All posts by Jessica FitzHanso
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No Better Recommender than a Book Club Member
If a book is assigned to a club and the library building is closed, does a book club member stop reading? Of course not! Our book club members have continued to meet over Zoom conversations and I’m happy to report that, while members may not have had access to assigned books, they are still reading great books!
CPL’s Novel Conversations Group and Monday Evening Book Group both met to check in and share the books they have been reading and there just might be something on this wide-ranging list that will appeal to you too. Unlike our previous lists, this one is not specific to what’s available to download. If it’s not already available for download, you can always recommend that we get it through Overdrive. Also, many independent book stores, (find yournearest here), are still taking mail orders so that’s an option too.
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MORE Feel Good Stories for Stressful Times
Need a pick me up? Here’s a list of guaranteed happy-endings to lift your spirits and give you a laugh, available now for download from OverDrive.
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Great Escape Novels!
We all need a break, including from our go-to genres. I’m sure you are looking for something new to read, and that read should take you somewhere different, maybe grant you a new perspective, or simply land you with something new to think about and recommend. Below, find a list of some great genre blends, whether you want to experiment with superheroes or Sci-Fi; paranormal-inflected mystery; magical-realism; or a fantasy-infused historical tale, check out the list below. As always, if you are in need of a new read, let us know anytime by calling 978-256-5521, sending and email to askus@chelmsfordlibrary.org, or checking in with our Bookwise service and 3-for-5 recommendation service. While the library is closed we will do our best to get you connected to something new.
Know someone without a computer that wants to tell us about what they just read? Let them know they should give us a call at 978-256-5521.
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It’s Cli-Fi time
Once the sole province of science fiction, climate change related fiction has never been more relevant. As far back as Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower in 1993 and further, authors of fiction have been grappling with the possible outcomes of drought, floods, pandemics as they relate to the ways in which humans will cope or not. Fiction can be a great way to help the mind to understand these realities, like a spoon full of sugar. If you are ready for a dose of reality disguised as a well-constructed story, read on through this list, available for download through Overdrive.
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New Books for You to Look Forward to!
Hello readers! In the midst of this pandemic, we feel privileged to bring you a bit of levity to look forward to: Books for Summer! We have compiled a list of some big names (Elin Hildebrand, Jenny Colgan, Emma Straub, Jennifer Weiner) and a free ranging list of some weightier titles (historicals, curmudgeonly characters, narrative nonfiction, memoirs) but there will be no pandemic, post-apocalyptic, or dystopian titles in this one, yay! Let’s keep doing our best at daily living, reading, and looking forward to outdoor weather!
Lisa and I will be recording a more in depth discussion of some of these titles to be shared on the library’s Facebook page next week. Additionally, if you would like to join me, Lisa, and the Evening Book group for a book share on Monday evening May 4 at 7PM contact either of us via email for the Zoom Invitation directions. Here is our latest list!
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Overdrive and Libby: Getting You to Something New
So we all know by now that Overdrive is a great place to find something to read, even while the library is closed. And we also know that our librarians are available to help you learn to access these materials, even though you can’t visit us in person. But did you know Overdrive contains a few other features that can help you to better connect to your next read? Read on:
BPLs Lucky Day Collection: Recently, individual consortia in Massachusetts have opened up their Overdrive collections to pretty much any library card holder in Massachusetts. This means, with just your Chelmsford card, you can connect to any of eight different Overdrive collections to find the book you want, including that of the Boston Public Library. BPL features a collection called Lucky Day, where you can have access to available, in-demand titles right away, for 14 days on a first-come-first-serve-basis, similar to the physical Fast Tracks you know so well when our library is open.
Deliver Later: This is great if the next book you have been waiting so long to read becomes available but you have already reached your checkout limit, or, you are simply not ready to access your book. Now you can log in to your account and click “Deliver Later”. Doing this will preserve your place in a hold queue (select up to 180 days in the future), but will pass the current copy along to the next person in the queue. Seems like the best of both worlds for you and the next person waiting!
Coming Soon!: Did you know that you have the option to place yourself in a queue for titles that aren’t even in Overdrive yet? You can see some of the titles that will likely be in high-demand, and will soon be added to the collection. The latest from James Patterson, John Sandford, John Grisham are in there, but so is the highly anticipated novel The Prettiest Star, by Carter Sickels. Here’s Entertainment Weekly’s take on this one.
What’s currently being checked out: Want to check out what your neighbors are reading? See what’s popular by scrolling to the bottom of whatever page you are viewing and clicking Check Out What’s Being Checked Out Right Now. View a real time scroll of specific items being checked out in real time, as well as a count of how many borrows per day, per month, and per year. Then borrow or put yourself on hold for something that looks good. When we’re all back together, maybe you and your neighbor will have common books to talk about!
