Books, Bytes & More Newsletter
October 2019
In This Issue
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NWRLS Library Locations

Headquarters:
Bay County Public Library
850-522-2100

Panama City Beach
850-233-5055

Parker Public Library
850-871-3092

Corinne Costin
Gibson Memorial Library
Port St. Joe
850-229-8879

Charles Whitehead
Public Library
Wewahitchka
850-639-2419

Harrell Memorial
Public Library
Bristol
**Call Hosford Branch.

Jimmy Weaver
Memorial Library
Hosford
850-379-3300

Featured Items 
 
 
The Dutch House
by Ann Patchett

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, siblings Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they're together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they've lost with humor and rage. But when at last they're forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.
 
The Institute
by Stephen King
 

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis's parents and load him into a black SUV. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there's no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents--telekinesis and telepathy--who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their gifts. 
 
The Testaments
by Margaret Atwood
 

In this sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, acclaimed author Margaret Atwood answers the question that has tantalized readers for decades: What happens to Offred?

 
Talking to Strangers
by Malcolm Gladwell

Talking to Strangers is a classically Gladwellian intellectual adventure, a challenging and controversial excursion through history, psychology, and scandals taken straight from the news. He revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, the suicide of Sylvia Plath, the Jerry Sandusky pedophilia scandal at Penn State University, and the death of Sandra Bland---throwing our understanding of these and other stories into doubt. Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don't know. And because we don't know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world. 

Call Sign Chaos
by Jim Mattis and Bing West
 
Call Sign Chaos is the account of General Jim Mattis's storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East. Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas--and short-sighted thinking--now facing our nation. He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars. 
 

This Tender Land
by William Kent Krueger
 
In 1932, Minnesota's Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to Odie O'Banion, a lively boy whose exploits upset the superintendent. Forced to flee, Odie and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi. During one unforgettable summer, these four orphans make their way through small river towns and big cities, searching for a place to belong. And while they lose their innocence, they also gain the strength to survive in the face of terrible loss. 
 

The Girl Who Lived Twice
by David Lagercrantz
 
Determined to confront her nemesis, Lisbeth Salander closes in on her target to settle lifelong scores, while Mikael Blomkvist attempts to track her down and protect her, in spite of the fact that he is powerless against her enemies.
   
A Better Man
by Louise Penny
It's Armand Gamache's first day back as head of the homicide department, a job he temporarily shares with his previous second-in-command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. Flood waters are rising across the province. In the middle of the turmoil a father approaches Gamache, pleading for help in finding his daughter. As crisis piles upon crisis, Gamache tries to hold off the encroaching chaos, and realizes the search for Vivienne Godin should be abandoned. He resumes the search due to criticism. As the rivers rise, and the social media onslaught against Gamache becomes crueler, a body is discovered. And in the tumult, mistakes are made. 
   
Vendetta in Death
by J.D. Robb
 
 The predator becomes the prey in the newest thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring homicide detective Eve Dallas. She calls herself Lady Justice. And once she has chosen a man as her target, she turns herself into a tall blonde or a curvaceous redhead, makes herself as alluring and seductive as possible to them. Once they are in her grasp, they are powerless. The first victim is wealthy businessman Nigel McEnroy. His company's human resources department has already paid out settlements to a couple of his young victims--but they don't know that his crimes go far beyond workplace harassment. Lady Justice knows. And in one shocking night of brutality, she makes him pay a much steeper price. Now Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, are combing through the evidence of McEnroy's secret life. 
   
Monster, She Wrote
 by Lisa Kroger
 
Weird fiction wouldn't exist without the women who created it. Meet the female authors who defied convention to craft some of literature's strangest tales. And find out why their own stories are equally intriguing.
Everyone knows about Mary Shelley, creator of Frankenstein; but have you heard of Margaret Cavendish, who wrote a science-fiction epic 150 years earlier? Have you read the psychological hauntings of Violet Paget, who was openly involved in long-term romantic relationships with women in the Victorian era? Or the stories of Gertrude Barrows Bennett, whose writing influenced H.P. Lovecraft? Monster, She Wrote shares the stories of women past and present who invented horror, speculative, and weird fiction and made it great. 
   
Strands of Truth
 by Colleen Coble
 
 
Harper Taylor is used to being alone. Her mother passed away in a car accident when she was an infant, she never knew who her father was, and now even the widowed grandmother who raised her is gone. She's done just fine investing her marine biology degree and her energy into her pen shell business. The last thing she expects is for the DNA test she took to reveal a likely half-sister. And when she and Annabelle meet, there are striking similarities in their stories. Is it just coincidence that both their mothers died tragically without revealing Harper and Annabelle's father's name? When Harper's business partner has a stroke, his son Ridge steps in to help. Before long, he's spending more time with her than the business would dictate. and Harper finds she doesn't mind in the least. When yet another tragedy strikes close to home, Harper and Ridge realize that the secrets of the past can't stay there. They'll have to unravel Harper's past before they can secure their future. 
   
