DVDs, Books on CD, & Music CDs ordered Jan. 13th

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!
DVDs
American teen
Arthur
Cirque Du Freak: The vampire's assistant
City slickers
City slickers II: the legend of Curly's gold
Driven
Eagles: Farewell 1 tour, live from Melbourne
I love you, Beth Cooper
Keeping the promise
Armored
Bad Lieutenant: Port of call New Orleans
Bandslam
The box
Everybody's fine
Howard the duck
Old dogs
The princess and the frog
Hatching Pete
Be my Valentine
A valentine for you
Where the red fern grows

Books on CD
The last time I saw you by Berg, Elizabeth
Heat wave by Castle, Richard
Buried secrets by Finder, Joseph
Live to tell by Gardner, Lisa
The secret by Lewis, Beverly
Hannah's list by Macomber, Debbie
The Lake Shore limited by Miller, Sue
In the name of honor by Patterson, Richard North
The summer hideaway by Wiggs, Susan

Music CDs
Alvin and the Chipmunks, the squeakquel soundtrack
Steven Curtis Chapman: Beauty will rise
The Best of KC & The Sunshine Band
Billy Joel: The complete hits collection (1973-1997)
Kanye West: Graduation
Queen: Greatest hits I & II
Kanye West: Late registration
Lady Antebellum: Need you now
No end in sight: the very best of Foreigner
Robert Plant: The principle of moments
Natalie Grant: Relentless
Rod Stewart: Soulbook
Tobymac: Tonight
The very best of The Commodores
The very best Of the Doobie Brothers
Nick Jonas & the Administration: Who I am
Elvis 75

Lessons from the Lost Decade in Stocks

Investing tip of the month from Morningstar Investment Research Center by , by Christopher Davis, Fund Analyst

If you're a stock-market investor, you're probably looking forward to closing the books on the past decade. The S&P 500's annualized 10-year return through November 2009 was slightly negative, and it's been a wild ride along the way, as investors have endured the bursting of not one but two major bubbles. After soaring in the late 1990s, the index slumped more than 40% in the March 2000 to October 2002 bear market and then rallied steadily before faltering from late 2007 through early March 2009.

You certainly could've made more money investing in bonds. Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Index (formerly Lehman Brothers Aggregate Index), the most widely followed bond market index, returned about 6% over the past 10 years, with much less volatility.

In a sense, it's been a lost decade for stock investors. But hidden in the relatively poor returns are some rich lessons for the future. Below are some of the most important.

Lesson One: The long haul may be longer than you think.
We always espouse the importance of thinking long term if you're a stock market investor. But if "long term" means five or even 10 years to you, it might not be long enough. Stocks may have earned around 7%-10% a year over very long time periods, but that's usually when measured over 20- or 30-year increments. Obviously, if you're younger and saving for your retirement, your time horizon is probably long enough to have most of your portfolio in stocks. (Given longer life expectancies, even the not-quite-as-young should have plenty of stock exposure, too.) But if your financial goals are short- or intermediate-term in nature, it's not a sure thing that you'll be better off in stocks than bonds.

Lesson Two: Diversification is your friend.
There's a saying that even in a bear market, there's always a bull market going on somewhere. Put another way, rarely is every stock going down at once (or at least at the same pace). As the large-cap-dominated S&P 500 was tanking in the early 2000s, for instance, small-value stocks rallied sharply--and kept going even after larger-cap stocks recovered. And while most types of equities, commodities, and some bonds were way down during the recent bear market, government bonds came on strong. If your portfolio includes appropriate diversification across stocks and bonds, and within those asset classes you hold securities of varying investment styles, you don't have to figure out who the winners of the next bull market will be. You'll already own them.

Lesson Three: Dollar-cost averaging is your other friend.
It's true that you would've been better off putting money under your mattress than into the S&P 500 over the past decade. But most people usually don't put all the cash they'll ever have to work at once (or at least they shouldn't!). If you're investing through your employer's 401(k) plan, for example, you're probably putting money in the market every time you get a paycheck. In financial-planning parlance, the practice of making regular investments is known as dollar-cost averaging. Doing so helps protect you from overinvesting in boom markets (since stock prices are up, your regular investment amount will buy you fewer shares) and makes sure that you're buying more in downturns (when stock prices fall, your regular investment buys you more shares). If you've been dollar-cost averaging over the past decade, it's true that the money you invested in 1998 or 1999 may not have generated great return s. But if you were disciplined and kept investing during down markets, you bought in at cheaper prices and likely have enjoyed a much better return on those investments.

Lesson Four: Save more.
Until very recently, U.S. consumers had been saving less and less, instead letting the stock market (or their houses) do all their heavy lifting. But clearly you can't always count on stocks or real estate do the hard work. If your investments aren't growing, there's only one way that you can fill the gap, and that's to sock more money away yourself. Fortunately, you can make your money work harder by using tax-advantaged vehicles like a 401(k) or Roth IRA. Both allow you to compound your savings tax-free. In the case of a 401(k), your employer may match the contributions that you make, at least in part. Be sure to put at least enough to capture the full match. Otherwise, you're leaving free money on the table and missing an opportunity to build your savings with no effort on your part.

