1.  Start at ebooks.tscpl.org

The advanced search screen

2. Click on “advanced search”

3. Find the line that says “all publishers” and click on the arrow icon.  A box with several selections will appear.

4. Select one of the following publishers.  They are all Christian publishers and I have listed the bigger ones first.

Baker Publishing Group

Zondervan

The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group (found under “The”, not Doubleday in the alphabetical list)

Selecting a publisher

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Harvest House Publishers, Inc.

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Steeple Hill

David. C. Cook

Faithwords

Thomas Nelson, Inc.

B & H Publishing Group

Center Street

Guideposts

Charisma House

Worthy Publishing

Zonderkidz

Abingdon Press

Paraclete Press

Spanish Language

Grupo Nelson

Audiobooks

Oasis audio

Christianaudio

5. Click search and you will see a list of titles from that publisher.  You may then select an item or items to check out and download, place holds, or add items to your wish list.

6.  After you have searched one publisher try one of the others on the list.

If you are a fan of Christian fiction and non-fiction I hope this helps you find some inspiring e-books to load onto your e-reader or tablet.  Happy reading!

I was skeptical at first about enjoying a book about baseball. But I discovered myself truly drawn into this story about Henry Skrimshander and the people he encounters at Westish college. Henry is a fielding phenom who is discovered by Mike Schwartz and recruited to go to Westish and play on their baseball team. Upon his arrival he discovers he is rooming with a the gay and serene “buddha” Owen and that he is pretty much supposed to fend for himself until football season is over. Henry is not very social, but once Mike starts training him and baseball season starts the interplay between his teammates, the Westish college president and his daughter Pella, and a few others on campus create a complex series of events that lead to several personal tragedies, even as the team continues to triumph on the field. One of the major themes is the pressure to succeed that is amped up by the desire of everyone on the team to win a championship for the first time in the history of Westish college.  This pressure is felt the hardest by Henry, who’s streak of error free games attracts the attention of professional scouts from all over the country.

This book is so much more than baseball and athletics.  It’s hard to describe the dynamics and just what made it so compelling to me.  I just got caught up in the characters lives and kept wondering how they were going to make things work as they faced their public and private demons. I highly recommend it for people who enjoy books with interesting characters and a bit of “soap opera” type drama that goes deeper than a soap opera ever does.

Clothing: The clothing of the characters is mentioned quite frequently in the book, from Gatsby’s pink suit to the ladies’ white dresses.  Also mentioned are accessories like boots, hats, handkerchiefs, and pocketbooks.  Leafing through our many books on clothing and accesories from the 1920′s really brings the world of The Great Gatsby to life.  For example the character of Jordan Baker is a 1920′s modern woman who enjoys a career as a golfer.  I can just see her sporting one of these golfing ensembles for women pictured in Flapper Era Fashions from the Roaring ’20s by Tina Skinner and Lindy McCord.

Hollywood: Many of the characters would have been trying to emulate the styles they saw on the actors and actresses of that popular new medium: film. I can see Daisy’s daughter dressed like Peggy Montgomery, who as “Baby Peggy” was the most famous little girl in the movies during the 1920′s.  Her is a picture of her and the highly collectible Baby Peggy dolls from Hollywood Collectibles: The Sequel by Dian Zillner.

Jewelry: Of course we know the characters in The Great Gatsby are wearing all sorts of gorgeous jewelry left and right.  A couple of pieces pictured in Art Nouveou and Art Deco Jewelry by Lillian Baker seem to especially fit the book.  One is this set featuring two brooches of highly stylized golfers.  I can just imagine these adorning the clothes of Jordan Baker, the professional golfer in the book.  Another is this set featuring bracelets with Egyptian motifs.  They bring to mind the “pottery bracelets” that the book mentions (I assume that this is a reference to the design being inspired by the designs on Egyptian pottery).

Perfume bottles:  This lush Art Deco dressing table set looks like it would be at home in Daisy’s bedroom.  Picture from Miller’s Perfume Bottles: A Collector’s Guide by Madeleine Marsh.

Ladies Compact:   The ladies at Gatsby’s parties surely were all carrying this popular (and highly collectible) “new” beauty accessory.  Here is one that seems to suit the extravagance depicted in the book from Vintage Compacts and Beauty Accessories by Lynell Schwartz.

Cigarette lighter: ”I’ll be the man smoking two cigarettes”–Daisy’s joking remark in chapter 7 is just one mention of cigarette smoking throughout the book. This tabletop cigarette lighter seems to be Gatby’s style, pictured in Collector’s Guide to Cigarette Lighters by James Flanagan.

