200th Anniversary of "Pride and Prejudice"
This month marks the 200th anniversary of one of the most popular novels in English literature: "Pride and Prejudice" written by Jane Austen was published on January 28, 1813. Since then, it has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Below is the title page from the first edition of the first volume of "Pride and Prejudice". Here are a couple of interesting links:
http://www.prideandprejudice200.org.uk/
Jane Austen Society of North America Student Essay Contest
Pride and Prejudice: A Jane Austen interactive. Compiled by THE GUARDIAN. Leading writers give an alternative reading of its characters.
Goucher College Library Exhibition: Pride and Prejudice - a 200 year affair.
Free Library of Philadelphia: Day Long Celebration - January 28, 2013.
New 2013 State Park Pass has arrived
We just received a new 2013 STATE PARK pass for circulation. Discover the beauty and history of 139 state parks and forests and spend more time outdoors!The pass can be checked out by Hamden residents with valid Hamden Public Library cards. One pass per family. The pass covers cost of parking, where there is an established parking charge. Parking fees are charged at all four state park beaches on Long Island Sound as well as several inland parks. The pass also covers admission for two adults and four children at state historical sites and exhibit centers at Dinosaur, Fort Trumbull and Gillette Castle State Parks.
Please note that starting Monday, February 25 the museum at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill will be closed for construction. The tentative reopening date is April 4.
Come to the info desk at Miller Library, 2901 Dixwell Ave. to check out and return our museum passes.
More info on State Parks in CT
Tax Forms Delayed
The production of some 2012 major tax products, including the Form 1040 and the Instructions for Form 1040, is impacted by the recent passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. At this time, respresentative from the Internal Revenue Service do not have an estimate as to when products will become available on www.irs.gov or in print.
The IRS is currently reviewing the details of recent tax legislation and assessing what impact it will have on this year's filing season. The IRS will soon make available additional information on when taxpayers can start filing 2012 tax returns.
January Literary Birthdays
January's literary birthdays include Virginia Woolf, Ernest J. Gaines, Anton Chekhov, Patricia Highsmith, Zora Neale Hurston, and Edgar Allan Poe.
Jan. 1 - J.D. Salinger (1919 - 2010 )
Jan. 2 - Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992)
Jan. 3 - J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973)
Jan. 5 - Umberto Eco (1932 - )
Jan. 6 - Khalil Gibran (1883 -1931)
Jan. 6 - E.L. Doctorow (1931 - )
Jan. 6 - Carl Sandburg (1878 - 1967)
Jan. 7 - Zora Neale Hurston (1903 - 1960)
Jan. 8 - Wilkie Collins (1824 -1889)
Jan. 9 - Simone de Beauvoir (1908 - 1986)
Jan. 12 - Jack London (1876 - 1916)
Jan. 12 - Charles Perrault (1628 - 1703)
Jan. 12 - Haruki Murakami (1949 - )
Jan. 15 - Ernest J. Gaines (1933 - )
Jan. 15 - Frank Conroy (1936 - 2005)
Jan. 16 - William Kennedy (1928 - )
Jan. 17 - Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)
Jan. 17 - Nevil Shute (1899 - 1960)
Jan. 18 - A. A. Milne (1882 - 1956)
Jan. 19 - Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849)
Jan. 19 - Patricia Highsmith (1921 - 1995)
Jan. 22 - Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Jan. 22 - August Strindberg (1849 - 1912)
Jan. 22 - Joseph Wambaugh (1937 -)
Jan. 24 - Edith Wharton (1862 - 1937)
Jan. 25 - Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941)
Jan. 25 - Gloria Naylor (1950 - )
Jan. 27 - Lewis Carroll (1832 - 1898)
Jan. 28 - Susan Sontag (1933 - 2004)
Jan. 29 - Anton Chekhov (1860 - 1904)
Jan. 31 - John O'Hara (1905 - 1970)
Jan. 31 - Norman Mailer (1923 - 2007)
Jan. 31 - Zane Grey (1872 - 1939)
Jan. 31 -Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968)
New Year's Resolutions (and how the Library can help you keep them)
You make your list of resolutions every January, and by the middle of February, you've reverted to all your old habits. This year, stop by the library when you feel your resolve begin to weaken. We have wide variety of resources and tools that can help motivate you and get you back on track.
Lose Weight/Get in Shape - We have a wide selection of health and fitness books and magazines that can help you plan your strategy for losing weight in a sensible way. Our healthy eating cookbooks provide recipes that taste delicious, and are good for you. And don't forget to checkout a few of our exercise videos and DVDs to get yourself up and moving!
Manage Debt/Save Money - You'll find plenty of practical, easy-to-understand guides to managing your personal finances at the library. Our books cover a wide range topics, including basic information on credit cards, banks, investing, insurance, buying a car or home, taxes, financing college educations, retirement planning, estate planning, and more.
Get a [Better] Job - Whether you are trying to find what career path is right for you, or attempting to polish up your resume, you will be able to find plenty of material to get you started in your job search. We also have online career resources that you can access from home 24 hours a day, including, Job Now, Job Search & Workplace Skills Learning Center, and Learn A Test, which offers practice tests for academic, civil service and vocational exams.
Learn Something New - The library is a great place to start when you are looking to pick up a new skill or hobby. We have illustrated guides for countless numbers of crafts, and detailed instruction books for enhancing your computer skills. You can learn a new language using our cassettes or CDs, or even using Mango, our online language program. There's so much to choose from - stop in and find what's best for you.
Reduce Stress - We have numerous resources that will help teach you techniques to help you unwind. Browse through out CD collection in our newly renovated media room to find some relaxing music to play to ease your tension. And if all else fails, what can be more relaxing than curling up with a good book!