Your Library Part 2!

Welcome back for part 2 of your Library! We are going to go over how to place an item on hold using the Baldwin County Online System. Regardless of what branch you are a member of in BC you can use this system online. And you can have books from all over the county sent to your local branch. If you are reading this and you are not in the Baldwin County area be sure to check with your local library because they may have a similar set up.

First we are going to go to the search catalog on the website. You have several different options here. You can search by title of the book, authors last name, etc. and you can search for a book at a specific branch or all branches. Many options! I like to click all branches because I know in just a couple days I can have a book sent to the branch of my choice.

Next I have typed in that I want to search for the book Redeeming Love. I want to search all branches. Click Search and you are on your way!

You will see that our search results pulled up copies of the book and what branches of the Library it is available. If you choose to select this book for hold you will need to check the box on the left hand side (I have circled it in red for you) that says hold request. After you check the box click on where it says Hold Request.

Next the following box will pop up. It will already have marked for you that you want the first available copy. If you need to change that of course do so. You will then need to fill in your patron ID number and PIN number. Mark the branch you want the book sent to when it's ready. I choose Gulf Shores because it is easy for me to run over on my lunch break.

After I type in my information and click the button that says, Submit Request, the following box will pop up with a confirmation that the book is on hold.

And there you have it! We just put a book on hold! I have it set up where when my book becomes available for pick up they send me an e-mail. Talk to your librarian about whatever method is best for you, by phone or e-mail. It can take a couple days for an available book to be ready for pick up at your library or it could take weeks. It just all depends on if alot of other people have it on hold in front of you. Don't forget this method works the same for books on CD, movies and more!

I hope you found this information useful. Again I hope that you take advantage of your local library and save some money! Have a great week!

Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

I just finished up reading the second book in the 9/11 series by Karen Kingsbury. If you will remember we read the first book as our September Book Club Selection. This book is Christian Fiction with some fact as far as events of September 11 are concerned. It is about 303 pages and here is what the book flap tells you:








In this sequel to the bestselling One Tuesday Morning, to Jamie Bryan it is still September 12, 2001. What will move her from living in the past to living the life God has given her today? It's been three years since the terrorist attacks on New York City, but FDNY widow Jamie Bryan keeps waking up to the aching pain of that one Tuesday morning, the morning of September 11, 2001. Determined to find meaning in her grief, Jamie pours her life into volunteer work at St. Paul's, the small memorial chapel across from where the twin towers once stood. In the stream of broken, grieving people who make their way through the church doors, Jamie connects with two men - a firefighter forever changed by the attacks, and a Los Angeles police officer. Unsure and feeling somehow guilty, Jamie opens herself to the possibility of loving again. But what she learns about one man sends her reeling. How can this be God's plan for her life? Now only the persistence of a tenacious man, questions from Jamie's curious young daughter, and words from her dead husband's journal can move Jamie Bryan beyond one Tuesday morning - toward life. (end quote)












I have to tell you that I enjoyed this book just as much if not more than the first one. Karen Kingsbury truly is a talented writer. This one has more of a love story running through it and just seemed more fast paced I guess. I know it may not feel like that for everyone but I really enjoyed it and I look forward to reading the third book. The third and as far as I know last book in the series is Book 3, Every Now and Then by Karen Kingsbury. After I finish this I will be moving on to other books to chop my stack down some more. Stay Tuned! Please share any thoughts! Happy Reading!

Make good use of your Library! Part 1!

Foley Public Library (picture source)

Now you may have heard this before but I decided rather than take the chance, I would share the information! Have you realized what a great resource your public library can be? Especially in today's economy, rather than buying books or renting movies, check out your local library! You can't beat free membership! Grant it, it is paid for by our tax dollars so really you are already paying for it....you might as well use it!

Alot of people don't realize that libraries are not just a bunch of old books. They have new books that come in constantly. They even have ton's of movies on tape or dvd as well as books on cd or tape. A couple years ago when I learned that the library had DVD's we were subscribing to Netflix online. I sat at the computer one day and went down my Netflix list and found that my library had half the movies on the list. I made myself a list of movies in Word that I wanted to see that were also at the library and then I wouldn't have to use my Netflix movies on ones I could get for free. And even now that we don't have Netflix anymore, you won't catch me spending $ at movie rental places. I can be patient and just wait for the movie at the library to become available. Which you do need to take note, movies at the library can sometimes take a long time to become available as more and more people realize this great source.

I am going to show you the online screens to get to where you can log in to your account on the Foley Public Library Site. Check with your local library if you are not in Baldwin County, Alabama because odd's are yours has something like it. If you are fortunate to have a membership with one of the Baldwin County Libraries you can check out books from any of the branches in the county. What is so great about this is because you can go online and see where a book is available. If it is not at your branch you can request a copy of it and they will send it from whatever branch has it available to your home branch for you to pick up. This usually takes a couple days.

Below you will see a portion of the main screen when you go to Foley's website. Look down the left hand sidebar and you will see several options. Click on the one that says Patron Accounts.

