New & Noteworthy @ WHPLibrary

The latest book by suspense writer Mary Higgins Clark, The Shadow of Your Smile, will be available on Tuesday, APRIL 13. She will be appearing at Barnes & Noble in Carle Place on Wednesday, APRIL 14 at 7 p.m. to sign and discuss this book. Contact the store at 741-9850 about wristband distribution.

But if you've lost your form or need help, our library serves as a Questionnaire Assistance Center. A census aide is here Tuesday-Friday from 12-4 pm to help. Check out the "Mail Participation rate" of our area, compared to the national rate.

Take 10 minutes to fill out your 2010 Census form and mail it back TODAY. We've been told that if 100% of households mailed back their forms, taxpayers would save $1.5 BILLION dollars!

I recently started reading books by Linwood Barclay and I would recommend him for readers who like Harlan Coben. Barclay writes suspense fiction set on the East Coast. I have already read his book, Fear the Worst, which is set in Connecticut and am currently reading, Too Close to Home, which is set somewhere near Albany.

His newest book, Never Look Away, was released in March. I like his books because the plots are plausible and the books are a fast read. If you're looking for something new, pick up one of Barclay's books and let me know what you think. His web site is www.linwoodbarclay.com

Our questions in March asked about your familiarity with the library's online content. We expected that people who rarely use their computers would not fill out the survey (exactly one respondent indicated no online content accessed), but we were somewhat surpised that our many computer and wireless users also failed to fill out the survey. Only 15 people answered our questions, and 4 of those responses were submitted online. We are listening. Our next survey will not deal with technology in any way.

Not surprisingly, 80% of our respondents have seen or used our library website. To help you remember, the address of our website www.whplibrary.org is printed on your library card. 66% have accessed the Online Catalog either directly from our website or from its own unique address www.alisweb.org. 40% of respondents have tried our Research Databases, either for homework or genealogy research, or just to catch up on newspaper or magazine articles from many national and international sources.

33% have checked our Events Calendar or Newsletter online, and 33% have read one or both of our Blogs. One of our blogs, "West Hempstead Wants to Know!" is dedicated to these surveys and the other, called "New & Noteworthy" is our general library blog covering the latest information from our reference librarians regarding books, events, new media, or resources on the Internet, in the library, or in our local community, that interest and delight us.

26% of our respondents have viewed our Facebook pages. We have established 3 pages to cater to the Children's Room, Teens and the general Adult population. Even if you aren't interested in registering and interacting with us as a Facebook fan, you can still view our status updates just by viewing our library webpages.

Only one person was familiar with our Flickr and Picasaweb pages, but if you've seen our website, you may have clicked on the albums on the Teen pages, or seen the Photo Archives which are hosted by Flickr. These free sites are great places for presenting, sharing, and storing memories. Check them out! You may want to try them for yourself.

The question was: Which of the following online content have you seen or used? (Mark all that apply.) Here are the results in rank order:
12 = Library Website
10 = Online Catalog
06 = Research Databases
05 = Event Calendar or Online Newsletter
05 = Either of our 2 Library Blogs
04 = Any of our 3 Facebook pages
01 = Our photos on Flickr or Picasaweb

Our April survey concerns your favorite type of FICTION.

Bestselling author David Baldacci will be at the Book Revue in Huntington on Wednesday, APRIL 21 at 7 p.m. to speak about and sign his new book, Deliver Us From Evil.

Those attending the event are asked to bring new or gently used books to donate to David Baldacci's Wish You Well Foundation.

Fore more information, contact The Book Revue at 631-271-1442 or go to their web site at www.bookrevue.com.

The new book from Anna Quindlen, Every Last One, will be released on APRIL 13. Her latest book once again deals with ordinary people caught up in tragic circumstances.

        
The lastest book in Stuart Woods' Stone Barrington series will be available on APRIL 20. Lucid Intervals finds Stone Barrington dealing with an unwanted new client and hunting for a former British intelligence operative.

