Plaza Library and Arlington Shop, Arlington Public Library, Virginia

Title Wave Winter Reading Program at Plaza

2009-10-29T11:15:00.003-04:00

Catch The Wave:October 5 - November 14, 2009

Did you read a great book? Don't keep it to yourself... Share your recommendations with everyone! You could even win a fun prize...

Recommend books and read recommendations from others online, or check out our Title Wave displays in all the Library branches, and fill out a Title Wave bookmark and put it in our suggestion box.

This program is made possible by the Friends of the Arlington Public Library

Plaza Staff Rec: The Wild Things

2009-10-14T13:49:00.003-04:00

Was your first reaction to the news that Maurice Sendak's classic picture book Where the Wild Things Are was going to be made into a movie dismay?

Staff at the Plaza Branch Library are feeling slightly more confident now that we've seen the movie trailers, and heard that Sendak himself gave his approval to director Spike Jonze after viewing the film.

So let's continue to be optimistic, and read Dave Eggers' new book, The Wild Things, his adaptation of the film. Eggars is a good writer, and he co-wrote the movie's screenplay with Spike Jonze, so we're willing to giving a try - if you do too, let us know what you think!

New Travel Books at Plaza

2009-09-30T15:49:00.011-04:00

Planning a trip? The Plaza Branch Library may have just what you're looking for!

We've been building our Plaza travel section - recent additions include The Jersey Shore from Moon, Frommer's Southeast Asia (2009) and Fodor's Caribbean (2010).

Staff Rec - EatingWell In Season: The Farmer's Market Cookbook

2009-08-26T09:20:00.008-04:00

Thinking about joining a Farm Share/CSA, or getting your produce from your local Farmer's Market instead of the grocery store? Check out EatingWell In Season: The Farmer's Market Cookbook, where you will find 150 recipes for meals made with seasonally available fresh ingredients.

The cookbook also includes useful nutritional information about each recipe's ingredients- for instance, did you know potatoes are a good source of calcium?

Meet GREENR

2009-08-24T14:11:00.003-04:00

Check out our new online database GREENR (Global Reference on the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources) - a one-stop research portal, focused on the study of sustainability and the environment.

You can access it inside the Library from any public internet computer, or from your computer outside the Library, by using your account number (the bar code on the back of your Library card) and last name. Go to the Library website for a virtual tour and more info on how to use GREENR.

Focus On Smart Growth

2009-08-13T09:34:00.006-04:00

Keep an eye on our new arrivals over the coming months - in conjunction with the County's focus on Smart Growth, we will be building our collection of green living and sustainable-growth materials at Plaza. And in the meantime be sure to check out the documentary Arlington's Smart Growth Journey online, or buy a copy (with 16 minutes of bonus features) at the Arlington Shop.

Staff Rec: World's End

2009-07-30T11:22:00.010-04:00

Remember Y2K? That was the global fear that because of a programming error, the world's computers would become useless on January 1, 2000, sending civilization into chaos.
Marc Chadbourn's novel World's End - originally published in 1999 in the UK - envisions a different millennial disaster, brought about by the end of the Age of Reason.

World's End - a new addition to our collection - follows the breakdown of human society as magic flows back into the world, electricity and electronics fail, and 5 disparate, angry, scared Britts - who don't even like each other very much - struggle to work together and make their way in a world that is changing terrifyingly before their eyes.

New Books On Display

2009-07-24T12:51:00.008-04:00

In honor of all the great summer books on our shelves, we've filled the display area with new titles. So if you're looking for something new, check these out.

Staff Rec: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

2009-06-26T09:38:00.007-04:00

Are you looking for a great summer get-away read? Try The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, by Katherine Howe, a tale of summer, ghosts, books, ancestors and love - perfect for your own summer break.

And it has a gorgeous cover!

