Sunday Hours are coming!

The Library will begin Sunday hours beginning Jan. 5, 2014.
 Hours will be 1:00-5:00 PM.
Questions? 
 call 645-6606

NYTBR 100 Notable Books of 2013

The New York Times Book Review just came out with
their 100 Notable Books of 2013 for fiction, poetry and
nonfiction. If you're looking for book gifts this year this is a great place to start. There's probably something for everyone on your list. Below is a sample from the list.
For a complete list go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/books/review/100-notable-books-of-2013.html

Fiction

The Dinner - Herman Koch - In this clever, dark Dutch
novel, two couples dine out under the cloud of a
terrible crime committed by their teenage sons. (Fic)

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt - The "Goldfinch" of the title
of Tartt's smartly written Dickensian novel is a painting
smuggled through the early years of a boy's life - his prize, his guilt and his burden. (Fic)

The Lowland - Jumpa Lahiri - After his radical brother is killed, an Indian scientist brings his widow to join him in
America in Lahiri's efficiently written novel. (Fic)

Someone - Alice McDermott - Members of a Texas clan grope their way from the ordeals of the frontier to celebrity
culture's absurdities in this masterly multigenerational saga. (Fic)

Tenth of December - George Saunders - Saunder's relentless humor and beatific generosity of spirit keep his highly
moral tales from succumbing to life's darker aspects. (Fic)

Nonfiction

Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism - Doris Kearns Goodwin -
A dynamic history of the muckraking press and the first decade of the Progressive era as told through the intense
friendship of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. (973.91 GO 2013)

Guns at Last Light: the War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 - Rick Atkinson - Tells the dramatic story of the titanic
battle for Western Europe from D-Day to the thrust to the heart of the Third Reich. (940.54 AT)

Country Girl: a Memoir - Edna O'Brien - O'Brien reflects on a fraught and distinguished life, from the restraints of her Irish childhood to literary stardom. (921 O'BR)

Men We Reaped: a Memoir - Jesmyn Ward - A raw, beautiful elegy for Ward's brother and four male friends, who died young in Mississippi between 2000-2004. (921 WAR)

Riddle of the Labyrinth: the Quest to Crack an Ancient Code - Margalit Fox - Focusing on an unheralded but heroic Brooklyn classics professor, Fox turns the decipherment of Linear B into a detective story. (487 FO)



Come to the Trivia Bee!!

Come support the library at the Trivia Bee on Friday Nov. 22 at the Grand
Come for trivia, dancing and live music from the band The Counterfactuals.
The evening will be led by quiz mistress Jessica Peterson White.
People can register in teams of up to 4 people. The registration fee per team is a $100 tax deductible donation. Teams can find sponsorships from local businesses or just pull together a group of friends to share the cost.
Register online at www.northfieldlibraryfriends.org (follow the Trivia Bee link) or pick up forms at the library.
Deadline is Wed. Nov. 20.
See you there!

DIY is definitely in







For some it's a new thing. For others it's something they've been doing for years. For our grandparents in the 30's and 40's it was a way of life. No doubt about it. DIY is in.






At the end of Sept. over 70,000 people attended the World Maker Faire in NYC.

Adrianne Jeffries from the Verge (www.theverge.com) said this about the maker or diy movement:
"The maker movement covers bicycles that generate electricity, art projects that light up when you press a button, and the enormous genre of how-to videos on YouTube. It’s in line with the eco-friendly and buy local movements, the back-to-artisanal aesthetic, and the geek worship that are also part of the post-aught zeitgeist".





Are you interested in raising your own chickens, growing your own food, making your own clothes or doing your own remodeling or house repairs? You are part of the DIY movement.





The library can help you get started. Check out some of these new titles from the last couple of months. If there's something you're interested in and we don't have anything on it LET US KNOW. We're here to help!!


  



663 JO

641.2 BE

641.5977 TH















Consumer Reports from Home with your library card!!