        
Alexander McCall-Smith's new book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series will also be available on APRIL 20. In The Double Comfort Safari Club, Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi travel to the north of Botswana to visit a safari lodge.

You can reserve a copy of any of these titles, or other books, at the reference desk or through your online library account.

Bestselling author Anna Quindlen will be at the Book Revue in Huntington on Friday, APRIL 30, at 7 p.m. to talk about and sign her new book, Every Last One.

For more information, contact the Book Revue at 631-271-1442.

Dr. Travis Stork, host of The Doctors talk show, will be at the Book Revue in Huntington on Tuesday, APRIL 27 at 7 p.m. He will be speaking about and signing his new book, The Doctor Is In: A 7-Step Prescription for Optimal Wellness. Stork also was seen on the television show The Bachelor: Paris.

For more information, contact the Book Revue at 631-271-1442.

The next mystery book discussion will be on Wednesday, MAY 12 at 10:30 a.m. in the board room on the second floor of the library.

Our book will be A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie. This is the first book in the series featuring Supt. Duncan Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James.

Books should be available at the circulation desk by Wednesday.

James Patterson, Debbie Macomber, Nora Roberts and Fern Michaels all have new books coming out APRIL 27.

James Patterson's new book, 9th Judgement, is the latest in The Women's Murder Club series. Detective Lindsay Boxer must solve the murder of two women and fight her attraction for her partner Rich.

Debbie Macomber's newest book, Hannah's List, continues with characters that have appeared in the Blossom Street series. Dr. Michael Everett tries to find love again after the death of his beloved wife Hannah.

        
In Return to Sender, by Fern Michaels, Lin Townsend crosses paths with the man who abandoned her 19 years before and sets out to get her revenge.

Nora Roberts continues her Bride Quartet series with the addition of Savour the Moment. Four friends have formed a successful wedding planning business. This book focuses on Laurel McBane, who creates the wedding cakes for the business.

You can reserve a copy of any of these titles, or other books, at the reference desk or through your online library account.

Scott Turow, author of the best selling book Presumed Innocent, will be at The TimesCenter in Manhattan on Wednesday, MAY 26 from 8-9:30 p.m.

Turow will be speaking about and signing his new book, Innocent, the sequel to Presumed Innocent.

Cost of the event is $30. The TimesCenter is located at 242 W. 41st Street. For more information and to buy tickets, go to http://nytimes.whsites.net/talk/index.php.

Several best-selling authors will have books availabe on MAY 4th.

Blued-Eyed Devil is the last western novel written by the recently deceased Robert B. Parker. This book once again features lawmen Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch and is set in Appaloosa.

        
Innocent, by Scott Turow, is the sequel to his best-selling book Presumed Innocent. This book continues the story of Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto who are pitted against each other 20 later after the mysterious death of Rusty's wife.

        
Jane Smiley's new novel, Private Life, follows the life of one woman from the 1880s to World War II. Margaret Mayfield marries the most famous man in her Missouri town and stands by him through both personal tragedies and those shared by the nation.

Commissario Guido Brunetti makes his 19th appearance in Donna Leon's new book, A Question of Belief. Brunetti is trying to go on vacation to escape the heat of Venice but a violent crime forces him to stay in the city.

        
You can reserve a copy of any of these titles, or other books, at the reference desk or through your online library account.

Those who like fast-paced suspense books should pick up a copy of David Rosenfelt's new book, Down to the Wire. Rosenfelt is known for his mystery series featuring defense attorney Andy Carpenter.

The novel features New Jersey newspaper reporter Chris Turley who finds out getting what you wish for is not necessarily a good thing. Turley must find out who is behind the anonymous phone calls he is receiving in order to save the lives of innocent people.

I also really liked Rosenfelt's previous standalone book, Don't Tell a Soul.

Former New York Met and New York Yankee, Darryl Strawberry, will be at the Borders in Penn Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, MAY 6 at 6:30 p.m.

He will be there to sign his autobiography, Straw: Finding My Way. For more information, contact the store at 212-244-1814.