Author Interviews: Did you know that Overdrive contains a whole collection of recorded interviews with some of your favorite authors? Professional Book Nerds is a podcast by some of the people that work for Overdrive, selecting and negotiating titles for lending. This collection accessible through Overdrive, includes interviews with authors such as Lee Child, Tana French, Kwame Alexander, Dav Pilkey, Colson Whitehead, James Patterson, and much more. Browse by selecting Collections – Featured Collections – Author Interviews.
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Always Available and Bonus Borrows for Adults!
So we’re ten days into April, and since we’ve been sheltering in place, there’s no doubt you’re looking for something new to read/ watch/ listen to now. Both Hoopla and Overdrive have made your #quarantinelife easier with Bonus Borrows and Always Available Titles! Check out some of the highlights of these collections below.
Books, audio books, music, comics and TV:
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![]() Damn is the critically acclaimed fourth album by award winning hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar, featuring artists: Bekon, Anthony (Top Dawg) Tiffith, Mike Will Made-It, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, James Blake, Ricci Riera, Rihanna, Steve Lacy, BadBadNotGood, Zacari, Teddy Walton, Greg Kurstin, U2, The Alchemist, 9th Wonder
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Access Now: It’s Hobby Time!
What’s keeping you sane these days? Have you been trying to distract yourself by really diving into that hobby that used to sit patiently for the one hour a week you had time? Maybe your picking up a guitar again, or fishing, or dusting off the DSLR with all the lenses you had to buy. Or maybe, as I mentioned in the last post, you’re picking up running or biking again, maybe even thinking about training for a big race. If #quarantinelife is any indication, you’re baking! Or maybe it’s a quieter hobby like knitting, or scrap-booking. Hey, if it’s reading, you know we have you covered.
Whatever your hobby is, the library has some excellent resources for you. Check out the list below, as well as a few podcast recommendations and some streaming TV shows to check out.
Overdrive, Hoopla and Safari simultaneous streaming eBooks:
Databases:
Creative Bug: If you’re a crafter of pretty much any persuasion, there is no better resource than Creative Bug! Find hundreds of classes, curated and taught by experts from knitting to calligraphy to pickling. The collection includes crafts specific to Teens and kids too!
Universal Class: Learn a new hobby among 500+ offerings including knitting, yoga, baking and much more.
Bingeable TV shows:
Acorn TV: Acorn TV is a streaming service available for free with your library card that provides you with access to thousands of commercial free television.
Hulu:
The best makers from around the country take on a series of handmade projects they must complete in their own unique way. As the competition goes on, the challenges become increasingly difficult, and the least successful maker is eliminated each week.
Netflix:
Some of the most renowned chefs in the world share their deeply personal stories, inspirations, and unique styles. Each chef’s discipline and culinary talent is explored while he or she prepares an awe-inspiring creation.
Podcasts:
Song Exploder: Song Exploder is a podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made. At the end of each episode the song is played in its entirety.
How I Built This: Stories about innovators and entrepreneurs behind many influential products. Listen to stories about people who have made their hobby or side project a major career!
My Favorite Murder: Talk about needing a new hobby – and Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark do! These comedians and true crime super-fans cover some of the most notorious crimes in American history with style and much hilariousness.
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Download now – Build a healthier you!
If you’re home, and you’re not feeling symptoms, why not use the time you have away from the office, after-office meetups during social distancing and #stayathome recommendations to return to some of those lapsed resolutions (sans gym of course) or just-jump start a path to a better, healthier you? (Psst: You CAN still go outside, just observe the social distancing recommendations!) There are lots of resources available through the library and elsewhere that can get you started. Universal Class has courses in everything from Anxiety Therapy to Nutrition 101. Libby and Hoopla have simultaneous access to popular magazines, books, and movies, which means you don’t have to wait! In the list below, I’ve also included a few apps and podcasts that I think are fun fitness companions for beginners. Here’s a quick sampling, and let us know what you are doing/ reading/ using to stay healthy:
Magazines:
Books and movies:
Apps:
Running and Fitness apps to try:
Zombies, Run Podcast, written by Naomi Alderman, author of The Power, leads you on a run IRL while you virtually collect supplies, save survivors and battle Zombies.
The market for Fitness Apps is huge. Check out:
Each site lists the price to expect for free and premium levels.
Podcasts:
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Download Now: Start planning your gardens!
It is April and that means it’s time to start planning out your gardens. If you haven’t considered a garden before, why not start this year to ensure you have access to fresh fruits and veggies for your family in a time when fresh foods may not be as readily available. Gardens can also provide a peaceful, de-stressing, not to mention educational activity for families to do together at home. Here are many resources, available through the library and elsewhere, that can help to get you started, keep you going, and even help you to create and store food for consumption year ’round. We are also working on some gardening programming and you’ll know about that soon.
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CTV films many of our programs, including Bethany Bellingham’s 2019 program on Getting the Most out of Your Veggie Garden |