Results tagged “reading” from Daily Link

With summer on the horizon, it's time to prepare that poolside or beach reading list.

Two Web sites that can give you some suggestions are Goodreads and This One Next.

Goodreads.com has a social networking feature. It lets you know what your friends are reading, have read or would like to read. It also alerts you to what are the most popular books — at least among members of Goodreads.

Currently, President Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" is being read by 2,651 members, and it's No. 10 on the reading list.

But Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" is No. 2 on the reading list, and other books in the series are Nos. 4, Number6 and Number 7. "The Host," the first book of her newest series, is No. 11.

The site also includes videos of author interviews and a database of upcoming literary events. Enter your zip code and the type of event and the results pop up in a list and on a map.

Goodreads also maintains several user groups to discuss literature by genre, geography or common interest.

The name of This One Next says it all. Type in the title and author of book and ask for suggestions. However, just a cursory check of the site found that the less popular the title, the more likely it will return an error message.

The site also will recommend CDs and videos, although its choices can seem a little odd — "The Sound of Music" draws a recommendation of "The River Wild" with Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon.

Both sites will link you to Amazon, so you can order a book, CD, DVD or an electronic download if you have a Kindle.

As April is School Library Media Month, and Monday kicks off National Library Week, here are seven tips and events to help you share the week’s theme: “Join the circle of knowledge @ your library.”

1) Actess Julie Andrews is honorary chair and patron of this year’s event. Public service videos by the “Sound of Music” songstress can help you climb every mountain that stands in your way.

2) Redondo Beach Main Library at 303 North Pacific Coast Hwy celebrates National Library Week all week with a series of events that includes Musical Monday at 10:30 a.m., a talk on the environment and global warning by Linda Groff of the Political Science and Economics Department, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and Rudy’s Radical Magical Science Show at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

3) National Library Workers Day is honored every Tuesday of Library Week. It’s a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. Drop in today and give your thanks to the hard-working, dedicated staff at your local library.

4) North Torrance branch library at 3604 West Artesia Boulevard Wednesday hosts guide dog puppies being raised to become Guide Dogs. You can also find out how your family can be volunteer “puppy raisers,” too, at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

2) Henderson Branch of the City of Torrance Libraries at 4805 Emerald St will celebrate National Library Week Thursday at 4 p.m. with the Library Fairy, who will perform stories from rich, diverse cultures and corners of the world. The children will get a chance to perform in the Story Theater with crazy and fun costumes.

6) Join the campaign for your local library at the National Library Association.

7) First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.

RELATED POST:
South Bay book groups

Torrance Library's book group schedules

Barnes & Noble book group schedule

Find book groups by theme or location with BookClub Meetup.

If discussing books in a group is too much face time for you, try a virtual version with these links at BookSpot.