Lesson Five: Minimize expenses and taxes.
In the go-go late 1990s, many investors didn't care that much about costs. With the stock market rallying 20% or more every year, high expenses didn't matter as much. Take a fund with a 1% annual expense ratio, for example. If the stock market gains 20%, expenses eat up 5% of the stock market's total gain. But in a world of 4% gains--if you're lucky--expenses eat up 25%. While you can't control or predict what sort of returns the stock market will give you, you can control what portion of the stock market's returns will be left over after paying expenses.

As one of life's two unfortunate inevitabilities, taxes are tough to avoid altogether. But they eat into your returns just like expenses, so you want to keep them to a minimum.

Lesson Six: The past isn't always prologue.
After enjoying double-digit gains throughout much of the 1990s, investors came to expect fat returns as their birthright. As the last decade has demonstrated, though, you shouldn't necessarily extrapolate the past into the future. But just as it was a mistake to assume that the good times would keep on going in the 1990s, it's equally foolhardy to expect lackluster stock market returns to continue forever. In fact, the stock market has often gone on to post outsized gains after long periods of drought. The long boom of the 1980s and 1990s, for example, followed another lost decade between 1972 and 1982. And stocks rebounded sharply in 2009 following the worst bear market since the Great Depression. The moral of the past 10 years isn't that you should give up on stocks. Instead, it's that prudence and diversification are apt to be richly rewarded in all market and economic climates.

Morningstar Investment Research Center is great tool for new and veteran investors. It's chock full of unbiased analyst reports, tools for evaluating your portfolio, and lessons on how to invest. The best part is that it's free to all valid library cardholders! Begin now or learn more.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music CDs ordered Jan. 06

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
Behind the mask
Bring it on : fight to the finish
Convict stage
Cookers
Fierce people
Grace
Helen of Troy
Home alone 4 : taking back the house
The hurt locker
I can't believe I'm crocheting in motion
London
Not forgotten
Streets of blood
The sweetest thing
The Tudors : The complete third season
2012
Whiteout
The answer man
The great Buck Howard
Julia
Sin nombre
Astro Boy
The informant!
The men who stare at goats
My one and only
Planet 51
A serious man
Serious moonlight
Dennis the Menace ; Dennis the Menace strikes again
A Haunting In Georgia

Books on CD
You better not cry by Burroughs, Augusten
Sizzling sixteen by Evanovich, Janet
American sketches by Isaacson, Walter
The elements of investing by Malkiel, Burton Gordon
Wolf Hall  by Mantel, Hilary
The nanny diaries by McLaughlin, Emma
Rise of the Evening Star by Mull, Brandon
David Sedaris: Live for your listening pleasure by Sedaris, David
The survivors club by Sherwood, Ben
Brideshead revisited  by Waugh, Evelyn
Bomb power  by Wills, Garry

Music CDs
Pearl Jam: Back spacer
Eric Clapton: Cream of Clapton
Mark Knopfler: Get lucky
Carol Welsman: I like men
Bob Dylan: Together through life
U2: No line on the horizon
Sarah Jarosz: Song up in her head
Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
Noisettes: Wild young hearts
Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

