December 24: the library and computer rooms will be open 10-12:30
December 25th: closed
December 31st: library and computer rooms 10-6
January 1 2014: closed
Here is our holiday gift for you. We now have an account with Freading, one of the major library e-Book services.
Using a computer and a dedicated e-book reader:
If you want to download library books to your desktop or laptop computer, and either read them there or sideload onto a dedicated e-book reader (Nook, Kobo, Sony or Aluratek), you need to have a copy of Adobe Digital Editions installed. If you have been borrowing e-books from other libraries you are already set up. Just go to our Freading site and find some good books. You will need to log in with your library card number.
If you haven't previously downloaded books from libraries, you need to read the instructions and set up your machine. Once you have done this, you can borrow books from any library that offers Freading or Overdrive.
Using a phone or wireless pad:
If you have not previously used Freading at another library, please read the setup instuctions for your device. You need to install a Freading app and authorize it. Then you can borrow books via your browser and read them in the app.
We hope you enjoy the books (and we recommend The Drunken Botanist).
Our next series of Sunday conversations will be based on The Moralities of Everyday Life, a series of online lectures by Yale's Paul Bloom. From the course description: "How is it that we are capable of transcendent kindness—and unspeakable cruelty? How do we make sense of people’s strongly-held opinions about abortion, gay marriage, affirmative action, and torture? How do evolution, culture, and religion conspire to shape our moral natures?"
We plan to start Sunday January 26th at 12:30 and meet for six weeks.
Please register for our Sunday sessions. You don't have to, you are welcome to just come whenever you wish and we always have plenty of coffee, but if you register we can let you know if we have to cancel a session.
To see the lectures, you need to register for the free MOOC. Again, this is not necessary, but we expect the lectures to be fascinating.
Preliminary reading / viewing:
“The Moral Life of Babiesâ€, by Paul Bloom, in the New York Times Magazine
“The Moral Instinctâ€, by Steven Pinker, in the New York Times Magazine
“The Moral Roots of Liberals and Conservativesâ€, by Jonathan Haidt, TED talk
“Science Can Answer Moral Questionsâ€, by Sam Harris, TED talk
We also have Bloom's book, Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil on the new book shelf.
The Friends of the Library will be selling some fabulous books today, December 14 2013, at Historic Takoma, 7238 Carroll Avenue. Featuring new children's and YA books, we will also have some quality books for adults. 10-2.
Meanwhile the annual Holiday Art Showis also scheduled for today, 10-4, in the community center. Stop in to visit the library if you come to the art sale.
Also we will have French Circle Time this morning in the library at 10:30.
We are going to remain closed all day, both the library and the computer rooms. For the hardy, the book drop is open.
Today, Monday the 9th, we are open our normal hours, 12-9. Tomorrow we are supposed to open at 10, but if the weather is bad we could delay opening. You may wish to check us on Twitter, Facebook or right here.
THE LIBRARY IS A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF TAKOMA PARK
