Mango Basic

Are you planning a vacation or business trip overseas? Learn some basic words and phrases of the language of the country you will be visiting with Mango Languages. Mango Languages is a web-based language learning resource available via the Library's website.

You can learn basic Urdu, Mandarin, Spanish, or nineteen other languages with Mango Basic.

To use Mango Languages go to the Library's home page and click on the Research/Resources link. From the pull-down menu select Electronic Resources. On the Electronic Resources page click on the Mango Languages link. Within Mango Languages select Mango Basic.

If you have more time to learn a language and would like to learn more than the basics, try Mango Complete.

If you need assistance, please - call or come to the Reference Desk. Our phone number is 408-615-2900.

Posted by MLG

Library Holiday Hours

Santa Clara Central Park Library will be closed today, Thursday, December 24 at 5 p.m. and re-open Monday, December 28 with regular hours, from 9-9 Monday and Tuesday and 12-9 on Wednesday. Thursday, December 31, the library will close at 5 p.m. and open again on Monday January 4 with our regular hours.

The Mission Family Reading Center at 1098 Lexington Ave. will also close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 and be open its usual hours Monday & Wednesday, 10-9 and Tuesday, 10-6, Dec. 28-30.

posted by mb

Bobby Darin, Bea Arthur, Berkeley, and a Beggar's Opera

My grandparents were Bobby Darin fans. Many times while in their house, his records (literally records... the big, black, flat discs) would be playing in the background while we did chores. I always liked the song "Mack the Knife." It was catchy and I was fascinated by sharks at the time (it happened to be the second word in the song and that's really all it takes to like something when you are four).

It wasn't until I was older that I realized how amazingly violent the song was. For all the people who grew up in the 50's that claim the music of today glorifies violence, please refer to the lyrics of "Mack the Knife." Your summer jam of 1959 was a murder ballad, or at least a ballad about a murderer.

Anyhow, years later while watching a doomed sitcom (doomed since it featured more "sit" than "com"), I noticed a Threepenny Opera poster in the back of the set. Knowing nothing about it, I found a copy of the 1954 cast recording. Not only did I learn that Mack the Knife originated from this (rather twisted) play, I also found it starred Beatrice Arthur... Bea Arthur from the Golden Girls! Sadly, I was equally excited to learn that Angela Lansbury was in Sweeney Todd. What can I say? I watched a lot of "old people shows" when I was growing up.

There is a version of the play being staged in Berkeley currently that I'm tempted to go see. This would require me breaking an oath I made to shun small plays after seeing a community theater version of Romeo and Juliet some years ago. You see, I wasn't informed that it was Romeo and Juliet... in Space (oh, how I wish I were kidding). It scarred me for life. But I'm pretty sure Mcheath is still wielding a knife and not a laser ray, and Jenny is still singing about being a pirate and not a space pirate, so it should be safe.
posted by jw

What device do you use to listen to books?

Some of you who are shopping for gifts have asked us which devices are compatible for using our digital book collection.

The library has a great collection of books to listen to in the CD format. You'll find them on the first floor after the videos and music CDs. You can search for them from home by using the term audiobooks in the Subject field.

We also have downloadable digital books which can be read and listened to on ipods, Mp3players, the Sony Reader and other devices. For more information read about it on the Overdrive Compatible Devices pages.

Find digital books on our website by putting electronic books in the Subject field. You can also find books by going to the Northern California Digital Library website. Santa Clara City Library belongs to this regional group and we share this large pool of downloadable digital and audiobooks for you to use.

If you need help in the download process watch a video found on our Tutorial page. Happy shopping and listening.

posted by mb

Make a Gift to Your Library

The Santa Clara City Library Foundation & Friends asks that you make a gift to your Library this holiday season.

Funds donated to the Foundation & Friends are used to benefit your library in many ways, including children's programs, collection materials, databases, literacy programs, and investing in the Library's endowment. Your gift truly does make a difference in the quality of the Library.

You can donate online at http://www.lovethelibrary.org/ or mail a check to: 2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA 95051.

Many thanks to all of you who have supported your Library this year.

Posted by MLG for MD

Kids' Booklists

Ever come to the library to find books for your 3-year-old? Kindergartener? Sixth grader? Need a book that won a Newbery or Caldecott Medal? Don't know which book might count as "science fiction" for a book report? Look no further. We have a page dedicated to booklists in all of these categories and more.

Click on one of the lists to view the list online, then click the name of the book to see the book in our catalog and/or place a hold. If you prefer to print a list, many of our lists are available as PDFs and can be printed at home or from any library Internet computer. Once you find a book, often the same author writes other books for the same age or in the same genre, so the lists are a great starting point for you and your child.

Of course, you can always get help from any Youth Services librarian in person, so remember to use us as a resource, too.

Happy reading.

Posted by wk

Graphic Novels: More Than Just Pictures

Wham! Thwap! Bam! When you think of these sounds, you may think of traditional comic book magazines. We have some more traditional comics like Spider-Man and Batman in book form where multiple issues are grouped together. We also have modern graphic novels in teen and children’s. A graphic novel is a longer work of fiction told with pictures in comic form. Think traditional comic book, but longer with generally a beginning, middle, and end.

The new graphic novels can take many forms:

• Variations on older superheroes, such as Iron Man
• Based on toys or TV shows, such as Bionicle or Bakugan
• Completely new series, such as Babymouse or Owly
  
• Re-telling of traditional stories, such as Rapunzel (see Rapunzel’s Revenge)
• Adaptations of current popular books, such as Warriors (see Warriors Graphic Novels) or Coraline (see the graphic novel based on the book Coraline)

Take a look at both our teen and children’s graphic novel collections and ask a Youth Services Librarian for recommendations. KaPow!

posted by wk