In the Library by Charles Simic

There's a book called "A Dictionary of Angels."

No one has opened it in fifty years, I know,

because when I did,

The covers creaked, the pages

Crumbled. There I discovered
The angels were once as plentiful
As species of flies.
The sky at dusk
Used to be thick with them.
You had to wave both arms
Just to keep them away

Now the sun is shining
Through the tall windows.
The library is a quiet place.
Angels and gods huddled
In dark unopened books.
The great secret lies
On some shelf Miss Jones
Passes every day on her rounds.
She's very tall, so she keeps
Her head tipped as if listening.
The books are whispering.
I hear nothing, but she does.

Mockingjay: The last book in The Hunger Games trilogy to be released next month

The thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins's groundbreaking "The Hunger Games" trilogy "Mockingjay" will be released on August 24.

Summary: Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

"Mockingjay" promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year. It is already available to put holds on it. Don't be deterred by the high number of holds already on it, as the Somerset County Library System will be purchasing close to 50 copies of this book. Visit http://www.somerset.lib.nj.us/ to access our online catalog and place your hold.

Heatwave!

A HEALTH warning has been issued by doctors urging people to take precautions as temperatures are set to remain high going into the weekend.

There are a number of ways to prevent overheating and protect yourself and others from heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Here are some recommendations to follow during the next few days:

*Schedule outdoor activities for early morning or early evening.
*Take regular breaks in shady areas or indoors so that your body's thermostat has a chance to recover.
*Avoid direct sunlight whenever possible. Always use sunscreen to reduce the heat your body absorbs and to limit moisture loss. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. People who work in the sun should take frequent breaks and not push themselves too hard.
*Drink plenty of fluids and don't wait until you're thirsty to drink. If you're doing heavy exercise in the heat, drink two to four glasses of cool fluids each hour. Even when you're swimming, you need to drink plenty of water.
*Don't eat a heavy or hot meal before going outside in hot weather. Doing so will heat your body faster.
*Avoid liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar -- they may cause you to lose more body fluids.
*During hot weather, monitor the condition of family, friends and co-workers, and have someone do the same for you. During a heat wave, relatives and friends should call elderly people twice a day to ask how they're doing.
*Call 911 immediately if you suspect that you or someone else has had a heat stroke, marked by a high body temperature, a rapid pulse, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, headache, seizure and/or hot, dry skin that is flushed but not sweaty.

And remember that if you don't have air conditioning at home the Warren library is the COOLEST place to be!

Children's programs at the library

On Friday, June 28, eighty-three kids, parents and caregivers celebrated Warren Township's summer kickoff with Pirate Mark and an afternoon of fun and magic. He amazed us with awesome illusions, Pedro the singing parrot, foam swords, and slinkys for everyone.

For more events for children during the summer visit our website www.somerset.lib.nj.us/warren.htm - Click on Children's Programs to view the calendar.

Schools' Summer Reading Lists

Visit the Warren Township Library to check out this year's Summer Reading Books for elementary, middle school and high school. The school librarians have come up with a great list of suggested summer reads for elementary and middle school students, including books by Mo Willems, Kate DiCamillo, Dan Gutman, Gordon Korman, Sharon Creech and more. Students at Watchung Hills Regional High School have required texts and should stop by the library to see what is available. A rundown of Summer Reading Lists can be found at the SCLS web site: http://www.somerset.lib.nj.us/sclsweb1/%20readerscornerkidsteensschoolbooklists.htm