Books and Movies - a reason to be thankful

On Friday night at Fountain Stone Theater, several JCPL'ers (and their suffering spouses) were part of the group of adoring fans who attended the opening night of the Twilight movie.

Today the buzz at work is still "what did you think?" If you look anywhere on the web, you will find mixed reactions to the movie, and certainly you'll find them here, but the last time we have seen such a reaction to a book-turned-movie had to be each installment of the Harry Potter movies.

For those of us who read Stephanie Meyer's series -- and at current count it's over half the staff here at JCPL -- we STILL can't get enough.

There are a lot of good movies out right now, or coming soon, based on excellent books. Sue Monk Kidd's beloved The Secret Life of Bees is still in theaters. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas opened in select communities earlier this month.

A movie that is sure to delight holiday viewers is Marley and Me, the tale of a family and their neurotic but lovable dog, which opens on Christmas Day.

For those movies, and many others, we at the library give thanks that they bring really good stories to viewers who might otherwise miss them. We also are thankful every time they introduce a non-reader to the magical world of reading, or inspire a so-so reader to go after a book to find more information about the characters they loved on screen.

For those parents, boyfriends, friends and fathers who watched Twilight this weekend and wondered what it was that captured the hearts and minds of so many fans, all I can offer is this: read the book and find out.

Honoring our Veterans

Nov. 11 is Veterans' Day and while many businesses will close for this Federal holiday, the Jasper County Libraries will be open to serve you during normal hours. Additionally, for the entire month of November, the DeMotte Library staff has decorated with a theme honoring our local veterans.

There are donated displays of a footlocker, uniform, and battlefield items. Come and browse hundreds of stars with the names of local veterans around the library, soldier flags made by the residents of Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village, and see the yellow-ribbon decked Heroes Tree, part of a national movement, organized locally through Purdue University's Military Family Research Institute, to recognize those serving in the military at the holidays.

Also, library staff have selected information about the various wars the United States has been involved in dating back to the Spanish-American War, and you can find the information on display at the library tables to read. Through the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, there are also resource kits teachers and parents can download online to use on this important holiday.

Originally a tribute to the end of World War I, Veterans' Day is a federal holiday observed on November 11 honoring all wartime American servicemen and women. First called Armistice Day when it began in 1919, the day was renamed Veterans' Day in 1954 to pay tribute to the soldiers who fought in World War II and Korea.

For those wanting to send holiday wishes to those currently serving, check out Lt. Governor Becky Skillman’s "Hoosier Cheer for Our Heroes" letter-writing campaign. This program collects letters and cards which must be received at the Lt. Governor’s office by November 17th.

For more on Indiana's role in World War I, check out the Indiana War Memorial online, and the Indiana State Library's WWI Resource List. The Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs website also provides information about the many services available to veterans in the state of Indiana.

President of the United States - Do you qualify?

If you have ever wondered just what it takes to be President of the United States, here is your chance to find out. Just in time for the election, Ferguson's Career Guidance Center -- one of the exclusive online resources available to JCPL patrons -- has added this job description to their database of thousands of career options.

The quick facts for this job paint a less than hopeful picture for most candidates, however. Consider the following: there are no formal education requirements, but you do have to be a natural-born U.S. citizen, at least 35 years of age, having lived in the United States for at least 14 years. The salary is $400,000 per year, but the competition is fierce for this position, since it can only be held by one person at a time.

Advancement prospects are also poor, because the president is the top political office in the country. After you have been president, you can pretty much expect to retire from politics.

To learn more about this career option -- or to look at resume and interviewing skills, college options and career planning -- you can access Ferguson's Career Guidance Center at any computer at your local library through our Research Resources collection. You can also access it at home from our website using your JCPL library card number and the same four-digit PIN you use to check your account from home. Don't have a PIN? Call your local library and we can set one up for you.

These resources can be reached from the main page of our website at http://www.myjcpl.org. In the Main Menu on the left side, look for the option to Search our Electronic Databases.

Tuesday, Nov. 4 is Election Day. We also hope you get out to vote for your candidates. The library will be open regular hours for this day.

For information about where to vote, and for a list of candidates in your area, check out the following links provided by the Indiana State Library:

Indiana Statewide Voter Registration System, part of the office of the Indiana Secretary of State.

National Voter Guide, hosted by e.thePeople, featuring candidate questionnaires sponsored by CBS television and the Indianapolis Star.