“We wish you love, peace and soul” might be a familiar phrase if you ever watched an episode of Soul Train, a show that offered exposure to some of the greatest African-American musicians.  The show’s creator, Don Cornelius, recently passed away on February 1, 2012 yet he leaves behind a legacy of opportunity for a plethora of R&B, hip hop, jazz, soul, disco and gospel artists.  M    >> Read more

Happy New Year!  'Tis the season when magazine publishers feel compelled to sit down and review the past year (probably because it's an easy issue to fill up and then they can all go home early for the holidays.)  Here in the Main Library Periodicals Department we have a wide selection of these "what did it all mean?" issues, each with their own focus.    >> Read more

1.  Style Me Vintage: Easy Step-by-Step Techniques for Creating Classic Hairstyles by Belinda Hay    >> Read more

It’s time for the celebratory nostalgia of June nuptials. Our collection has two pictorial books on Hollywood weddings with classic photographs of motion picture scenes and real life movie stars. A most memorable bride in Hollywood was Elizabeth Taylor. Both book covers have screen shots from her movie Father of the Bride.    >> Read more

With the royal wedding coming up in just a few days, the frenzy for all things British is reaching a new height. Coverage on the television about the wedding is seemingly non-stop, and we are learning everything we “need” to know about the royal couple and their families.    >> Read more

A couple of years ago, my best friend and I met up in Los Angeles for a “girlfriend getaway”… a weekend devoted to having fun and reconnecting without our husbands in tow.  One of the things we wanted to do was attend a studio taping, and I managed to land two seats on the front row for TV’s top-rated sitcom, “Two and a Half Men”.    >> Read more

Legendary Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79.

Celebrate the life of this Oscar-winning actress by remembering some of her landmark films, available for checkout from the Richland County Public Library.

Click on the images below and get these movies today!

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Did you want to be a rock and roll star? There are some great new memoirs that let us regular people have a sneak peak into the life of a rocker.    >> Read more

Prince William of Wales will marry his longtime girlfriend Catherine Middleton on April 29 at Westminster Cathedral.  Devoted royalty-watchers await the day of ceremony and pomp---which the British do so well---with hopes for a joyful beginning to a happy marriage as this young couple enter a life of service to their country together.  In the last century, the public aspect of royal weddings evolved from marital unions designed to cement     >> Read more

As you may have already heard, Time has named its 2010 Person of the Year.  This year it's Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO and co-founder. 

I have no idea how Facebook came to take over my life.  For years I claimed to be too old for it.  Then I said I didn't see the utility in it.  Then I said it hardly mattered since my friends are also too old for it.  Finally, I started playing Farmville and that was the end of that.    >> Read more

The lives of the stars can make fascinating reading. Hollywood is where art, celebrity, beauty, music, and popular culture collide. Actors and even films have  been the subject of some recent books, and it is always quite a story that is revealed within.

The life of an actor or artist is never easy, and many seem to be filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. There are so many books about actors and Hollywood, but here is a short list of some of the best.    >> Read more

Living in East Tennessee for fourteen years, I loved the rich culture and natural beauty of the area.  The nearby Smoky Mountains offered an endless source of entertainment, and the friendly manner of the locals made it easy to feel right at home.    >> Read more

Author, biographer, and music critic Harvey Pekar passed away July 12 at age 70. He wanted people to know that everyone deals with the same basic issues:

Getting a job, finding a mate, having a place to live, finding a creative outlet. Life is a war of attrition. You have to stay active on all fronts. It's one thing after another. I've tried to control a chaotic universe. And it's a losing battle. But I can't let go. I've tried, but I can't.    >> Read more

The Masters Golf Tournament is just around the corner, and everyone is eagerly anticipating Tiger's return to the tour.  There is no bigger sports story out there - even March madness and all the hype surrounding the NCAA basketball tournament is taking a back seat.  Will the fans support him?  Can he take the pressure?  Can he win?  Will it be a "Master-ful" return for Tiger?  I'm really excited this year because I finally got tickets to a practice round again - I'm going on Wednesday so I'll get to see the Par 3 Tournament too!  I'll definitely be Tiger     >> Read more

Did you get to watch the 82nd annual Academy Awards?  Have you had a chance to watch some of this year's Oscar picks?  Many of the nominees and winners are already on or Blu-ray disc and available for check out from RCPL. We will update this list as new titles become available.   

The current issue of the New Yorker, which happens to be the 85th anniversary issue, has a fantastic article on veterans of the civil rights movement.  The article is accompanied by striking black and white photographs of people like the Little Rock Nine, John Lewis, Myrlie Evers, Tommie Smith, and John Carlos by Platon, a Greek-English staff photographer.    >> Read more

On a recent trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, some friends and I went horseback riding on a mountain trail.  One of our guides was quite loquacious and tried to make small talk throughout our adventure.  This was the same weekend as the Carolina/Tennessee game so naturally sports was the main topic, but he surprised me when he brought up Darius Rucker.  He knew Rucker was from South Carolina, had heard about his USC connection and was quite impressed with his country music CD.  It was nice to hear something positive about a South Carolina public figure.