Furniture.  I won’t go into a lot of detail about all the types of furniture mentioned in The Great Gatsby.  But lamps are such an iconic symbol of the art deco period that I couldn’t resist for searching for a lamp that might have been in Gatsby’s house.  Here is a picture of a beautiful early 1920′s art deco lamp with a strong Egyptian influence.  From Popular Art Deco Lighting: Shades of the Past by Herb Millman and John Dwyer.

Telephone: One of the first objects I noticed mentioned a lot in the book was the telephone–Gatsby seems to always be taking a phone call, but of course he was not using a cell phone.  Instead he would have been talking a phone that could have looked like this one pictured in Telephones: Antique to Modern by Kate E. Dooner

Sheet Music: One of the songs referred to in The Great Gatsby is “Three O’ Clock in the Morning”, a popular good night waltz of the time.  It is mentioned in chapter six, Daisy hears it playing as she is getting ready to leave a party at Gatsby’s house.  Here is a picture of one version of the cover for the sheet music that was available at the time, from Covers of Gold: Collectible Sheet Music by Marion Short.

Books: Near the end of the book, Gatsby’s father appears and shows Nick
Gatsby’s childhood copy of a Hopalong Cassidy book.
Here is a picture of the Hopalong Cassidy book by Clarence Mulford published in 1910 (the one in the middle) pictured in Collector’s Guide to Hopalong Cassidy by Joseph A. Caro.

Garage items: The garage that George Wilson owns and operates is another realm full of objects that today would be collectors objects.  Here is what the gas pumps at his station might have looked like, from Gasoline Treasures: with values by Mike Bruner.

I hope you enjoyed this walk through memory lane as we enjoyed the objects of Gatsby’s world illustrated by the books from our Collectibles Neighborhood!

The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library receives and distributes Federal and State tax forms and instruction booklets.  We are also a host site for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program which will begin Saturday, February 2nd.

VITA

Hours for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program are:

Tuesdays, 6-8:30 pm
Thursdays 3-8:30 pm
Saturdays, 1-4 PM

These hours start Saturday., Feb. 2nd and running through April 13th.

VITA appointments are first-come, first-served. Sign-up starts one hour before VITA opens. .

There are many other locations in Topeka that offer free tax assistance, check out this master schedule from the Shawnee County Extension office for all of the locations and times.

Items you need to bring to VITA sites include

• Proof of identification
• Social Security cards for you, your spouse and any dependents
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and any dependents
• Wage and earning statement(s), usually a W-2 form, from all employers
• Interest and dividend statements from your banks (1099 form)
• Bank routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit

Tax Forms

The table and racks of the forms and publications that we have received is located in the Atrium of the Library.   You can call us at 580-4540 to check on the availability of forms, instructions, or publications before coming to the Library.

The Kansas Income Tax, Kansas Schedule S form, and Kansas Homestead forms are available for purchase at the Reference and Media desk in the library for 25 cents each.  The Library purchases these forms from the State of Kansas and the charge is to cover our costs.

Kansas tax forms and instructions are also available at the taxpayer assistance center located in the Docking state office building.

Many tax forms and publications are available online:

• Federal tax forms: www.irs.gov; FREE online filing is also available
• Kansas income tax and homestead forms: www.ksrevenue.org; FREE online filing is also available.  K-40 forms printed from the internet are NOT ACCEPTABLE for filing purposes.

Other forms that many of our patrons are looking for at this time of year:

• LIEAP (Kansas Low Income Energy Assistance Program) (INFO only, application period starts January 22nd): http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Energy/EnergyAssistance.aspx
• CIty of Topeka Franchise Fee Refund Application
  http://www.topeka.org/franchise_fee_program.shtml

Here are some useful phone numbers and addresses to have handy while preparing this years tax return:

FEDERAL

Phone Numbers

Telephone Assistance for Individuals: Toll-Free, 1-800-829-1040
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. your local time

To Order Forms by Mail: 1-800-829-3676 (or www.irs.gov)

Local Office:

(785) 235-3053, 120 S.E. Sixth Ave. Hours: Monday-Friday – 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m

Address to mail return: (addresses for other types of returns available at www.irs.gov)

 KANSAS

Phone Numbers

Forms order line: (785) 368-8222 or www.ksrevenue.org

General Question line: (785) 368-8222

PIN Number Request (and other e-Filing help): 1-800-525-3901

Local Office

Docking State Office Building, 915 SW Harrison, Taxpayer Assistance Center is in room 150, the hours are 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m., M-F