New books we ordered January 6

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult and Children. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
How to grow absolutely everything
Knights : in history and legend
The matchmaking pact (LT) by Aarsen, Carolyne
Black cat by Andrews, V. C. (Virginia C.)
Child of darkness by Andrews, V. C. (Virginia C.)
The turning by Armintrout, Jennifer
Broken teaglass (LT) by Arsenault, Emily
Lunch in Paris : a love story, with recipes by Bard, Elizabeth
Supernormal stimuli : how primal urges overran their evolutionary purpose by Barrett, Deirdre
The history of the medieval world : from the conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade by Bauer, S. Wise
By the mountain bound by Bear, Elizabeth
The poisoning in the pub : a Fethering mystery by Brett, Simon
Vanished by Brian, Kate
Sweet deceit by Brian, Kate
How to sew a button : and other nifty things your grandmother knew by Bried, Erin
Sand daughter by Bryant, Sarah
The godfather of Kathmandu by Burdett, John
The chocolate cupid killings : a chocoholic mystery by Carl, JoAnna
Devil's kiss by Chadda, Sarwat
The ragged end of nowhere by Chaney, Roy
Back to basics : traditional kitchen wisdom by Chesman, Andrea
Out of the dawn light by Clare, Alys
The overnight socialite by Clark, Bridie
What to do when you don't know what to do by Cloud, Henry
Penelope passes or why did she die? by Coggin, Joan
The mystery at Orchard House by Coggin, Joan
Dancing with death : a Lady Lupin mystery by Coggin, Joan
The husband tree by Connealy, Mary
Sweet little lies : an L.A. Candy novel by Conrad, Lauren
Jim Cramer's getting back to even by Cramer, Jim
The privileges : a novel by Dee, Jonathan
Nothing to envy : ordinary lives in North Korea by Demick, Barbara
Counterfeit lady by Deveraux, Jude
The widow's revenge by Doss, James
Our life in gardens by Eck, Joe
Renovating barns, sheds & outbuildings by Engler, Nick
Good without God : what a billion nonreligious people do believe by Epstein, Greg
Sizzling sixteen by Evanovich, Janet
Sizzling sixteen (LT) by Evanovich, Janet
Raising a modern day princess : inspiring purpose, value, and strength in your daughter by Farrel, Pam
Your money ratios : 8 simple tools for financial security by Farrell, Charles, J.D.
America's prophet : Moses and the American story by Feiler, Bruce
The poisoned lamb by Fernandez-Rubio, Francisco
The science of liberty by Ferris, Timothy
The checklist manifesto : how to get things right by Gawande, Atul
Prairie tale (LT) by Gilbert, Melissa
Dorothea Lange : a life beyond limits by Gordon, Linda
The death of American virtue : Clinton vs. Starr by Gormley, Ken
Money, power, respect by Gray, Erick
If the church were Christian : rediscovering the values of Jesus by Gulley, Philip
Silencer by Hall, James
The organic farming manual by Hansen, Ann Larkin
What remains of heaven : a Sebastian St. Cyr mystery by Harris, C. S.
Cemetery Road by Haywood, Gar Anthony
The breakfast cereal gourmet by Hoffman, David
Skinwalker : a Janey Yellowrock novel by Hunter, Faith
American sketches : great leaders, creative thinkers, and heroes of a hurricane by Isaacson, Walter
The pawn by James, Steven
A gathering of doorways by Jasper, Michael
Lion's bride by Johansen, Iris
Spoiled rotten by Johnson, Brandi
This book is overdue! : how librarians and cybrarians can save us all by Johnson, Marilyn
Soul by soul : life inside the antebellum slave market by Johnson, Walter
The last of the dog team by Johnstone, William
Dial H for Hitchcock : a Cece Caruso mystery by Kandel, Susan
The 15-minute heart cure : the natural way to release stress and heal your heart in just minutes a day by Kennedy, John
Save big : cut your top 5 costs and save thousands by Leamy, Elisabeth
G.I. bones by Limón, Martin
The everything homeschooling book : all you need to create the best curriculum and learning environment for your child by Linsenbach, Sherri
Night victims by Lutz, John
The elements of investing by Malkiel, Burton
Society in America by Martineau, Harriet
Rave master 1 by Mashima, Hiro
Rave Master 2 by Mashima, Hiro
Dedication : a novel by McLaughlin, Emma
The light shall set you free by Milanovich, Norma
Molly Ivins : a rebel life by Minutaglio, Bill
The devil's star by Nesbø, Jo
Soul murder by Nugent, Andrew
Dragon knights 1 by Ōkami, Mineko
Dragon knights 2 by Ōkami, Mineko
Dragon knights 3 by Ōkami, Mineko
The essential engineer : why science alone will not solve our global problems by Petroski, Henry
Drive : the surprising truth about what motivates us by Pink, Daniel
Food rules : an eater's manual by Pollan, Michael
Making the most of your money now by Quinn, Jane Bryant
On the bright side, I'm now the girlfriend of a sex god : further confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Rennison, Louise
Blood and gold, or, The story of Marius by Rice, Anne
Savor the moment by Roberts, Nora
In the still of the night : the strange death of Ronda Reynolds by Rule, Ann
Lullaby by Seeber, Claire
Be the change : how meditation can transform you and the world by Shapiro, Eddie
Beneath the mask of holiness : Thomas Merton and the forbidden love affair that set him free by Shaw, Mark
Forbidden pleasures by Small, Bertrice
The complete infidel's guide to the Koran by Spencer, Robert
Without a grave : a Hannah Ives mystery by Talley, Marcia Dutton
Snow angels by Thompson, James
The red door by Todd, Charles
Everybody in the church ain't saved by Trafton, Patti
We ain't what we ought to be : the Black freedom struggle from emancipation to Obama by Tuck, Stephen G. N.
Intimate enemies : the two worlds of the Baroness De Pontalba by Vella, Christina
The financial lives of the poets : a novel by Walter, Jess
A young man without magic by Watt-Evans, Lawrence
Order in chaos by Whyte, Jack
The Sweethearts' Knitting Club by Wilde, Lori
Bomb power : the modern presidency and the national security state by Wills, Garry
Simply Christian : why Christianity makes sense by Wright, N. T. (Nicholas Thomas)
Cook this not that! : kitchen survival guide : the no-diet weight loss solution by Zinczenko, David

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Learn to draw Disney celebrated characters collection.
Spa princess cookbook by Beery, Barbara
The Atlantis complex by Colfer, Eoin
Lion boy by Corder, Zizou
Dragon spear by George, Jessica
Dragon flight by George, Jessica
Skyclan's destiny by Hunter, Erin
The Sable Quean by Jacques, Brian
Jonathan and his mommy by Smalls, Irene
The immortals by Stewart, Paul

Jigsaw puzzle and game sale Jan 23

On Saturday, January 23, the Friends of the Library will hold a large public sale of several hundred jigsaw puzzles and games from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon in the Library's multi-purpose room. There will be a large variety of puzzles to choose from in varying styles, shapes, and scenes, and they will all be reasonably priced.

Proceeds from the sale will be used to purchase library materials, fund children's programs and more.

