ALL KINDS OF ADVENTURE!

When was the last time you went on an adventure? I don’t mean an extreme experience. Although, for those of you who enjoy the adrenaline rush of skydiving, that definitely qualifies! Adventures come in all shapes and sizes. Trying something new could lead to a new hobby, favorite activity, and new friends. For many of us, August marks the last chance to get away before the end of the rush of back to school and autumn routine set-in. And, as it happens, August is American Adventures Month. Whether you’re looking for excitement, a quiet day in nature, or learning something new, your adventure awaits…go for it!  Here are two books to get you started: The bucket list adventures : 1000 adventures big & small, and Lonely planet’s 1000 ultimate adventures.

 

We’d love to help you find your next adventure and some of our programs and events are a great way to start. If you are epicurious, try a new type of cuisine. The Quad Cities has a good diversity of restaurant fare to choose from. Or, register for one of Spice Up Your Life programs to learn how to cook with a spice you’ve never tried before. How about registering for our Beekeeping program to learn about apiculture from a local beekeeper or joining a group of history enthusiasts for a hop back in time by registering for the Q-C History Hop: Bix Beiderbecke Museum and Archive tour? Starting with a mini-adventure right in your hometown is a great way to begin. Check out 100 things to do in the Quad Cities before you die. Been there, done that you say?  Then take road trip!  Start with short trips around the state with 100 things to do in Iowa before you die.

 

Travel opens your perspective and expands your borders while also leading to a better appreciation for home. Spend quality time with friends or family while exploring new places. Check out a Garmin Nuvi 2595LMT GPS so you won’t get lost. Grab a Solar power bank 10000mAh battery pack or a IOGear Wireless 4-port USB sharing station so your smart phone battery stays charged allowing you to take amazing outdoor photos.  If your phone’s camera isn’t stellar, borrow a digital camera from the library: Canon PowerShot ELPH 340 HS digital camera or a GoPro Hero 7 Action Camera or GoPro Hero session with accessories for some live action. If you’ll need Wifi on your trip, don’t forget to reserve a Hotspot a few weeks in advance.

Perhaps you’ll celebrate Global Sleep Under the Stars night on August 8 by learning about the moon & stars and spending an evening stargazing. After all, August has the brightest moon of the year and the Perseid Meteor Showers peak during August (this year the 12th-13th). What a great time to get outside and enjoy viewing the night sky using one of the telescopes you can check out from the library. Just ask customer service at Eastern for TECHKNOW #75, a Celestron FirstScope telescope, or at Fairmount ask for TECHKNOW #81, a Gskyer telescope. Learn more about what you’ll see in the night sky with these books and magazines – more are on the Moon and Stars displays this month at the Fairmount and Eastern branches. Grab one and check-it out! The Beginner’s Guide to Stargazing, The stargazer’s handbook : the definitive field guide to the night sky, and The total skywatcher’s manual : 275+ skills and tricks for exploring stars, planets & beyond. While you’re waiting to catch a glimpse of a falling star, you can try out our Solomark night vision monocular for fun. Other gadgets to sample on your outdoor adventures are the Motorola MR350R two-way radio set or a pair of binoculars.

Dream big! Is there somewhere you’ve always wanted to go? Some sights you’d love to actually see with your own eyes? Beyond having an American adventure, think about traveling to other places around the world to experience unique cultures and amazing festivals, like the August Moon Festival in Greece. There you can see a bright, low-hanging moon over the Temple of Poseidon or the white marble of the Acropolis glowing in the brilliant moonlight. Both are sights to behold and certainly an adventure you won’t forget. Learn about a celebration somewhere in the world by reading one of these books and then go experience it! Check-out: The best place to be today : 365 things to do & the perfect day to do them, Lonely Planet’s where to go when : the ultimate trip planner for every month of the year, or Wanderlust : a traveler’s guide to the globe.

It doesn’t have to be a grand adventure of a lifetime… but it could be.  Just get out, enjoy the world, and celebrate!

Do You Read eMagazines?

You should.

In addition to eBooks and eAudio titles OverDrive offers a wealth of magazines that are available to you 24/7.

That’s right, with our OverDrive magazine subscription our patrons have access to over 4,000 magazine titles, many with three years of back issues.  You’ll be able to see the magazines just as they appeared in print.  All the images and all the advertisements, viewable right on your device’s screen.

Magazines do not count toward your OverDrive title limit, so check out as many as you want.   You could have 5 eBooks/eAudio items checked out and, say, 30 magazines.  You also can determine your own loan period, 7, 14, or 21 days.

