See what everyone else is reading and watching! Click on the link to the KDL Top Ten List. These are the 10 most checked-out items at KDL this week!

One appeal of Science Fiction is the portrayal of alternate worlds or realities different than our own. The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian world and fits into that alternate realities heading.  KDL has created an Alternate Realities booklist.  The list contains a variety of books for adults from dystopian to steampunk.  One of my personal favorites from the list is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.  Cline has created a believable world of the future where the virtual reality environment is more real to the characters than what is happening around them.  The book is also full of 80s references and lots of action!

Have you ever wished you could have a “techie” person at your side when you wonder how to make something work on your computer?

There’s a terrific site called Teach Parents Tech that features short videos of tech-savvy young adults explaining all sorts of things, such as How to Change Your Default Home Page, or How to Attach a File to an Email, or How to Share Photos. Brought to you by Google, the site is fun, informative and truly helpful, even for the person who already knows his or her way around a computer fairly well.

It even has a feature that allows someone to send a “tech support care package” email to a person who needs help in specific areas, linking videos that will address that topic!

“Honoring Excellence in journalism and the arts since 1917”

 PULITZER PRIZES 2012

Columbia University announced on 4/16/12 the 2012 Pulitzer Prizes, awarded on the recommendation of the Pulitzer Prize Board.

 Fiction –

• No Award

 History –

• Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by the late Manning Marable

 Biography –

• George F. Kennan: An American Life by John Lewis Gaddis

 Poetry –

• Life on Mars by Tracy K. Smith

 General Nonfiction –

• The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt

 For a complete list of 2012 Pulitzer Prize winners, extensive information on Joseph Pulitzer and the lists of past winners please visit:

http://www.pulitzer.org

At Kent District Library the art of play is serious business.  If you visited KDLville at the Grandville Branch you would hear the glorious sounds of kids at play.  And if you listened really hard you would also hear the sounds of minds at work, growing and expanding.  That’s what KDLville is all about — engaging kids in purposeful play. 

The Grandville Branch launched its KDLville space in August 2011, and ever since it has been a place of destination for families with young children in this part of Kent County.  Thanks to generous donations from our Friends group, we have been able to rotate our early literacy activities three times throughout the year.   

On tap for KDLville this summer is our market stand where kids can pretend to shop for good wholesome food, a barn with play tractors and animals, puppet stage, dress-up area, and much more.  Our art table and writing center is out year-round with activities that strengthen creativity and build pre-reading and pre-writing skills. 

Stop into the Grandville Branch and bring the kids next time you’re in town!

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

If disaster strikes, would you be ready? The GET READY! Kent County twelve-month citizen preparedness program focuses on a different area of emergency preparedness each month. In May, you are encouraged to come up with a family disaster plan. This tip sheet offers a lot of helpful information.

KDL is teaming up with the Kent County Sheriff Department, Health Department and the American Red Cross to make sure you are prepared for an emergency. Remember, when disaster strikes, it is easier to cope when you are prepared.

Word Wise, KDL’s ninth annual teen poetry contest, is in the books, and it was once again a huge success thanks to all the great teen poets out there.  This year we had about 200 entries that our staff had a great time reviewing.  Once we narrowed down the entries, our judge selected 7 winners and 1 honorable mention. A PDF of the winning poems is available for your enjoyment. Congratulations to the winning poets!

Winners:

Falling Tears by Jana Swanson

The Lost Years by Marissa Sterzick

I Learned About the Trinity Today by Patricia Schlutt

Love is… by Mollie Stahl

Sisterhood by Katja McBane

The Children are Playing by Kara Montgomery

Placenta by Emily Post

Honorable Mention:

Love Letter to Helios by Jill Nelson

We would also like to extend a special thanks to our judge, David Cope.  David is a creative writing professor at Grand Rapids Community College as well as the current Grand Rapids Poet Laureate.  We appreciate his expertise and his willingness to judge our contest again this year.

While you are at it, feel free to check out the PDFs of the past winners:

• 2011
• 2010
• 2009

It’s time for BBQ!  To view 10 of the most popular titles in Grilling at KDL, click on the link to the KDL Top Ten List! 

If you haven’t read Tom Angleberger’s The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, you’re missing out!  Not only is it a very cool and funny story, there are instructions about how to fold your very own origami Yoda at the end.  If you want to know more, check out this awesome video by the author himself!

Want to read Origami Yoda, or the sequel, Darth Paper Strikes Back?  Place your hold now by clicking on the book covers below.  They are also available in audio!

Read them you should!

The Lakeland Library Cooperative’s automated telephone renewal service (616-647-BOOK) is currently unavailable. IT staff are working to get it back up and running again, but in the meantime, you can renew items by calling KDL’s Patron Services Department at 616-784-2007 during library open hours or by logging into your online account using your library card number and PIN (last 4 digits of your phone number).

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

UPDATE (5-18-12): The automated telephone system is back up and running. Thank you for your patience!