J. D. Salinger died today at his home in New Hampshire.  He was 91 years old.  He is an author who defies adjectives; legendary, iconic, reclusive, mysterious.  To me, each of his books is deeply personal, so that I am always surprised to learn that other people feel as strongly about his work as I do.  Best known for the book on almost everyone’s reading list, The Catcher in the Rye, I am partial to the books about the Glass family, Franny & Zooey, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters, and Seymour.  My favorite of his works, however, is his book of stories, Nine Stories. 

I mourn the loss of someone who touched me as deeply as anyone I have never met.

This is the time of year when most people have already given up on that New Year’s resolution they made way back on the 1st. (If they still remember it!)  But there is one item that should be on every computer user’s list, every year: Backing up your hard drive!!!

One of the things I love about my iMac is that there is a great backup system built in, Time Machine.   But the problem is I have my backup in the same location as my computer.  What if the unthinkable happened and your house burned down or someone broke in and stole ALL of your computer equipment?  Could you really begin to replace everything on your hard drive?

Unless you are really good at remembering to bring a copy of your backup to a different location, there is a relatively new solution to this issue: backing up your hard drive online.  PC Magazine has an article “The Best Online Backup Services” which includes links to different sites that offer this service, usually for only a small fee.  I personally have only heard of one of the sites, Mozy, which I learned about from a genealogy podcast I tune into.  I signed up for the free 2 MB space and downloaded the software to see how it worked with my computer.  Next step, sign up to back up my important documents and pictures!

If you are using an online backup service, leave a comment below to let everyone know if you would recommend that site.

Erich Segal died Sunday at the age of 72.   Erich Segal is most well known for his novel “Love Story” which was published in 1970.  The novel was turned into the a hit movie by the same name about a young couple who meet and fall in love only to be tragically separated.  He also worked on the screenplay for the Beatles “Yellow Submarine.”  Additionally, Erich Segal was a respected professor of the classics at Yale.

Calling all amateur photographers.  Here’s your chance to shine! The Grandville Branch of KDL is looking for photos of people of all ages reading somewhere in Grandville.  You could take pictures of folks reading at the library, the schools, parks, or any place you would like in Grandville. 

The photography contest is part of our Grandville Reads! One Book One Community program.  Local professional photographers will choose 5 winners who will be eligible to win gift certificates to local restaurants. 

You can find the entry form with guidelines at the Grandville Branch or online. 

Robert B. Parker, age 77, died today.  Parker was well known for his crime fiction novels, especially the series featuring private detective Spenser which was dramatized in the television series, Spenser: For Hire.  He also created a memorable character in ex-cop Jesse Stone.  Robert Parker received the Edgar Award twice from the Mystery Writers of America.

The winner of the Michael L. Printz award for 2010 is…

Going Bovine by Libba Bray! 16-year-old Cameron is diagnosed with “mad cow” disease and on his deathbed he sets out on a crazy road trip to find the cure from Mr. X… or does he?

Let us know in the comments if you already read the book and what you thought of it!

For a complete listing of the award and honor winners, go to ALA’s press release.

The 2010 Newbery and Caldecott winners were announced yesterday.  The Newbery goes to When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, featuring 12 year-old Miranda.  The Caldecott goes to The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney, which is a wordless story with beautiful full color drawings.  Let us know in the comments if you have read either of these books and what you think of them!

For a complete listing of the award and honor winners, check out ALA’s press announcement.

All KDL branches are open normal operating hours today.

Why not stop by and check out a book about Martin Luther King Jr. or the Civil Rights Movement?

Don’t despair, there’s still time to enter the KDL Teen Film Festival.  Check out the KDL website for rules and an application, then get out your camera, get together with friends and make a great short film.  You can submit your disk by mail or in person to: Dana Donnell, KDL Kentwood, 4700 Kalamazoo SE, Kentwood MI 49508.  The deadline is January 29th–so go start filming!

If you’re a fan of The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, then you don’t want to miss KDL’s celebrations of the new Lightning Thief movie coming out February 12.

Celebrate the opening of the film with games, crafts and fun on Friday, January 22 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cascade Twp. branch.

Then continue the fun on Saturday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. at the Kentwood branch with more crafts and games.

In The Lightning Thief, Riordan uses the concepts of ancient Greek mythology to bring life to a story of a modern-day boy, Percy Jackson.