You will likely never need to wait to check out a title, because issues can be used by multiple simultaneous users.

OverDrive has titles for young and old on topics such as:  sports, new & current events, finance & business, home & garden, celebrities & gossip, and much more.

Seeking non-English language titles?  OverDrive has them.    

Practice your French with Vogue France, L’Ami des Jardins, Closer France, or Marie Claire Maison.

How about Spanish?  OverDrive offers ¡Hola!, Maxim Mexico, Horoscopos, and TvNotas.  And that is just to name a few!

Magazines can be viewed by using OverDrive Read in your favorite browser or in the Libby app.

Give it a try!  Check out the eMagazine section the next time you are using OverDrive (Libby).

Love Your Library During a Reading Slump

If you just can’t read a book right now, don’t feel bad! You’re not a worse person because you can’t get yourself to read anything more than a cereal box or social media post. Whether you’re busy with schoolwork, family obligations, or just plain burnt out, you can still love and support your library and be part of our bookish lifestyle without picking up a single book.

Tip #1: Do something cool! Try the TechKnow library (featuring a digital camera, a mobile scanner, Snapchat spectacles, and MUCH more), our collection of board games (from Scrabble to Super Mario Checkers), or a community experience pass to a local museum like the Figge.

Tip #2: Go multimedia! Save some serious money by checking out a new movie (like Till or the new season of You), music CD (maybe Charlie Puth’s latest?), or video game (including PS5 games like Dying Light 2) so you can try before you buy.

Tip #3: Read without reading! Skim a heartwarming graphic novel like Moonstruck, or listen to a book on playaway or CD (pro tip: pick a short one like The Poet X, a 3.5 hour listen) for a quick lit fix. (Disclaimer: these are definitely real books and count as real reading, but since they may be easier than traditional print, I’m including them.)

Tip #4: Just show up! Come exist in our spaces – read magazines and enjoy the view at Eastern, warm up at Fairmount’s fireplace, or schedule a Makerspace tour at Main.

Tip #5: Be social with it! Engage on social media from home — repost our news and events, browse databases and digital resources, and check out challenges in the Beanstack website or app.

However you engage with the library, we appreciate you and we want to hear from you! What’s your favorite way to ride out a reading slump – or your favorite way to love the library?

What’s New With RBdigital Magazines

We are exited to announce the addition of HELLO! magazine to our digital magazine offering, as well as Conde Nast Traveler and  Life & Style Weekly.   These are just three of the fifty-three titles we are subscribing to this year with RBdigital Magazines.    And when we subscribe, you subscribe!

That’s right, as a Davenport cardholder you can read magazines that are cover-to-cover identical to the paper issues.   Login with your RBdigital account to check out and download issues that are yours to keep.  If you don’t have an RBdigital account yet, sign up here, by following the Create New Account link (top, right corner).

And, yes, there’s an app for that.  Best to limit use to a tablet, though; it can be challenging to view the magazine files on a smartphone.

Here’s the full list.  Which titles interest you?

AppleMagazine                                   Men’s Health

Backpacker                                         MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Bicycling                                              Motor Trend

Bon Appetit                                         National Geographic

Car and Driver                                    Newsweek

Chicago Magazine                             O, The Oprah Magazine

Clean Eating                                       OK! Magazine

Conde Nast Traveler                         Outside

Cook’s Illustrated                              PC Magazine

Cosmopolitan                                    PCWorld

Country Living                                  Popular Mechanics

Discover                                             Popular Science

Esquire                                               Prevention

Family Handyman                             Reader’s Digest

First for Women                                Rolling Stone

Food Network Magazine                 Runner’s World

Games                                                Smithsonian Magazine

Good Housekeeping                        Star Magazine

HELLO! magazine                            Taste Of Home

HGTV Magazine                               TV Guide Magazine

House Beautiful                                Us Weekly

In Touch Weekly                               WIRED

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance          Woman’s Day

Life & Style Weekly                          Women’s Health

Macworld                                           Woodworker’s Journal

Marie Claire                                       Yoga Journal

Maxim

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recorded Books OneClickdigital & Zinio are now RBdigital!

Do you use Recorded Books OneClickdigital to download audiobooks or Zinio for Libraries to download magazines? We’ve got great news for you, even if you don’t! OneClickdigital and Zinio are merging into one platform – RBdigital!

What does this mean for you? Now, you’ll be able to find, download, and read or listen to audiobooks and magazines in the same app! The Library will update our links to the new website, which will also have a new look, simplified searching, and a more responsive audio player.

Question: When will this happen?

