Library Journal articles from December 2006

Library Journal archives from December 2006

Location, location: Main Street libraries remain the heart of the community.(Pettee Memorial Library)(Southold Free Library)(Editorial)
December 1, 2006... OF COURSE I LOVE THE MANY BRANCHES OF MY big--city libraries in New York, but I'm especially attached to my "summer" libraries, the small-town ones I go to when I'm on vacation. One is in southern Vermont, the other on Long Island in New York....

Democracy in ALA: too low a priority on the association agenda.(blatant berry)(American Library Association)
December 1, 2006... WE ONCE TOOK A MEASURE OF PRIDE IN OUR victories in the battle to make the governance of the American Library Association (ALA) accessible, participatory, indeed democratic. Maintaining that participatory democracy in ALA seems to be a lower...

Skills for Century 21.(feedback)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I read with interest the letter from American Library Association president Leslie Burger ("ALA's alternate to an MLS," LJ 11/1/06, p. 10) about John Berry's editorial ("Can ALA Bring Change," LJ 9/15/06, p. 10) on ALA's ability to change...

We need those IDs.(feedback)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... In case you haven't noticed, the world did change on 9/11 (Francine Fialkoff, "Say No to Photo IDs," LJ 11/1/06, p. 8). It is reasonable, regardless of whether we deal with state secrets or not, to control access to the workplace and to have a...

Welcome words.(feedback)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... Francine Fialkoff's editorial ("Even Dewey Knew It," LJ 8/06, p. 8) was timely. In July 2006, the Hampden Free Public Library, closed since July 2005, reopened its doors to the public. Since being hired as library director this June, I have...

Bridge Google gap.(feedback)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... "The Google Divide" ("Blatant Berry," LJ 10/15/06, p. 10) certainly resonated with me. I just wrote a blog post at ACR Log about this same issue: acrlblog.org/2006/09/25/learning-from-the-new-generation. I didn't just point out that there...

In the gutter.(feedback)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2006... I just read the letter "Fouled up?" (LJ 8/ 06, p. 12) complaining about the use of the acronym "FUBAR." Sheesh--I bet he's the same kind of anal person who's objecting to the National Library Week theme, "Come together." Some people's minds...

One country, one book.(front desk)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Netherlands last month took the "one community, one book" concept to the national level. Libraries in the country gave out 575,000 copies of Dubbelspel (or "Double Play"), a 1973 best seller by Frank Martinus Arion. The book, according to...

The emergence of Web 3.0.(front desk)
December 1, 2006... "We are going from a web of connected documents to a web of connected data. --Entrepreneur Nova Spivack in the New York Times, November 12, 2006

Dempsey wins Governing award.(front desk)(Mary Dempsey)(Chicago Public Library)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Mary Dempsey, commissioner of the Chicago Public Library, has become only the second librarian in 13 years to win one of Governing magazine's Public Official of the Year awards honoring outstanding achievement at the state and local level....

Brooklyn PL tries hip approach.(front desk)(Brooklyn Public Library)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... At restaurants, cafes, and hipster retail outlets in New York City, visitors often get a chance to select postcards promoting everything from a new television show to a new liquor. Now, they can also choose one from the Brooklyn Public Library....

New Congress may help libraries: locally, an Austin win, an Oakland setback; three TABOR measures fail.(lj news)
December 1, 2006... The election of the new Congress last month--with Democratic majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate--should bode well for libraries, according to Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association's...

ALA race: Davenport, Rettig.(lj news)(Nancy Davenport and James Rettig)(American Library Association)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Two candidates with experience on the American Library Association's (ALA) Executive Board will vie for the 2008-09 ALA presidency. Nancy Davenport, interim director of library services at the District of Columbia Public Library, served on the...

NCLIS concern: consolidation.(lj news)(National Commission on Libraries and Information Science)(Institute of Museum and Library Services )
December 1, 2006... Commission worries about maintenance of voice The independent U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) is expressing new concern about the proposed consolidation of NCLIS into the Institute of Museum and Library...

Oral history thrives in Greenwich.(lj news)(Greenwich Public Library)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Thanks to the Greenwich Public Library, CT, residents have access to a rich lode of local oral history--from the evolution of the town beach to a massive highway collapse to the controversial 1970s proposal to move the United Nations to the...