Necessary People
 by Anna Pitoniak
 
Stella Bradley is beautiful, rich, and very good at getting herself into trouble. Violet Trapp is smart, self-aware, and laser-focused on escaping her humble background. They are best friends, and from the moment they meet in college, they know their roles: Stella in the spotlight, and Violet behind the scenes. After graduation, Violet moves to New York and lands a job in cable news, where she works her way up from intern to producer, and to a life where she's finally free from Stella's shadow. Until Stella decides to use her connections, beauty and charisma to land a job at the same network. Set against the fast-paced backdrop of TV news, Necessary People is a propulsive work of psychological suspense about ambition and privilege, about the thin line between friendship and rivalry.
 
 
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FAFSA and Financial Aid Workshop for Students and Parents

Bay County Public Library
Tuesday, October 8th @ 5:30 p.m.

Learn about how to apply for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which also helps you to be eligible for other types of financial aid towards school. October is a great time to start the application process! Class will be taught by Financial Aid Officer, Kathryn Morgan, who has 30 years of experience in the field. Seating is first come, first served. 
Children's Halloween Programming

Bay County Public Library

Teen Fright Night
Monday, October 28th @ 5:30 p.m.
Dare to drop in for an evening of terrifying tales, games, and snacks! Halloween costumes are welcome. Program for teens ages 11 and up. 

Spooktackular 2019
Tuesday, October 29th @ 5:30 p.m.
Come join us for our annual Spooktacular of scary and not-so-scary stories, songs and fun!  Feel free to come in costume for the costume parade. Program geared for children. All ages welcome! 
Youth  Classes @ Your Library
 
Bay County Public Library

Book Babies (0 - 17 months with caregiver) 
Tuesdays @ 9:30 a.m.

Terrific Tots (18 - 36 months with caregiver) 
Tuesdays @ 10:30 a.m.

Read, Rock & Rhyme (3 - 5 years) 
Thursdays @ 10:30 a.m.
 
Wondrous Wednesdays (Ages 7 and up)  
Create Your Own Medieval Coat of Arms
Wednesday, October 9th @ 4 p.m.
Join us for some after-school Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) fun!
 
Homeschool History Club (Ages 7 and up)  
High Middle Ages
Friday, October 18th @ 10:00 a.m.
Come and learn about history in a new, exciting way! This week's focus is the foundations of Europe, Feudalism, Castles and the Magna Carta. 

Spooktacular 2019
Tuesday, October 29th @ 5:30 p.m.
Come join us for scary and not-so-scary stories, songs, and fun! Feel free to come in costume for the costume parade. 
  
Tuesday Tales (Port St. Joe) - Library Garden Sweet Potato Harvest

Panama City Beach Public Library 
 
Book Babies (0 - 3 years with caregiver) 
Tuesdays@ 10:00 a.m. with Free Play at 10:30 a.m.

Sail Into School (3-4 years with caregiver) 
Thursdays@ 9:30 a.m. 
Let's get ready for school! Learn your ABC's, 1, 2, 3's, and
the world around us.  
 
Beach Kids (ages 5 and up) 
Registration required due to limited class size. Sign-up sheets will be at the circulation desk two weeks in advance. 

Paper Airplane Science
Tuesday, October 1st @ 3:30 p.m.

Robo Ozo Day
Tuesday, October 15th @ 3:30 p.m.

Code Club for Kids (Ages 8 - 14)
Thursdays at 3:30 p.m.
Learn how to make apps, games, and websites. 
This program is made possible through a grant from the 
Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by 
the North Dakota State Library in partnership with Prenda 
and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries. 
 
Corinne Costin Gibson Memorial Public Library in Port St. Joe
 
Tuesday Tales (0 - 3 years with caregiver) 
Tuesdays @ 10:30 a.m. EST
Stories, songs, and finger plays for instilling a love of literacy. Social time with free play follows the stories.
 
Charles Whitehead Public Library in Wewahitchka 
 
Budding Bookworms (Ages 3 - 5)
Mondays @ 11:30 a.m.
Come and enjoy stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts.

Spongebob at the Library (Ages 7+)
Friday, October 4 @ 3:30 p.m.
Games, crafts, and prizes!