The Friends group is still accepting donations of new and used clean puzzles in their original boxes during regular library hours. If you have any questions, please call the Library at 826-3712.

DVDs and Music CDs ordered Dec 23

Below is a list of the DVDs, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs

All that jazz (DVD)
Along came Polly (DVD)
Che (DVD)
Extract (DVD)
Lake City (DVD)
Meet Joe Black (DVD)
9 1/2 weeks(DVD)
Nothing to lose (DVD)
The ramen girl (DVD)
Resurrecting the champ (DVD)
The stepfather (DVD)
Taking Woodstock (DVD)
Waist deep (DVD)
X2: X-Men united (DVD)
A perfect spy (DVD)

Music CDs

John Surman: Brewster's rooster (Music CD)
The Eight-Stringed Bach (Music CD)
Imelda May: Love tattoo (Music CD)
Maiteí América: Harps of Paraguay (Music CD)
Lavay Smith: Miss Smith to you! (Music CD)
Mendelssohn: Piano trios (Music CD)
Bomshel: Fight like a girl (Music CD)
Trans Siberian Orchestra: Night castle (Music CD)
Joe Nichols: Old things new (Music CD)
Rodrigo Y Gabriela: 11:11 (Music CD)
Shakira: She wolf (Music CD)
Matthew Bellamy: The resistance (Music CD)
New Boyz: Skinny jeanz and a mic (Music CD)
Star trek : music from the motion picture (Music CD)
Mary J. Blige: Stronger with each tear (Music CD)
Michael Jackson's This is it (Music CD)

New books we ordered December 23

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Dark dreamers
Hot blooded
Though waters roar by Austin, Lynn N
Men cry in the dark by Baisden, Michael
God's gift to women by Baisden, Michael
Thirsty by Bateman, Tracey Victoria
IBM and the Holocaust : the strategic alliance between Nazi Germany and America's most powerful corporation by Black, Edwin
War against the weak : Eugenics and America's campaign to create a master race by Black, Edwin
My name is Memory by Brashares, Ann
The jewel of his heart : a novel by Brendan, Maggie
London Boulevard by Bruen, Ken
Kushiel's justice by Carey, Jacqueline
Kushiel's mercy by Carey, Jacqueline
Kushiel's scion by Carey, Jacqueline
Limelight : a novel by Carlson, Melody
Burned by Cast, P. C.
Divine by mistake by Cast, P. C.
61 hours (LT) by Child, Lee
Big man : real life & tall tales by Clemons, Clarence
Cape greed by Cole, Sam
God's master plan for your life : ten keys to fulfilling your destiny by Copeland, Gloria.
Leaving yesterday by Cushman, Kathryn
The road out of hell : Sanford Clark and the true story of the Wineville murders by Flacco, Anthony
Sign of the dove by Fletcher, Susan
Flight of the Dragon Kyn by Fletcher, Susan
Ape house by Gruen, Sara
Misery loves cabernet by Gruenenfelder-Smith, Kim
Micah by Hamilton, Laurell K.
Blue moon by Hamilton, Laurell K.
The whale by Hoare, Philip
Where grace abides (LT) by Hoff, B. J.
The rook by James, Steven
Double cross : a novel by Jordan, James
Get cooking : 150 simple recipes to get you started in the kitchen by Katzen, Mollie
Take four by Kingsbury, Karen
Mini-shopaholic by Kinsella, Sophie
Naruto #11 by Kishimoto, Masashi
Naruto #12 by Kishimoto, Masashi
Naruto #13 by Kishimoto, Masashi
Naruto #14 by Kishimoto, Masashi
Naruto #15 by Kishimoto, Masashi
Boundary waters by Krueger, William Kent
Prospero in Hell by Lamplighter, L. Jagi
The breach by Lee, Patrick
Dexter Is delicious by Lindsay, Jeffry P.
Death at the alma mater by Malliet, G. M.
Heart's blood by Marillier, Juliet
Heir to Sevenwaters by Marillier, Juliet
Cowboys full : the story of poker by McManus, James
Return to sender (LT) by Michaels, Fern
The Lake Shore Limited (LT) by Miller, Sue
Shadowfever by Moning, Karen Marie
I am the new black by Morgan, Tracy
The listener : a novel by Nayman, Shira
Jango by Nicholson, William
Seeker by Nicholson, William
Don't shoot the dog! : the new art of teaching and training by Pryor, Karen
Windows 7 for dummies by Rathbone, Andy
Tear down this wall : a city, a president, and the speech that ended the Cold War by Ratnesar, Romesh
Box 21 by Roslund, Anders
Why my third husband will be a dog (LT) by Scottoline, Lisa
Why my third husband will be a dog : the amazing adventures of an ordinary woman by Scottoline, Lisa
Everlost by Shusterman, Neal
The fatal strain : on the trail of avian flu and the coming pandemic by Sipress, Alan
Tentacles by Smith, Roland
So that's what they're for! : the definitive breastfeeding guide by Tamaro, Janet
In my father's house by Thoene, Bodie
Love soup : 160 all-new vegetarian recipes by Thomas, Anna
Speed decorating : a pro stager's tips and trade secrets for a fabulous home in a week or less by Vegas, Jill
The hope of refuge (LT) by Woodsmall, Cindy

Computer classes scheduled for January

The library is offering several free computer classes in January on computer basics, the Internet, and email. The classes will be held in the Children's Department computer lab and each participant will have his or her own computer for practice.  Each class will be 1.5 hours in length. Class size is limited so registration is required. You may register online or by calling the Library. If you have specific questions about the classes, please call Retta Zollinger, the library's Public Computer Instructor, at 826-3712

Introduction to Computers (Saturday, January 16, 10:00 am)
This workshop will offer participants a hands-on opportunity to learn about the basic parts of a computer. Learn how to open and close programs, save documents, use a mouse and become familiar with a keyboard.