VITA Tax assistance for both Federal and State taxes is also available at the Docking Building,
9 a.m. -3 p.m., M-F, in room 163

Mailing Address to mail forms

(NOTE: Copies or forms printed from the internet are NOT acceptable)

Individual Income Tax/Food Sales Tax

Kansas Department of Revenue

915 SW Harrison St.

Topeka, KS 66699-1000

Dearest Dorothy Are We There Yet by Charlene Ann Baumbich
Introduces the colorful inhabitants of Partonville, a small farming town in southern Illinois, including the senior citizens’ softball team, the Wild Musketeers; the Happy Hookers, a group of women who used to hood rugs but switched to playing bunco; and the irrepressible eighty-seven-year-old Dorothy Jean Wetstra, who faces a choice that could change her town forever.

Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
A middle-aged man and woman are the co-teachers of an Italian language class in Dublin, each hoping the class will renew their lives of disappointment.

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
One thing you could depend on in Cold Sassy, Georgia, was that word got around – fast. On July 5, 1906, things took a scandalous turn. That was the day that E. Rucker Blakeslee, proprietor of the general store and barely three weeks a widower, eloped with Miss Love Simpson – a woman half his age and, worse yet, a Yankee! On that day, fourteen-year-old Will Tweedy’s adventures began, and an unimpeachably pious town came to life.

Out of the Rain by Elizabeth Cadell
Forsaking his comfortable London digs to pursue a stepmother who has made off with a few valuable family paintings, solicitor Edward Netherford finds himself romantically involved with Estelle Denly, the easy going mother of three young children.

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas
When city girl Rita marries local boy Tom and they move back to the farm, Queenie Bean goes out of her way to welcome them.  She also encourages Rita to become part of the local quilting group, known as the Persian Pickle Club.

The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans
Having followed her new husband to his native home in rustic Tuscany, Ellana distracts herself from her marital disappointments by caring for her asthmatic son, and reevaluates her life when she meets American art lover Ross.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café by Fannie Flagg
Mrs. Threadgoode’s tale of two high-spirited women of the 1930s, Idgie and Ruth, helps Evelyn, a 1980s woman in a sad slump of middle age, to begin to rejuvenate her own life.

The Gazebo by Emily Grayson
An elderly man arrives unexpectedly at the office of a small-town newspaper editor and offers her his personal story of a love affair that spans more than fifty years.

Friendship Cake by J. Lynne Hinton
Five women, working together to create a church cookbook, share their passions, loves, and losses, including pastor Charlotte Stewart, who is suffering a crisis in faith ; widow Margaret, the town confidante; and Jessie, the only African American in an all-white church..

At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon
Longing for change in the face of burnout, Episcopal rector Father Tim finds his lonely bachelor existence enriched by a stray dog, a lonely boy, and a pretty neighbor.

Candles on Bay Street by K.C. McKinnon
A portrayal of small-town life chronicles the efforts of Sam Hebert, the veterinarian of Fort Kent, Maine, to understand the secrets of Dee Dee Michaud, the beauty who left town only to return years later to begin a candle business.

The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love by Joan Medlicott
Grace, Amelia, and Hannah decide that the last thing they want to do is live out their lives in a group home, and so, to the dismay of their children, they pool their resources and move to Covington, North Carolina, and new lives.

A Tangled Web by Jane Peart
Running away from her family and fiance, Darcy Welburne joins the staff of the Harvey House, where she finds great personal satisfaction, but the lies she has woven around her new life may have devastating consequences.

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher
Winter solstice–the shortest day of the year–represents darkness and also hope, renewal, and rebirth.  Five very different people come together in this setting, ranging in age from teenagers to mid-sixties, each of whom must confront very different challenges or losses.

The Lighthouse Keeper by James Michael Pratt
A young man, raised by his lighthouse keeper uncle, learns an important lesson in keeping love alive when he returns from World War II.

Thrush Green by Miss Read
On May Day during the annual fair in the small village of Thrush Green, complications develop in the relationships of a group of inhabitants.

Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross
Recently widowed and newly wealthy, Miss Julia is visited one day by Hazel Marie, who claims that her nine-year-old son is the child of Julia’s late husband, and when Julia is left to care for the child, she reveals the scandal that precipitated her husband’s death.