New Graphic Non-Fiction: The Photographer

2009-06-17T13:11:00.005-04:00

Check out this tense, exciting and moving new memoir, in graphic novel form. The authors have combined photos and illustration to tell the story of Didier Lefevre, a photojournalist who traveled to Afganistan in the late '80s to document to the work of Doctors Without Borders.

The Photographer: Into war-torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefevre and Frederic Lemercier

Library Thing

2009-06-04T13:12:00.012-04:00

Here at the Plaza Branch, we've been experimenting with a public-cataloging application called LibraryThing. "What's that for?" you ask? LibraryThing is a free, wiki-style web site, that help its members keep track of the books they've read, and the books they want to read.

So by creating a PlazaLibrary account, we allow you to add your own comments and reviews to the books in our collection, for other users to read. And we would absolutely love it if you did that - all you have to do is create your own account. Then you can log in, go to PlazaLibrary's book page, click on a title in our collection, and it to your library with the 'Add to your library' button, and then add your own review.

You'll find a permanent link to Plaza's LibraryThing account on the sidebar to the right of your screen. Books we've just addded include the new arrivals (title-links go to the Arlington Public Library catalog, as usual)

Still Life by Joy Feilding and

The Sign by Raymound Khoury.

We're also uploading our DVD titles.

You can also use LibraryThing to keep track of any book you've read, whether it came from the Plaza collection or not, since the LibraryThing database pulls information from both Amazon and Library of Congress records.

New on DVD - Building Green

2009-03-12T09:20:00.005-04:00

We just received Building Green, a 3 DVD set of the first season of the PBS television show by the same name.

Hosted by Kevin Contreras, it follows the

step-by-step construction of (his) green dream home in Santa Barbara, with practical advice and expert guidance on a range of topics like straw bale construction, breathable paints, blue jean insulation and much more...The final result is a Zen-modernist house that is not only earthquake safe and energy efficient, but an exquisite example of the art of the eco-possible - a healthier home that leaves a lighter footprint and a brighter legacy. (from the DVD)

Economic tips in hard times

2009-02-26T15:22:00.005-05:00

Want to learn to stick up for your right to be frugal? Try this new Non-Fiction title :

Fight for Your Money: How to stop getting ripped off and save a fortune by David Bach

New Documentaries on DVD @ Plaza

2009-01-23T14:08:00.008-05:00

Check out these two new titles:

The Jewish Americans (2008) from PBS; in English.

"Acclaimed filmmaker David Grubin traces 350 years of Jewish American History from the arrival of the first Jews in 1654 to the present day...Focusing on the tension between identity and assimilation, The Jewish Americans is a quintessentially American story, which other minority groups will find surprisingly familiar." (from the DVD)

Liquid Assets: The story of our water infrastructure (2008) from Penn State Public Broadcasting; in English.

"Liquid Assets, a ninety-minute documentary, tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: water, wastewater, and stormwater. These systems — some in the ground for more than 100 years — provide a critical public health function and are essential for economic development and growth. Largely out of sight and out of mind, these aging systems have not been maintained, and some estimates suggest this is the single largest public works endeavor in our nation’s history." (from the Liquid Assets website)

New Reference Book - 'Big Box Reuse'

2009-01-13T15:16:00.005-05:00

Julia Christensen's new book Big Box Reuse, and her accompanying website, provide a fascinating view of how the growth of container stores in American has changed our suburban landscape - and our options for community development.

From the book leaf:
"When a big box store upsizes to a even bigger box "supercenter" down the road, it leaves behind more than the vacant shell of a retain operation; it leaves behind a changed landscape that can't be changed back. Acres of land have been paved around it. Highway exits lead to it; local roads end at it. With thousands of empty box stores spread across America, these sites have become a dominant feature of the American landscape.... Christensen shows us how ten communities have addressed this problem, turning vacated Wal-Marts and Kmarts into something else: a church, a library, a school, a medical center, a courthouse, a recreation center, a museum, or other civic minded structures. In each case, what was once a place to shop has become a center of community life."