Next you will be taken to a screen that has the following. Here you can click on the "Your account" button and it will take you to where you can sign in.

This is the screen it takes you to that is the same for all branches of the library. Here you can sign in or you can call the number it has for the library to help you set up your online account. It is so easy if you need to call and takes less than 5 minutes. Just be sure to have your library card handy.

Once you are signed in this is what the screen will look like no matter what branch you are a member of at the time. It's very user friendly.

Well that wraps it up for today. Next time I will break down for you searching for a book online and placing it on hold! Easy stuff but sometimes we need visuals! I hope that this has gotten you thinking about using your library and all it's great services. Don't forget that your church may have a free library too. Swift Church does and our librarian has been doing an excellent job of getting it organized. Put some money back in your pockets!

Christ the Lord, The Road to Cana By Anne Rice

I have just finished up reading Christ the Lord, The Road to Cana by Anne Rice. If you have been paying attention you will note that I finished up all 321 pages of this book much faster than the 1st novel in the series. Here is what the book cover tells you about the book:

It's a winter of no rain, endless dust, and talk of trouble in Judea. All who know and love Jesus find themselves waiting for some sign of the path he will eventually take. After his baptism, he is at last ready to confront his destiny. At the wedding at Cana, he takes water and transforms it into red wine. Thus, he's recognized as the anointed one and called by God the Father to begin a ministry that will transform an unsuspecting world. (end quote)

This is a christian fiction book based on historical fact about the life of Jesus as an adult. This book highlights the baptism with John the Baptist and the wedding at Cana. I got through this book alot faster than I did the previous and have to say I enjoyed it much more. Even though it took me longer to get through the first I do not believe reading one without the other is helpful. I recommend that you read them both even if the first is harder to get through. Again Anne Rice offers an Author's note at the end of the book which is helpful in understanding where she got her story from and how she feels about it. I like that at the end she tells you that if this book doesn't help bring you closer to Jesus then put it away. She does plan to have more books in this series as she continues the life of Jesus and I'm sure I will read them when they come out. I still do not believe this book or the 1st will be a selection for our book club. As always if you have any thoughts and decide to read the book, please share them with us! Happy Reading!

Christ the Lord Out of Egypt by Anne Rice

I have just finished up reading Christ the Lord Out of Egypt by Anne Rice. You may have noticed that this book was on my sidebar for quite some time as I worked to finish all of its 322 pages and wrap up the Book Club for September. Here is what the book cover and flap tells you about the book:



"Having completed the two cycles of legend to which she has devoted her career so far, Anne Rice gives us now her most ambitious, and courageous book, a novel about the early years of Christ the Lord, based on the gospels and on the most respected New Testament scholarship. The book's power derives from the passion its author brings to the writing and the way in which she summons up the voice, the presence, the words of Jesus who tells the story." (book flap)


"A riveting, reverent imagining of the hidden years of the child Jesus...A triumph of tone-her prose lean, vivid-and character... Christ the Lord is a cross between a historical novel and an update of Tolstoy's The Gospels in Brief; it presents Jesus as nature mystic, healer, prophet and very much a real young boy...Essentially it's a mystery story, of the child grappling to understand his miraculous gifts and numinous birth... As he ponders his staggering responsibility, the boy is fully believable-and yet there's something in his supernatural empathy and blazing intelligence that conveys the wondrousness of a boy like no other... With this novel, Anne Rice has indeed found a convincing version of him; that is fiction that transcends story and instead qualifies as an act of faith." (Kirkus Reviews - book cover)


This is a christian fiction book based on historical fact about the life of Jesus as a child. It did take me a while to get through this book because I had some difficulty getting into it. I am not very educated on the family of Jesus outside of Mary and Joseph so it was a bit confusing to me and I was questioning often if this or that is true or not. I know that we don't know what the days of Jesus boyhood were like but I think Anne, being the talented writer she is, does paint a good picture of what could have been. It wasn't until near the end of the book that I became more engaged in the book and able to get through it faster. I really enjoyed reading the Author's note at the end. Anne Rice provides a bit of her testimony of what brought her to writing about Jesus and I have to say this made me like the book more. I do not believe this book will be a selection for our book club but just because I don't think it's right for the club doesn't mean you shouldn't try it out for your own. I have a few friends that love this book so it's all different strokes for different folks. I am now into the second book, Christ the Lord, The Road to Cana and have to say it is going better so far. :)

As always if you have any thoughts, please share them with us! Happy Reading!

Review of 2009

We have finished up our book club meetings for 2009. I am looking forward to this well deserved break of October - December. I can promise you I have a few stacks of books sitting around staring me down waiting to be read. Several of you are owners of these books and I promise I have not forgotten. I will keep up the blog with what I am reading during the break and welcome anyone who would like to participate with a review of a book they read. All you have to do is e-mail me. If you come across a good book that you think the club will enjoy please let me know, I love recommendations! You never know, what you suggest may end up as the next month’s book. We will resume meetings in January 2010. Stay tuned in December as details for January are announced. I hope you have enjoyed our year and look forward to the next. I thank each one of you for your participation, recommendations, conversation and company. A Special Thank you to those who selected me to lead our Book Club and Thank you to Beacon of Life for allowing us to use their space for meetings.