A Country Affair by Rebecca Shaw
The first in a series of enchanting novels set in a veterinary practice on the outskirts of a Yorkshire, England, town introduces Kate, the receptionist in a busy veterinary practice; Scott, the flirty Australian vet; her faithful boyfriend, Adam; and the entertaining animal patients

Message In a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks
A 36-year-old single mother finds a bottle containing a love letter written only three weeks earlier by a man declaring his love to his darling Catherine. She decides to try to make contact with the man in hopes of changing both their lives.

The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller
A quietly powerful novel about the profound love between a photographer and an Iowa farmer’s wife. They spend only four days together while he is on location to photograph covered bridges for National Geographic magazine, yet they never lose their feelings for each other.

Real Life

Black Wave: A Family’s Adventure at Sea and the Disaster That Saved Them by John and Jean Silverwood
A family on a sailing trip around the world encounters a rogue wave that leaves them stranded on a Coral reef–this is as much a story about how their sailing adventure kept this family from falling apart as it is a tale of survival–which makes it twice as intriguing.

Out of Captivity: Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle by Marc Gonsalves
A harrowing account by 3 Americans who were held captive by a group called FARC in Columbia.  After surviving a plane crash they are immediately attacked and taken captive.  They then must survive forced marches, hellish camps, and abuse by their captors–and surprisingly other hostages as well.

Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff
The exhilarating, untold story of an extraordinary World War II rescue mission. First of all a plane crash in the South Pacific plunges a trio of U.S. military personnel into the jungle-clad land of New Guinea.  As they struggle to survive, their comrades much launch one of the most daring rescue attempts ever–launching a glider into a remote jungle valley

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
While Walls was never scaling mountains, surviving shipwrecks, or struggling to free herself from kidnappers–she was struggling to survive a childhood with parents who were often neglectful of her basic needs.

My Stroke of Insight by Dr. Jill Taylor
Taylor’s tale of survival involves her experiences as a brain scientist who gets the unique opportunity to discover her own brain in an entirely new way when she suffers from a stroke. As a reader I was rooting for Taylor to regain the full use of her body as she detailed all that she went through in her recovery–and I was also fascinated by her descriptions of how she was treated by the medical profession.

The Survivor’s Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life by Ben Sherwood
So how well would you do if you were suddenly placed in your own tale of survival?  Ben Sherwood decides to answer that question by investigating the characteristics that bind survivors together. Along the way he endures a military survival school and a simulated airplane crash and he also interviews experts on topics related to survival and real life survivors who endured unimaginable challenges and beat the odds and live another day.  Bonus: go to www.thesurvivorsclub.org to take an assessment test that measures your own survival strengths and to read more survival stories.

Fiction

The Greatest Survival Stories Ever Told edited by Lamar Underwood
Travel to the South Pole, the Andes, the Gobi Desert, and many other places in this collection of short stories and excerpts from novels full of the excitement of seeing someone survive against all odds.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave
A refugee from Nigeria is one of the central characters in this novel–her life intersects with that of a middle class women in England who is struggling to survive after her husband’s suicide.  I found it thoroughly engaging–and then some.

What is the What by David Eggers
Valentino is a refugee from Sudan.  As a boy he walked away from his hometown after war destroyed it.  As a man he is fortunate enough to be living in the U.S., but he finds it just as hard to survive muggings, injustices, and those who act as if he is not there.  I found this a moving and powerful tale of survival–based on the true life struggles of the lost boys of Sudan.

End the frustration and vote with confidence this November 6 by using  Vote 411…a new tool created by the League of Women Voters. Use it to register to vote or to verify that you are already registered. (Message from League of Women Voters en Español .pdf)

Important deadlines:
Wednesday, October 17, First day of advance voting
Friday, November 2, Last day to apply for an advance ballot that will be mailed from the Election Office
Monday, November 5 by NOON, Last day to vote in the election office
Tuesday, November 6, Election Day! Time to vote in the General Election.

Remember to take your photo ID with you when you vote. (Download How To Get Your Photo ID .pdf)

Using Vote 411, you can input your address to view what is actually going to be on your ballot before you cast your vote. The ballot includes the Federal, State, and County races. Even the candidates for Sheriff, Treasurer, and the County Commission are listed.

The really cool thing is that it includes information about the candidate’s positions. They asked the candidates questions like “please identify your top three goals if elected” and you can view their answers (for those that chose to respond). You can choose two candidates for each position and view their responses side by side. After you build your ballot, you can print it or e-mail it to yourself. You could even take it with you when you go to the polls!