Just a reminder as we get into that "holiday" season time and you start thinking about gifts....
You can access Consumer Reports full text from home 24/7 with your library card!
Just go to www.northfieldmn.info
1. Click on E-Library
2. Scroll down to EBSCO
3. Type in your library card #
4. Choose EBSCO Web Host
5. Scroll down to MasterFILE Premier
6. Click on Publications at the top of the page
7. Type in Consumer Reports

The index covers full text articles (PDF of the actual magazine articles)  1991 to the present date. You can search for articles on all types of products.

And there are lots of other magazines and journals indexed on EBSCO. Check that out if you are doing research on anything.

Questions? Call the reference desk at 645-1802.

Learn how to download library eBooks!

Come to the library on Saturday November 9 from 3-4 PM and learn how to download library eBooks to your iPad or Kindle. We'll be using the library eBook collection using Overdrive. If you haven't seen it check it out at www.northfieldmn.info - click on E-Library. The collection includes eBooks and Audiobooks for adults, young adults and children. Bring your library card and your device. If you have a Kindle make sure you have an Amazon account. We'll have some volunteers to help you get started.
This program is free and open to the public. Best of all, this service is FREE with your library card!!
See you on Nov. 9th!
Questions? Call the library at 507-645-6606

Online ACT and SAT Practice Tests

If you're a high school senior planning to take the SAT on  Oct. 5, Nov. 2 or Dec. 7 or the ACT on Sept. 21, Oct, 26 or Dec. 14 you should know about Learning Express!! This is a great database with practice tests for the ACT, SAT, GED and many other exams. Just go to the library website at http://www.northfieldmn.info/ and click on E-Library. Scroll down until you come to Learning Express. Create an account  with your library card and practice at your convenience from home or school. You can score yourself on all or just part of an exam. If you have any questions call the library at 645-6606.

Ancestry and Heritage Quest

The Northfield Public Library has subscriptions to 2 genealogy databases.  Ancestry.com (Library Edition) is available only in the library. With this you have access to all kinds of records: Census (State and federal), immigration, tax, church, marriage, death, military, newspapers, directories, etc. Records are being added all  the time and from other countries as well.
HeritageQuest has a variety of records but the main thing is you can access the federal census (most of it) from home with your library card.

The provider of Ancestry and HQ is ProQuest. Check out their online - FREE - webinars on using these resources.Some of the webinars have a U.S., UK and Ireland or Canadian focus. Click here to link to their webinar page.

Remember that the library has a computer dedicated to genealogy use. There is no sign up - just first come - first served. You can stay 2 hours or longer if no one is waiting to use.

Questions?
Call the reference desk at 507-645-1802

Vintage Band Festival concerts @ the Library

The Northfield Library will host 2 band concerts soon which are a part of the 2013 Vintage Band Festival.
On Thursday Aug. 1 at 12:00 noon the Original Drachenfedler Musikanten  will perform. This quartet from Germany are masters of the polka and feature a tenor horn, trumpet, tuba and accordion.

On Saturday Aug. 3 the Kentucky Baroque Trumpets will perform at 2:00 PM. . This group plays cavalry music, dance music, duets, solos and trumpets with voice.

Both concerts will be held outdoors on the lawn at the library. In case of rain the concerts will be held indoors upstairs at the library. For more information on these concerts and others, go to the festival website

http://vintagebandfestival.org/festival/

Summer at the library

It's official.
Summer is here.
Sort of.
You wouldn't know it by the weather but school's out,  the City Pool opened this week and vacations are getting planned.
The library can help you have a great summer in so many ways.

Summer Reading Club for kids
Movies for rainy days
Audio books for long car rides
Travel books for planning
Books to give you inspiration in your garden
Books to help you build a deck or patio
Downloadable e-books and audiobooks for your trips abroad or just up to the  lake

And the best thing about all this? It's free with your library card!! Come on down!

A Mix of New Books

Check out this eclectic mix of new books at the Northfield Library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal Archiving for Digital Files

If someone asks you how you save your digital files or photos and you say "well, it's on my desktop", it's time to talk about how to really save your digital files.  I went to a technology conference recently and attended a workshop on personal digital archiving and found out very quickly that saving on your desktop is NOT really saving your files. It really is a scary thought for those of us who aren't tech experts. What to do?
The Library of Congress has a great website on personal archiving of digital files
http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/
There are great tips on preserving digital photos, audio, videos, email and websites.
Some of us have worried for years about preserving family photos and other family paper documents.  And that is still a concern.  But now it seems everything is digital.  Our photos are on our computers, in our phones  or on our cameras which can all be lost or damaged.  Again, a scary thought for someone who has MANY albums of family photos but hasn't printed a photo in a decade.

