Trying to figure out your gadgets? Here are some new resources that can help

No, they don't usually provide instruction books with high-tech gadgets--I don't understand it either! They think we will tinker and tinker until we get it, but sometimes that just takes too long or isn't very intuitive for some of us. So that's where we can help. We've purchased quite a few books on how to use tablets and smart phones from different iterations and with different features. Hopefully you'll find what you're looking for in our collection. If not, please fill out a request card so we can get you what you want. Here's a few we have to offer and there are more to come, so be on the lookout:

iPad and iPhone Tips and Tricks by Jason Rich

iPad and iPad Mini: An Absolute Beginner's Guide by James F. Kelly

iPad for Artists by Dani Jones

Teach Yourself Visually iPad 4th Generation and iPad Mini by Guy Hart-Davis

Looking back at the earliest people through the lens of archeology

We have been updating several of our non-fiction sections and noticed we needed some books enlightening us on the latest research about early cultures, tool use and movement of peoples. Here are some titles that are recent and reflect today's scientific theories on this subject matter.

Across Atlantic Ice: The Origin of America's Clovis Culture by Dennis J. Stanford and Bruce A. Bradley
Published 2012

The Ascent of Man by Jacob Bronoswski
Published 2011, originally published in 1973

Born in Africa: The Quest for the Origins of Human Life by Martin Meredith
Published 2011

Lone Survivors: How We Came to Be the Only Humans on Earth by Chris Stringer
Published 2012

Masters of the Planet: The Search for Our Human Origins by Ian Tattersall
Published 2012

New African-American fiction titles have arrived

Whether it's romance, murder, love triangles, marriage, adoption, swindlers, best friends or church, we've got it covered with our varied fiction titles, of which these below are just a few. For a change, you might pick up a book in a genre you don't usually read or one by an author you are unfamiliar with. Give something new a try and open up your horizons this Spring.

If you are particularly enjoying an author or series, let us know, and we'll do our best to get get more in the same vein.

The Other Side of Dare by Vanessa Davis Griggs

A Good Man is Hard to Find by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Holy Rollers by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

The Man in 3b by Carl Weber

Decadence by Eric Jerome Dickey

For those who might be travelling...

Recently we've updated a couple areas in our travel books; namely we added some new books for visiting and sightseeing in New York City and in Eastern and Central Europe.

We will be ordering more for other areas of interest in the near future, and we welcome suggestions for these from our patrons. If you would like, please fill out a request card listing your travel destination spot and we'll see what's available and new that we can purchase or you can make a specific title request. You can use these books to help you plan your trip or just to get familiar with the surroundings.

Fodor's New York City 2013

DK Eyewitness Travel Top Top New York City 2013

DK Eyewitness Travel New York City 2013

DK Eyewitness Travel Eastern and Central Europe 2012

Rick Steve's Eastern Europe 2012

Have you seen our latest Amish fiction titles?

Join our growing circle of Amish and Mennonite fiction readers. If you're looking for wholesome stories addressing real world issues that can be found in these communities, try reading some in this genre. Discover how faith guides the characters' lives and helps them make choices and maneuver through life with the help of their beliefs.

We add more of this type fiction on a regular basis, often at the request of our patrons. Let us know how you like them and if you'd like to see more of them.

Threads of Grace: A Patch of Heaven Novel by Kelly Long

The Guardian by Beverly Lewis

Katie's Journey to Love by Jerry S. Eicher

Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda Brunstetter

Though Mountains Fall by Dale W. Cramer

The wild outdoors

With Daylight Savings Time about to begin so that we'll see more of the sun everyday, how about checking out some old past times and skills relating to the outdoors, wilderness and survival skills, hunting and the like. We've gotten quite a few new books in covering these subjects that I would like to bring to your attention below:

Bushcraft by Richard Graves
Reprint of this classic from the leader of the Australian Jungle Rescue Detachment assigned to the Far East American Air Force.

   

Woodcraft: A Guide to Camping and Survival by Elmer Harry Kreps

First published in 1919.

Hunting, Fishing, and Camping by L.L. Bean
Published originally in 1942, this edition provides an updated version by L.L. Bean's great-grandson.

Expert Companions: Outdoor: Skills and Tips by Lachlan McLaine

The Camping Bible: The Essential Guide for Outdoor Enthusiasts by Bob Holtzman

Bowhunting Tactics That Deliver Trophies: A Guide to Finding and Taking Monster Whitetail Bucks by Steve Bartylla

Book Clubs and reading discussions

You may be aware that we are having a discussion group tonight at the Laurens County Library. We'll be discussing Pat Conroy's book "My Reading Life". In this 2010 publication, South Carolina author Conroy writes about some of the influential books in his life and the lasting effect they had on him.

This book serves as a good introduction into how reading impacts our lives and will provide an opening for us to discuss book club reading as well as book club interests with our patrons. We hope you plan to join us at 7:00 p.m. this evening as we talk about books and book clubs.

One topic we'll be going over is choosing possible books for future reading and discussions. Here are some websites that could prove helpful to you when thinking about books that are great for book clubs and engender lots of discussion (click on the links below to go to the websites):

Goodreads

Amazon

Library Thing

About Bestsellers

Reader's Circle

Reading Group Choices