On the block: Thomson Learning: Thomson Gale will be sold as part of a package.(LJ NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Rumors that had surfaced months ago about the possible sale of Thomson Gale have proven solid, as the Thomson Corporation announced plans to reorganize and sell its Thomson Learning Division, including the Thomson Gale subsidiary. The move...

Univ. of Virginia joins Google plan: ninth partner for effort; will enhance library's digital role.(LJ NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The University of Virginia (UVA) and Google Wednesday announced that UVA is the ninth partner in the Google Books Library Project. Under the agreement, Google will digitize "selected portions" of the UVA Library's collections, just as it has...

Paraprofessional of the year.(LJ NEWS)
December 1, 2006... Library Journal will honor one support staffer with its eighth annual Paraprofessional of the Year award in its March 1, 2007, issue. Sponsored by Brodart Library Supplies & Furnishings, which underwrites the $1500 cash prize and a reception...

Gates grants fund two studies: library awareness campaign, technology funding to get new support.(LJ NEWS)(Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)(Online Computer Library Center )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... OCLC has received a $1.2 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a national marketing campaign to increase awareness of the value of libraries and the need to support libraries at local, state, and national levels....

U. of Houston's Bailey resigns: scholarly publishing pioneer to maintain his role on the web.(LJ NEWS)(Charles Bailey)(University of Houston Libraries )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Charles Bailey, longtime assistant dean for digital library planning and development at the University of Houston (UH) Libraries and publisher of the popular Scholarly Electronic Publishing Bibliography (SEPB), abruptly announced his...

NOPL's interim head leaves: Harris says next director must make long-term commitment.(LJ NEWS)(Geraldine Harris)(New Orleans Public Library)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Geraldine Harris, interim director of the New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) since Director Bill Johnson left last summer, on November 10 took a job managing the central facility of the Calcasieu Parish Public Library in Lake Charles, in the...

Certification woes for Massachusetts PLs.(LJ NEWS)(public libraries)(Turner Free Library and Medway Public Library )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Two small Massachusetts public libraries have cut their services to the point that they are violating the state's Board of Library Commissioners policy, and one has already lost state certification. The board told the Turner Free Library,...

Ohio PLs rank high in Hennen Ratings.(LJ NEWS)(public libraries)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The somewhat controversial Hennen Ratings are out, and libraries in Ohio, where storewide funding boosts budgets for library service, continued to clean up in the 2006 seventh annual American Public Library Ratings. Cuyahoga County Public...

Murder conviction in library attack.(LJ NEWS)(Garner Allen)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A May 2005 attack in the stacks of the Riverhead Free Library, NY, apparently a robbery gone wrong, led to the fatal injury of an 85-year-old patron and a murder sentence of 25 years to life. Library surveillance videos allegedly showed Garner...

Arrest in Salt Lake City PL bombing.(LJ NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Salt Lake City Public Library, victimized by a homemade bomb on September 15, was targeted randomly by a man with an animus toward the local police. That's the word after the arrest of Thomas Zajac, a Chicago-area man who formerly lived in...

Calendar.(LJ NEWS)(Brief article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2006... FEBRUARY 2007 22-25--Alaska Library Assn., Juneau www.akla.org MARCH 2007 6-8--Louisiana Library Assn., Baton Rouge www.llaonline.org 14-16--New Mexico Library Assn./Mountain Plains Library Assn., Albuquerque www.nmla.org ...

University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee (UWM) Libraries.(people)(appointed Ewa Barczyk )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Ewa Barczyk has been named Director of the University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee (UWM) Libraries. Barczyk has served at UWM Libraries as Interim Director since 2003 and before that as Associate Director.

South Carolina State Library.(people)(appointed Julie Boller )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Julie Boller is the new Continuing Education Coordinator at the South Carolina State Library, Columbia. She previously worked as the Adult Programming Coordinator at the Kenton County Public Library, Covington, KY, and earned an MLIS this year...

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Information Studies (SOIS) Center for Information Policy Research.(people)(appointed Elizabeth Buchanan )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Elizabeth Buchanan has been appointed Director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Information Studies (SOIS) Center for Information Policy Research. Buchanan is an SOIS Associate Professor.

University of North Carolina.(people)(appointed Kathy Crowe)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Kathy Crowe is now Associate Director for Public Services, University Libraries at University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She had served as Interim Associate Director and Head of the Reference and Instructional Services Department.

