The Albino Woman has mysteriously disappeared! Who could be behind this? Bring a friend to this live version of the board game Clue. You will find clues to help solve this Topeka mystery.

Who: 11-18 years
When: Thursday, June 29th
Time: 2-4 pm
Where: Marvin Auditorium
Registration required. Call 785-580-4565 today!

Posted by Gayle at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you heard Avril Lavigne lately? You might have and just not known it. Over the Hedge (in theaters right now!) features Avril’s voice as the opossum Heather. She also has a few more movies coming out soon; Fast Food Nation starring Greg Kinnear and Patricia Arquette and The Flock with Claire Danes and Richard Gere. She’s also featured on the new campaign for the Youth Aids project (she is “hear no evil” to Pink’s “speak no evil” and Eve’s “see no evil” along with several other celebrities).

Heard more celebrity gossip? Drop us a comment or send an email to let us know!

Posted by Meghan at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Kyle Klaus is lucky.  He has been attending the young adult programs on Thursdays. He has won two Driven to Read t-shirts by having his name drawn from the pot.  Remember you too can win a t-shirt by putting your Finish First coupon in the jar while attending a program!  Getting your name in the drawing also qualifies for the FLASH DRIVE drawing on August 11.  Finish First, Win a t-shirt.

Posted by Jean at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

for teens, by teens
Adiah, age 11, thinks you should:
Read this!  The Magic Tree House series and The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Watch this! Kate and Leopold, You’ve Got Mail, Crazy/Beautiful, You Got Served, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Miss Congeneality 1 & 2, Titanic, Like Mike 1 & 2, Cow Belles
Listen to this! Green Day, Chris Brown, Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey, Marques Houston

Posted by Lissa at 08:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have even the slightest interest in racket sports, you owe it to yourself to check out Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis for the XBOX 360.

This game features amazing looking player models, incredible crowd noise, sound effects, and spin control with visceral play unmatched by any other tennis/table tennis game to date.

You may associate Rockstar Games with Grand Theft Auto, but Rockstar has proven they can successfully produce a great game in the sports arena.

Posted by Lance at 09:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

for teens, by teens
Eboni, age 11, thinks you should:
Read this!  American Diaries series, especially Josie Poe, and Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events
Watch this! Charlie’s Angels, Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events
Click this!  http://www.yahooligans.com
Listen to this! Chris Brown and Beyonce Knowles

Posted by Lissa at 07:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Cars" is the top movie showing at the theaters. It was given an impressive 8 stars. Close behind are "Nacho Libre", "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "The Lake House". If you are looking for entertainment in Topeka check out cjnline.com for the latest movies.

Posted by Gayle at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

From MSNBC.com:  LOS ANGELES - There were no cameras following Lauren Conrad as she entered the West Hollywood cafe. That’s notable. Since she was a high-school senior, much of the life of the now 20-year old aqua-eyed, blonde Californian has been filmed, videoed, tape-recorded and put on air.

 “It just seemed like a cool opportunity,” Conrad says, recalling why she signed on for such exposure. It’s not something she or her friends consider particularly odd. “I mean if you go to any high school, you are going to get a lot of people who want to be on TV.”

 Continue reading about Lauren here.

Posted by Katie at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What’s it like to experience 325 miles-per-hour in four seconds? What does it feel like to drive into a corner at over 100 miles-per-hour? Heartland Park, Topeka’s only major league race track, will bring their knowledge of racing to the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. Meet some drivers, hear their stories, and learn what it takes to run a big time race track.

Who: 11-18 years

When: Wednesday, June 21st from 6:30-8:30pm & Thursday, June 22nd from 2-4pm

Where: Marvin Auditorium

Registration required. Call 785-580-4565 for details!

Posted by Gayle at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The history project by Sjobor Hammer and Anna Hamilton will go on display at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. The documentary, "Lighting the Dark Places:Esther Brown and the Webb v. School Distraict No. 90 Case" was their entry into the National History Day Competition. Both girls are students at Topeka Collegiate. To read more see http://www.cjonline.com/stories/061306/tee_history.shtml.

Posted by Gayle at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 17 1:00-3:00
Popular demand is a good thing.  It helps guide the library staff in their planning for programs. A second session (July 17 1:00-3:00) of Camp Techie has been added to library summer schedule.  To register call 580-4565.           

