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PAGING OCEANSIDE

A Wholesomely Creative Year

2/2/2022

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by Brianna

How are those resolutions going?
Every new year, I try to establish a creative goal. And each year, I learn how to be more vulnerable and patient with my crafts. I’m not sure if you made a resolution or a yearly intention, but I ask you to consider enhancing your creative spirit. Reader, I am sure you’ve been through a lot the last two years, I know I have. Arts, crafts, and hobbies help us burn a little brighter. This year, how can you acknowledge the creative feeling within?
 
This is your invitation
You don’t have to run to the craft store (but I ain’t stoppin’ yah) to engage in a creative journey. Sometimes, you have what you need at home. A pen and paper (yes, draw on the back of receipts). Actually, you don’t need traditional art supplies to be creative, you could revamp your junk draw, or fold your clothes differently. Just find a space (big, small, or tiny) for you to make a mark and allow yourself to be in the moment of making and wonder. If you want to explore your options, check out the Oceanside library creative resource, Creativebug. Creativebug offers online video arts and crafts workshops and techniques. Learn how to paint, knit, crochet, sew, screen print, and more.
 
Creative Reads
Below are my favorite reads about the creative spirit. For example, you will think “that’s not about creativity” but it can be adapted to the practice. I hope you are able to find a gem in this list, and something that will nurture your creativity.
 
Let us know what you think about the selection! If you want to check these out, please reach out to our librarians and we can set you up with a curbside order. Don’t forget, we still offer our Book Tasting Service. Let us help you find the books that match your reading tastes! Fill out the form to get our personal librarian shopper.
 
 Recommended reading.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work,  embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.
 
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
From thought leader Brené Brown, a transformative new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability.
 
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
The book was written to help people with artistic creative recovery, which teaches techniques and exercises to assist people in gaining self-confidence in harnessing their creative talents and skills.
 
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
A boy, his stuffed tiger, some tuna sandwiches and a really useful cardboard box — cartoonist Bill Watterson didn't need much to spin this heartfelt, gloriously loopy paean to childhood (and childhood imagination).
 
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
“Honest, raw, and revelatory” (The Washington Post), this wildly candid and compulsively readable book reveals how the mega talented Shonda Rhimes finally achieved badassery worthy of a Shondaland character. Best of all, she “can help motivate even the most determined homebody to get out and try something new” (Chicago Tribune)
 
For Every One by Jason Reynolds
Originally performed at the Kennedy Center for the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and later as a tribute to Walter Dean Myers, this stirring and inspirational poem is New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds’s rallying cry to the [dreamers] of the world.
 
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
One of the world’s leading creative artists, choreographers, and creator of the smash-hit Broadway show, Movin’ Out, shares her secrets for developing and honing your creative talents—at once prescriptive and inspirational.
 
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love-and just how hard it pulled you under.
 
The Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
With detailed guidance for determining which items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), this international bestseller will help you clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire.
 
Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, Illustrated by Jon Klassen
A magical story spun with quirkiness and quiet humor. Annabelle finds some extra yarn in a box, so she knits, knits, and knits sweaters and more for everyone in and aro
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Cozy days and Cozy Reads

1/11/2022

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Briana's cozy space she shares with Thomas!
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Nadine's nook she shares with Violet!


Brrr! Winter is here, and I’m sure most of us are feeling it. The cold and another round of quarantine are giving me flashbacks. But we can make this season something fruitful, stimulating, and relaxing. How can we achieve all that? Well, I have a few book recommendations! 

Setting the vibe
We can create reading rituals during these cold days and nights. I’m sure a few of my colleagues agree, creating a cozy environment makes reading a transformative experience. Before I head to bed I fit in a few chapters. I have been delighting myself with Ginger turmeric tea. Next, I also make sure I am under soft light (bright enough of reading!), then light one of my favorite candles. Creating a relaxing environment encourages my mind and body to relax and enjoy a good book or tv show/movie! Try to find what works for you and stimulates relaxation.

Winter, a cozy time for reading 
What I love about winter is the way it makes us slow down. During this season I tend to read longer novels or series, specifically in the fantasy genre. Also, this is a great time to dip your toes in the romance pond! Below are a few sweet, slow-burning fantasy reads and some romance novels for the cozy winters days. 

Let us know what you think about the selection! If you want to check these out, please reach out to our librarians and we can set you up with a curbside order. Don’t forget, we still offer our Book Tasting Service. Let us help you find the books that match your reading tastes! Fill out the form to get our personal librarian shopper. 

