The Collection Connection

The holidays are upon us! As we prepare to wrap up this year and unfold a new one, now is a good time to create a "To Read" list of books for those cold winter evenings. In this issue, discover workplace and wellness titles to assist you in reaching some of those New Year's resolutions. As always, we have bestseller fiction too! Finally, this issue features titles to help with your holiday entertaining; information on our sister library, the Kentucky Talking Book Library; and a spotlight on KYVL's Learning Express Library database.

See something of interest? Click on the hyperlinked title to be taken to the item record in our catalog, sign in, and click Send to My Office. If the title is also available as an eBook/audiobook, you can click on the blue View button to be taken to KY Libraries Unbound for check out. Only like general and genre fiction? We also have all types of fiction in large print and audiobooks, as well as plenty of fiction eBooks/audiobooks through Kentucky Libraries Unbound.

Bestsellers

• And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham
• Bono: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono
• The Boys From Biloxi by John Grisham
• Desert Star by Michael Connelly
• Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks
• Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry
• Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
• The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama
• So Help Me God by Mike Pence
• A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

Employee Wellness & Workplace

Finance

• Credit Repair Kit for Dummies by Stephen R. Bucci, et al
• Work Your Money, Not Your Life: How to Balance Your Career and Personal Finances to Get What You Want by Roger Ma

Health/Wellness

• Embrace Aging: Conquer Your Fears and Enjoy Added Years by Jeannette Guerrasio MD

• Finding Comfort During Hard Times: A Guide to Healing after Disaster, Violence, and Other Community Trauma by Earl Johnson

• How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal From Your Past, and Create Your Self by Nicole LePera

• The New Science of Fighting Silent Heart Disease: Causes, Diagnoses, Prevention, and Treatments by Harold L. Karpman MD

• Talking Back: How to Overcome Chronic Back Pain and Rebuild Your Life by Rowland G. Hazard MD

• Surviving an Eating Disorder: Strategies for Families and Friends by Michele Siegel et al
  

Parenting

• Bilingual Families: A Practical Language Planning Guide by Eowyn Crisfield
• The Child Code: Understanding Your Child's Unique Nature for Happier More Effective Parenting by Danielle M. Dick
• The First Episode of Psychosis: A Guide for Young People and Their Families by Michael T. Compton and Beth Broussard
• Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media by Donna Jackson Nakazawa
• Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want To Be by Rebecca Kennedy
• Home-School Learning Resources: A Guide for Home Educators, Teachers, Parents, and Librarians by Christinea Donnelly
• Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential by Carol S. Dweck

Technology

• Adobe After Effects:2021 Release by Brie Gyncild and Lisa Fridsma

• Adobe Dimension: 2021 Release by Keith Gilbert

• Adobe Illustrator: 2021 Release by Brian Wood

• Adobe Photoshop CC for Dummies by Peter Bauer

• Chromebook for Dummies By Peter H. Gregory and Mark LaFay

• Public Sector Marketing Pro: The Definitive Guide to Digital Marketing and Social Media for Government and Public Sector by Joanne Sweeney

Workplace

• 7 Winning Conflict Resolution Techniques: Master Nonviolent and Effective Communication Skills to Resolve Everyday Conflicts in the Workplace, Relationships, Marriage and Crucial Conversations by Gerard Shaw

• The Arsonist in the Office: Fireproofing Your Life Against Toxic Coworkers, Bosses, Employees, and Cultures by Pete Havel

• Leading for Justice: Supervision, HR, and Culture by Rita Sever

• Robert's Rules for Dummies by C. Alan Jennings

• The Virtual Leader: How to Manage a Remote Workplace by Takako Hirata

Kentucky Highlights in Fiction and Non-Fiction

• The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Fall of Kentucky's Rock: Western Kentucky Democratic Politics Since the New Deal by George Humphreys
• From the Hood to the Holler: A Story of Separate Worlds, Shared Dreams, and the Fight for America's Future by Charles Booker
• The Gospel of Freedom: Black Evangelicals and the Underground Railroad by Alicestyne Turley-Adams
• The Kentucky Kidnappings and Death March: The Revolutionary War at Ruddell's Fort and Martin's Station by Russell L. Mahan
  