“Everyone attending the first session is now an accomplished Yahoo! Geocities (www.geocities.com) user.  They learned the point-and-click PageBuilder and developed web pages in a matter of minutes. They learned to enhance their web page with pictures, backgrounds and add-ins and how to maintain and modify file subdirectories and more! They published their very own web page. Now they are ready to advance to the Cyber Drive Challenge.” said TSCPL computer trainer Nancy Overmyer. Participant Kyle Klaus won the door prize, a Driven to Read t-shirt.

Posted by Jean at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

 From the June 26, 2006 issue of Newsweek:

The Real Johnny Depp. How long have we searched for him? No one in Hollywood, it's fair to say, has worked harder at not being a movie star than Depp has, and yet he has evolved into one of the most adored actors of his generation not in spite of that persistence but because of it. "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" may have grossed $653 million worldwide, made Depp a $20 million man and earned him an Oscar nomination, but he still seems an unlikely addition to the A-list. Top-tier stars, even those who are great actors, stay on top by being true to their personas. We pay $10 to see Will Smith or Julia Roberts precisely because they don't surprise us. It's not that they're playing themselves. It's just that the force of their personalities swamps everything else. They're more than actors. They're brands. Depp, 43, is almost pathologically unpredictable. He can be bizarre, hilarious, unsettling—even annoying. But he is never the same.

Read the entire article here.

Posted by Katie at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Attention Yu-Gi-Oh duelists! Sign up for the opportunity to duel
other Yu-Gi-Oh players. Walk-ins are allowed if there are open
slots, but a reservation guarantees a seat.

Who: 11-18 years
When: Monday June 26th
Time: 3-5 pm
Where: Lingo Story Room

Registration required. Please call 785-580-4565 to reserve your seat today!

Posted by Meghan at 11:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First Part Last by Angela Johnson

At sixteen, Bobby is struggling to be a good single father to his infant daughter, Feather. While Bobby’s parents are supportive, they won’t take over Feather’s care. I know what you are thinking, “Where’s the baby’s mother?” and possibly “Why is Bobby choosing to raise this baby by himself?” Bobby will tell you as he alternates between telling you about his life now with Feather and his past with Feather’s mom, Nia. It is a beautiful, quick read that you won’t be able to put down. You’ll love Bobby as much as he loves his baby.

Posted by Michelle at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

for teens, by teens
Laurel, age 13, thinks you should:
Read this!  Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, The City of Ember and The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau, and anything by Roald Dahl or Judy Blume.
Watch this! 10 Things I Hate About You, The Producers, RENT, Casanova, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Click this!  www.neopets.com, www.xanga.com
Listen to this! Black Eyed Peas, Arlo Guthrie, RENT soundtrack

Posted by Lissa at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you like role playing games on the computer, or are fortunate enough to have an XBOX 360, you owe it to yourself to check out Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Oblivion is a next generation role playing title from Bethesda Softworks. Some points of interest are the incredible graphics, intelligent AI, and over 16 square miles of landscape to explore. The land is packed with towns, dungeons, and a multitude of quests.

This game has received excellent reviews from numerous gaming sites and offers over 200 hours of game play for the hardcore RP addict.

Hack and slash with a brain has never looked this good!!!

Posted by Lance at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Britney Spears hasn’t released an album of new material since 2003 or given an interview in over 8 months, but it seems everywhere you look there she is.  Most of the media surrounding Britney lately is negative.  Is she going to divorce Kevin (or K-Fed, as he has been dubbed)?  Is she a has-been?  Is Britney a bad mother?

 Through all the scrutiny, Britney has remained quiet, until now.  She gave her first interview since her son was born to Today’s Matt Lauer.  You can read a partial transcript here or watch it here.  The full interview will air Thursday night at 8 pm on Dateline.

If you want to remember Britney before she went all domestic, check these out.

Posted by Katie at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Have you ever fancied yourself as a treasure hunter -- maybe another Indiana Jones?  Well, did you know that treasure was found in a cornfield near Parkville, Missouri in 1987? The treasure hunters were four men from the Kansas City area.  Not archeologist, just adventuresome men and they all had day jobs. Using old river maps and metal detectors Bob Hawley and his sons David and Greg along with friend Jerry Mackey found the Steamboat Arabia. It was laying a half mile from the current river bed and under 45 feet of dirt. The steamship had been carrying merchandise for general stores along the Missouri River.  The merchandise included boots and hats, axes and scissors, china and pots & pans, bolts of cloth and buttons and much, much more.