Northfield and the Digital Public Library of America

The Digital Public Library of America ( http://dp.la/)  was launched on April 18 and includes digital collections from institutions like the Smithsonian, the National Archives, Library of Congress and the Minnesota Digital Library (which will serve as a “digital hub” for our region).  Instead of being a repository, the DPLA will be more of an “aggregator” of existing digital content and part of a movement to further digitize other special collections in the U.S.  The purpose of the DPLA is to bring together all of the riches of America’s libraries, archives, historical societies and museums and make them available to everyone for free. Initial funding of $5 million comes from the Sloan Foundation, the NEH and others.

 How does Northfield fit into the grand scheme of things?  The Northfield Historical Society has been submitting digital items to the Minnesota Digital Library (Minnesota Reflections) for some time now. A current search in DPLA for “Northfield, Minnesota” yields 792 hits.  It’s exciting that our little town is a part of this big effort.

 

On a side note, the Northfield History Collaborative, (of which the Northfield Library is a member) founded in 2007, began with a similar vision – digitizing and making accessible the records of Northfield history.  There is some overlap of what’s on the collaborative website (http://northfieldhistorycollaborative.org/)  and the Minnesota Reflections site (http://reflections.mndigital.org/).  

Check out all of these great websites for Northfield, Minnesota and U.S. history.

 

Hardy Roses for Minnesota Gardens

On Wednesday April 24 the Northfield Public Library welcomes Jim Beardsley of the Minnesota Rose Society.  Mr. Beardsley, who has been growing roses since 1980 and has 200 roses in his own garden, is a Master Rosarian and accredited Rose Judge for the American Rose Society.  He will present a program on hardy roses for Minnesota gardens.  This program is free and open to the public.  For more information or to make disability arrangements please call the library at 507-645-6606.

Hostas - No Longer the Green and White Plant that Grandma Had Around the Tree

On Tuesday April 16 at 7 PM  the Northfield Public Library welcomes Gregg Peterson of the Minnesota Hosta Society.  Mr. Peterson, President of the Minnesota Hosta Society will present a program entitled "Hostas - no longer the green and white plant that grandma had around the tree".  Hostas are one of the most favorite shade perennials and are definitely a favorite for Minnesota gardeners.  Come and discover what's new in the hosta world.  This program is free and open to the public.  For more information or to make disability arrangements please call the library at 507-645-6606.                                           

Local Employers in Northfield and Dundas

Attention Job Seekers!
A list of local employers in Northfield and Dundas has been updated and posted on our website at
www.northfieldmn.info. Click on "Services" and then "Business and Employment Resources".
The list is extensive and includes phone numbers and in many cases electronic links to website application forms.

Check out the other links on that page to other local and statewide job resources.

The Minnesota Workforce Center Newsletter is also linked on that page.

For more information call the reference desk at 645-1802.

Backyard and Small -Scale Poultry Workshop

 Just a heads up for those of you who attended our workshop last May (or anyone else interested in this topic)  on raising chickens in your backyard.  This workshop will be held at the Community Resource Center on March 26 at 6 PM.

U of MN Extension Offering Backyard and Small-Scale Poultry Workshop

 

ST. PAUL. (February 20, 2013)—The University of Minnesota Extension’s Small Farms Team is inviting those interested backyard and small-scale poultry to attend their new educational program packed with production and marketing information. The 3-hour workshop will be held on March 7 in Slayton, March 11 in Hutchinson and March 26 in Northfield. The program will start at 6:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. at each location. The cost is $20.00 for adults (spouses and business partners $10.00) and $10.00 for students. A light meal will be provided and attendees will receive a copy of the workshop’s proceedings.

