Recommended Read: Away by Amy Bloom

Away is the epic and intimate story of young Lillian Leyb, a dangerous innocent, an accidental heroine. When her family is destroyed in a Russian pogrom, Lillian comes to America alone, determined to make her way in a new land. When word comes that her daughter, Sophie, might still be alive, Lillian embarks on an odyssey that takes her from the world of the Yiddish theater on New York’s Lower East Side, to Seattle’s Jazz District, and up to Alaska, along the fabled Telegraph Trail toward Siberia. All of the qualities readers love in Amy Bloom’s work–her humor and wit, her elegant and irreverent language, her unflinching understanding of passion and the human heart–come together in the embrace of this brilliant novel, which is at once heartbreaking, romantic, and completely unforgettable.

Welcome Cassie!

Aram Public Library Welcomes Cassie!

Who is Cassie, you may be asking? Cassie is not a new librarian; rather it is our new and improved computer system! Instead of checking in at the circulation desk, patrons can now select an available computer on their own and log in using their patron ID number and their PIN.

The patron ID number is the long number found beneath the bar code on the back of library cards. Every patron is issued a PIN when first obtaining a library card. The number is automatically generated, and if a patron does not know it, a librarian can look up the number and even change the PIN to something a patron can more easily remember.

Once logged into a computer, a patron is allotted 60 minutes, and the computer itself keeps time. A patron is automatically logged off after 60 minutes, though if no other patrons have reserved the computer, the patron can log back on for an additional 60 minutes. If there are no computers available, a patron can go to the circulation desk and have a librarian reserve the next available computer for them.

Also, printing is now pre-pay, and money is credited to a patron’s account before printing takes place. As with most all libraries, Aram Public Library strives to serve a community of diverse needs, and so we will continue to perfect the services we offer.

Liked Coraline? Try these:

With the Coraline movie just out, I've put together a list of other books a Coraline fan might like. Enjoy!

Skellig by David Almond
The Thief of Always by Clive Barker
Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
The Robe of Skulls by Vivian French
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
Un Lun Dun by China Miéville

A Crack in the Line by Michael Lawrence
Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert O’Brien
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite deAngeli

MARCH LIBRARY EVENTS

Tiny Tots Time - Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

Babies and their caregivers are invited to the library for an hour of activities that focus on language enrichment and preliteracy skills. For ages 0-2.

Preschool Story Time - Fridays at 10 a.m.

Preschoolers and their caregivers participate in an hour of stories, songs and other activities. For ages 2-5.

Genetics, Lifestyle and Health - Thursday, March 5 at 7 p.m.

Dr. Brock Belcher discusses modern health care trends, the impact of genetics vs. lifestyle, and how you can make the best choices for your own health. This is the first in a series of talks being presented by Dr. Belcher.

Library Board Meeting - Thursday, March 12 at 4 p.m.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! - Saturday, March 14 at 1 p.m.

Celebrate the life and work of the man who brought you The Cat in the Hat. Everyone is invited to enjoy games, a craft, and -- of course -- birthday cake!

Media Swap - Monday, March 16 at 6 p.m.

Teens are invited to trade their gently used books, magazines, CD's, movies, and games. Receive credit for the items you bring in, then trade your credit for stuff from other teens. For grade 6 and up.

Book Discussion - Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m.

This month's title is The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz, a novel based on the life of Empress Michiko of Japan. Books and discussion guides are available at the library. Anyone who has read the book is welcome to attend.