The Library: Like Netflix, But Free

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a (legal) way to watch all your favorite TV shows and movies for free? Turns out, all you need is your CINO card.

Kimbel Library has over 3,000 DVDs waiting for you to check them out. While we have all the classics, there are quite a few new releases in the mix as well. 

We pulled some of our favorite TV shows and movies for the pictures above, but some other gems include Bridesmaids, Inception, and all 8 Harry Potter films (so have a movie marathon!)

The best part? There's no limit to how many DVD's you can check out and you can have them for up to 3 weeks (with one renewal).

Happy watching!

A Short History of Thanksgiving

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintagehalloweencollector

1621 - The First Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, sometime in early autumn. Days of thanksgiving were often celebrated prior to that year, but the focus tended to be more about prayer and less on feasting.

1863 - There was no official day to celebrate Thanksgiving until Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. It was celebrated on the last Thursday of the month.

1920 - When the NFL formed in 1920 (then called the American Professional Football Association) six professional games were played. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has scores for every Thanksgiving game played since. Check out this year's schedule to see what teams play this Thursday.

1924 - The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade took place (see photos of the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day parades).

1939 - Franklin D. Roosevelt decided to move the traditional date of Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of the month to lengthen the holiday shopping season and boost the economy. It became official in 1941, when a resolution was passed in Congress.

1960's - Newspapers in Philadelphia began referring to the day after Thanksgiving as "Black Friday" to describe the rush of crowds at stores.

Of course now that you've read all that, you can't wait to learn more about Thanksgiving, right? Check our catalog for books and movies or America: History and Life to learn more.

Kimbel Library and Bryan Information Commons have special hours for Thanksgiving week, here they are:

Monday November 19th - 8am to 5pm
Tuesday November 20th - 8am to 5pm
Wednesday November 21st - 8am to noon
Thursday November 22nd - CLOSED
Friday November 23rd - CLOSED
Saturday November 24th - Open at 11am, resume 24/7 schedule

And the Prizes Go To...

More than 650 of you took the time to tell us what you think of the library in Kimbel Library's Satisfaction Survey! Each person who took the survey was entered to win a Galaxy Tablet, Kindle Fire, or Visa Gift Card. Names were randomly chosen and the winners were announced. Our winners were:

Galaxy Tablet: Nicole Johnson
Kindle Fire: Jefferson Beckett
Visa $100 Gift Card: Christopher Bell
Visa $50 Gift Card: Sherita Curry
Visa $25 Gift Card: Julianna Paese
Visa $25 Gift Card: Matthew Rice

We'd like to take a moment to thank all of you who took the survey for helping make the survey a success! Your input will help us shape the future of Kimbel Library and Bryan Information Commons and influence our strategic planning process. Be on the lookout to see how your feedback has been implemented!

New Movie Adaptations: Read the Book First!

Attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg

Popular opinion will tell you that, "The book was way better than the movie," right? Well, if you haven't read these books yet, you still have time before the movies come out. After all, half the fun in watching a book's film adaptation is figuring out what the director decided to leave out.

Les Miserables -- We're pretty excited about seeing Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway all in the same movie. It's not out yet, so for now we'll have to settle for listening to Hathaway sing "I Dreamed a Dream" in the trailer. But did you know Les Miserable was a book before it was a musical? We have several copies of Les Miserables for your reading pleasure, even an ebook.
In theaters December 7, 2012

The Hobbit -- If you loved The Lord of the Rings, you will definitely want to see The Hobbit. First, you might want to stop by the library and refresh your memory by checking out The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. After you're done, check out the library's copy of The Hobbit and get excited to see the movie.  
Part I in theaters December 14, 2012

The Great Gatsby -- If you haven't read The Great Gatsby yet, now is a great time to check this item off your bucket list. Baz Luhrmann's adaptation is set to be released on Christmas Day and if his past movies are any indication (the library has Moulin Rouge! and Luhrmann's other collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio Romeo + Juliet), the film will be a visual delight.
In theaters December 25, 2012

Ender's Game -- This will be the first movie adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi masterpiece. Asa Butterfield (who played Hugo in the film adaptation of The Invention of Hugo Cabret) nabbed the lead role of Ender Wiggins. Rumor has it the movie will be quite different from the book, so you'll want to read Ender's Game first to see for yourself.
In theaters Fall 2013

Catching Fire -- If you haven't already, it's time to read Suzanne Collin's Hunger Games trilogy. Catching Fire picks up after Katniss and Peeta have returned to District 11 following the events in The Hunger Games. We're guessing President Snow has some surprises in store for Katniss, but you'll have to read the book if you want to find out what happens before the film comes out next November. 
In theaters Fall 2013

Are there any upcoming film adaptations you are excited about? Tell us in the comments!