Gettysburg Prepares for 150th

Preservation Magazine, a publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation details  the work that has been put into restoring Gettysburg Battlefield monuments in preparation for the anniversary celebration and battle reenactment this month.  1,328 monuments commemorate the battle was fought between July 1-3 1863 leaving 51,000 dead, wounded or missing.

In addition, the National Trust's blog, Preservation Nation gives a detailed  listing of events planned at Gettysburg commemorating the anniversary.

Check our catalog to find additional resources about the battle and its aftermath.

New Decorating Books

Check out our new decorating books!

We just updated our bookletter for Architecture, Decorating and Garden Design.

Sign up for our various bookletters via email.

Orange Prize for Fiction goes to Madeline Miller

The Orange Prize for Fiction was awarded to the American writer Madeline Miller for her novel "The Song of Achilles."

"The Orange Prize for Fiction was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction written by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible. The Orange Prize is awarded to the best novel of the year written in English by a woman."

Previous winners of the Orange Prize for fiction

Retold Tales - recommended books for adults (from NoveList database)

Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)

The author Ray Bradbury died at the age of 91 on June 5, 2012 in Los Angeles, after a lengthy illness. He was born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois. He was best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 which was published in 1953.

 New York Times Obituary by Gerald Jonas

Books by Rad Bradbury in our collection

Books about Rad Bradbury in our collection

Fahrenheit 451 (movie on DVD) 
directed by François Truffaut. "[Oskar] Werner stars as a fireman in charge of burning books in a future where reading is a crime. [Julie] Christie plays a dual role as his wife and his book-collecting mistress."

We received a new pass for the Shore Line Trolley Museum.
Our museum passes are funded by the Friends of the Hamden Library. The Shore Line Trolley Museum Pass offers a 50 percent discount for up to six people.
Regular rates apply for additional visitors. [Adults 10.00,
Seniors (62+) 8.00, Children (2-15) 6.00]
The Pass is valid on all scheduled public operation days (10:30am-4:30pm) and expanded special events programs during the 2012 season; except for October's Haunted Isle.

May ……………………………………. Saturdays and Sundays
Memorial Day to Labor Day ……. OPEN EVERY DAY
September…………………............ Saturday, Sundays and Labor Day
October……………………………….. Saturdays and Sundays
December…………………………….. First Four Weekends
Special Events: Easter, Mothers Day, Antique Car Show, Fire Apparatus Show, Art Show, Movie Weekend, Haunted Isle (pass is not valid for Haunted Isle), Pumpkin Patch, Star Gazing and Winter Wonderland

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau dies at 86

The German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau died on May 18, 2012. He was 86 years old. He was one of the most important and influential vocal artists of the 20th century.

Biography of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Recordings by Mr. Fischer-Dieskau in the Hamden Public Library collection

New York Times Obituary

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Come to the library this month and check out our display on "May is Mental Health Awareness Month".

Mental Health Information from the National Library of Medicine

National Institute of Mental Health

Also check out our database, the HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESOURCE CENTER (top of page).
The database offers full-text access to the "The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine". Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2011.
You can also access full-text articles from medical journals.

Two additional State Park passes available

We just added two more STATE PARK passes for circulation. Just in time for a beautiful weekend!

The passes can be checked out by Hamden residents with valid Hamden Public Library cards. One pass per family. The pass covers cost of parking, where there is a parking charge. Parking fees are charged at all four state park beaches on Long Island Sound as well as several inland parks. Also covers admission for two adults and four children at state historical sites and exhibit centers at Dinosaur, Fort Trumbull and Gillette Castle State Parks. Enjoy!

More info on State Parks in CT


Hamden Public Library Museum Pass List