Friday, May 23, 2008

Graphic Novels On Display


For something different to read, why not try graphic novels? They are becoming increasingly popular among all ages (not just teens) and are finding their way onto many best seller lists. Illustrated or graphic novels combine pictures with a small amount of text to create an enhanced reading experience. Anyone who tries a graphic novel will immediately apprehend how easily the images and the words blend together into a powerful new creation. If a picture is worth a thousand words, graphic novels communicate a lot in a very few pages.

Bernardsville Public Library is currently displaying an interesting selection of its graphic novels which can be found in the lobby next to the circulation desk. Look there for the classic Sandman series by Neil Gaiman or the deeply affecting 9/11 memorial, In the Shadow of No Towers, by Art Spiegelman. For those of you interested in other cultures, try Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, an autobiography of her childhood during the Iranian Revolution. Graphic novels for young readers and adults alike are available for check out. Please help yourselves to these items.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction


Junot Diaz's debut novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, was recently awarded the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. A native of the Dominican Republic, Diaz is the recipient of numerous awards for his earlier collection of stories, entitled Drown. A graduate of Rutgers and having earned an MFA from Cornell, Junot Diaz is currently a professor at MIT.

In awarding the prize, the Pulitzer Board states, "Diaz immerses us in the tumultuous life of Oscar and the history of the family at large, rendering with genuine warmth and dazzling energy, humor, and insight the Dominican-American experience, and, ultimately, the endless human capacity to persevere in the face of heartbreak and loss." http://www.pulitzer.org/

Come in to the library to get your copy of this prize-winning book.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Bernardsville Goes Green


The Bernardsville Environmental Commission has instituted the Bernardsville Green Initiative (BGI) to advance energy efficiency based on the State of New Jersey's strategic plan. The initiative hopes to reduce operating costs of public buildings by promoting the environmentally responsible and efficient use of energy, water and building materials. In addition, BGI will provide local residents and businesses with helpful information on this matter. Bernardsville Public Library offers a number of excellent resources, as well. Look for the bright green BGI informational brochures at the circulation desk along with an extensive book list of suggested reading material on how to "go green."