Also new in the shop....

2008-12-19T08:54:00.005-05:00

Arlington logo golf balls!

New for the Holidays at the Arlington Shop

2008-12-08T09:58:00.014-05:00

We have some fun new gift ideas:

For the energy conscious, a set of 3 CFL bulbs, which simulate regular light bulbs in color (2700k), in the equivalent of 75, 100 and 125 watts - $19.99

For the chocolate lover, a coffee mug with Ghirardelli double chocolate hot-chocolate mix - $7.49

Our special gift bag for kids (or the young and foolish at heart) - an activity pad, pencils, crayons, stickers, eraser, holiday pop and 'un-assembled' marshmallow snowmen - $3.99

And our new Tree in a Box, so you can plant your own! Choose from Red Maple, Blue Spruce, or American Elm. - $5.99

New in Reference: Design Like You Give a Damn

2008-11-18T10:41:00.010-05:00

Design Like You Give A Damn: Architectural response to humanitarian crisis edited by Architecture for Humanity. The book covers both existing projects and proposals from around the world; one really interesting example is the Huts and Low-Riders, built by the Mad Housers group in Atlanta GA. The book also features object-design solutions such as the Hippo Water Roller (used in parts of Southern Africa where piped water is not available) and Ceramic Water Filters (pictured at left), which were used to produce clean drinking water throughout Central America after Hurricane Mitch.

New in the Store: Illuminated Monuments

2008-11-17T14:53:00.005-05:00

They're not life-sized, but they do light up!
Battery powered, or with an AC Adapter, these DC monuments make great night-lights, window decorations and gifts.

The Capitol Building

Lincoln Memorial

The White House

Jefferson Memorial

Green Reference

2008-11-06T12:34:00.008-05:00

We just received 5 new books on Green planning, design, and business entrepreneurship. The Plaza Library's copies are housed in our Reference section, but there is at least one borrowable copy of each title at the Central Library - click on the links to see our full holdings, or to put a copy on hold.

Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems: Principles and practices by Peter Newman and Isabella Jennings

Green From the Ground Up: Sustainable, healthy and energy-efficient home construction by David Johnston and Scott Gibson

Green to Gold: How smart companies use environmental strategy to innovate, create value, and build competitive advantage by Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston

The Triple Bottom Line: How today's best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success - and how you can too by Andrew W. Savitz with Karl Weber

Harvard Business Review on Green Business Strategy a collection of essays from the Harvard Business School Press

Veterans Day - November 11th

2008-11-05T12:41:00.014-05:00

Come in to the library and check out our Veterans Day display of books, playaways and DVDs on the American Armed Services.

And if you want to find out more about the history of Veterans Day, you can visit the United States Department of Veteran Affairs at their website.

Listen to Playaways in your car!

2008-10-06T09:17:00.007-04:00

We now carry FM Transmitters in the store, which let you listen to playaways in your car.

The FM Transmitter plugs it into the headphone jack on the playaway. Then you pick a frequency on the transmitter and tune your radio to the same station. The transmitter then broadcasts the playway through your car's radio!

The FM Transmitter uses batteries, which means that you can use it with any radio, or it can be plugged into your car's lighter/power outlet (adaptor included).

Where's the book drop?

2008-10-02T12:39:00.004-04:00

Looking for the Book Drop for after-hours returns? It's located outside the East doors of the lobby, next to the Treasurer's drop box, on 15th street.

You can put all Arlington Library materials in it, not just books. And items placed in the book drop when we're closed get checked in as of the last day we were open.

Paul Newman (1925-2008)

2008-10-01T08:12:00.007-04:00

We've got some of Paul Newman's best films from the 1950s - 70s, here at the Plaza Library:

In westerns, we have The Left Handed Gun (1958), in which Newman played Billy the Kid, and Hud (1963), the story of "the rebellious son of a respectable rancher...continuously at odds with his aging father." We also have the comedy Pocket Money (1972), co-staring Lee Marvin. This one could almost be a western as well, given that the plot revolves around cowboys and Appaloosas.