Internet Basics-Part One (Saturday, January 23, 10:00 am)
This is a beginner workshop for those with little or no Internet experience. Learn how to navigate the Internet using hyperlinks, toolbar buttons, and basic searching skills. Find out where to type in web addresses and search topics. Favorites, History, and Internet safety will also be introduced.
Prerequisites: Must be experienced using the mouse and have basic keyboarding skills.

Internet Basics-Part Two (Saturday, January 30, 10:00 am)Become more familiar with using hyperlinks, typing in web page addresses, and using the History feature. Learn how to save and organize favorite websites. Cut and paste web addresses, text, or pictures from a website into a word processor.
Prerequisites: Must be experienced using the mouse and have basic keyboarding skills. Must also have a basic knowledge of using an Internet browser.

Email Basics-Part One (Tuesday, January 12, 6:00 pm)This workshop will explain the basics of email and walk participants through the process of setting up a free Gmail account. Participants will spend time composing and sending email messages to each other.
Prerequisites: Must be experienced using the mouse and have basic keyboarding skills. Must also have a basic knowledge of using an Internet browser.

Email Basics-Part Two (Tuesday, January 19, 6:00 pm)
This workshop will offer practice in advanced Gmail activities. Time will be spent formatting text, attaching files to email messages, reading and replying to incoming email, and storing email addresses in a personal address book. Bring email addresses of friends and family.
Prerequisites: Must be experienced using the mouse and have basic keyboarding skills. Must also have an email account and basic knowledge of using an Internet browser.

Computer Q&A (Thursday, January 14, 21, and 28, 6:00 pm)
Practice what you have learned in our classes and build confidence in our open computer lab sessions for adults. A library staff member will be available to answer questions and provide one-on-one assistance. Prior workshop attendance is not required. Anyone with basic computer questions may attend.

Resumes and Cover Letters (Tuesday, January 26, 6:00 pm)
Learn about different resume styles and why a cover letter is important. Helpful tips will be shared to make your resume professional and eye-catching. Participants should bring job experience and education information needed to create a resume as they will be given time to work on their individual resumes.
Prerequisites: Must be experienced using the mouse and familiar with basic keyboarding skills.

What's an eReader? Do I need one?

As digital book readers become more popular, the library is getting questions about which e-book reader is the best.  While we can't decide which e-book reader is best for you, we can give you information to help you make an informed decision.

Some of you may be wondering what the heck we're talking about.  What's an e-book reader?  An e-book reader (also called an eReader) is an electronic device that displays e-books.  An e-book is an electronic version of a printed book which can be read on a personal computer or e-book reader.  The main advantage of these devices is the ability to carry around hundreds of books in one small, lightweight device.

There are three major brands of e-book readers on the market: Sony Reader, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble Nook.  Each reader has different features, but the main idea is that you buy e-books and store them on your e-book reader to read at your leisure.  Here's where the library comes in.  If you want to use e-books but don't want to buy them, you can download them from the library for free through Kentucky Libraries Unbound (you will need a valid library card and password).  There are hundreds of e-books to choose from and they can all be read on your computer but not on every e-book reader. 

Let's look at each of these e-book readers more closely.

Sony Reader is the only e-book reader that has been tested and approved to work with the library's free downloadable e-books.  You will be able to download and read approximately 90% of the library's e-book collection (PDF and EPUB e-book formats).  Sony Reader

Amazon Kindle does not allow downloading of free e-books from library websites.  You must buy books from Amazon.com.

Barnes & Noble Nook is currently in pre-order status and is rumored to allow downloading of free library e-books.  Once the Nook is available its compatibility will be tested by the technicians at Kentucky Libraries Unbound.

If you would like to download e-books from the library's website and view them with an e-book reader, then we recommend the Sony Reader; however, an e-book reader is not required. All content at Kentucky Libraries Unbound may be used on a computer after installing the free software.

For more information about e-book readers we recommend visiting Consumer Reports (you will need a valid library card and password).

