Rye Public Library
Tech Fair 2013
We hope you were one of the 330 people who joined us for our first Tech Fair on Saturday, April 27. This great event was sponsored by the Friends of the Rye Public Library to promote the many databases and other resources available through the Rye Public Library website from your home computer.
 | | Noah Cowper, one of our teen tech mentors at work! |
This short video shows one of our teen mentors helping a guest find content for her e-reader. As an RPL member, you can choose from thousands of downloadable titles at our website. Do you listen to audio books on your commute? There are thousands of audio titles available for download too! Other busy stations at our active Tech Fair Event The Tech Fair also featured demonstration stations of Library resources like Freegal where you can download three new mp3 songs each week - yours free, and available to transfer to other devices. We previewed Indieflix too--if you're in the mood for an independent film, you can select an award winner from hundreds of film festivals world- wide to stream on your tablet, x-box, roku, or connect to a large screen in your home entertainment center. We'll continue to feature a monthly focus resource through the rest of the year on the Library main floor and in our computer class schedule so you can continue to discover and use our many great offerings. Thanks again to the hundreds who joined us at the Fair, and we hope to see you throughout the ongoing series. A special thanks goes to the Friends of the Rye Public Library for their innovative and dedicated approach to advocating for RPL, and their hard work on the Tech Fair!
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 Thoughts On The Much Maligned Dandelion
by
Pam Woods
RPL Interlibrary and Tech Services Librarian
Spring is here and soon our lawns will be dotted in yellow... the yellow of the lowly dandelion which everyone will try to eradicate. Instead of trying to get rid of this little wonder we should be using it! There are so many ways in which the dandelion can help us. The first dandelion leaves of the season make a wonderful steamed green full of vitamins, including: calcium, magnesium, iron, and Vitamins A and C. The leaves can also be dried for tea later on, as can the root. Dandelion is considered a digestive bitter which helps to stimulate the liver, helps with digestion if dandelion tea is drunk before a meal, and also helps arthritis by eliminating uric acid. The flowers can be picked and packed into a clear jar, then covered to the jar's brim in olive oil . Remove any air bubbles with a chopstick, or something similar, by gently pulling it up and down in the jar. Seal it, and put it in the yard for a month. After straining with cheesecloth, you'll have a wonderful healing oil-- good for any skin irritations.
You'll find books on this subject in either of two areas in our library--both our health and gardening sections. One of my favorites is Rosemary Gladstar's Family Herbal: A Guide To Living Life With Energy, Health and Vitality, found in the library stacks under 615.321 GLA.
In the gardening section of the library, another favorite: The Herbalist's Garden: A Guided Tour of 10 Exceptional Herb Gardens, The People Who Grow Them and the Plants That Inspire Them by Shatoiya and Richard de la Tour [635.7 DEL] might help inspire YOU! So as Spring comes to New Hampshire, please consider using, not abusing, our friend the dandelion.
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Chasing Mavericks; a film review By Gwen Putnam-Bailey, RPL Adult Svcs Asst. Librarian
This film  was a "surf" movie, but also a drama about family relationships, first love, and the hardships of adolescence. The scenery is fantastic, set in the Santa Cruz area of California. Based on a true story of young Jay Moriarity and his mentor Frosty Hesson played by Gerard Butler, the story unfolds with Jay's new passion for surfing. He befriends his surfer neighbor, who surfs "the big ones" called Mavericks. At first Frosty is hesitant to train Jay but over time becomes a father figure towards him and teaches him discipline and respect for the surf. In the meantime, Jay struggles with with his peer group, his relationship with his single Mom, and his childhood crush. Frosty also has his life challenges, trying to balance his family's needs along with his passion for surfing. This would be a good choice for most, except younger viewers. You will find yourself cheering for all the characters in this movie, and enjoy the vivid surfing scenes with amazement.
Gwen coordinates "A Touch Of Grace"our weekly
Wednesday Afternoon Matinee series. Chasing
Mavericks was featured in March 2013, and is
available to borrow from RPL. Join us on Wed-
nesdays at 1:00pm weekly for more in this fantastic
free offering.
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Str ategic Plan Progress Survey Reminder
Thanks to everyone who took part in our survey already! If you haven't taken a moment to respond to our recent invitation to take a short (7 questions) survey, you'll be receiving a gentle reminder soon. This spring's measurement report is using a survey to help asses some points of progress on our Three-Year Strategic Plan, and to seek some brainstorming ideas to help us meet some objectives. We'll wrap the results into our next progress report-- to be posted on our website soon. Thanks in advance for helping us with this important work!
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