In thrillers we have The Mackintosh Man (1973), in which Newman play a British spy, and two mysteries - Harper (1966) and The Drowing Pool (1975) - both based on the novels by Ross MacDonald. Harper was Newman's first detective film, and also stars Laren Bacall, Robert Wagner, and Shelley Winters.

And in drama, we have The Young Philadelphians (1959), with Newman as a young upper-crust lawyer, and Somebody Up There Like Me (1956, Newman's second film), the true story of Rocky Graziano, a young boxer who rose from poverty to success, winning the middleweight title.

And to round out the Plaza Library collection, we have Tom Hank's documentary, Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon (2005), in which Newman contributes narration.

Need more? Look for other Paul Newman films, and books about his career and life, in the Library catalog.

More downloadable County Board Meetings

2008-09-25T11:06:00.010-04:00

The Plaza Library has just received a completed set of County Board meetings from 2003-07. They are stored on a MyBook External Hard Drive, and replace the previously incomplete set of Windows Media Files CDROMs from that time period (later meetings are still archived on the web).

What's so exciting about this? Now, instead of having to watch these meetings on the library computers, you can bring in your laptop and copy meetings directly to your own computer - allowing you to watch them whenever and wherever you like. So if you want to download Board Meetings from 2005-2007, just speak with a librarian - we'll be happy to help you.

The Virginia Room, County Board office and AVN have also received copies of these meetings, in the same format.

Arlington Remembers 9/11

2008-09-08T15:12:00.007-04:00

On Sept. 11, 2008, we will broadcast a live feed of the Pentagon Memorial dedication ceremony, starting at 8:am, in the Lobby of 2100 Clarendon Blvd. For more information on September 11 events, see the County web site.

More changes at Plaza - PlayAways and a Returns Bin

2008-08-20T12:13:00.012-04:00

We've just received another batch of new PlayAways, and as a result we've rearranged the shelves next to the holds in order to accommodate our growing collection. Come in and check out all the cool new titles!

You may also notice a new metal bin, labeled Returns, that has appeared in the Library this week. Next time you're in a hurry, or there's a line, just stick your return items inside, and we'll be sure to check them in.

Interesting Reference Item of the Week - County Board Meetings are online

2008-08-13T15:36:00.007-04:00

Do you need to know what happened at last month's County Board Meeting? Or just want to learn more about how Arlington County Government works? Now you can watch video of County Board Meetings from 2004-2008, as well as read the agendas and minutes for Board Meetings from 1999-2008, online at the County Board web page. And the most recent meeting is repeated on Comcast Channel 74 and Verizon Channel 39 on Saturdays at 8:30am. The Saturday morning, afternoon and Tuesday sessions are shown on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00pm.

In addition, the Plaza Library's Government Reference collection includes DVDs, CDROMs and Video Tapes of Board Meetings, as well as copies of the agendas and minutes, from 1999 to the present. Want them even further back? The Virginia Room, at Central Library, has the last 25 years. And both Libraries have viewing stations, where you can watch the Meetings.

And if you need your own copy of a specific Meeting, AVN will make you a DVD copy at the cost of $20 per disc (6 hours per disc) - call 703-228-3270 or email them at avn@arlingtonva.us.

PlayAways - An AudioBook In Your Pocket

2008-08-11T11:25:00.012-04:00

Don't know what a PlayAway is?

It's an MP3 player, pre-loaded with one audio book.

Borrowing time is 3 weeks, and PlayAways are renewable, just like your usual library items. Titles range from Non-Fiction and Classics, to new Fiction, Detectives and popular Sci-Fi.

Olympic Fever at Plaza Library!

2008-08-07T11:35:00.006-04:00

Keep your eye on the front window at Plaza - we're setting up a TV with closed captioning, and starting Friday we'll broadcast Olympic coverage whenever we're open.

