The bridge officially opened on May 24, 1883 with spectacular fireworks and a stunning assemblage of sail and steam vessels in the East River as shown in the bird’s-eye view below. That image is part of the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  The Great Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time it was constructed, symbolized the feeling in America that all things were possible.

For me, the Brooklyn Bridge holds a special place in my memory. In between library careers, I worked for a number of years in the culinary field. The first job I landed, fresh out of The Culinary Institute of America, was as a line cook at The River Cafe in Brooklyn, NY. The restaurant is on a barge in the East River, tucked neatly under The Great Bridge. Its unique location offers a spectacular view of the New York skyline.  Each day and evening, as I came and left the restaurant, I was serenaded by the sounds of vehicles making their way across the bridge.  You can get an idea of what it sounded like by listening to the sound clips in the National Public Radio story titled The Changing Sound of the Brooklyn Bridge. Professional sound technician / recordist Andy Aaron captured the sounds of the bridge during the same year that I was working at The River Cafe. For me, it was sad to learn that changes had been made over the years that eliminated that unique quality of the bridge forever.

If your would like to learn more about the Brooklyn Bridge and the amazing people who designed and built it, I recommend that you read The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge by David G. McCullough. It is available at the Fountaindale Public Library.

- Tom D.

To really celebrate the founding of this amazing show, there will be  a docudrama called “An Adventures in Time and Space” written by Mark Gatiss, writer of several Doctor Who episodes and Sherlock , which chronicles the initial founding and filming of this long running series. For me one the most exciting part, for the Doctor Who geek I am, is that  William Russell, Ian Chesterton, one of the Doctor’s first traveling companions and Carole Ann Ford, the Doctor’s mysterious and often discussed granddaughter, will be making an appearance. William Russell is 88!!! Sure they won’t be playing their original roles, which would be themselves, but it will be so neat to see them. Also in the production will be Brian Cox as Sydney Newman, Jessica Raine (of Find the Midwife fame and recently seen on the Doctor Who episode Hide) as Verity Lambert and David Bradley as William Hartnell, the first actor to play the Doctor. On a side note, David Bradley was recently seen in Doctor Who opposite Matt Smith, in the episode Dinosaurs on a Spaceship as a ruthless buccaneer.

I really CANNOT wait for this movie. I’m going to have to unplug/turn off my phone the night I watch it. In addition to this, BBC America has been featuring once a month, one of the past Doctors’ “classic” episodes. It has been really fun to watch the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, and Jamie outwit the Cyberman or to see the  Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee, fight the Autons. Much fun! And prior to the episode, the actors and people involved, are interviewed. Some sadness for those who left us, some too early, but also lots of fun.

So enjoy, celebrate and Happy Birthday Doctor!!!

-Christine

More than 170 separate titles are available in Zinio. Users can stream magazines simultaneously to their computers, laptops, or tablets.  A few exceptions are Apple  devices, because Zinio requires Flash, and the Nook, because Barnes & Noble does not currently have an app for Zinio.

Zinio also gives customers the option to download magazines to their devices. Once downloaded, the magazines can be read without the need of wi-fi. Apple product fans will be happy to know that their devices are compatible with downloading from Zinio.

Unlike using some of our electronic databases that may only provide the text of a magazine article, Zinio gives you the complete content of the magazines that you are looking at… full color, text, pictures, charts, etc.

Below are examples of how Consumer Reports appears in Zinio. In addition to the content, Zinio provides easy to use tools and tips for searching, printing, and maneuvering through the magazine that you’re reading.

Interested? Go have a look at Zinio and give it a try. I’m sure you’ll find more than a few titles that you will want to read!

- Tom D.

Since it happens to be National Frozen Foods Month, I figured this would be a good time to find out more about it.

I discovered a very helpful resource that is put together by The Library of Congress. It is called Everyday Mysteries Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress . When I searched “frozen food,” not only was I able to find out that Clarence Birdseye was the person “credited with inventing in 1924 the quick freezing method, which produces the type of frozen foods that we know today,” but there was also information explaining how it is done. In addition you’ll find some handy Related Web Sites and a list of more resources under Further Reading.