Greenburgh Public Library.(people)(Demita Gerber appointed as director at Monona Public Library)(Genie Contrata appointed as acting Director at Greenburgh Public Library )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Demita Gerber, Director at the Greenburgh Public Library (GPL), NY, for 14 years, is now Director, Monona Public Library, WI. Genie Contrata has been named Acting Director at GPL.

Trenton Public Library.(people)(Scott Hughes appointed as director)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Scott Hughes is now Director of the Trenton Public Library, NJ. He most recently was Executive Director of the Geneva Public Library, NY.

Project MUSE.(people)(Mary Rose Muccie appointed as director of Project MUSE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Mary Rose Muccie is the new Director of Project MUSE, the Johns Hopkins University Press online scholarly journal publishing venture. Muccie currently is Publisher with the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Des Plaines Valley Public Library District.(people)(Scott Pointon appointed as director)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Scott Pointon is the new Director of the Des Plaines Valley Public Library District, Crest Hill, IL. He was Assistant City Librarian at the Decatur Public Library, IL.

Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall.(people)(Diane Ragan appointed as library director )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Diane Ragan has been appointed Library Director at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, Carnegie, PA. Ragan has worked at libraries in Mt. Lebanon and Oakland, PA, has written two books about the Civil War, and is a certified...

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners.(people)(appointed Nancy Rea)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Nancy Rea has been appointed Deputy Director and Head of Library Development, Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The position is being filled after a four-year vacancy, as several positions were lost in the state's economic downturn....

Brooklyn Public Library.(people)(appointed Charlene Rue )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Charlene Rue is the new Manager, Materials Selection, at Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), responsible for 58 branch libraries, the business library, and central library. She has been with BPL since 1993, most recently as Manager of Collection...

Delaware County District Library.(people)(appointed Mary Jane Santos )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Mary Jane Santos has been appointed Director of the Delaware County District Library, OH. She has been employed at the library for 22 years, serving as Assistant Director since 1993.

Humboldt University.(people)(appointed Michael Seadle )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Michael Seadle will become Director of the Institute of Library and Information Sciences, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. He is the first American to hold both this position and the highest rank of full professor. Seadle currently is...

Everett Library.(people)(appointed Eileen Simmons )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Eileen Simmons will become Director of the Everett Library, WA, effective March 1, 2007, upon the retirement of longtime director Mark Nesse. Simmons currently serves as the library's Assistant Director and Head of Reference.

Washoe County Library System.(people)(appointed Dianne Varnon )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Dianne Varnon has been named Associate Director, Programs and Services, at the Washoe County Library System, Reno, NV. She has been Manager of Northwest Reno Library since 1998.

Doreen Woods.(people)(Buffalo and Erie County Public Library)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Doreen Woods, a 27-year veteran of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director-Human Resources. She previously was Staff Training Coordinator.

Shift happens: LITA faces change at national forum: new media, integration, and professional risk lead topics.(infotech)(Library and Information Technology Association)
December 1, 2006... Preservation, gaming, and integrating Library 2.0 into a Web 2.0 world dominated the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) National Forum in Nashville, October 26-29. With 378 registered attendees representing 43 states and...

Ex Libris sale completed.(infotech)(Francisco Partners )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Francisco Partners has completed its purchase of Ex Libris's full holdings for a reported $62 million. When the sale initially was announced in July, Ex Libris president and CEO Math Shem Tov stated that "Ex Libris will remain an independent...

IDPF releases ebook standard.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(International Digital Publishing Forum)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) has created a technical standard "to facilitate digital content creation, distribution, and use by customers." Dubbed the Open eBook Publication Structure Container Format (OCF), the standard,...

SC tech schools getting Xreferplus.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(South Carolina)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL) has contracted with electronic reference provider Xrefer to make Xreferplus available throughout the South Carolina Technical College System. The Xreferplus service includes more...

WebFeat debuts Enterprise Edition.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... WebFeat now is marketing a new Enterprise Edition targeted at multilibrary networks. According to WebFeat, Enterprise Edition systems are built on the same Search Prism platform currently used by more than a dozen state library/ multilibrary...

EnvisionWare adds RFID suite.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(radio frequency identification equipment)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Library self-service solutions provider EnvisionWare has released Renaissance, an "end-to-end open standard RFID product suite sporting a barcode and RFID-based materials handling system." Renaissance includes everything from tags to media...