 

The program’s agenda is filled with multiple topics geared towards the needs of the beginning farmer, hobbyist or backyard producer and those who would like to raise birds on a small commercial enterprise. Presenters will discuss specifics related to local laws and ordinances, breed and species selection and management techniques. Additionally, marketing direct to consumers or supplying local coops, grocery stores, and restaurants will be covered. Whether for fun, profit or both, this workshop is for you! A complete agenda is outlined here:

·       Best Breeds to Fit Your Needs, and Where to Purchase

·       Proper Housing, Nutrition, and Predator Control

·       Processing Regulations/Food Safety and Handling

·       Economics and Marketing

·       Zoning ordinances for Urban and Rural Settings

 

Northfield – Tuesday, March 26 – 6:00 p.m.

Community Resource Center

1651 Jefferson Parkway

Northfield, MN 55057

Contact: Mike Donnelly, Extension Educator – donne099@umn.edu or 507-332-6165

 

Those who are interested in attending are encouraged to pre-register to assist with meal count and handouts; however walk-ins will be welcomed. To pre-register, please contact the Rice County Extension office at 507-332-6109 or email Mike Donnelly at donne099@umn.edu. For more information and to view the full view the full brochure, please visit http://z.umn.edu/2013smallfarmspoultry.

 

A full brochure for this program can be viewed at: http://z.umn.edu/2013smallfarmspoultry.

 

Visit Greece!

Jim May, Professor of Classics at St. Olaf College, will present a travelogue on Greece on Monday, March 18 at 7 PM at the Northfield Public Library. Jim is an author and scholar and has traveled to Greece over 30 times (including a stint as a rower on a replica of an ancient Greek warship around the Aegean Sea) and has led over 20 study travel programs there. Come explore this interesting country through a seasoned traveler’s eyes. This program is free and open to the public. Call 507-645-6606 for questions or to make disability arrangements.

The Northfield Public Library has Zinio!

 

The Northfield Public Library, in partnership with Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault and the Lonsdale Public Library, is pleased to announce the availability of Zinio, an online resource for digital magazines.  Download new popular magazines, page for page, including full color pictures and some with interactive elements such as audio and video.  It’s easy to do and free with your Northfield Library card. The collection includes over 200 magazines and includes

 titles such as:

 

·       Art News

·       Bird Watching

·       Cabin Life

·       Container Gardening

·       Consumer Reports

·       Food Network Magazine

·       Gluten-Free Living

·       Mother Jones

·       Nation

·       O, the Oprah Magazine

·       Poets and Writers

·       Runner’s World

·       Weight Watchers

·       Whole Living

 

The collection has many “special” issue magazines and many not included in the Northfield Library’s print collection.  Zinio was introduced in November 2012 and already hundreds of users have checked out magazines.

To get started go to www.northfieldmn.info and click on “E-Library”. Look for “Downloads” and then Zinio. You will need to create an account.  Once you do that you will need to go into your email to activate the account.  That’s it! You’re ready to start browsing your favorite magazines on your computer, tablet or mobile device. 

Funds for this resource were generously donated by the Friends and Foundation of the Northfield Public Library.

Questions? Call the library at 645-6606.

 

New Year Resolution: Improve Password Security

The number of passwords we need to keep track of these days seems to be proliferating.  As we become increasingly enmeshed in the web it is important to take some steps to prevent your privacy and security by managing your passwords.  Like many things that are important (think flossing), it takes an ongoing effort to manage your passwords, but it is well worth it.  Below are some password related do’s and don’ts to consider:

DO

1. Avoid opening suspicious links – even from friends.

2. Ignore security questions to which there are a limited number of answers.  This includes questions such as “What is your favorite color?”

3. Ignore security questions that can be answered using personal information you may have posted on the Internet.  For example, if you have populated your Facebook with a lot of personal information, it is easy to answer the security question “What middle school did you attend?”  Hackers can use the answers to your security questions to reset your passwords and take control of your accounts.

4. Give bogus answers to security questions.  For example in response to the security question “What is the name of your pet?”  You could respond with an answer that is totally unrelated such as “Snowballs melt in Tucson”.

5. Answer a security question with a password hint that has nothing to do with the security question.  For example, you can respond to a question with a question.  “What is the name of your cat?” Could be responded to with the question “Can you see Mars at night?”