Interesting reference item of the week #5

2008-07-29T14:16:00.003-04:00

Getting divorced is never, ever fun. Worst of all, it's not something any of us are likely to have researched ahead of time, so figuring out how to get divorced can feel almost insurmountable. Luckily, there is a reference book for everything, so today we present: File for Divorce in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia: a plain English guide to getting it done, by James J. Gross and Michael F. Callahan, which includes forms, contact information, and step-by-step instructions. Hopefully, you'll never need this, but if you ever do, we've got it.

Interesting Reference Item of the Week #4

2008-07-08T11:00:00.005-04:00

Basics of Landlord Tenant Law: a quick reference guide for residential reference property in Virginia, written and updated annually by local lawyer, Jerome P. Friedlander II.

This useful publication includes sections on both the Common Law, "that body of law, as developed over the centuries, that came to us from England and has been modified by state statutes," and the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA), as well as advisement on how to go to court, and sample forms and legal letters.

Interesting Reference Item of the week, #3

2008-06-19T10:03:00.003-04:00

Once a month, we receive local climatological date in the form of the National Climatic Data Center's monthly reports for the Washington DC area, which are taken at Ronald Reagan National Airport, and compiled by NOAA, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So if you want to know how fast the wind was during a recent storm, or how much rainfall we had last November, check this publication. We have complete records going back as far as 1988, and incomplete records back to 1970.

You can find this publication in the Government Reference section, on the right side facing the windows.

Featured Titles

2008-06-17T11:09:00.013-04:00

New Featured Titles on the Plaza Library shelves this week:

Sail by James Patterson and Howard Roughan, is the story of a family beset by disaster at sea.

Black Seconds by Karin Fossum (and translated from the Norwegian by Charlotte Barslund) is the latest Inspector Sejer Mystery available in the U.S.

The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi, is a true story of the authors' research into unsolved serial murders in Florence Italy during the 1980s.

Secrets of a Shoe Addict by Beth Harbison (author of Shoe Addicts Anonymous), is the tale of three women in financial trouble who bond over their unusual get-out-of-debt solution.

Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller traces the lives of singers Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon, while exploring the experience of growing up female during the 1960s.

Give a book, take a book

2008-05-22T15:31:00.007-04:00

Along with our collection of regular Library books, and the Government Reference section, Plaza Library has several shelves devoted to the Plaza Library Book Exchange. This is a place where you can drop off that paper back you bought at the airport, and pick up something new, for free.

Location: Plaza Library, in the back, to the left of the Reference collection.

Check it out!

Fit Arlington Frisbees

2008-04-25T10:21:00.008-04:00

The Arlington Shop has a rainbow selection of frisbee disks for sale as part of Fit Arlington. They're great for throwing around with your family, or a pick-up game of Ultimate during lunch (and of course there are some who swear by Disc Golf).

And if you're interested in learning more about the fast paced game of Ultimate, this Sunday the Washington Area Frisbee Club will be holding two exhibition games as part of the Fit Arlington Sports Festival - both adult and local high school teams will play - at Bluemont Park, from 2-4 pm.

Shop Arlington @ the Arlington Shop

2008-04-09T11:28:00.007-04:00

Do you want to get someone a fun gift? Are you going out of town, and need a hat? Did you forget to put on enough layers (or wear long sleeves when you should have gone short...)? Do you feel like tossing a Frisbee after work? Are visitors from out of town visiting your office? Or are you late for a meeting, and forgot your pen?

If any of the above apply - or if you're just curious - stop by the Arlington Shop, located inside the library, and check out our great selection of colorful baseball caps, shirts (collared, t, and hooded long sleeve), water bottles, mugs, bags, frisbees, pedometers, umbrellas, paper weights, pens and pins, all with a County logo or seal. We even have gift cards, in the amount of your choice.