Scirus announces dual partnerships.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Scirus partners with CrossRef and Indian Institute of Science )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Scirus, Elsevier's freebie science search engine, is expanding its horizons via two partnerships. Scirus has joined with CrossRef to become a Web Services Search Partner, which allows Scirus to "collect metadata from hundreds of participating...

Beyond the World Book basics.(E-VIEWS AND REVIEWS)
December 1, 2006... CONCERNED ABOUT OVERBRANDING As I was working on a reference question this week, cruising through databases, I realized I should keep track of the files I was using so searches wouldn't be repeated. Only problem was that I couldn't find the...

Academic library futures.(DIGITAL LIBRARIES)(Summit on Technology and Change in Academic Libraries)
December 1, 2006... LIBRARIANS HAVE EVERY RIGHT to wonder what their future holds in an age when Google is digitizing entire research libraries and our users routinely go to Internet search engines for the things they formerly used libraries. My colleagues want to...

Perception of library value.(ONLINE DATABASES)(Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources)(Report)
December 1, 2006... LIBRARIES INVEST A LARGE PERCENTAGE of their budgets on electronic collections and digital services. Although the value is obvious to us, we are often asked to demonstrate value to our funders. Our users' perceptions may not match ours, and...

Evergreen: your homegrown ILS: an in-house team successfully competes with commercial vendors in the library automation sphere.(INFOTECH FEATURE)(integrated library system )
December 1, 2006... About three years ago, the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS) looked for a new integrated library system (ILS) to serve its large consortial group of libraries across the state and found its needs frustrated by the commercial ILS market....

Betwixt and be teen: a wrap-up of 160 public library projects and 29 academic buildings.(LIBRARY BUILDING 2006)
December 1, 2006... What miraculous period librarianship has experienced. From nature's power to destroy ("A Storm Rains on Our Parade," LJ 12/05, p. 44) to humankind's spirit to rebuild (Library by Design, LJ 9/15/06), library construction has seen it all this...

Academic.(LIBRARY BUILDINGS 2006)(renovation of Biomedical library, University of California at San Diego)(new building at Paul Barret Jr. Library at Rhodes College, Memphis)(The University of Kansas Library Annex, Lawrence designed)
December 1, 2006... WHAT'S UP, DOCTORS?: The addition and renovation project at the Biomedical library, University of California at San Diego, nearly doubled the size of the 1969 original. The upswept corner of the glass-walled addition roofline, called the...

Public.(LIBRARY BUILDINGS 2006)
December 1, 2006... GET COMFY, GET CONNECTED Patrons have many opportunities for activity in the new Hancock County Public Library, Greenfield, IN. They can sink into a brightly patterned armchair or get hooked up under lamplit study tables using the buildingwide...

Architects.(LIBRARY BUILDINGS 2006)(List)
December 1, 2006... A PEACH OF A LIBRARY The John F., Jr., and Ann Felton Collins Memorial Library at Georgia Highlands College is on the second floor of a classroom building on the Cartersville Campus. It features a towering open timber tie beamed roof, a stone...

Tropical makeover: after a "mildly delirious" process, West Palm Beach gains new ambience and attitude.
December 1, 2006... In West Palm Beach, FL, the middle-class sibling of pricey Palm Beach, we've built a library with instant ambience: calming and tropical, welcoming and engaging. The colorful space contains smaller zones of books, computers, music, and DVDs. In...

Happy days are here again! American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting, January 18-24, in Seattle.(MIDWINTER PREVIEW 2007)
December 1, 2006... Transformation is the favored term in the agenda of Leslie Burger, the American Library Association's (ALA) current president. It will resound throughout ALA's Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. What better model of transformation could librarians...

Deep in the heart of gardening.(Collection Development / Southeast Gardening)
December 1, 2006... Gardeners in the Southeast (SE) are often envied by their Northern neighbors. Mild winters and an abundance of year-round sunshine are just two of the factors that make gardening in this region a pleasure. The long growing seasons and the...

Serve their needs, not their wants.(BACKTALK)(librarians)
December 1, 2006... IF YOU COULDN'T BE BOTH, WHAT would you rather be: popular or right? As individuals, most of us want to think we'd choose to be right. But as a profession, I don't think we've been that brave. We place too much emphasis on public relations, not...