Here’s a list of all the wonderful books we read this year in case you want a reminder:

January – Traveling Light by Max Lucado
February – Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
March – Same kind of different as me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore
April – The Shack by William P. Young
May – Having a Mary heart in a Martha world by Joanna Weaver
June – The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
July – The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
August – The Five people you meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
September – One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

If you have any questions or need anything please feel free to contact me at abookjunkie(at)gmail(dot)com.

P.S. Don't forget to take advantage of the Public and Church library! They are Free!

Last Meeting of 2009

This past weekend we had our last meeting of 2009. We met and discussed our last book, One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury. The overall feel is that everyone enjoyed the book and plans to read the two that come along after it in the 9/11 series. (Keep reading for more info.) They said they will definitely recommend it to others! That's always a good sign!




I know I haven't written much on this book at all but as I have mentioned before I just don't have alot to talk about on it. I'm glad the faith of the characters (and lack of it) is demonstrated in this tragic time and that she shows that anything is possible with God. I pray that others will read it whom have been struck by a tragedy and the Holy Spirit might use it to help restore their faith. During our meeting we discussed how/why God could let something as terrible as 9/11 or any other terrible event happen. We of course have no answers only what ifs and maybes. I pray that if you struggle with questions such as these that you are comforted and can gain a sense of peace that even if we can't have all the answers now, God has them. I pray that you trust him with these answers. I want to take a minute to bring up a subject from a past book, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Something I didn't comment on the blog at the time, but during the reading of the book there is a moment when Corrie's father talks to her about how our parent carries the burden of knowledge for us until we are ready. Casper Ten Boom says that he wouldn't be a very good father if he allowed his child to carry a heavy burden she wasn't yet ready to carry. Corrie is satisfied with him answering her question like this. I challenge you with this thought, When you are questioning God our Father with whys and what ifs, Why not take a moment and think about what Mr. Ten Boom told Corrie. Do you think maybe God doesn't give us all the answers right when we want them because He is carrying the burden for us? Just something to think about.

If you would like to share what you will most take away from this book please do. I know I have a renewed appreciation for the time I have with my family. I am even more sure now to remember to tell others I love them every moment someone leaves the house. It's very important to tell others how much you love them, don't take it for granted!


I hope that you took time during the month to remember all those affected by the attacks on September 11th. I ask that you continue to pray for our Country as just this past month another attack was foiled by the FBI. I hope this book was enjoyable to you and that you continue on to read the next two, I know I will. I will tell you about them on the blog when it comes time. Here is the information in case you need it:


Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury: This is the sequel to One Tuesday morning. I myself have not read it yet but wanted you to be aware in case you were interested. The book is 303 pages long and here is the description from Karen’s website:

“In this sequel to the bestselling One Tuesday Morning, to Jamie Bryan it is still September 12, 2001. What will move her from living in the past to living the life God has given her today? It's been three years since the terrorist attacks on New York City, but FDNY widow Jamie Bryan keeps waking up to the aching pain of that one Tuesday morning, the morning of September 11, 2001. Determined to find meaning in her grief, Jamie pours her life into volunteer work at St. Paul's, the small memorial chapel across from where the twin towers once stood. In the stream of broken, grieving people who make their way through the church doors, Jamie connects with two men - a firefighter forever changed by the attacks, and a Los Angeles police officer. Unsure and feeling somehow guilty, Jamie opens herself to the possibility of loving again. But what she learns about one man sends her reeling. How can this be God's plan for her life? Now only the persistence of a tenacious man, questions from Jamie's curious young daughter, and words from her dead husband's journal can move Jamie Bryan beyond one Tuesday morning - toward life.”







Every Now and Then by Karen Kingsbury: This is the third book in Karen’s 9/11 series. I myself have not read it yet but wanted you to be aware in case you were interested. The book is 308 pages long and here is the description from Karen’s website:

“A gripping story of danger and heroism by New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury. Sheriff’s deputy Alex Brady and his K-9 partner Bo, are on a mission to protect the people of Los Angeles. Domestic terrorists are trying to make this the worst fire season in California’s history. Can Alex stop this senseless destruction in time, or will he lose himself in the process? A wall went up around Alex Brady’s heart when his father, a New York firefighter, died in the Twin Towers. Turning his back on the only woman he ever loved, Alex shut out all the people who cared about him to concentrate on fighting crime. He and his trusty K9 partner, Bo, are determined to eliminate evil in the world and prevent tragedies like 9-11. Then the worst fire season in California’s history erupts, and Alex faces the ultimate challenge to protect the community he serves. An environmental terrorist group is targeting the plush Oak Canyon Estates. At the risk of losing his job, and his soul, Alex is determined to infiltrate the group and put an end to their corruption. Only the friendship of Clay and Jamie Michaels—and the love of a dedicated young woman—can help Alex drop the walls around his heart and move forward into the future God has for him.”





Happy Reading!