Ok, so they found the treasure then they had to educate themselves on how to preserve these items. Remember those items had been soaking in water and dirt for over hundred years.  The men and their families decided not to sell any of the treasure.  Instead they created Steamboat Arabia Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. 
You can read about the Arabia, the adventurers and the treasure in Treasure in a Cornfield: the Discovery and Excavation of the Steamboat Arabia by Greg Hawley and Treasures of the Steamboat Arabia by David Hawley. What a cool place to visit.

Posted by Jean at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lilly, the Turkey Vulture and Merlin, the Great Horned Owl were two of the wild animals that came to the library with Jeff, from the Stone Nature Center. 62 people attended this young adult summer reading program and many of them were eager to run their fingers over the 6 ft. black Rat Snake. Many of the animals are returned to the wild but Lilly has been emprinted to humans and Merlin was hit by a car and suffered a broken wing. Jeff gave many interesting facts about our Kansas animals and answered an equal amount of questions. Interesting fact: it is OK to put the baby bird back in his nest, birds can't smell.

Posted by Gayle at 02:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Monday June 12^th was the first XBOX 360 gaming night of the summer.

The library welcomed over thirty YA patrons and spectators for the first round of video game boxing with Fight Night Round 3.

 There was a high level of excitement and noise in David J’s place as gaming competitors jabbed, hooked, and even head butted each other in some grueling next generation boxing! We even had one fighter who went undefeated for the night (12-0) and is welcoming all challengers! Come out and participate to reserve your spot in our summer ending tournament.

XBOX 360 gaming is on Monday and Thursday nights from 5:30PM to 8:00PM. Gamers must be 11-18 years old with a library card.

Game On!!!

 

Posted by Lance at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Teens from across the county gathered to participate in a leadership and team building workshop lead by Leroy Russell, Shawnee County 4-H agent.  Russell and his teen ambassadors lead the group in various activities that demonstrated two or more people working together toward a common goal could succeed where an individual would not. Fun activities included keeping the ball rolling on the doughnut shaped fabric and turning a mat upside down without step off. 
Call a friend, share the fun. Russell and his 4-H ambassadors will provide a similar workshop on Thursday July 13 (2:00 – 4:00) in the Marvin Auditorium.  Register by calling 580-4565.

Posted by Jean at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This fun filled workshop will allow students to explore art using pencils, markers, watercolors and collage. Students will receive instructions and begin four projects. For those who speed, they will cross the Finish Line. Those who drive a little more cautiously will have four

projects they may finish at home.

Who: 11-18 years
When: Monday June 19th
Time: 1-3 pm
Where: Lingo Story Room

Registration required. Call 785-580-4565 for your spot today!

Posted by Meghan at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

for teens, by teens
Emily, age 13, thinks you should:
Read this!  When She Hollers by Cynthia Voight, The Other Side of Dark by Joan Lowery Nixon, and The Specter by Joan Lowery Nixon, and R. L. Stine’s Fear Street series
Watch this! Cheaper by the Dozen and The Grudge
Click this!  http://music.yahoo.com/  http://www.runescape.com/
Listen to this! Vanessa Carton, Avril Lavinge, Kelly Clarkson

Posted by Lissa at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Boy from the Basement by Susan Shaw

Charlie has spent most of his life locked in the basement. He’s only allowed out when his parents are asleep as long as he’s completely silent, and I don’t mean quiet, he has to be silent. Even then he’s not allowed to use the bathroom; he’s locked out, so he has to go in the backyard. Ewww. That backyard must SMELL! According to his dad’s rules, he’s not supposed to eat either. The food’s all locked up, but his mom tries to hide some in a drawer for him. Sometimes she can't, and Charlie has to go without food for days. Now Charlie’s sick, really sick, and he’s beginning to hallucinate. His hallucinations drive him out of the house in terror but he’s quickly lost in the unfamiliar world outside of his backyard. When Charlie is rescued and sent to a hospital, he’s even more afraid than before. The outside world is so strange to Charlie. It will not be easy for Charlie to recover physically and psychologically after years of abuse.

Charlie's story is fiction, but if you know of someone being abused or neglected, please contact SRS.

Posted by Michelle at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Check out YouTube lately? I was pointed in the direction of “The Evolution of Dance” and couldn’t stop watching. Give yourself the 6 minutes (or 12, or 18, or 24…) and watch the master of dance shake his groove thang.

Posted by Meghan at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The MTV Movie Awards aired Thursday night on MTV (obviously), with Jessica Alba performing the hosting duties.  Jessica Alba is enough for some to tune into the show, but for the rest of us, here’s a rundown of the big winners this year.