What's wrong with LIS?(NEXTGEN)(library and information science )
December 1, 2006... I RECEIVED MY MLS THIS YEAR from Simmons College, Boston, and thus far I'm bewildered by the poor reception the degree garners in the marketplace, especially in the corporate arena. The Internet has brought a massive amount of information to...

Jane Heirloom.(CASE STUDY)
December 1, 2006... "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, JANE," library director Pat Geary said, handing reference librarian Jane Hurley a paper-wrapped bouquet of flowers. "Oh, thanks, Pat. It's sweet of you." "Today's your anniversary; congrats," head librarian Lois...

Old dog, new tricks.(ANALYSIS I)
December 1, 2006... What is one to do with an employee who hasn't got the "it" skill, so valued in their given profession? Do we send them on their not-so-happy way with a pat on the back and naught but a nod of recognition for all the hard work and time they have...

Wait your turn.(ANALYSIS II)
December 1, 2006... Ah, would that we were young again! The world our oyster, the future wide open and no older librarians to block our progress.... Wait a minute, there have always been older librarians blocking our progress. In this case, Hurley represents...

Prepub alert.(The Lost Diary of Don Juan)(Flight)(Cat O'Nine Tales)(The Savage Detectives)(Drop Dead Beautiful)(Sleeping with Strangers)(Heartstopper)(American Outrage)(The Book of Air and Shadows)(The Raw Shark Texts)(The Reluctant Fundamentalist)(The Secret of Lost Things)(The Alibi Man)(Gold Diggers)(Body of Lies)(Obsession: An Alex Delaware Novel)(Little Pink Slips)(American Youth)(A Tranquil Star: Unpublished Stories of Primo Levi)(Angelica)(The Naming of the Dead)(Obsession)(The Testament of Gideon Mack)(Miss Julia Strikes Back)(Roma)(Black and White)(Body Surfing)(The Visible World)(Zig Zag)(The Children of Hurin)(Mergers and Acquisitions)(The Wilde Women)(Fresh Disasters: A Stone Barrington Novel)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... FICTION Abrams, Douglas. The Lost Diary of Don Juan. Atria: S. & S. May 2007. 256p. ISBN 1-4165-3250-1 [ISBN 978-1-4165-3250-7]. $26. For his first novel, a former University of California and HarperSanFrancisco editor tries on the...

Mystery.(The Game)(Wild Indigo)(The Conjurer: A Martha Beale Novel)(Head Games)(Effigies)(Trap Door: A Home Repair Is Homicide Mystery)(The Curse of the Holy Pail: An Odelia Gray Mystery)(Faking It)(Disturbing the Dead)(The Motive from the Deed)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... FINDING ORIGINALITY in mystery has been a longstanding challenge for reader's advisors, but recently the genre seems to be reinventing itself with innovative and intriguing plot devices, settings, and characters. From the reality TV game show...

Colley, Barbara. Scrub-a-Dub-Dead: A Charlotte LaRue Mystery.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Colley, Barbara. Scrub-a-Dub-Dead: A Charlotte LaRue Mystery. Kensington. Jan. 2007. c.244p. ISBN 0-7582-0766-2 $22. M As a favor to a friend, New Orleans cleaning lady extraordinaire Charlotte LaRue (Married to the Mop) is working at the...

Crime in translation: five European imports for the mystery shelf.(Death's Dark Abyss; A Walk in the Dark; The Mannequin Man; Fever: A Sergeant Studer Mystery; Seeking Whom He May Devour)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Having sold well in their countries of origin, European mysteries are a bonanza for publishers and readers in this country. Noteworthy here are those in series with appealing protagonists: Gianrico Carofiglio's attorney Guido Guerrieri and Fred...

Hyde, Patrick. The Only Pure Thing: A Stuart Clay Mystery.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Hyde, Patrick. The Only Pure Thing: A Stuart Clay Mystery. Beckham, dist. by Bookworld Svcs. Jan. 2007. c.267p. ISBN 0-931761-61-1. pap. $14.95. M Benny Batiste's head is found on a parking meter in Georgetown, and defense attorney Stuart...

Martin, Andrew. The Necropolis Railway: A Jim Stringer Mystery.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Martin, Andrew. The Necropolis Railway: A Jim Stringer Mystery. Harcourt. Jan. 2007. c.229p. ISBN 0-15-603068-3 [ISBN 978-015-603068-7]. pap. $14. M It is 1903, and young Jim Stringer leaves rural England for London, seeking to drive...