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Dec.16th

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
A boyfriend for Christmas
The Christmas blessing
Dead presidents
500 days of Summer
The freshman
Unbreakable
The witches
Houseboat
The secret things of God
The time traveler's wife
Amelia
Fame
Halloween II
Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1976

Books on CD
Infinity by Kenyon, Sherrilyn
No mercy by Kenyon, Sherrilyn
The telling by Lewis, Beverly
Don't blink by Patterson, James
God's battalions by Stark, Rodney

Music CDs
Fire in my bones
Neil Sedaka: Music of my life

New books we ordered Dec.16th

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
English for New Americans
The Reckoning by Armstrong, Kelley
Our fellow Kentuckians : rascals, heroes and just plain uncommon folk by Claypool, James
Poor little bitch girl (LT) by Collins, Jackie
Let there be light : the story of rural electrification in Kentucky by Dick, David
The flood by Dietz, William
A chance to die : the life and legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elliot, Elisabeth
Possession by Ewing, Lynne
A darkness at Sethanon by Feist, Raymond
Apprentice by Feist, Raymond
Master by Feist, Raymond
Storms of my grandchildren : the truth about the coming climate catastrophe and our last chance to save humanity by Hansen, James
Elizabeth Prentiss : more love to thee by James, Sharon
Validation techniques for dementia care : the family guide to improving communication by Klerk-Rubin, Vicki de
Conquering fear : living boldly in an uncertain world by Kushner, Harold
Christianity : the first three thousand years by MacCulloch, Diarmaid
The Poison King : the life and legend of Mithridates, Rome's deadliest enemy by Mayor, Adrienne
Breath of magic by Medeiros, Teresa
Planet ape by Morris, Desmond
Lives of Confucius : the many lives of civilization's greatest sage by Nylan, Michael
Bruchko by Olson, Bruce
When the game is over, it all goes back in the box by Ortberg, John
Bangkok days by Osborne, Lawrence
Hollywood westerns and American myth : the importance of Howard Hawks and John Ford for political philosophy by Pippin, Robert
Star wars, death troopers by Schreiber, Joe
Covet : a novel of the fallen angels by Ward, J. R.
Plain paradise by Wiseman, Beth
A game plan for life : the power of mentoring by Wooden, John

New FREE website for career help

The new Job and Career Accelerator by LearningExpress Library, is now being offered by the Library. Job and Career Accelerator is an exciting website that allows you to easily take the next step towards a new career or job. This easy-to- use resource allows you to:

• Search and apply for jobs in your area
• Explore over a thousand occupations
• Use the Occupational Matcher to guide you to new possibilities
• Create a fine-tuned résumé and cover letter effortlessly
• Prepare you for the interview process

These tools along with those already offered through LearningExpress Library can be accessed through the Library’s website. All you need is a valid library card and password.

And don’t forget to chat with the live tutors at the Tutor.com Learning Suite to gain further career assistance. Live tutors will review your résumé and cover letter, and help you with any questions you may have about applying and interviewing for a job.

Children's Christmas program Dec 19

The Henderson County Public Library will present "Christmas Time is Near," a program for children ages 5 and up at 10:00 am on Saturday, December 19. Local resident Wendy McPherson, a former nursery school teacher, will read The Night Before Christmas, Polar Express, and Mary's Baby. Children will also have fun making an edible Christmas tree and Snowman Soup. Registration is required for attendance. You may register during your next visit to the Library or by calling 826-3712.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Dec. 10th

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
Ben 10: alien swarm
El norte
How to be
The last don II
Little ashes
Moon
Paper heart
Save the last dance
Warlock: the Armageddon
Michael Jackson: This is it
MoveOn: The movie
Post Grad

Books on CD
The cat who knew a cardinal by Braun, Lilian Jackson
Paul McCartney by Carlin, Peter
Pirate latitudes by Crichton, Michael
A aood fall by Jin, Ha
The talisman by King, Stephen
Billy by McKay, William
Nanny returns by McLaughlin, Emma

Music CDs
Dolly Parton
Elvis Presley: Good rockin' tonight
Justin Bieber: My world
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir: Hallelujah!

New books we ordered Dec. 10th

Below is a list of the books recently ordered by the library. They are grouped by Adult and Children. Click on the title to see more and request a copy!

Books for Adults (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Heavenstone secrets by Andrews, V. C.
Secret whispers by Andrews, V. C.
The broken teaglass : a novel by Arsenault, Emily
Devil's dream by Bell, Madison Smartt
The prayer shawl companion : 38 knitted designs to embrace, inspire & celebrate life by Bristow, Janet
Sunflowers by Bundrick, Sheramy
She went all the way by Cabot, Meg
My big toe : a trilogy unifying philosophy, physics, and metaphysics by Campbell, Thomas
Surrender of a siren by Dare, Tessa
Ain't too proud to beg by Donovan, Susan
Blood's a rover : a novel by Ellroy, James
Blueberry muffin murder (#3) by Fluke, Joanne
Chocolate chip cookie murder (#1) by Fluke, Joanne
P.I.E.C.E.S. : a booster's story by Fournier, Tammy
Lowcountry summer by Frank, Dorothea
Lowcountry summer (LT) by Frank, Dorothea
Night of the wolves by Graham, Heather
The best life guide to managing diabetes and pre-diabetes by Greene, Bob
The guardian by Henderson, Dee
Deeper than the dead (LT) by Hoag, Tami
Montana fire by Jackson, Lisa
Mama, I'm in love (-- with a gangsta) by Joy
The eyes of the dragon by King, Stephen
Turning the tables by Kishimoto, Masashi
Predator by Kishimoto, Masashi
Orochimaru's curse by Kishimoto, Masashi
A splendid ninja by Kishimoto, Masashi
Life-and-death battles by Kishimoto, Masashi
The marks of Cain by Knox, Tom
You can read anyone : never be fooled, lied to, or taken advantage of again by Lieberman, David
Mathilda Savitch by Lodato, Victor
The astonishing adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl by Lyga, Barry
Goth Girl rising by Lyga, Barry
The energy of life by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
The new civilisation by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
The ringing cedars of Russia by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
Rites of love by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
The space of love by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
Who are we? by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
Anastasia by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
The book of kin by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
Co-creation by Megre, V. (Vladimir)
The bargain bride by Metzger, Barbara
Dream of me by Michaels, Fern
Heroine : a novel by Mitchell, D.
Nefertiti : a novel by Moran, Michelle
Jarrettsville : a novel by Nixon, Cornelia
Don't blink by Patterson, James
We were here by Peña, Matt de la
Broken jewel by Robbins, David
Windfall by Roberts, Nora
Worth the risk by Roberts, Nora
The devil colony by Rollins, James
Everwild by Shusterman, Neal
The man who invented Christmas : how Charles Dickens's A Christmas carol rescued his career and revived our holiday spirits by Standiford, Les
How to say goodbye in Robot by Standiford, Natalie
Torch of freedom by Weber, David
Lakeshore Christmas by Wiggs, Susan

