Book Briefs for April 30-May 6

LIBRARY TO HOST POETRY JAM

Middle school students are slated to perform original works at Poetry Jam from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd. For more information, visit lvccld.org.

LIFE STORIES WORKSHOP ALUMNI
INVITED TO REUNION CLASS

The Life Stories Nevada memoir-writing workshop, a University of Nevada Cooperative Extension program, is planning a reunion class from 10:30 a.m. to noon Friday at the Las Vegas FamilySearch Library, 509 S. Ninth St. The intent is to continue the work of Life Stories Nevada through regular writing groups.

The extension completed a partnership with the library in March to offer a four-week memoir-writing workshop for older adults. Due to budget cuts, the class will no longer be offered, but extension staff is working with volunteers at the FamilySearch Library to continue the writing groups to allow those working on memoirs to get the encouragement they need to finish.

The writing group is free, and no registration is required.

For more information, call Jean Norman at 702-940-5423 or Wayne Stoker at the FamilySearch Library at 702-382-9695.

Author presents book
on city’s early history

Local historian Linda Miller is scheduled to sign copies of “Early Las Vegas,” her book from the Images of America series, at 1 p.m. Saturday at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble.

READERS INVITED TO MEET AUTHOR

Readers are invited to meet Margit Macchia, author of “Herzipinki: 7 Steps to Living a Life of Joy, Laughter and Happiness,” from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday in the vestibule of the Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway. Visit mypubliclibrary.com for details.

SUMMERLIN LIBRARY PLANS BOOK SALE

The Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, is scheduled to host its annual book sale featuring hundreds of titles for adults and children all priced at $1 or less from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit lvccld.org.

SUN CITY MACDONALD RANCH
SCHEDULES BOOK EVENTS

The Sun City MacDonald Ranch Literary Guild plans to host a book event for “Rogue Town,” written by Dennis Griffin and Vito Colucci, at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Willows Community Center, 2020 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway. The event is free and open to the public, and the onsite Willows restaurant is slated to offer a 20 percent discount to attendees on the day of the event. Other upcoming authors scheduled to visit the guild include former Gov. Bob Miller, who is scheduled to talk about his book “Son of a Gambling Man” at 7 p.m. May 17 in the center’s ballroom. Henderson bestselling romance author Robyn Carr is scheduled to meet with the group at 2 p.m. June 9.

SUMMERLIN LIBRARY TO HOST
SCREENWRITING SECRETS WORKSHOP

The Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, is scheduled to host part one of a two-part free screenwriting secrets workshop led by professional writers James Kring and Firdosi Wharton from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The second part is scheduled from
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 11. For more information, call Susan Williams at 702-507-3866.

AUTHOR MAXWELL DRAKE
TO OFFER FREE WRITING WORKSHOPS

Maxwell Drake is slated to offer free writing workshops from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday and 4:45 to 6:45 p.m. Monday at the Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive. Call 507-6107 or visit lvccld.org for more information.

ALIANTE LIBRARY TO HOST WRITERS CLUB

The Aliante Library Writers Club is scheduled to meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the Aliante Library, 2400 W. Deer Springs Way. For more information, contact facilitator Glory Wade at glorywadewriter@gmail.com.

SUMMERLIN LIBRARY OFFERS
READERS AND WRITERS WORKSHOP SERIES

A readers and writers workshop series sponsored by poet, editor and writer Barbara Miller is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second Saturday of every month at the Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive. For more information, call 702-507-3866.

LAS VEGAS WRITERS PLAN PROGRAM FEATURING MERCEDES M. YARDLEY

Las Vegas writer Mercedes M. Yardley, author of the short story collection “Beautiful Sorrows” and a contributing editor for Shock Totem Magazine, is scheduled to speak on the pros and cons of publishing with a small press during a meeting of the Las Vegas Writers Group scheduled for 7 p.m. May 16 at the Tap House, 5589 W. Charleston Blvd.

A meeting fee of $5 is charged.

For more information, visit meetup.com/las-vegas-writers.

AUTHOR PJ SHELDON TO LEAD CAREER WORKSHOP

Local author PJ Sheldon is slated to put on a Junior Achievement-sponsored career workshop at 11 a.m. May 11 at the 567 N. Stephanie St. Barnes & Noble. Sheldon is also scheduled to sign books at noon.

ROMANCE WRITERS
TO WELCOME JOYCE BRENNAN

Romance author Joyce Brennan is scheduled to speak on writing series or stand-alone novels at 10:30 a.m. May 18 during a meeting of the Las Vegas Romance Writers in the Wengert conference room in the NV Energy building, 6226 W. Sahara Ave. The meeting is scheduled to begin with club business at 10 a.m. For more information, visit lasvegasrwa.org.

LIBRARY DISTRICT TO HOST STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

The Clark County Library District is scheduled to host the Bristlecone Storytelling Festival, a series of performances featuring Clark County School District fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grader students. Events are scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 13 and 14 at the Sunrise Library, 5400 Harris Ave.; May 14 and 15 at the Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane; May 20 and 21 at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.; and May 22 and 23 at the Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave. For more information, visit lvccld.org.