Last night, Rucker won the "New Artist of the Year" award at the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards in Nashville.  I attended graduate school at USC in 1988 and remember fondly Rucker's vocals as lead singer with Hootie and the Blowfish on the local scene.  The band formed in 1986 and released their debut album, Cracked Rear View, in 1994.  I've always enjoyed Rucker's vocals, and it is no different with his country music deput which I am currently listening to.  If you were to remove some of the country guitar "twang," this music could easily crossover.  Congratulations to Rucker for finding a new niche and becoming the first African American artist to win a major CMA since Charley Pride.  

RCPL currently has on display, Hootie and the Blowfish: A Columbia Obsession, on the third level in our Local History Room.  Please be sure to check out this wonderful memorabilia collection.  

Thanks to the CMA and the young man on the horse trail who inspired me to give a listen to Rucker's latest CD project.  If you haven't listened to Hootie lately or would like to hear Darius's country music venture, check out the library's music collection for the CDs listed below.
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Willie Nelson began music lessons at the age of six and wrote his first song at age seven.  At nine years old, he was playing in a local band in Abbott, Texas. His first #1 singing hit was Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain in 1975, which appeared on the album Red Headed Stranger.   

Now in his 70's, he continues to tour and has performed in concerts and fundraisers with other major musicians, including Bob Dylan, and Dave Matthews. He also continues to record albums prolifically in new genres that embrace reggae, blues, jazz, folk, and popular music.    >> Read more

En la biblioteca principal que tenemos muchos periódicos y revistas en español!

Unfortunately, that's about the extent of my Spanish. I'm taking a class, but I'm not quite ready for prime time yet!  However, we have a lot of magazines and newspapers in Spanish - they're great for natives speakers to catch up on what's happening at home and a fantastic way for learners to get some reading practice!

I love People in Español.  It's pretty easy to figure out (oh, somebody has a new baby, somebody got married, somebody is cheating on somebody else!) and I love all the Spanish-language celebrities I've never heard of.  I don't know how they manage it, but every single celebrity in People in Español is about a thousand times more beautiful than any American celebrity.  Must be something in the water.  

El Nuevo Herald comes with the Sunday Miami Herald.  It's a full-sized newspaper in its own right, not just a Spanish version of the main paper.  It covers all kinds of news, not only stories relevant to Miami, and there are sections for sports, travel and life as well.

La Noticia is a weekly newspaper from Charlotte that serves the Spanish-speaking communities in the surrounding regions.  It has news ("La esposa del gobernador de Carolina del Sur, Mark Sanford, está escribiendo sus memorias" - can we not escape this story anywhere?), opinion pieces, Spanish ads and classifieds and more.  There are even a few recipes in each issue.  It's the largest Spanish language newspaper in the Carolinas, so its impact extends past the immediate Charlotte area.

Vanidades is a bi-weekly magazine with articles on beauty, fashion, celebrities, travel and more.  It's kind of like a combination of Redbook and Vogue - geared towards stylish professional women through their 40s with a lot of disposable income and insatiable curiosity about royal families.  The celebrities in Vanidades are more likely to be American or European than Hispanic (evidently Sean Connery is working on a new movie, and Kim Cattrall broke up with somebody) which might be easier reading for new learners.

You can come and take a look at any of these Spanish language resources in Periodicals at the Main Library on the Second Level.  On the First Level, we also have a collection of Spanish language books for you to check out, and many of our informational handouts are also available in Spanish.  Gracias, y espero verte pronto!    >> Read more

Last May, my mom and I ran the Providence Women's Heart and Sole 5 Miler.  (Well, she ran, and I mostly limped - I didn't know I'd hurt my toe until mile four or so.)  We always stay for the winners' announcements, partly because it's polite but mostly because my mom always comes in in the top three of her age group and wins a prize.  She's also always last in her age group - my dad and I make fun of her for her First Loser's medals.  There just aren't a lot of women 64-69 competing. 

Don't tell anybody, but she beats me every time.  My goal is to come in before my mother in a race before she turns 70 and it gets really humiliating.

Well, the woman who won the whole thing was 42 years old, and she did it in under 30 minutes.  Remember, it's five miles, it was hot as blazes and halfway through it you go up Gervais from the Publix to Marion.  Go run that - I'll wait.