Best Movie:  “Wedding Crashers”
            Probably the funniest movie I saw all year (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” is a definite close second).  I really like both Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, so having both in one movie is awesome.  As a sidenote, if you haven’t watched the commentary these two do on the DVD, you should check it out, it’s hilarious!

Best Performance:  Jake Gyllenhaal, “Brokeback Mountain”
            All the performances of the nominees were fantastic, so I don’t think you could go wrong.  The more screen time Jake gets, though, the better.
Best Comedic Performance:  Steve Carell, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin”
            I have to agree with Meghan in her previous Movie Award post.  I have loved Steve Carell since “The Daily Show”, and he was fantastic in this movie. 
Best On-Screen Team:  Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, “Wedding Crashers”
            Brilliant!  I totally think you can tell these guys are friends in real life. 
Best Villain:  Hayden Christiansen, “Star Wars:  Episode III-Revenge of the Sith”
            I really wanted Cillian Murphy to win.  His name is even pronounced in a villainy way, “Kill-ian”.
Best Breakthrough Performance: Isla Fisher, “Wedding Crashers”
            She was so cute and funny in this movie.  A fun movie fact, she is engaged to Sacha Baron Cohen, otherwise known as Ali G.
Best Hero: Christian Bale, “Batman Begins”
            I liked this movie a lot.  I think Christian Bale was a great choice to take over the Batman role.  I love George Clooney, but him as Batman is just weird.  Bonus points go out to Christian because he referred to his wife as “my own personal Wonder Woman” in his acceptance speech.
Sexiest Performance: Jessica Alba, “Sin City”
            I’m not sure why they even bothered to nominate anyone besides Jessica Alba.  Like Meghan said before, “She dances, she has a lasso, and she can drive the get-away car like nobody’s business.”
Best Fight:  Angelina Jolie vs. Brad Pitt, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”
            I am a sucker for cliché.  I loved watching these two fight and the house being destroyed around them, it was awesome!  Though, I do have to say that if you haven’t seen “Kung Fu Hustle”, I totally recommend it.  It is a great movie!
Best Kiss:  Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, “Brokeback Mountain”
            I loved this movie and love that it won best kiss.  Plus, more Jake.
Best Frightened Performance: Jennifer Carpenter, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”
            I have to admit, the only nominated movie I saw was “House of Wax”.  The previews for “The Exorcism…” seemed pretty scary, though, so I’m sure Jennifer deserved to win.
mtvU Student Filmmaker Award: Joshua Caldwell, “A Beautiful Lie”
            All the nominees were good, you should check them out on mtv.com.
Silver Bucket of Excellence:  Spike Lee, “Do the Right Thing”
            Getting past the clothes, the content of this movie has as much relevance as it did 17 years ago, when it came out.

MTV Generation Award: Jim Carrey
            It so weird for him to receive the generation award, it seems like just yesterday he was playing Fire Marshall Bill on “In Living Color”.

 

 

Posted by Katie at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Can’t figure out what to do this weekend? You’ve already done everything, seen every movie, and got a bad sunburn from hanging out poolside?  If you have one more glass of lemonade or one more ice cream sandwich, you’re going to pop? (Okay, just kidding about the ice cream- you can never have too much of that!) Grab your sunglasses and put on some comfy shoes—Wakarusa Fest is back in Lawrence!

Headlining this year is ever eclectic and eccentric Flaming Lips. Other bands to check out:

Tim Reynolds (of Dave Matthews fame)
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Cracker
Buckethead (yes, THAT Buckethead formally of Guns ‘n Roses)

And some bands with truly terrific names (not sure about their sound, but might be worth checking out):

Bootyjuice
Trampled by Turtles
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
The Disco Biscuits
Probably Vampires
MOFRO
Sydeburnz vs. Frooky
Never Perfect Intentions
Deep Fried Pickle Project
Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band
Truckstop Honeymoon

Check out Lawrence.com for a full list of all the bands and sign up for a text message reminder so you don’t miss your favorite bands!

Posted by Meghan at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Halo fans who cannot wait for the release of  HALO 3 will want to check out this brief documentary on the making of Bungie’s new trailer.

Check out the new viewing angles and discover a few plot hints from game designers, engineers, graphic artists, and music composers.

 

The goal was to create a trailer that would leave HALO players salivating for more information. Will Master Chief really look this good in the real time game engine? What have the Covenant found on earth? Is Cortana evil now, or what?

 

Posted by Lance at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)