Books for Children (Fiction and Nonfiction)
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus / The Classic Edition by Church, Francis Pharcellus
The chase by Corder, Zizou
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Dahl, Roald
Sphinx's princess by Friesner, Esther
Pandora gets heart by Hennesy, Carolyn
Matchless : a Christmas story : an illumination of Hans Christian Andersen's classic "The little match girl" by Maguire, Gregory
Truce : the day the soldiers stopped fighting by Murphy, Jim
The last silk dress by Rinaldi, Ann
The chestnut king by Wilson, Nathan

The Best New Mutual Funds of 2009

Investing tip of the month from Morningstar Investment Research Center by Russel Kinnel, director of mutual fund research and editor of Morningstar FundInvestor.

Most of the funds launched this year are forgettable "me too" funds, but a handful are worthy of your attention. It's easy to lose track of them amid all the dross, so here then are my picks for the best new funds of 2009. You might want to put them on your watch list.

In compiling the list I looked for good managers who have proven track records at other funds. You can ignore the untested managers for now and come back in a few years, but these are funds that you might find intriguing, if not compelling, right away. One thing to be wary of with new funds, though, is that some come with high expense ratios because assets are low. I've never quite understood why the lack of other shareholders should penalize fundholders, but that's how it usually works. In some cases, you may want to wait for expenses to come down before you buy. I've grouped the funds into no-load and load.

No-Load
Akre Focus AKREX
Manager Chuck Akre split apart from FBR Focus FBRVX to start his own fund. Three of his top analysts stayed behind to run the FBR fund after he left. However, Akre's brilliant record at FBR Focus inspires confidence at his new charge. Akre looks for companies with sustainable returns on equity of 20% or greater, and he keeps the portfolio concentrated in around 40 names. So far the fund has had a very stable net asset value, so it would appear that Akre is holding a ton of cash and only gradually buying stocks.

The scoop on expenses: Before the breakup, you got Akre and his analysts for the relatively steep expense ratio of 1.42%. Now you get Akre or the analysts, so the two funds ought both be charging less than you paid for the whole team. They don't see it that way. This fund's retail shares charge 1.46%, and that's after an expense cap that could be allowed to expire after Nov. 10, 2010.

PIMCO Global Advantage Strategy Bond PGSDX
With all the funds that it's been launching, PIMCO ought to have something worthy of this best-of list. This fund is the innovative idea of basing a foreign-bond portfolio on the size of countries' economies rather than their debt. The fund's newly created benchmark, PIMCO Global Advantage Bond Index, will lead the fund to invest less in highly indebted economies in favor of financially healthier ones. Thus, the fund figures to have a little higher-quality debt than PIMCO Foreign Bond PFBDX. It's also worth noting that, as the global name implies, it will include U.S. debt to the tune of about 27% of assets. The fund will be actively managed against that benchmark. What makes the fund particularly appealing is that it's led by Mohammad El-Erian, who did a great job at PIMCO Emerging Markets, briefly ran Harvard's endowment fund, and then returned to serve as CEO of PIMCO. El-Erian is joined by Ramin Toloui, who helped to build the index.

The scoop on expenses: Retail shares charge 1.10%. That's a little high for a world-bond fund. T. Rowe's costs 0.80%, and PIMCO Foreign Bond costs 0.90%. With a 0.85% management fee and a 0.25% 12b-1 fee, it looks like expenses won't be going down. (I put the fund in the no-load group, but it's also available in A shares, Institutional shares, and just about any other share type you can think of.)

Vanguard FTSE All-Wld ex-US SmCp Idx Inv VFSVX
This fund sounds kind of DFA-like to me. It's a foreign small-cap index fund. Most investors can lead happy productive lives without owning a foreign small-cap index fund, but I can see the value. Most foreign funds have large-cap-dominated portfolios, and this fund is a low-cost way to round out your portfolio. On the other hand, Vanguard International Explorer VINEX actually costs less than this fund. Finally, isn't "all-world ex-U.S." an oxymoron?

