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Health & Fitness

Get (Really) Lucky at the Library

New Lucky Day books, borrow a Nook, and an e-book Petting Zoo. Oh my!

John Grisham’s latest book, The Litigators, has a waiting list of 84 people who have reserved one of the library’s copies. But if you were one of those 84 and I said you might be able to walk into the and find it on the shelf, would you come in and check?

How lucky do you feel? Marin County Free Library is rolling out a new collection, called “Lucky Day” books. Special copies of best-sellers are being purchased that are available on a first-see, first-grab basis. If it’s on the shelf, you can have it right now. Instant gratification, no fees, no waiting. These books check out for seven days (as in “lucky seven”). So if you walk into the Fairfax Library and see that new John Grisham title, it’s your lucky day (hence the name of this collection).

If you’re really lucky, you might be in the library when a Nook is available to borrow. 

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For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a Nook is the e-reader developed by Barnes & Noble, similar to Amazon’s Kindle. The library’s color Nooks feature a small touch-sensitive computer screen about the size of a paperback, wireless capability, and 35 books. You can adjust the print size, which means every book becomes large type, and of course you can carry 35 books (or several hundred) in your pocket.

Fairfax Library now has six Nooks that circulate for free to Fairfax residents. (San Anselmo also has Nooks to borrow, and these are limited to San Anselmo residents). Nooks check out for one week with no renewals and are pre-loaded with a variety of titles, including a few children’s books which the Nook will read aloud to you if you choose. This is a pilot program, designed to give our patrons a chance to “test-drive” one of these devices before deciding whether to make the investment.

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As a friend of mine pointed out, once you buy an e-reader, “you have to feed it.”  Here’s where your library card becomes better than a credit card, because if you already have an e-reader, you can download e-books and audiobooks for free from any Marin County library. Go to marinet.lib.ca.us and click on “e-books” to start browsing. Besides numerous best-sellers, there is a huge collection of classic titles which are always available.

If you are still unsure about e-readers and would like a personally guided tour, Fairfax Library will be holding an e-book Petting Zoo on Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. to demonstrate the benefits and workings of a Nook, a Kindle and an iPad.  See and handle a real device, ask questions, and decide which one you really want for Christmas (or the gift-giving/getting occasion of your choice).

Because with gift of this magnitude, you don’t want to rely on luck.

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