Norman, Michael. The Commission.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Norman, Michael. The Commission. Poisoned Pen. Feb. 2007. c.234p. ISBN 1-59058-358-2 [ISBN 978-1-59058-358-6]. $24.95. M Sam Kincaid, investigator for the Utah Department of Corrections, and Salt Lake City homicide lieutenant Kate McConnell...

Christine Falls.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... * Black, Benjamin. Christine Falls. Holt. Mar. 2007. c.352p. ISBN 0-8050-8152-6. $25. M Black is the pseudonym for Booker Prize winner John Banville (The Sea), who may have selected a pen name to distinguish his decidedly highbrow prose...

The Mosaic Crimes.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Leoni, Giulio. The Mosaic Crimes. Harcourt. Feb. 2007. c.336p. tr. from Italian by Anne Milano Appel. ISBN 0-15-101246-6. $25. M With Leonardo da Vinci's recent omnipresence, authors seem to be turning to history primers in search of ideas....

Red Cat.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Spiegelman, Peter. Red Cat. Knopf. Feb. 2007. c.304p. ISBN 0-307-26316-9 [ISBN 978-0-307-26316-2]. $22.95. M Wall Street may be a rarefied world, but its inhabitants also can plumb the depths. John March is the black sheep of an investment...

Q & A: Matt Beynon Rees.(MYSTERY)(Interview)
December 1, 2006... For ten years, Matt Beynon Rees has reported on the Middle East, most recently as Time magazine's Jerusalem bureau chief. Now a contributor to Time, the Welsh-born author makes his fiction debut with The Collaborator of Bethlehem (LJ 11/1/06),...

Prepub mystery.
December 1, 2006... Albert, Susan Wittig. Spanish Dagger. Berkley Prime Crime. Apr. 2007. 320p. ISBN 0-425-21394-3 [ISBN 978-0-425-21394-0]. $23.95. While in search of yucca leaves, herbalist China Bayles unearths a body and personal secrets in her 15th...

Romance.(Blame It On Cupid; My Nerdy Valentine)(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... VALENTINE'S DAY TREATS The traditional holiday for lovers, Valentine's Day would seem the perfect time to celebrate romance fiction, and, indeed, many bookstores and libraries do plan special displays, programs, and author signings to highlight...

Holiday Wishes.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Austin, Kate & others. Holiday Wishes. Harlequin Next. Dec. 2006. c.304p. ISBN 0373-88120-7. pap. $5.50. HOLIDAY ANTHOLOGY A combination of women's fiction and romance, this lively trio of contemporary novellas bring humor and flair to the...

The School for Heiresses.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Jeffries, Sabrina & others. The School for Heiresses. Pocket Star. Jan. 2007. c.284p. ISBN 1-4165-1611-5 [ISBN 978-1-4165-1611-8]. pap. $6.99. HISTORICAL Building on Jeffries's popular "School for Heiresses" series, this anthology takes...

If Only in My Dreams.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Markham, Wendy. If Only in My Dreams. Signet Eclipse: NAL. Dec. 2006. c.400p. ISBN 0-451-22003-X [ISBN 978-0-451-22003-5]. pap. $6.99. TIME TRAVEL Alone in New York City and knocked off balance by a breast cancer diagnosis just before...

Not Another New Year's.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Ridgway, Christie. Not Another New Year's. Avon. Jan. 2007. c.364p. ISBN 0-06-114021-X [ISBN 978-0-06-114021-1]. pap. $6.99. CONTEMPORARY Tired of her rather dull small-town existence as a second-grade teacher, Hannah Davis heads for...

Christmas in Carol.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Robins, Sheila. Christmas in Carol. Avalon: Thomas Bouregy. Dec. 2006. c.288p. ISBN 0-8034-9804-7. $21.95. CONTEMPORARY The last place New York advertising planner Andie Hartwell wants to spend Christmas is with her crazy family in Carol,...

Sun Kissed.(Brief article)(Book review)
December 1, 2006... Anderson, Catherine. Sun Kissed. Signet: NAL. Jan. 2007. c.432p. ISBN 0-451-21895-7 [ISBN 978-0-451-21895-7]. pap. $7.99. CONTEMPORARY When horse breeder and trainer Samantha Harrigan takes a surly drunk to task for cruelly beating his...