So visit Vote 411; register to vote (if you haven’t already) plug in your address, look at your ballot, read what the candidates have to say, and make your choices–it’s that easy.

2012 Book of the Year

Nearing Home by Billy Graham

“I never thought I would live to be this old.” In this moving narrative, Billy Graham once again takes up the pen not only to share his personal experience of growing older but also teach us some important lessons on how to view our time here on Earth.

Fiction

The Queen by Stephen James

“While investigating a mysterious double homicide in an isolated northern Wisconsin town, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers uncovers a high-tech conspiracy that ties together long-buried Cold War secrets with present-day tensions in the Middle East
Note from Deb:  I love this series by Stephen James!  The first one is called Pawn.  If you like intense thrillers with characters who ponder the deeper issues of life be sure to give it a try.

New Author

Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews

Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job’s life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family? Through painstaking research and a writer’s creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of this well-known story told through the eyes of the women who loved him.

Inspiration

 The Law of Happiness: How spiritual wisdom and modern science can change your life by Henry Cloud

Drawing from the latest scientific and psychological research on the quest for happiness, “The Law of Happiness” reveals that the spiritual truths of the Bible hold the secrets to the happiness we desire: choosing to become the kind of people God created us to be.

Opens June 1st

Snow White and the Huntsmen: In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
This live action movie stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White, Charlize Theron as the evil queen and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman and is directed by Rupert Sanders.

Based on: The Snow White fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm

Opens June 8th 

Bel Ami: A chronicle of a young man’s rise to power in Paris via his manipulation of the city’s most influential and wealthy women.
It stars Robert Pattison, Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas and is directed by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod

Based on: Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant

Opens June 22nd

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.
It stars Benjamin Walker as Abraham Lincoln, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Dominic Cooper and Alan Tudyk round out the cast.  It is directed by Timur Bekmambetov and produced by Tim Burton.

Based on: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Opens July 3rd

The Amazing Spider-Man: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father’s former partner.
Andrew Garfield stars as Peter Parker/Spiderman.  Also starring are Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Sally Field, Embeth Davidtz and Martin Sheen.  Directed by Marc Webb

Based on: The Spider Man series published by Marvel Comics

Opens July 6th 

Savages: Pot growers Ben and Chon face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
It stars Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, and Uma Thurman; it’s directed by Oliver Stone.

Based on: Savages by Don Winslow

Opens July 20th 

The Dark Knight Rises: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face’s crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham’s finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne/Batman, it also stars Tom Hardy, Liam Neeson, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Gary Oldman.  It’s directed by Christopher Nolan.

Based on: The Batman series published by DC comics

One upcoming event of interest to bargain hunters is the TADA (Topeka Antiques Dealer Association) Summer Antiques and Collectibles Flea Market.  It will be June 1st and 2nd at the Ramada Inn in the Jefferson Room.  Friday hours will be 6-9 ($3 entrance fee); Saturday hours are 9-4 and admission is free.

Whether you are selling or buying the library has a variety of resources that can help.  Here are some tips and some suggested pre-sale reading.  If you have any tips or stories to share we’d love to hear your comments:

Tips for sellers 

• Enlist plenty of help for the sale
• Clean items before the sale—be careful if they are fragile
• Advertise: use the newspaper, online posting sites like craigslist and freecycle, signs, church bulletins, etc.
• Make sure to have plenty of signs with big clear lettering pointing folks to your sale.   One day for a sale is usually long enough.
• Collect plenty of tables and clothes racks to display your items
• Supplies to have on hand: Ziploc bags for small items, poster board to make signs, price stickers (it’s nice to have color coded ones), tape, and money to make change.
• Make big signs or use boxes for items that will all be the same price: i.e. Jeans-$1 each.  Be sure to group like items together.
• Books can be helpful guides to weed out valuables before a sale, but never expect to get book value at a garage sale.  Overpricing is a common mistake—Price things to sell.
• Make a “free” box of small toys for kids to play with while their parents shop
• Have bags and packing materials on hand for your buyers
• Make sure you have a plan for the day of the sale.  Who will man the money table when, at what time you will start reducing prices (you might even want to post a sign), how you will handle breaks, etc.
• Start your sale on time, never early , it annoys those who play “fair” and show up at the right time.
• Consider offering free coffee for the early morning folks.  This may be a good day for your children or the neighborhood children to operate a refreshment stand —but only if it won’t create extra stress on you!
• Have a plan for your leftover items.—such as donating them to a charitable organization