Answer: Beginning in mid August the app will be available.

Q: Will I be notified? 

A: Yes! If you use OneClickdigital, you will receive an email and if you use their app, you will be notified that an update is available. If you use the Zinio app, you will also be notified that a new app is available.

Q: What if I don’t update the app right away?

A: Both apps will continue to work for a time after the new app is released.

Q: What is the new app?

A: The new app will be called RBdigital and will be available in the Apple Appstore, Google Play and the Amazon App Store. Here’s what the icon will look like (depending on when you install it):

 

 

With the new app, you’ll be able to check out, read magazines, and listen to audiobooks, all in the same app.

Q: I already have titles checked out. Will I need to check them out again?

A: No, all the titles and holds you currently have will be imported into the new app.

Q: I don’t use the app, how will this effect me?

A:  If you only use OneClickdigital and/or Zinio on a computer or laptop, you will be directed to the new website, which will have a new look. Just use the links on the library’s eBooks and More page.

Note: if you use the OneClickdigital Media Manager to download and transfer audiobooks to a portable device, you may be prompted to update the program. Please go ahead and do so.

Q: Do I need to create a new account?

A: Nope! If you already have a OneClick digital and/or a Zinio account, you won’t need to make any changes your account.

Q: I’ve never heard of these services! How do I get started?

A: New users must create an account on the RBdigital website (not in the app). To get there, click here to access the Library’s eBooks and More page.  Once you’re signed up, you can start checking out right away from your computer, or download the app, sign in, and start downloading!

Q: I have more questions!

A: As always, you can contact us at (563) 326-7832, email us here or text DPLKNOWS to 66746. You can find user guides on our eBooks and More LibGuide and you can contact RBdigital directly at 1-877-772-8346 or yoursupport@recordedbooks.com.

New Magazines!

New magazines are coming soon to DPL!

Get your FREE copy of BookPage at any of our locations. BookPage is a monthly magazine with reviews, author interviews, book club picks, audio reviews, and the “Hold List” – the editors pick the best books, old and new. Even the ads are helpful in getting the jump on upcoming books.

Highlights Hello is a new magazine for babies! Rounded corners, and washable, tear-resistant pages make this ideal for our youngest patrons.  It will be available at Main, Fairmount and Eastern branches.

J-14 is the “#1 Teen Celeb” magazine. For pre-teen and teenagers and available at Main, Fairmount and Eastern.

Magnolia Journal is Chip and Joanna Gaines new lifestyle magazine. Get insider info about the Gaines’s and their HGTV show.   It is currently at the Main Library and is coming soon to Fairmount and Eastern.

Other new magazines include: Iowa Sportsman, Bottom Line Personal and In Touch at the Main Library. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, Bottom Line Personal at the Eastern Branch, and Elle, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Bottom Line Personal and Kiplinger’s Retirement Report at Fairmount.

Holiday Shopping Ideas

Even if you haven’t actually started your holiday shopping yet, it is bound to be on your mind. Shopping for the holidays can be very stressful, especially when you are shopping for someone that has everything. If you have teenagers, maybe you aren’t sure what’s really “in” right now. Budgets are always a factor too. If you have a lot of people on your list, you may be looking for great gifts that don’t break the bank. There are many resources available to help shoppers find great gift ideas. The best part is, you don’t have to leave home to find them.

Let’s talk about a database called Zinio. Zinio is a magazine internet database that is free for Davenport library card holders. All you need is your library card number and you can create a free account. Once your account is created, you can check out magazines and read them online in your browser.  This database is a no limit, permanent check out. Which means you can check out as many as you like and keep them for as long as you like.

More and more libraries are subscribing to this database. If you are a patron of a different library, check with your library to see if they subscribe. Below are some of the magazines available right now through this database. Not only are there tons of gift ideas inside, but it is a one stop holiday destination. To get started browsing magazines, click here.

If you are just looking for some quick ideas, check out the links below.

For Him... Top 25 Gifts for Him    Gifts for Boyfriend    Top 32 Gifts for Men this 2015 Holiday Season

For HerBest Christmas Gifts for Her in 2015    100 Best Christmas Gifts for Women 2015    Gifts for Her

For TeensGifts for Teens    Best Christmas Gifts for Tweens

Gift Guides for EveryonePopsugar Gift Guide    2015 Holiday Gift Guide    Zumiez Holiday Gift Guide

Gifts that won’t break the bank…Unique Gifts Under $25    Cool Gifts Under $10

A Peek into the Past

Glimpse into the PastDeep in the bowels of the library are the remnants of a once vast collection of old magazines. One title we still own back to 1857, is The Atlantic Monthly.