Jimmy Weaver Memorial Library in Hosford
 
Storytimes
Saturdays @ 10:30 a.m. EST
Bay County Public Library
Teen Programming 
For preteens and teens ages 11 and up.

Teen Art Club 
Wednesday, October 16th @4:00 p.m.
Relax with art at the library! Make a featured art activity or be creative with provided art supplies. Everyone is welcome to bring their own projects as well!

Anime Afternoon 
Monday, October 21st @4:00 p.m.
Join us for an hour of anime episodes with prize giveaways! Program in partnership with Funimation.

Book Dragons
Tuesday, October 22nd @ 4:00 p.m.
We're a book club! No assigned book! Talk about a favorite book, make crafts, and eat snacks. Also, tell us what you'd like to see happening for teens in your library and ask us how teens can earn volunteer hours with Book Dragons! 

Teen Fright Night
Monday, October 28th @ 5:30 p.m.
Dare to drop in for an evening of terrifying tales, games, and snacks! Halloween costumes are welcome. 

Teen Program snacks provided by the Friends of the Bay County Public Libraries. 
Borrow eBooks & audiobooks for FREE!

Download the OverDrive Or Libby app onto your device (smart phone, tablet, or Kindle Fire).  Select Northwest Regional Library System as your branch.  Enter your library card number and 4 digit pin to begin borrowing or placing books titles on hold!  There is a 3 week checkout time. We add NEW titles every month!!

View catalog online at: https://nwrls.overdrive.com/ 
Book & Film Clubs
Happy National Reading Group Month!!
 
Beach Book Club
Panama City Beach Public Library
Wednesday, October 2nd   @ 10:30 a.m.
A Prayer for Owen Meany  by John Irving

The Beach Book Club meets the  1st Wednesday of each month. 

BCPL Book Club
Bay County Public Library
Thursday, October 10th @ 11:30 a.m.
Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 by David Sedaris

BCPL Book Club will be held in the Youth Services program room. 

Beyond the Lens: Book and Film Series
Bay County Public Library

Tuesday, October 15th @ 5:30 p.m.
Film: Name of the Rose (1986) Rated R
Book: Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

Beyond the Lens will be held in the Youth Services program room. Refreshments provided by the Friends of the Bay County Public Libraries. 

Library Book Club
Corinne Costin Gibson Memorial Public Library
Monday, October 21 @ 10:30 a.m.
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

Library Book Club meets on the third Monday of each month.
Classes @ Your Library

Bay County Public Library

Pens & Needles
Friday, October 4th @ 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
First Fridays of the month. Learn to knit, bring projects you're already working on, or relax and color. Coloring supplies provided, some knitting supplies available.

VR VRiday 
Friday, October 4th @ 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Experience Virtual Reality using PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift. Ages 13 & under must be with a parent. Contact the Reference Desk to make a reservation or to learn about the VR experiences available, 850-522-2107. 

Ukulele Social Club
Saturday, October 5th @ 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Everyone is welcome! The first part of the class is for beginner basics. The second part is for jammin'! We will have a few loaner instruments available, but you are encouraged to bring your own. 
 
Good Morning Sunshine: Stretches with Heather
Monday, October 7th @ 9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
Start off your day with simple stretches based on yoga. This can be on your mat or in your chair! Bring your own mat if you have one. First come, first served. Program led by Heather, BCPL Outreach Librarian.

Inktober
Tuesday, October 8th @ 2:00 p.m.
Gen inspired to pick up a pen and start drawing this Inktober! Supplies will be provided, however you are more than welcome to bring your preferred drawing materials. 

Sidewalk Stargazing 
Friday, October 16th @ 7:00 p.m.
Dress appropriately for an outdoor program. Meet out in front of the library. You can bring binoculars or a personal telescope if you have them. All ages welcome. If poor sky-viewing conditions are present, the event will be canceled. Follow the event on Facebook.

Mountain Dulcimer Class
Friday, October 18th @ 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Join us for a mountain dulcimer class. If you don't have a dulcimer, we have a few spare instruments available for class. First part is a beginner lesson; second part jam session.   

Bonjour! Basic French Class
Monday, October 21st @ 5:30 - 6:45 p.m.
Learn basic conversational French at the library. No previous knowledge required. 

Hola! Beginner Spanish Class
Wednesday, October 30th @ 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Learn basic conversational Spanish at the library. No previous knowledge required. 

English as a Second Language Classes
For English as a Second Language and Citizenship class schedules, please visit the Bay County Public Library Front Desk or call 850-522-2100.