• Quilt City Murders by Bruce Leonard
• Shifty's Boys by Chris Offutt

The Kentucky Talking Book Library (KTBL) provides free library service to people who cannot read traditional print because they have a visual, physical, or reading disability. KTBL has a long and illustrious record of serving our state. It has been in operation since 1969 and is part of a national network of libraries administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, a branch of the Library of Congress created in 1931. In 2017, KTBL was awarded the James Carl Dotson award, presented to an individual or organization who has given long-standing service to blind and visually impaired Kentuckians.

Who Can Use KTBL?

Any resident of Kentucky, preschool age to senior citizen, who has difficulty seeing standard print material, is unable to hold a book and turn the pages, or has a verified reading disability is eligible for KTBL service. The condition may be temporary or permanent, as long as a competent authority endorses the application. Examples of eligible conditions include blindness, eye surgery, macular degeneration, stroke, crippling arthritis, and dyslexia.

What Kind of Materials Are Available?

​Audio and Braille materials are sent to and from users by postage-free mail, or can be downloaded from the internet. A special Talking Book player can be provided on loan. Books for all ages, both fiction and non-fiction, and magazines are available. Picture books with a Braille overlay are also available. In addition, a newspaper reading service and Braille and large print music scores can be accessed.

How Do KTBL Books Differ From Audiobooks?

For those who are blind or have low vision, or those who have physical conditions such as arthritis, audiobooks are not a preference or a convenience, but a necessity. KTBL has a large collection of over 130,000 talking books for all ages and interests—and a large portion are not available anywhere else. KTBL librarians can select books for readers based on their interests and send as many as the user can read. KTBL has specialized playback devices and accessories that can easily be used by people who are blind, including a high-volume player for those who also have a hearing impairment. Patrons who have their own smartphone or tablet may download books 24/7 using a free app. There is no waiting for popular titles—all talking books are available all the time.

Know Someone Looking for a Volunteer Opportunity?

NLS talking books are recorded by professional narrators in the studios of contractors who bid each year on book production. These books make up the majority of the catalog of titles available. However, KTBL has a recording studio and records 40 books per year on average that are specific to Kentucky related topics, such as histories, biographies, and books by Kentucky authors. KTBL depends on volunteers to read and record these books for distribution to its patrons. Volunteers work in the Frankfort studio between 9:00-5:00 Monday-Friday, typically once a week for one to two hours, although more hours are possible.

Want to Know More?

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from KTBL service, go to ktbl.ky.gov for an application and to learn more!

LearningExpress Library is available to state employees through the Kentucky Virtual Library (KYVL). In case you are unfamiliar with KYVL, it is a consortium of over 350 Kentucky libraries and institutions, including colleges and universities, public libraries, K12 schools, hospitals, Department of Defense libraries, and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) - where your friendly, neighborhood State Library is housed. To reach LearningExpress, just click on the KYVL icon on the research databases page (button below), and then click on Databases in the orange menu at the top.

LearningExpress Library is a fantastic database for those looking to achieve educational and/or career goals. The award-winning learning tools are available through multiple online platforms and are organized into targeted learning centers. If you are looking to improve core academic skills, pass the GED®, prepare for college, join the military, obtain occupational certification, find a job, or change careers, this is the database for you! Each of the nine learning centers contain practice tests, eBooks, tutorials, articles, and flashcards. You can work on improving math and writing skills; explore various careers; create a fabulous resume and cover letter; prepare to take any number of college, and graduate/professional school entrance exams, and so much more. Check it out today and make your school and work dreams come true in the new year!

Hours 8:00 - 4:30 Monday - Friday

Email: KDLAReferenceDesk@ky.gov
Website: https://kdla.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Location: 300 Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, KY, USA
Phone: 502-564-8306
Facebook: facebook.com/kystatelibrary
Twitter: @KYStateLibrary