Should you poke around a little more on the EVERYDAY MYSTERIES site, you ‘ll find some great information on Who “invented” the TV dinner, complete with period advertising from the days when these frozen convenience foods were first becoming popular.

   If you would like to learn more about  Clarence Birdseye, the person behind the BIRDSEYE brand of frozen foods, you may want to read Birdseye: the Adventures of a Curious Man by Mark Kurlansky. When Birdseye moved to Labrador, before the start of World War I, he recognized that the frigid arctic cold kept fish tasting fresh after thawing. He knew that he was on to something. The book traces how he developed the process to freeze food successfully and how he overcame the skepticism of consumers about this new technology and how it could capture the taste and texture of the food for eating months later. You can find this book at the Fountaindale Public Library, in the Biography section, on the 3rd Floor. You can learn more about this very curious man, while you’re enjoying a tasty, hot slice of pizza that you bought in the frozen food aisle of your local supermarket!

- Tom D.

E-cookbooks are a visual treat!  If you have a color screen e-reader, you can read the book in full color with pictures!  Depending on the type of e-reader you own, you can zoom in and out on a recipe, browse the table of contents, and select a receipt with a tap of your finger (or button)! Think of it – you can download and browse a cookbook during your lunch break, stop by the grocery store after work, and have your recipe ready to go when you get home.   There are great cases and holders for your reader, which allow you to use your device in the kitchen while you’re cooking, so don’t be afraid to give it a try!

If you don’t have an e-reader, you can check out an e-book on your home computer.  This is great for browsing and reading if you’re on your computer.  I don’t recommend taking your computer into the kitchen with you, but if you already have one set up there, let me know how that works!

Our downloadable cookbook collection is certainly pleasing to the palate!  Are you looking to create easy family meals?  Try reading Simply Suppers by Jennifer Chandler, Gooseberry Patch’s Weeknight Dinners, or Yum-o! the Family Cookbook by Rachael Ray.

Planning a party?  Impress your guests with Antipasti: Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates by Julia Della Croce.  Take this classic Italian appetizer and customize it to suit your party, side dish, or full meal.  Using a combination of olive oil, robust cheese, savory olives, dried meats, and seasonal vegetables, you can chose from traditional dishes (la cuisina classica) or modern recipes (la cuisina creativa).

Do not skip the introduction!  This ten page intro entitled  `Shop and Serve Antipasti’ may not contain recipes, but is an invaluable guide to shopping, storing, preparing, and serving the items in the book. Down load this title today and  Antipasti will make your next gathering a tasty Italian experience!

If you like this title, you’ll also want to check out 50 Great Appetizers by Pamela Sheldon Johns, Cheese & Beer by Janet Fletcher, and Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition by Gerald Hirigoyen.

There ‘s a growing demand for Vegan cookbooks and resources, and you can download these great titles!

Vegan Cooking with More than 300 Delicious Recipes—from Easy to Elegant by Jannequin Bennett

500 Vegan Recipes: An Amazing Variety of Delicious Recipes, From Chilis and Casseroles to Crumbles, Crisps, and Cookies by Celine Steen

Vegan à la Mode: More Than 100 Frozen Treats for Every Day of the Year by Hannah Kaminsky

Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! by Tamasin Noyes

The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester.

If you need help downloading any of our cookbooks or ebook titles, stop by or make an appointment at the 3rd Floor Reference desk.  Our FPLD Adult and Teen Services staff can help make your downloading experience easier!

See you at the Library!

Debra

Please ask a staff member if you require assistance in locating the booklets. If no booklets are on the shelf, please ask a staff member and we will retrieve them for you.

-Tony L.

The library should be receiving the instructions later next week – March 4-8 – but could take as long as March 18.

Please call the Adult & Teen Services Department at 630-685-4176 to ask if the library has received its shipment or for other forms, instructions or publications.

-Tony L.