Panama City Beach Public Library

Sea Needles
Fridays @ 10 a.m.
Bring your needlework crafts to work on at the library. Sea Needles meets every Friday at 10 a.m.

Writing in the Sand Writing Group (Ages 15 and up)
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 4:30 p.m.
Join us for creative exercises, literature discussions, and writing workshops! No registration required. 

Learn and Play Mah-Jongg
Wednesdays @ 1:00 p.m.
Come and learn to play American Mah-Jongg, a classic game
that takes only a few hours to learn and provides a lifetime of
fun. This adult class will begin with lessons and will move on to
weekly play. Newcomers may join the class at any time. Players
of all skill levels are welcome.

English as a Second Language Classes
Mondays @ 3:00 p.m. Basic Conversation
Wednesdays @ 3:30 p.m. Intermediate Conversation
Fridays @ 1:00 p.m. Intermediate English

Corinne Costin Gibson Memorial Library in Port St. Joe

Seaside Stitchers
Saturdays @ 12:30 p.m. EST
Bring your knit, crochet, or needlework projects!

Charles Whitehead Public Library in Wewahitchka

Library Relaxation Zone
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
@ 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Coloring and drawing supplies are always available to
create art. Or join the fun of helping put together a puzzle!

Jimmy Weaver Memorial Library in Hosford

Craft Day
Thursdays @ 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST
Bring your favorite craft or learn something new!

Family Game Nights: Pictionary
Monday, October 28th at 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. EST
Every 4th Monday of the month we play Pictionary. 

Hosford Quilting Class
Learn how to quilt. Class meets one Saturday a month at
12:00 p.m. Contact library at 850-379-3300 for exact class
dates!  
This project was funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Florida's LSTA program is administered by the Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services.
Library Closures
Monday, October 14th

All Northwest Regional Library System branches will be closed on Monday, October 14th for a Staff Training Day. 
Bay County Public Library Computer Classes

All classes take place in the Bay County Public Library Computer Lab in Adult Services. Registration is required. Call 850-522-2107 to register today!

Internet Basics
Tuesday, October 8th @ 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Google Drive
Thursday, October 10th @ 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Excel, Part I
Tuesday, October 22nd @ 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Excel, Part II
Thursday, October 24th @ 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
New E-books and Downloadable Audiobooks 

We recently added new items to our digital collection. Here are a few of our new titles: 

The Dark Side
by Danielle Steel

Zoe Morgan's childhood was marked by her younger sister's tragic illness, watching as her parents dedicated themselves completely to her final days and then divorced. As a young woman driven by these painful memories, Zoe sets the bar high for herself, studying hard and pursuing a career in the nonprofit world, where her deep compassion for disadvantaged children finds a focus. When Zoe falls in love and has her own child, she is determined to be a perfect mother as well. But before long, old scars long dormant begin to pull Zoe to the edge of an abyss too terrifying to contemplate. As Zoe is haunted by the ghosts of the past, her story will become a race against time and a tale of psychological suspense that no reader will soon forget..

Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered
by Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark

The highly anticipated first book by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the voices behind the #1 hit podcast My Favorite Murder!
Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders, and addiction, Karen and Georgia irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation.

Old Bones
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Nora Kelly, a young curator at the Santa Fe Institute of Archaeology, is approached by historian Clive Benton with a once-in-a-lifetime proposal: to lead a team in search of the so-called "Lost Camp" of the tragic Donner Party. This was a group of pioneers who earned a terrible place in American history when they became snow-bound in the California mountains in 1847, their fate unknown until the first skeletonized survivors stumbled out of the wilderness, raving about starvation, murder-and cannibalism. Benton tells Kelly he has stumbled upon an amazing find: the long-sought diary of one of the victims, which has an enigmatic description of the Lost Camp. Nora agrees to lead an expedition to locate and excavate it-to reveal its long-buried secrets. Once in the mountains, however, they learn that discovering the camp is only the first step in a mounting journey of fear. For as they uncover old bones, they expose the real truth of what happened, one that is far more shocking and bizarre than mere cannibalism. And when those ancient horrors lead to present-day violence on a grand scale, rookie FBI agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the case...only to find that her first investigation might very well be her last.




You can check out e-books and downloadable audiobooks for free from your library. All you need is your library card number and PIN. Forgot your PIN? Just give us a call at 850-522-2100 or stop by your local branch and we'll set one up for you.

To access e-books and downloadable audiobooks, click here or:
Go to www.nwrls.com
Click on Books, Etc.
Click on eBooks & eAudio
Click on OverDrive  to find books  
Need assistance with e-books and downloadable audiobooks? Just call us at 850-522-2107 or stop by your local branch.