Leafing through a 1945 volume provides a glimpse of what was on the minds of Americans. These issues were published when the outcome of World War II was still uncertain. The war permeates every part of the magazine – illustrations, articles, stories and advertisements. Articles include “France Without the Gestapo,” poems by “Sergeant” John Ciardi. Almost every product or service references the war or patriotism, including ATT &T, real estate ads, and of course war bonds.

Jumping back to 1875, a volume of the Atlantic Monthly included ten “Rules and Regulations Presented to the Davenport Library Association” directed to “members and ticket holders.” Patrons could check out one book at a time and keep it for two weeks. Fines were ten cents per week or “fraction of a week when the book is so retained.”

Rule #7 states that “persons entitled to draw books must not loan them outside of their immediate family. Any violation is…sufficient to forfeit their ticket.” (Sorry, Uncle Fred, you can’t look at the new Mark Twain bestseller I just checked out!)

Rule #8 warns that “books lost, defaced or injured while out…[will be] charged to the person whose ticket they were drawn.”  (Injured?)

And, lastly, “all books must be returned to the library on or before the 20th of April of each year; books not then returned will be charged to the holder.” There are intriguing stamps every few years from 1930 to 1988 in the front of these volumes. Are they dates of an inventory?

Such artifacts are fascinating time capsules of the eras – both of the wider world that Davenport was a part of,  as well as the nuts and bolts of the workaday life of the library.

 

Rookie: Yearbook One edited by Tavi Gevinson

rookie1.cover_webGet this book for any teen girl you know. Tavi’s online zine, Rookie Mag, has been collecting accolades since the fifteen-year-old blogger started it from her Midwestern bedroom. Tavi has been a respected style blogger since 2008, when she began her fashion blog Style Rookie at the tender age of eleven. Since then, she’s been invited to attend and review fashion shows all over the world, but it’s not just clothes anymore; this clever writer and all-around gifted young woman has created a magazine where teens can go for conversations with other teens about school, friends, music and movies, feminism, body image and self esteem, fashion, sex, and all the minutiae of teenage life that seems so monumental to those who are living it. She writes about the problems and the questions that real, modern teens have. She’s frank and funny and I wish I’d been even one-tenth as smart and confident as she is when I was a teenager. What I’m getting at is: here is a great, realistic role model. And a great book!

Rookie: Yearbook One is an ink & paper retrospective of the online magazine’s first year. It contains a lot of writing by Tavi, but it’s been touched by dozens of others; Miranda July, Lena Dunham, Aubrey Plaza, Joss Whedon, Patton Oswalt, and many others make appearances – either in pieces they’ve written for the magazine or as the subject of one of Tavi’s excellent interviews (I love how she is just as comfortable grilling Whedon about his modern-day interpretation of the sexual politics of “Much Ado About Nothing” as she is sharing a laugh with Plaza about how much they love the film “Reality Bites”). These are articles that matter, ideas that resonate, and interviews that are exciting and in-depth; it’s also lighthearted (you’ll love the section on how to cry without anyone catching you), and the graphic design of the book is phenomenal. If you have any taste for collage (and a little bit of the ridiculous) your eyes will pop at the juxtaposition of textures, photos, and hand-drawn illustrations. It’s just amazing, and I wish so much that I’d had it when I was a teenager!

Zinio: Now Available from DPL

zinio logoDo you love magazines? Do you have a Davenport library card? Now, you can get Zinio – the world’s largest newsstand, available through DPL! This service offers free online access to more than 150 current and popular magazines, and DPL patrons can access them on any internet-enabled device. To access Zinio, visit our digital gateway. From here, you will set up both a Library Collection Account and a Zinio.com Viewer Account: we suggest using the same email/password for both accounts. Now you’re ready to start reading! (for detailed instructions, email reference@davenportlibrary.com)

Whether you’re using a tablet computer, smartphone, laptop, or desktop, DPL’s free Zinio selection is the same. A few of the great titles that come free with your DPL card:

  • Rolling Stone
  • House Beautiful
  • Brides
  • Consumer Reports
  • Martha Stewart Living
  • Mental_Floss
  • O, the Oprah Magazine
  • Seventeen
  • Dwell
  • Cosmopolitan

…and more than a hundred others, covering every interest from gaming and technology to business and economics, the outdoors, lifestyle and fashion, fitness, science, spirituality, sports, scrapbooking, cooking, woodworking, and many more! There truly is something for everyone. Browse our Zinio pin board for another look!