LOCAL AUTHOR SERIES TO FEATURE CHRISTENE HOUSTON

Meet Christene Houston, local author of the teen romance “A Heart So Broken” during a READ Local Author Series event scheduled from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. May 22 in the lobby of the Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Parkway. Visit mypubliclibrary.org for more information.

OSCAR GOODMAN PLANS SIGNING FOR ‘BEING OSCAR’

Former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman is slated to sign copies of “Being Oscar: From Mob Lawyer to Mayor of Las Vegas,” a book he wrote with the help of true crime author George Anastasia, at 2 p.m. June 1 at the 8915 W. Charleston Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

FIERCE READS 2013 SUMMER TOUR PLANS LAS VEGAS STOP

Authors Leigh Bardugo, Jessica Brody, Anna Banks and Emmy Laybourne are scheduled to visit at 7 p.m. June 5 at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble as part of the Fierce Reads 2013 Summer Tour.

For more information about the tour, visit macteenbooks.com.

FREE STORYCORPS TOOLKIT
HELPS COLLECT MEMORIES

The national StoryCorps’ Memory Loss Initiative encourages people with memory loss to share their stories with loved ones and future generations. To make that task easier, a free step-by-step toolkit is available to download at storycorps.org/mli.

The Commemorate toolkit offers an individual reminiscence program that family members can initiate or memory loss care facilities can add to activities.

The initiative has collected more than 1,800 interviews with 180 partner organizations.

For more information, visit storycorps.org or call 646-723-7027.

ACCESS RECORDED BOOK PROGRAMS ONLINE

Too busy to get out to book programs? The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has started posting videocasts and podcasts of many of its programs online. Selections available so far include: “An Afternoon with Tony Curtis,” John L. Smith’s presentation “Amelia’s Long Journey: The Challenge of Writing What You Know,” “Batman” movie producer Michael Uslan’s presentation at the 2009 Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, Jami Carpenter’s “ABCs of Editing” workshop and Brian Rouff’s “Getting Published: A Long Strange Trip.” To access the programs, visit lvccld.org, select “Books, Movies & More” and then “Video and Podcasts.”

The Black Mountain Institute has offered recordings of its programming since 2006. To access recordings of a gamut of writers from E.L. Doctorow to Alissa Nutting, visit blackmountain
institute.org and select “multimedia.”

HENDERSON WRITERS GROUP MEETINGS SET

The Henderson Writers Group meets from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Mondays in room C-2 at Community Lutheran Church, 3720 E. Tropicana Ave. Meetings are typically canceled on holidays. Visit henderson
writersgroup.com for more information.

BARNES & NOBLE TO HOST WRITING GROUP

The 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble hosts a writing critique group the fourth Monday of each month. The group is limited to the first 20 participants per meeting. Sign up at meetup.com/las-vegas-creative-writing-class.

FREE READ TO ME PROGRAM
OFFERS STORIES ONLINE AND BY PHONE

Celebrity storytellers Oscar Goodman, Rita Rudner, Clint Holmes, Terry Fator, Carrot Top, The Scintas and others have donated their talents to the Clark County Education Association Community Foundation’s Read To Me program. Children can view more than 15 videos of celebrities reading books on the website at readtomelv.com. Stories also can be accessed by calling 702-240-2665.

Both databases are frequently updated with fresh stories. Parents and teachers can download lesson plans for each book on the website.

SHARE POEMS AT HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Polish up a poem or two and try them out at Human Experience, a free spoken word event, from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays in The Beat Coffeehouse inside Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St. For details, visit lasvegaspoets.org.

DOWNLOAD BOOKS AND MORE
FROM YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARY

Virtual Branch websites make it easy to browse, check out and download digital books and more to a home computer for free. All patrons need is a valid library card and an Internet-connected PC.

Virtual Branch download websites feature a digital catalog of downloadable audio books, e-books, music and video titles.

Each site is meant to look and feel like the library’s main site, and it has many easy-to-use features similar to an online store.

Digital book downloads are borrowed just like print materials. Once patrons select the title or author they want, they follow the steps to check out and then download the title to their home computer.

Patrons can transfer most titles to portable media players, such as MP3 players, PDAs, Kindles or smart phones.

Each title that is downloaded has a designated lending period. When the title expires, it is automatically returned to the Virtual Branch, so there are no late fees.

For more information, visit
search.overdrive.com.

ZINE LIBRARY OPEN IN EMERGENCY ARTS

Grab a cup of coffee and check out the independently crafted magazines at the Las Vegas Zine Library inside The Beat Coffeehouse in Emergency Arts, 520 Fremont St.

The library is more of a collection on display for reference and on-site reading than a checkout repository. Contributions of zines are appreciated. For more information, visit lvzinelibrary.blogspot.com.

BROWSE RARE BOOKS IN NEW APP

Searching for rare books? Now there’s an app for that. Bauman Rare Books, which has a shop in The Palazzo, 3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South, recently launched an app available on iTunes that allows readers to see new acquisitions, browse catalogs, view videos, make purchases and manage their personal accounts and share items via Twitter and Facebook. If you have $65,000 to spend on a first-edition “The Catcher in the Rye” signed by J.D. Salinger, the app has you covered. The catalog can also be perused at baumanrarebooks.com.