What’s New on the Book Shelves?

At every library in our system, the new book shelves are a great place to stop and browse every time you visit the library.

You can see new novels by new writers, find a new book by an author you know and like, or come across a book that's been reviewed or recommended to you. As you decide which books to check out, enjoy the look and feel of the art on the covers, read about the author on the back flap or the reviews on the back cover, and read a paragraph or two in the book to see how you like the writing style. New novels are fun to explore.

If you move to the new non-fiction shelves, you'll find fascinating books on every topic like religion, lifestyles or new essays and poems. The new craft books are an excellent way to  discover new hobbies like woodworking, needlework or watercolor. And then there are the cookbooks. What fun to see what kind of new cuisine you could try! There are new books about sports, science, history, politics and travel. And even a new biography might interest you.

You'll find that each new book has a label on the spine showing the month that the library received it. We keep them on the new books shelves for  6-8 months and then they go into the regular shelving with all the other library materials. Each month has a different color label, so if you're in a hurry, you can browse easily for the newest new books.

New books also include books that are new to the library—a new edition of a classic with a new introduction, a new translation of a familiar book, or a reissue of a much-loved series. I noticed some enticing newly published Agatha Christie titles and checked out several to read again.

Look for the new children’s materials, audiobooks and DVDs, too.  As always, if you don’t see something, ask library staff for directions or assistance.

Although browsing through the new books is a delight, when you want a particular new book or item, you can place it on hold and check it out when you're notified that it's ready for you.

Sincerely,

Cay Hohmeister

Director, LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library System

On Sunday February 11, Leon County held the annual African-American Read-In at the Main Library. Citizens of all ages, authors, and library staff came together to read and discuss many varieties of African American Literature and its cultural impact on themselves and the community. Authors read from their own works and hosted discussion tables which leading to lively conversation on the power and the art of the written word.  Over 75 people came to this event and we are already excited about next year!

Mobile Hotspots Coming to the Library

On a recent episode of Chain of Command on the National Geographic channel, a soldier serving in Afghanistan didn't want to miss the birth of his son.  He went into his base's PX and purchased a mobile hotspot which gave him the wi-fi capability to witness the birth. Soon, Leon County will offer mobile hotspots to library patrons! These devices allow any patron who has access to a cell phone signal to access the internet via wi-fi anywhere in the world. The hotspots come with a charger and instructions to get you online as quickly as possible. Patrons can check out the hotspots for two weeks at a time.

Here's a sneak peek of what's coming soon!

The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer

The Rising Sea by Clive Cussler

Accidental Heroes by Danielle Steel

The Disappeared by C.J. Box

The Fallen by David Baldacci

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

The Fates Divide by Veronica Roth

Browse our entire collection at www.leoncountylibrary.org for more great picks.  In most cases you can place a hold before the book comes out!

You can check out telescopes from your library!

We've just received a shipment of new telescopes to add to our very popular telescope program. These easy to use telescopes can be checked out for a week at a time and holds can be placed at any branch or on our website!

Youth Art Month Exhibition 

The LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library, in commemoration of National Youth Art month and in partnership with Leon County Schools, presents Youth Art Month. This collection of work is by students from over 25 Leon County schools, grades Kindergarten through 5, recognizing their strong artistic achievements and dedication to art education. Please join us for this celebration of art and art education. The artwork will be displayed the entire month of March at the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Main Library, 200 W. Park Avenue.

Florida Room Collection

The Florida Room collection is an assortment of materials of importance to Florida, the Big Bend region and Tallahassee. The collection contains college and high school yearbooks, Tallahassee city directories, bound periodicals (including The Florida Historical Quarterly, Tequesta, Magnolia Monthly and Apalachee), assorted reports, and fiction and non-fiction books significant to Florida’s history.

This collection has a wealth of interesting information for the researcher and the merely curious. Would you like to see who lived in your neighborhood 100 years ago? Browse the city directories, which date back to 1906. Check out the hairstyles from the 1960s in the Leon High School Lion’s Tale yearbooks. Thumb through decades of local urban planning, environmental and agricultural reports to see how Tallahassee’s development unfolded. Whether you are a serious researcher or inquisitive patron, this collection has something of interest for you.

Items in this collection are available for in-house use and the stacks are open and can be browsed by patrons. To explore the collection in our online catalog, search the “Florida Room” shelf location. We recently moved the Florida Room collection to the general reference area to provide easier access to the collection. Ask staff for assistance with using this collection; we’re happy to help.