If you're not watching Friday Night Lights you're certainly missing one of the best programs on television. Based on the book and movie of the same name, the show stars Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton, and takes place in the small town of Dillon, Texas where high school football is the center of many people's lives.

Tweens in grades 5 and 6 can join us for the 3-D movie Journey to the Center of the Earth on the big screen in the Community Room on Thursday, April 16, at 6:30 pm. We'll have nifty 3-d glasses for everyone.  Online registration is open.

Are you already missing ER? The long running medical drama ended its 15 year run last Thursday but it seems like only yesterday that George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle and Julianna Margulies first appeared on our TV screens. Once the most popular show on the tube, the series went on to win 22 Emmy Awards. Although the show's total viewers have declined in recent years, the final episode scored the biggest ratings for a series finale since Murder She Wrote in 1996.

Recently I spent time in Savannah, GA, where, on a local hotel TV channel, I viewed John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  He described how he fell in love with Savannah and decided to live there for a while.  His book not only details the murder that took place at the historical Mercer house, but also depicts Savannah's history, beauty, and some of its idiosyncratic residents.  Upon returning home, I checked out the book and the mo

AARP recently announced their Best Movies for Grownups — 2009 choices. Each month AARP's online offers reviews of movies they feel will appeal to adults in Bill Newcott column Movies for Grownups.

The Tigers Home Opener is this coming Friday, April 10th.  Even if you don't have tickets to the big game, you can get into the baseball spirit with a hotdog, popcorn, and a family-friendly baseball movie from CPL.  Some of my favorites are The Sandlot, Angels in the Outfield, and Rookie of the Year.  Batter Up!

While you're waiting for your Twilight movie to come in, check out House of Night; book number

The Changeling starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Clint Eastwood is a tragic true story of the 1920's of a mom who never gives up hope of finding her kidnapped son.  I like history, and if you do, too, you will learn much from this sad tale that affected many southern California families.  It is a tear jerker and not for kids, but Angelina Jolie is a marvelous actress, and this is her at her best.  You will not be able to get up from your seat once this movies begins. 

[Update: YouTube released YouTube EDU this week]
While YouTube is great for entertaining videos, you have to dig pretty deep to find educational stuff (or know what you're looking for). Below is a short list of educational video sites:

Academic Earth - Selected lectures from top professors at Berkeley, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale. Subjects range from Astronomy to Religion.

Watching and listenting to guitar master Robin Bullock might temp the average guitarist to put his or her instrument down, forever!  The challenge is to take at least one element of Bullock's exceptional performances on guitar and citern and apply it to one's own style or repertoire.  While the Mel Bay Guitar Masters Live series is oriented to musicians, this video should  also be of interest to enthusiasts of Celtic  and World Music.

Sometimes I wanted to be really bad so I could visit Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s upside-down house, hunt for treasure and get cured by super-smart animals. So celebrate Betty MacDonald’s birthday by reading about some really naughty kids. The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle series and the Mary Poppins stories offer a wealth of mischief. Max from Where the Wild Things Are is another naughty child who will be coming to the big screen in the fall.

White Fang? Black Tooth? Bill Kennedy's Sunday movie? If any of these bring back fond memories of growing up in Detroit then you should definitely check out the exhibit currently running at the Detroit Historical Museum. Detroit's Classic TV Personalities pays tribute to several of the entertainment and news broadcasting legends that many of us grew up watching. Included in this exhibit are salutes to Soupy Sales, movie host Bill Kennedy, Emery King, Amyre Makupson, John Kelly and Marilyn Turner.

Bolt, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Hotel for Dogs.  There have been a lot of family films released with dogs in them lately.  But they've always been a surefire Hollywood hit all the way back to the days of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.

Friday was an important day!  Not only was it  the first day of Spring, it was also National Sweater Day, in honor of what would have been Mister Rogers' 81st birthday.  If you missed it, there is still time to celebrate! Canton Public Library has several episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.   Wear your favorite cardigan sweater, put on your tennis shoes and watch one wit

Come join us on Wednesday, April 15th at 2pm as we view the movie and discuss the book "Into the Wild", a true story about a college graduate who hitchhiked the U.S., culminating in his Alaskan experience. Copies of the book are available for signout on the "From Page to Stage" bookshelf. Ask a librarian for a copy and register online to come!

An interesting DVD about growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution is Persepolis, which was a 2007 Academy Award nominee for best animated feature. It is told from writer and director Marjane Satrapi's experience and point of view.

Jane Goodall is acclaimed for her work with chimpanzees, but her new video, When Animals Talk, looks at cross-species communication with a range of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, elephants and even rats.  The program explores some fascinating research on telepathy, and the mutual benefits that accrue when humans bond and partner 

"I think so, Brain, but if they called them 'sad meals' no one would buy them." If this quote brings a smile to your face, chances are you grew up watching Pinky and the Brain.

Come join us in the Community Room on Wednesday March 18th at 2p.m. as we view and discuss The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith. This is the saga of Chris Gardner's life struggle from homeless, jobless poverty to Wall Street success. Online registration required.