Credit Crunch on Radar

Check Ups or Fix 'er Uppers
If the credit crunch is changing the way you are making family decisions -- or if you are looking for a way to improve your credit score in a tight lending market -- the library holds many recent consumer credit titles that may be helpful. The library also regularly adds titles about family investing and planning for retirement.

Consumer Credit Tips Worth Sharing
You may obtain a free credit report. However, if you want to obtain your credit score, you'll have to pay for it. The number between 300 and 850 identifies how lenders view you along the scale of not risky to risky borrower.

The three major credit bureau reporters are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. These bureaus don't share information; correcting an error may require separately contacting each of three bureaus.

If you have a specific complaint against a company, individual or entity regulated by our state, you may contact the Connecticut Department of Banking.

Pet Stories

Dog Dreams
If you have ever hit a rough patch in life and loved your dog for loving you, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein may be a good fiction pick for you. Denny Swift, a hard-luck professional race car driver, endures tragedy but keeps on plugging. Enzo, Denny's dog, not only unfailingly roots for Denny but also dreams of his own, next life -- as a man. A love story and an entertaining one for sure.

Bird Dog
The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog is author Nancy Ellis-Bell's account of life with a one-footed blue and gold wild-caught/rescue macaw named Sarah. The book does get repetitive in places but darn if it isn't an engaging story about coping with a cranky bird who can and absolutely does "rule the roost". Sarah want a dog biscuit? She sure does...

Chef's Surprise

Ready, Set the Table, Go!
Recipes are a popular subject at the library. Whether it's outdoor grilling and entertaining, international flavor, dessert, or lifestyle recipes that delight your taste buds, we hope you'll find them here.

Please let us know if there is particular title or type/style of cookbook you'd like to see us add to our collection. We are always, always open and receptive to your suggestions.

Poet of the Month

July's Featured Poet
Rita Dove (1952-) was born in Akron, Ohio. She read passionately as a child, and she writes, “When I was young, I ran the day to its knees. There were trees to swing on, crickets for capture. I can remember the trees I climbed and the noisy crickets out my window at night.” She won the 1987 Pulitzer for Thomas and Beulah, a collection of poems about her grandparents. She was made Poet Laureate in 1994, and has won numerous awards. She writes of common experience — yet with mystery:

The Secret Garden

I was ill, lying on my bed of old papers,
when you came with white rabbits in your arms;
and the doves scattered upwards, flying to mothers,
and the snails sighed under their baggage of stone . . .

Now your tongue grows like celery between us;
Because of our love‑cries, cabbage darkens in its nest;
the cauliflower thinks of her pale, plump children
and turns greenish‑white in a light like the ocean's.

I was sick, fainting in the smell of teabags,
when you came with tomatoes, a good poetry.
I am being wooed. I am being conquered
by a cliff of limestone that leaves chalk on my breasts.

Further Reading: Selected Poems, by Rita Dove,1993; Pantheon Books.
The Darker Face of the Earth: a verse play in fourteen scenes, by Rita Dove,1994; Story Line Press, both in our library.

Coming in August: Richard Wilbur

Content developed by poet and local resident Leland Jamieson

A Glorious Celebration Indeed

Wheel of Good Fortune
Your library's staff once again had the great fortune and pleasure to participate in the Old Home Day Parade. The parade's 30th Anniversary theme was Hometown Holidays; Old Home Day was our holiday of choice.

We must admit it was very nice riding this year -- instead of pushing our book carts -- but we heard you loud and clear. If we had a nickle for each time one of you asked us "Where are the carts?" our fortune would still be great -- and spendable! Suffice it to say the carts will be back next summer with no nickles required.

Special thanks to Belltown Motors for donating their services (truck plus great driver); Val Greco and Greco Designs for up-sizing our logo and OHD signs, and Teri Pretash's Red Barn Studios for delivering logo-wonder tee-shirts. Leave no room for doubt: our local business community is extraordinarily generous, talented, and we're lucky to have them working in and for our community! Over-the-top thanks to Dan Kauczka for float construction.

Library staff pictured left to right:

Ian Dunbar, Phil Carr, Rae Strickland, Sue Berescik (Library Director), Kathleen Sands (Children's Services Librarian), youth volunteers Elizabeth Brittany and Kyle Coughlin. Not shown is Rachel Rival (other side of the wheel) and a favorite of 2 year-old children near and far.

Bestsellers

"The Shack"
William P. Young's The Shack has been topping religious bestseller lists but also trade paperback bestseller lists. With over 1.6 million copies in print, news has it a CD of "inspired by" music may be in the works as well as a screenplay.

If you enjoy point-of-view reads, try subject headings Christian fiction or Christian life. Stop by the library's main circulation desk if you need assistance finding the above titles or other titles that represent these and other points of view.

The library's music CD collection also represents a wide range of musical interests, including contemporary Christian Rock and gospel music recordings.

Making the Most of Your Drive Time

Gas Prices? Shocking! Audio Books? Ready for Checkout @ your library
Our Circ Desk staff says many of you report you are driving less, planning your trips more carefully, or making trips to places closer to home. Alas, work commutes are unavoidable and listening to audio books can be a great way to pass the time.

These and many more audio books in CD or MP3 (downloadable, e-audio) format are available for checkout or reserve and may be used for free, provided you have an East Hampton Public Library card. Our collections include adult fiction and non-fiction titles, titles for children, and recently introduced titles for young adults. You may also use our e-audio collection to learn any of over 70 foreign languages!

The better news is a library card is also free....

The Summer of Choice

Summer Reading, Middle School Style
The library and EHMS summer reading brochure offer you a variety of high-interest summer reading choices. If you're a series book lover, a romantic, a history buff, a sci-fi or fantasy book fan, or need a thriller to keep you turning the pages, we're here for you!

It's your summer of choice so read about what you like and we suspect you'll like what you read.

Twenty Questions

Could You Pass a Citizenship Test?
A couple of us library types are also civics fans -- as in civics rock! Sound boring? Not if you wanted to become a citizen of our country.

Link to a sample of the U.S. citizenship test and see how you do. With Independence Day just around the corner, it's a good time for a civics tune-up.