The scoop on expenses: Investor shares cost 0.60%, Admiral shares cost 0.35%, and the ETF VSS costs 0.38%.

Tweedy Browne Global Value II--Currency Unhedged TBCUX
We already have a long record for this fund's stock-selection strategy at Tweedy Browne Global Value TBGVX. The only difference is that this fund doesn't hedge its currency exposure. You get the same Ben Graham style of looking for cheap stocks at decent companies. The managers do a good job of capping price risk by selling as valuations rise, though that means you will likely miss out on the end of long-running rallies. A hedged portfolio is going to be less volatile, but this fund should appeal to those who want to diversify more out of the U.S. dollar. Most investors only have a modest stake overseas, so it makes sense that they'd want some nondollar exposure from their limited holdings.

The scoop on expenses: Tweedy is holding expenses at this fund to 1.37% until the end of 2010 and says it expects fees to track those of Global Value over time. The bad news is that Global Value isn't all that cheap.

Third Avenue Focused Credit Investor TFCVX
This fund is one of the most interesting funds launched this year, but I want to see some portfolios before I dive in. Third Avenue has long invested in distressed bonds. Bonds are often the best way to go when a company is near bankruptcy because bonds go to the front of the pecking order when a company goes bankrupt and stocks get wiped out or nearly wiped out. Third Avenue has bankruptcy lawyers help them sort out the issues in advance, and in the past it has earned excellent returns buying bonds when others are fleeing. However, those bonds have always been a small portion of funds like Third Avenue Value TAVFX. I want to see if they can find enough opportunities for this fund--especially now that credit markets have rallied. I also want to see how concentrated the portfolio is--they say they expect to own 50-60 names, but will that happen right away and how much will the top holdings own? I also want to see how much of the portfolio is in bank loans and how much is in high-yield debt.

The scoop on expenses: The fund is charging a steep 1.40% for retail shares and 0.95% for investments over $100,000. That hurdle looks awfully high, as you'd have to have a huge portfolio to make a niche fund like this a $100,000 investment. Third Avenue is taking this approach firmwide--it is raising fees across the board for those who come in at the lower investment level, so I'm not expecting this fund to get cheap.

Load
Hotchkis & Wiley High Yield HWHAX
This new fund is run by two PIMCO veterans. Ray Kennedy and Mark Hudoff formerly managed PIMCO's high-yield fund and now they're running this new fund for Hotchkis & Wiley. It's a tough call between the two funds. Because this fund is new and has just $52 million in assets, its portfolio is more concentrated than PIMCO High Yield's.

The scoop on expenses: The fund's A shares cost 0.95%. That's 5 basis points above PIMCO's fund, but not an extreme price.

American Funds Intl Gr And Inc A IGAAX
American's foreign flagship, American Funds EuroPacific Growth AEPGX, leans a little to the growth side, so it has come out with this fund that leans a little to the value side. They both cut a wide swath, though, so don't look for style purity. Still, given the strength of EuroPacific's record, you've got to pay attention when American rolls out a new fund. This fund already has more than $2 billion in assets. One thing that might surprise you is that, although this fund has income in its name, its yield is only a hair above EuroPac's.

I'm encouraged by the three managers American has selected to start the fund. They don't break out individual manager's returns, but their experience and the overall record at their funds say good things. Andre Suzman has been a manager at American Funds Income Fund of America AMECX since 1995. Carl Kawaja has been on board EuroPacific since 2001 and American Funds New Perspective ANWPX since 1999. Steven Watson has been on New Perspective since 2005. American has managers run sleeves of each fund independently, and it turns over a portion of each fund to the analysts at the firm.

The scoop on expenses: The fund charges 1.11%; that's cheap for a new foreign fund, though it's 31 basis points above EuroPacific and helps to explain why its yield is barely above EuroPac's. Given EuroPac's 0.80% expense ratio, this fund would have a 2.49% yield.

Morningstar Investment Research Center is great tool for new and veteran investors. It's chock full of unbiased analyst reports, tools for evaluating your portfolio, and lessons on how to invest. The best part is that it's free to all valid library cardholders! Begin now or learn more.

DVDs, Books on CD, & Music ordered Dec. 2nd

Below is a list of the DVDs, Books on CD, and Music recently ordered by the library. Click on the titles to see more and request a copy!

DVDs
Hamish MacBeth: Series 1
Couples retreat
The final destination
The goods
The king and I
The life & faith of C.S. Lewis
A rather English marriage
Cadet Kelly
The even Stevens movie
Hamish MacBeth: Series 2
Hamish MacBeth: Series 3

Books on CD
Deliver us from evil by Baldacci, David
City of ashes by Clare, Cassandra
The perfect Christmas by Macomber, Debbie
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Mull, Brandon
Fablehaven by Mull, Brandon
Fablehaven grip of the shadow plague by Mull, Brandon

Music CDs
Sam & Ruby: The here and the now
Louis Sclavis: Lost on the way
Ray LeVier: Ray's way
James Hand: Shadow on the ground
Wilco
Lady GaGa: The fame monster