Recommended reading 
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgensten 
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night Circus, a timeless love story set in a secret underground world—a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

Circe by Madeline Miller 
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child--not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power--the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Circe is currently being adapted for television series by HBO Max.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells 
A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that interrogates the roots of consciousness through Artificial Intelligence.
This is kindle novella series. Winner of Hugo and Nebula award for Best Novella 

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne 
Soon to be a movie starring Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell, USA Today bestselling author Sally Thorne’s hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love.

​The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected—and the man she enlists to help her—in this new New York Times bestselling romance by Helen Hoang.

Spinning Silver
by Naomi Novik 

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “One of the year’s strongest fantasy novels” (NPR), an imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale from the bestselling author of Uprooted.
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With the Nebula Award–winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss.

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November is Native American Heritage Month!

11/18/2021

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The entire month of November is dedicated to the beauty, history, and preservation of Native American Heritage. So much of our culture originates from Native Americans- even a handful of our towns on Long Island are named after tribes! Take the time to celebrate and learn about Native American culture with these selected fiction titles. ​
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The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones: From New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones comes a novel that is equal parts psychological horror and cutting social commentary on identity politics and the American Indian experience. It follows the lives of four American Indian men and their families, all haunted by a disturbing, deadly event that took place in their youth. Years later, they find themselves tracked by an entity bent on revenge, totally helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

There, There by Tommy Orange: A novel, which grapples with the complex history of Native Americans; with an inheritance of profound spirituality; and with a plague of addiction, abuse and suicide, follows 12 characters, each of whom has private reasons for traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow. 

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger: Fleeing the Depression-era school for Native American children who have been taken from their parents, four orphans share a life-changing journey marked by struggling farmers, faith healers, and lost souls. (Be sure to catch our virtual author visit with Krueger on Wednesday, November 10th at 7:00pm!)

The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich: A historical novel based on the life of the National Book Award-winning author’s grandfather traces the experiences of a Chippewa Council night watchman in mid-19th-century rural North Dakota who fights Congress to enforce Native American treaty rights.

Voice of The Turtle: American Indian Literature:
 Exploring such essential themes as transformation and change, an anthology of native American literature encompasses the works of seventeen authors, including E. Pauline Johnson, Charles A. Eastman, and N. Scott Momaday.


For more information on Native American Heritage Month, along with valuable resources, visit the official Native American Heritage Month website.

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Virtual Author Visits Galore!

10/26/2021

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This fall, we have had the pleasure of hosting several authors virtually over Zoom to discuss the books they’ve written along with what is in store for them in the future. In September, we welcomed Caroline Louise Walker, debut author of Man of The Year.  Last week we had a terrific time chatting it up with Robert Dugoni, a New York Times Bestselling Author of The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell. If you were unable to attend the visits, fear not! They are available to view here. 

We are rounding out our year with two more authors scheduled for virtual visits. First up is Tracey Lange, author of the recently published title We Are The Brennans, a family saga centered around the siblings and lots of secrets. William Kent Krueger, the bestselling author of one of Deb & Nay's favorite novels, This Tender Land, and his highly anticipated new book Lightning Strike, will be joining us on November 10. 

Be sure to mark your calendars for these upcoming author visits as well as our online book discussions with Deb and Nay!



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Witch, Please! Modern-Day Witches Are Here To Stay

10/8/2021

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We are almost halfway through October, and I know I am ready to celebrate the spooky season! We love this time of year.  So many characters come to mind when thinking about All Hollow's Eve, but one that has really risen in popularity is witches! And I am not talking about green-skinned, wart-faced ladies who ride broomsticks in the night! There has been a lot of interest in Paganism and Wicca practices (and we still love the green skinned kind too).  Because of this, modern day witches have certainly put a spell on our fiction and nonfiction world! 

Check out some of these enchanting titles...

We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry: Set in 1989 Danvers, Massachusetts, a high school field hockey team discovers that the witchcraft of their Salem forebears may be the key to a winning season.

Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper: Returning home to the magical town of Thistle Grove after a self-imposed exile, witch Emmy Harlow runs into badass Talia Avramov, who just broke up with Emmy’s crush Gareth and wants revenge, and Emmy finds herself drawn to Talia instead of Gareth when she agrees to help.

