans! On Sunday, April 20th at 2:00pm, the Library will be hosting the program, Appearance vs. Essence in Pride and Prejudice. More details coming soon, so keep checking our Events Blog or subscribe to our blog feeds!

Posted by EricaB at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)