Can You Believe the Year is Over???

2009 has been such an awesome year. We are slowing down on programs during the holidays, but don't worry, we will be back in 2010 with some more cool things for you. Here are five reasons to keep coming to the library in the New Year:

1. Rock in the New Year: Family Rock Band (Monday, January 4 @ 6 p.m.)
Bring the whole family and some food to our potluck Rock Band extravaganza.

2. Mario Kart Tournament (Thursday, January 7 @4 p.m.)
Battle your friends in an attempt to win an FYE gift card.

3. Pop Culture Wars Trivia Contest (Thursday, January 14 @ 6 p.m.)
This super fun game is coming back for a second year. Bring your friends and your knowledge of movies, stars, fashions, books, etc. from 2009 to win fabulous prizes and bragging rights.

4. Anime Critics & Manga Discussion Group: Golden Pocky Awards (Thursday January 21 @ 4 p.m.)
It's that time of year again! Nominate your favorite manga and anime characters, books, and shows. Come to the meeting to find out the winners of this year's Golden Pockies.

5. Madden Madness Superbowl Pre-Party (Thursday, January 28 @ 6 p.m.)
It's not clear who will be in the Superbowl this year but we know that you should be at the library the Thursday before the big game. We will have snacks, football themed games and more!

Happy holidays and a happy new year!!!

How Do I Do That?

Don't be shy, you can do it! There's a reason no one ever reads the instruction manual. Ho. Hum. That's why the video how-to site Howcast is such a gem. It breaks from its more staid counterparts, such as eHow, by injecting a necessary dose of humor. Come here to learn "how to compliment a woman," "how to furnish a dorm room without spending a fortune," and "how to dance without embarrassing yourself." Each video is rated — often by thousands of members — so you won't waste bandwidth on the boring ones.

Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs, Vlogs!

Did you miss "David after the Dentist" when it came out? If you've ever been stung by being out-of-the-loop, then this is the vlog for you. Every other week or so, "researchers" from the thoroughly tongue-in-cheek Rocketboom Institute for Internet Studies explain what's funny on the Web and why — so you can be 1337 and have a life too.

UrbanDictionary.com

Forget about learning Spanish or French. The language you really need to know to keep up — in the U.S. anyway — is street lingo. To stay hip, visit Urban Dictionary, which has millions of user-submitted words and definitions. "A site where users attempt to mock and explain everyone and thing in life, under the guise of cynical quasi-intellectualism. It should be both noted and ignored, embraced and dismissed, laughed at and revered."

Visitors can vote on the best entries and choose the word of the day, like "wiper beat" (when the windshield wipers on your car sync up with the music on your car radio), or "face base" (the point in a romantic relationship when pictures of the couple begin to appear on Facebook, and or when the relationship status changes to "in a relationship").

A Cool Website - "Deadspin"

Deadspin is a blog for the sports fan who loves the game but realizes that there's plenty of action happening off the field. Averaging more than 10 million page views per month, Deadspin is the web's most popular sports blog, a reliably snarky sports reporter that pretty much ignores the score of last night's game and focuses instead on the controversies and scandals that cling to modern sports heroes.

ISACorps College Prep Workshop

Is this you? Are you ready for college? Join a representative from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for a pre-college counseling workshop. Get help in navigating the process of applying to and entering college.

Time and Dates: Thursday, December 3, at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, December 8, at 4 p.m.

For more information visit KnowHow2Go.org

Open Gaming Sundays

In December and January we have open gaming from 2-4:30 p.m. Kick it old school with Nintendo 64 or use Wii. However, you MUST wear clothes over your underwear to participate!