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman: Sorcery is the legacy of Gillian and Sally Owens, a two-hundred-year-old family legacy they both try to escape--one through marriage, the other through running away--until they realize that their magic is a gift, rather than an affliction.

Toil and Trouble: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs: The best-selling author of Running with Scissors documents his lifelong capacity for causing impossible manifestations, exploring his mother’s revelations about their witch ancestry and his efforts to understand himself and his powers.

Witches in America by Alex Mar: Examines paganism and the occult, from its roots in 1950s England to its current American mecca in the Bay Area, and from a gathering of more than a thousand witches in the Illinois woods to the New Orleans branch of one of the world's most influential magical societies.

Wicca: A Modern Practitioner's Guide ​by Arin Murphy-Hiscock: Go beyond the basics of witchcraft and take your study of wicca to the next level: everything you need to know to have a deeper understanding of wicca, its teachings, and the meaning behind its rituals and practices.

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Read a Banned book!

9/27/2021

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Celebrate your FREADom: Banned Books Week 2021

    “Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak just because a baby can’t chew it.” -Mark Twain 

    This week is Banned Books Week! From Sunday, September 26th to Saturday, October 2nd is when we celebrate our freedom to read (even though everyday should be a celebration of reading!) and bring awareness to book censorship. Unfortunately, book censorship is not a thing of the past- many books are still challenged and banned from libraries, bookstores, and schools today! Common reasoning behind banning books include violence, profanity, homosexuality,  religious viewpoint (i.e. atheism), and sexual themes. 

    Click here to visit the American Library Association’s Banned and Challenged Books website!

    Check out the top 100 banned books, according to the American Library Association!

    Come check out our book display of frequently challenged books!
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SUmmer Starts Now! Making Waves

6/1/2021

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Summer Reading is Here !
It’s our favorite time of year!  We’ve got lots of fun planned for this summer season. Here’s a list of the great programs we have coming soon (and check out our event calendar for more information and the links to join):
Author Spotlights:
Lisa Gardner - June 16 at 7 PM
Chris Whitaker - July 15 at 7 PM

On the Same Page: Book Discussions:
Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner - June 9 at 7:30 PM
Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau - July 21 at 7:30 PM
Weekly Raffles
Be sure to enter your book reviews online at pagingoceanside.com starting June 1. Every book will enter you into a weekly raffle prize.

There are lots more programs, as well, so be sure to check back for more information. Let’s kick off the summer right with some great reads and exciting programs!


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KICKING OFF SUMMER 2021 WITH THESE MUST-READ AUTHORS

4/30/2021

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Lisa Gardner June 16 at 7pm
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Chris Whitaker live from the UK on July 15 at 7pm!
Summer reading is just around the corner, and we’ve got some exciting things lined up! We’ll be kicking off the summer with some amazing author visits. Lisa Gardner and Chris Whitaker will be visiting us virtually in the next few months.They'll be discussing some of our favorite books and might even give us a sneak peek as to their what is next for them!

These events are open to all!
Visit our event calendar for the online links. And d
on't forget to tell your friends and share this exciting news with your book clubs. Book clubs that register with us will have the chance to win an exclusive book club gift during our visit with Lisa Gardner on May 16th. Click here to sign up!
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Want to read some of these authors before they visit? No problem! Come in to browse our collection, set up a curbside pickup, or give us a call and we'll be sure to help you get ready reading!



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Your Personal "Book" Shopper

3/31/2021

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We have lots of new titles coming in everyday. Do you need a few books to browse from home? If so, be sure to fill out a Book Tasting form. One of our librarians will create the perfect at home browsing bag for you. Give it a try today!

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Fall in love with these authors

9/26/2020

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Lisa See visiting Oct. 8!
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Craig Davidson visiting Nov. 12!
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Ellen Meister visiting Dec. 1!
At Oceanside Library, we are super excited to be hosting an amazing line up of authors this fall. Best selling authors Lisa See, Craig Davidson, and Ellen Meister will each be visiting us virtually in the next few months. They'll be discussing some of our favorite books and giving us a sneak peek as to what might be new to the shelves in 2021. These events are open to all! Visit our event calendar for the online links.
And don't forget to tell your friends and share with your bookclubs. Bookclubs that register with us, will have the chance to win an exclusive bookclub gift during our visit with Lisa See on October 8th. Click here to sign up!
Want to read some of these authors before they visit? No problem!   Browsing and borrowing and curbside pickup are available or give us a call and we'll be sure to help you get ready reading! 
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