Bit of an incline, is it?  I walked it, myself, and I'm not 42.  Of course, the only way I'll ever win my age group is if I live to be 120, and even then I'll probably have to whack my competitors in the knee with my cane.  So maybe I'm not the best judge.  I keep looking behind me because I'm terrified of being last - second to last is okay, but dead last would hurt my feelings.

So, who was the winner?  I'll confess, I had no idea, and my excuse is that I was four years old when Zola Budd collided with Mary Decker in the 3000 meter race at the 1984 Olympics.  A colleague had to fill me in - thanks, Jennifer!  Zola Budd Pieterse lives in Myrtle Beach now with her husband and three children, and she has recently started running again in races throughout the Carolinas. 

I've recently read two excellent articles on Zola Budd Pieterse.  The new October issue of Runner's World has a lengthy article focusing on her childhood in South Africa and controversial Olympic appearance.  Her rise was meteoric - she came out of nowhere to break world records in the 5000 meter at the age of 17.  Barefoot.  She ran for Great Britain, because apartheid-era South Africa was banned from the games, and was criticized for her decision.  Although her collision with Mary Decker was later judged to be an accident, public opinion at the Los Angeles games turned against Budd, and she received death threats and had to be whisked back to Britain by armed guards. 

An article recently in The State discusses her recent move to South Carolina and new found career on the masters' circuit.  She has learned to balance her family life with running and now runs for fun, not to set records. 

Despite all the controversy, Zola remains beloved in her home country of South Africa.  To this day, township taxis are called "Zola Budds" because of their speed.

There's a lot more about it in these articles - come take a look in Periodicals!

Friedman, Steve.  "After the Fall." Runner's World. Oct 2009, p. 80-90, 102, 104, 108.    >> Read more

Person, Joseph. "No Looking Back." The State. 8/23/09, 1A.

Lester William Paulfuss passed away on August 13, 2009.  He was 94 years old.

Not only was Les Paul a masterful guitarist and musician, he was a pioneer  of the electric guitar and inventor of electronic equipment used by musicians all over the world. 

Les Paul's musical and innovative contributions have enabled so many talented musicians after him.     >> Read more

“Hi, Billy Mays here!”

Sadly, Americans will only be able to hear his intro statement on late-night reruns. The ubiquitous pitchman died of a heart attack at his Florida home on Sunday, June 28, 2009. While he wasn’t the King of Pop or an iconic beauty, his passing just days after the death of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett sent another shudder through much of the already jolted American population.

Born in McKees Rocks, PA, Mays got his start in 1983 as a salesman on the Boardwalk of Atlantic City; there, he studied the techniques of older salesmen and developed his own “yell and sell” style. For the next several years, he traveled the country, selling a variety of products at state fairs, home shows and auto shows. He got his big break in 1993 when he met the owner of Orange Glo International and was hired to sell their line of cleaning products on television; he began pitching OxiClean, Orange Glo, Kaboom and other cleaning products on the Home Shopping Network.

As his advertising empire grew, Mays became a highly demanded pitchman and hawked products such as Might Putty, Big City Sliders and the Hercules Hook. He was a constant figure on television and even did some commercials for ESPN, in which he parodied his own infomercials. In April 2009, he began co-starring with Anthony Sullivan on the show Pitchmen on the Discovery Channel, which gave inventors the chance to pitch their new products.

At Mays’ funeral, pallbearers wore blue work shirt and khaki pants, which the pitchman often wore in his advertisements. Mays himself was buried in a shirt bearing the OxiClean logo. His last commercial was shot three days before his death on June 25.

Thanks for the memories, Billy Mays. Nobody will ever be able to fill my nights of insomnia or make me want to pick up the phone and order quite like you.

Ever wondered if the products sold on TV by pitchmen like Billy Mays are worth it? You might be surprised at how much information the major consumer publications offer. Did you know you can access magazines like Consumer Reports through the library's databases in the comfort of your own home? Well, you can! You don't even have to call us in the next ten minutes to get the benefit of this FABULOUS OFFER! Just follow the Research Tools link by hovering over "Research & Learning" on the left side of the main RCPL home page or at the top of every page on our Web site. You can explore the databases by subject or by the database name, but if you're looking for a specific publication, it's easy to just type the name of the newspaper or magazine into the search box on that page.

Better yet, if you're interested in consumer information, couponing and saving money, come to the Savvy Shopper program next Monday, August 3! It's in the Bostick Auditorium on the Garden Level of the Main Library at 6:30 p.m. We'll have speakers from The State and the Department of Consumer Affairs, and we'll be talking about great resources for smart shopping. See you there!    >> Read more

Music Icon and "King of Pop," Michael Joseph Jackson unnexpectedly passed away on June 25, 2009.  Fans across the world are shocked and saddened by the loss of this legendary, pivotal figure in the world of popular music. 

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