MikiW's blog

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This 2011 holiday season was all about the tablet. Amazon had just released their Kindle Fire, while Barnes & Noble has moved up the date for the Nook Tablet to compete head to head with the Kindle Fire. And the iPad 2 was still the undisputed leader of the tablet computer, if also the most expensive of the bunch.  

If you're thinking about getting a tablet, keep reading for a breakdown of each device, and plenty of helpful links to guide you to the correct tablet purchase to meet your needs.

With all these new eReaders to choose from, many people are just overwhelmed. The question is, which eReader is right for you?

Giving is important year round, and giving the gift of reading is a present that will last a lifetime. The holidays are all about traditions, and what better time to start a new tradition then on Halloween, the spookiest holiday of the year? 

Join author Neil Gaiman in creating a new holiday, All Hallow's Read. 

Summer is in full swing, and its a great time to get outside and take some photgraphs.  Whether it's recording those memories of weekends at the beach, or just preserving the view of a leaf at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, digital photography is a medium that allows for a wide range of creativity. 

Are you listless, fretful, and depressed?

Bored of the summer already, needing something new?  Never fear, the bibliotherapists at the Alachua County Library District may have a solution.  Tell us the last three books you have read (and enjoyed) and we will suggest a fourth for you from our collection.

Books are a great way to cure the summertime blues.  Let our savvy bunch of reader advisers help.  "Like"  the library on Facebook, and post your three books.  Within 48 hours we will get back to you with another book selection.

Urban fiction is a popular new genre that combines the elements of street culture with fast-paced plots, engrossing characters, non-stop action and hot romance. Below are just a sample of the authors available from the Alachua County Library District.

July is a time for barbeques and fireworks and celebrating the lazy days of summer, but did you also know July has been declared a month dedicated to a number of silly events?

Summer and the summer heat is here to stay, and with the temperatures rising more and more people are escaping to the beach. The pressure is on for the "beach body", with magazines and tabloids trumpeting the best and worst of celebrity bodies on display. For the average person who can't afford hours at the gym and personal trainers, achieving a healthy weight can be a difficult task indeed. Diets promise miraculous results with minimal effort, but are the claims true?

It's approaching summertime, and in keeping with the annual tradition of the Great American Road Trip, we here at the ACLD have put together a tour of the fifty states, visiting a notable detective series or two in each locale. So buckle up and prepare to be puzzled, as we pack up the assorted sharp objects and undetectable poisons and head to the six New England states for the part one of our whodunit series.

Turning on that brand new Nook for the first time can be exciting, but that joy can quickly morph into anxiety and frustration if the device won't work as easily as promised.

Have you run into a brick wall trying to download the latest eBook from OverDrive onto your Nook? Don't despair, the Alachua County Library District has a number of links to guide you to the correct solution.

 Are you a book lover who hates to be interrupted in the middle of a good book because you have to drive to the store? Do you work at a job where your hands are busy but your mind is on standby? Check out the ACLD audiobook collection, available in a variety of formats (audio CD, downloadable audio and Playaway), and engage your mind once more.

The tech world was abuzz with anticipation in early February, with bloggers and tech writers eagerly awaiting the release of the Verizon iPhone. People set their alarms for 3 am, in hopes of being the first to get the iPhone under its new carrier. But why the excitement? Why the furor over a phone, and not even a new version at that? The iPhone 4 had been released for over seven months at the time of its Verizon debut. What made this so special?

Ever get stuck at the last minute, doing a presentation you might not be familiar with? Ever had a colleague fall sick, and have to cover their job duties for a couple of days?

With Safari's up-to the-minute business and technology eBooks, available 24/7 from any computer with an Internet connection, you will never have to worry about being at the wrong side of the digital divide again.

It's that time of year again, when the bare branches of the trees sprout green leaves, and people's thoughts turn to picnics and other outdoor activities. Walking, hiking, bike riding and even birdwatching are perfect ways to both enjoy the beautiful outdoor weather, and also incorporate exercise into a daily routine.

Florida is home to some of the country's most beautiful state parks, and a day trip to a park offers sight-seeing, a picnic oppotunity and even hikes over short and long distances. The Alachua County Library has a number of books on state parks that describe the specific attractions of each location.

The Florida Museum of Natural History is currently featuring a new, temporary exhibit, "Dugout Canoes:  Paddling through the Americas."