Last year, I had head about a series that was going to be aired on BBC, “Call the Midwife”. It looked interesting but I didn’t get around to seeing it. A couple of weeks ago, I happened upon a reference to it and thought, wow I forgot I wanted to see that. Luckily, the library owns a copy of the 6 episode of series one. I got my hands on it and was hooked! The show, based upon the true life memoirs of Jennifer Worth, follows Jenny Lee, a young nurse and midwife in late 1950s England, who goes to work at Nonatus House, a nursing convent in the poor section of London, the East End. England’s National Health Service provides midwives to the area, they not only deliver the children, but they do well-being visits and follow-up baby visits.

We see an array of women that initially one feels a sort of a sense of contempt for, 10 kids being an average, poverty, squalor, disease, but eventually you start viewing these women as heroines as does our main character Jenny Lee. The show is an emotional roller coaster. There are so many heartfelt moments and even a bit of humor thrown in. It is also a fascinating look at the time period and the health system. All of these women are heroines, the mothers, the midwives and especially the nuns who keep everything together.

So far there is only series one that has aired here in the states but there also is a series two currently being broadcast on BBC. If you get a chance to see this show, please do. It is truly inspiring.

-Christine

The Barrett-Jackson company history goes back to the early 1970s. Collectors and fans of a wide variety of cars flock to these events. This year, viewers will see an enormous range of cars, ranging  from the black 1947 Talbot Lago T-26 Grand Sport, shown above, to the 1971 Hemi Cuda, shown to the right below, finished in factory correct “Plum Crazy” purple paint color.

Of the several events that Barrett-Jackson puts on each year, Scottsdale is the oldest and the largest and it attracts auction goers from around the world, not only the U.S. You don’t have to be a bidder to enjoy the beauty of these pieces of “rolling art.”

One of my favorites, that will be featured in the Salon Collection of the auction, is the gleaming red 1956 Chrysler / Ghia Diablo Convertible, shown below on the left. Now there’s a vehicle made for a trip to the Superdawg Drive-In for a hot dog and a Coke!

The commentators each year provide of wealth of facts and figures about the cars that makes the viewing experience an educational one. In addition,  you can interact with the staff of the SPEED Channel through their SOCIAL GARAGE. Here you’ll find Twitter and Facebook feeds, as well as Live Chat. If you are feeling competitive, you can even test your knowledge of cars and their values and participate in the Scottsdale 2013 Hagerty Fantasy Bid Game.

So have a look. There’s sure to be some vehicle that catches your eye on each day of this almost week long event.

- Tom D.

By chance, a month ago, I saw that Hayley and her mother Kerry had written a book about Hayley’s life  titled, Old Before My Time: Hayley Okines’ Life With Progeria. It was offered free for my Kindle and I couldn’t wait to download it. I have to say it is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The book starts with Hayley’s mother writing about her birth, the first suspicions that something isn’t quite right, diagnosis, and living with this so-called “death sentence”. Hayley’s portion of the book talks about her meeting many celebrities, struggling with school, friends, and health issues. She maintains a positive attitude, I think in part to the loving family that surrounds her. She also makes some great friends with people such as the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin and British singer Kylie Minogue.

There is some sadness in the book of course, when the family attends annual Progeria get-togethers for families and their kids , they talk about how some years some families are not there as their children died. Especially heartbreaking is the story of one boy who dies from a heart attack during one conference. There is also Hayley’s struggles with things such as bed sores due to fragile skin, tooth problems, heart problems and for her, being bald.

This is a book that should not be missed. This girl has one heck of a spirit. As she say,  “Sometimes people ask me if I could have three wishes, would I wish I didn’t have P. And I say no. My life with Progeria is full of happiness and good memories. Deep inside I am no different from anyone. We are all human.” She puts many of us to shame. In December 2012 , Hayley celebrated her 15th birthday. I wish her many years in the best health she can be. She is an inspiration. You can learn more about her and Progeria at:

http://hayleyspage.com/

http://hayleyokines.com/

-Christine