September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrating the culture and traditions of Americans with roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Hispanic Heritage Month — This page has links to more information about Hispanic Heritage Month, including lesson plans and other resources for students and teachers.

As part of its national tour, the Digital Bookmobile, will be visiting at the Beverly Public Library, 32 Essex Street, Beverly on Monday September 14, from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Readers of all ages are invited to explore digital downloading through interactive demonstrations and experience the North Of Boston Library Exchange’s (NOBLE) audiobook download service at this free event. NOBLE library card holders can also check out and download digital titles any time, anywhere by visiting the NOBLE Digital Catalog.

The Digital Bookmobile is housed inside 74-foot tractor-trailer and is equipped with broadband Internet-connected PCs, high definition monitors, premium sound systems, and a variety of portable media players, all of which help visitors explore NOBLE’s download service. While NOBLE’s collection only includes audiobooks at this time, the interactive learning stations give visitors an opportunity to sample eBooks, audiobooks, music, and video, as well as search the library’s digital media collection, and use supported mobile devices. Read more about it.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn more about this popular audiobook service. Bring your mobile devices and start downloading!

Libraries are busier than ever these days, and people who have a library card consider it one of their most valuable possessions. Your library card can provide you with a wide variety of books for information, education, entertainment or inspiration, as well as DVDs, CDs and more.

But your library card can also provide you with free access to licensed databases of high-quality reference sources and articles from newspapers, magazines and journals that are not otherwise available free anywhere on the Web. You can also use your library card to checkout free audiobooks that you can download and listen to from your home computer or transfer to your MP3 player. Your own library may have other services, including museum passes you can borrow, book groups, story hours, training classes, study rooms and much more.

If you haven’t checked out your library lately, this is a good time to drop by your library (in person or online) and see what’s going on, and spread the word to your fellow students, friends and neighbors!

Reference Database | Downloadable Audibooks | NOBLE Member Libraries

President Obama and his family are spending their vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, where, among other things, the President plans to catch up on his reading. Here are the five books we know the President brought with him, linked to the library catalog in case you’re interested in checking them out yourself:

• Pelecanos, George P. – The way home : a novel
• Price, Richard – Lush life
• Friedman, Thomas L. – Hot, flat, and crowded : why we need a green revolution, and how it can renew America
• McCullough, David G. – John Adams
• Haruf, Kent – Plainsong

Source: Barack’s Book Bag: What Obama’s Summer Reading List Says about Him — By John Dickerson, Slate, August 24, 2009,

Are you using our Overdrive downloadable audiobook service? We now have a monthly e-mail newsletter to provide you with tips for using the services, and booklists with reviews and more.

The August issue features the ever-popular Jane Austen — we have all six of her novels for download on the always available plan, never a waiting list.

NextReads E-mail Newsletters — You can subscribe to this e-mail newsletter (and many others!) by here. Check OverDrive Downloadable Audiobooks, and enter your name, e-mail address and give yourself a password (used later if you want to cancel or change your subscriptions.)

NOBLE Libraries — Our OverDrive collection is available to residents of communities served by NOBLE public library members, and those affiliated with NOBLE academic libraries. Please check with your library for more information.

Even if you’re not taking a trip this summer, you can still explore the world through books. Your library has books on people and places around the world, so relax in an armchair or perhaps a hammock or beach towel, and read your way around the world.

Need some suggestions on where to start? You can subscribe to our Armchair Travel Newsletter. Every other month you’ll receive an e-mail newsletter that includes both new and older books of travel adventure.

NextReads Newsletters — You can subscribe to the Armchair Travel Newsletter (and many others) from this page

NextReads Newsletter Archives — Go to this page if you’d rather read these online instead of by e-mail, or if you want to check out the back issues