6. Use catchphrases.  The longer your password, the longer it will take to crack.  A password should ideally be 14 characters or longer in length. For example you can string together movie quotes, song lyrics or poems. 

7. For very sensitive passwords, consider jamming your keyboard to create a secure password, intermittently hitting the shift and alt keys while doing so.  Copy the result into a text file and store it on a password protected (encrypted) USB.

8. Store passwords securely, NOT in your in-box or desktop.  If you do store your passwords consider doing so on a protected (encrypted) USB that will allow you can copy and paste in passwords so that a hacker is unable to use keystroke logging software to break your password.

9. Consider other options such as keeping information off the Internet completely.  You could store password hints, not the passwords, on a scrap of paper and keep them in your wallet or use a unique or secure email address for password recoveries.  This entails creating a special account you never use for communications and choosing a username that isn’t the same as your name.  In other words, a faux account.

10. Use two password authentications when offered.  This method adds a secondary layer of security to your account.  In order to employ this method you need to tweak your account and have a mobile device that receives text messages.  When you login a text message is sent to your device and you will be required to type it in.

11. Use password-protection software that permits you to store all usernames and passwords in one place. Some programs also have the ability to create strong passwords and automatically log you into sites if you provide one master password.  LastPass, SplashData, and AgileBits are three of the better known software programs that offer password protection for Windows, Macs, and mobile devices.

12. Use different Web browsers for different activities i.e. “Leisure” browsing versus online banking.  By using different browsers, you can prevent inadvertently spreading an infection to all your accounts.  A study published in 2011 by Accuvant Labs, of web browsers that included Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox determined that Google Chrome was less susceptible to attacks.

13. Consider using “throwaway” e-mail addresses, like those offered by 10 minute mail (http://10minutemail.com/10MinuteMail/index.html).  The program allows users to register and confirm an online account which self-destructs 10 minutes later. 

14. Scrub your online presence.  One of the easiest ways to hack your account is through your email and bill address information.  If possible, do not retain this information on file or inquire about using the opt-out mechanisms on the database. 

15. REMEMBER THAT ANYTHING YOU HAVE TYPED OR SHARED ONLINE IS A PUBLIC RECORD!

DON’T

1. Reuse passwords.

2. Use the same password for different accounts.   Hackers regularly exploit the fact that people tend to use the same password across multiple sites. 

3. Use a dictionary word as your password.  If your password is in a dictionary, you might as well not have one.  Hackers will often test passwords from a dictionary.  If you want to use dictionary words string several words together in a phrase.

4. Use standard number substitutions.  For example words like H@ck3r or S3cur3.  Hacker cracking tools can easily break these passwords.  If you want to continue to use standard number substitutions, string several together as suggested above.

5. Use a short password even if it is weird.  Your best defense is the longest possible password.

The Northfield Public Library has computers that are free and open for use with a library card.  We also have a collection of books and periodicals about all aspects of personal computing including SmartComputing in Plain English and Wired.  Books and periodicals are located on the second floor of the library.

Sources: “Hacked” by Mat Honan Wired Magazine.  December 2012, pp., 180-186, 220-224

Downton Abbey @ the Library

If you can't get your fix on a weekly basis watching Downton Abbey on Sunday evenings, come to the library to get some books on the hit show or DVDs to catch up on previous seasons.

World of Downton Abbey - 791.45 FE

Chronicles of Downton Abbey - 791.4572 FE

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey - 942.2 CA

Secrets of the Manor House: Inside British Country Homes in the Early 1900s - DVD 941.082 SE

Treasure Houses of Britain - DVD - on order

Upstairs, Downstairs (the new version) 2011- DVD

Upstairs, Downstairs - John Hawkesworth - FIC (Based on the original television series)

and of course we have Seasons 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey on DVD- call us or place a request on our catalog

Here are some interesting links on the web to the PBS site on Downton Abbey and some good articles from the New York Times on why it has become so popular.


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/09/arts/television/downton-abbey-audience-swells-for-seasons-first-episode.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/magazine/downton-abbey.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.vulture.com/2012/12/downton-abridged-an-episode-by-episode-recap.html (this one will give you an overview of the previous seasons)