The Best of 2012 - Kalamazoo Public Library

Library Director

Ann Rohrbaugh

The Best of 2012 | Ann’s Blog Posts

Fiction

Lower River by Paul Theroux

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Please Look After Mom by Kyŏng-suk Sin

Round House by Louise Erdrich

When Captain Flint Was Still a Good Man by Nick Dybek

Nonfiction

Blue Nights by Joan Didion (2011)

Catherine the Great by Robert Massie (2011)

Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard (2011)

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen

President’s Club by Nancy Gibbs

Kalamazoo Public Library Board Secretary

Fenner Brown II

The Best of 2012

Books

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Swan's Way by Marcel Proust

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Kalamazoo Public Library Board Trustee

Robert Paul Brown

The Best of 2012

Books

The Tainted Coin by Melvin Starr

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell

The Submission by Amy Waldman

Reamde by Neal Stephenson

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Fifty Shades of Grey by E. James

Lead Librarian, Children's Room

Bill Caskey

The Best of 2012 | Bill’s Blog Posts

Books

More by Brian Lies

Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham; illustrated by Paul Zelinsky

Jazz Age Josephine by Jonah Winter; illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

Don’t Squish the Sasquatch! By Kent Redeker and Bob Staake

Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Hena Khan; illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Adam Rex

House Held Up by Trees by Ted Kooser; illustrated by Jon Klassen

Cold Cereal by Adam Rex

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again by Frank Cottrell Boyce

The Peculiar by Stefan Bachman

Spindlers by Lauren Oliver

Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus

Screen Time : how electronic media—from baby videos to educational software—affects your young child by Lisa Guernsey – new revised edition

Library Aide, Adult Services

Cheryl Cavalear

The Best of 2012 | Cheryl’s Blog Posts

Movies

Dark Night Rises

Marvel’s The Avengers

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

The Vow

In Time

RED

Music

Up All Night by Kip Moore

Hard 2 Love by Lee Brice

Love and Theft by Love and Theft

Tornado by Little Big Town

Free the Music by Jerrod Niemann

Home by Dierks Bentley

Jana Kramer by Jana Kramer

Blown Away by Carrie Underwood

Back in the Saddle by Chris Cagle

Librarian, Children's Room

Amy Chase

The Best of 2012 | Amy’s Blog Posts

Books

Okay For Now by Gary Schmidt

Otter and Odder by James Howe

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Movies

Hugo

The Muppets

Information Systems Analyst

Jim Clarey

The Best of 2012 | Jim’s Blog Posts

Movies

Marvel’s The Avengers

50/50

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Puss in Boots

Tower Heist

Dolphin Tale

Warrior

Super 8

Adult Services

Michael Cockrell

The Best of 2012 | Michael’s Blog Posts: Books, Movies, Music

Books

Winter Journal by Paul Auster

Gods Without Men by Hari Kunzru

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

The Submission by Amy Waldman

Joseph Anton: A Memoir by Salman Rushdie

When Captain Flint Was Still a Good Man by Nick Dybek

A Hologram for the King by Dave Eggers

Trust me, I'm Lying: confessions of a media manipulator by Ryan Holiday

This Machine Kills Secrets: how WikiLeakers, cypherpunks and hacktivists aim to free the world's information by Andy Greenberg

People Who Eat Darkness: the true story of a young woman who vanished from the streets of Tokyo, and the evil that swallowed her up by Richard Lloyd Parry

DVD

Moonrise Kingdom

Music

Blunderbuss by Jack White

Boys & Girls by Alabama Shakes

Nothing's gonna change the way you feel about me now by Justin Townes Earl

Dymaxion Mothership by Bill Caskey

The Carpenter by Avett Brothers

Researching the Blues by Redd Kross

Landing on a Hundred by Cody Chestnut

Adult Services, Circulation Supervisor

Jennifer Cornell

The Best of 2012 | Jennifer’s Blog Posts

Books

Social Animal: a story of love, character, and achievement by David Brooks

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

Frangoline and the Midnight Dream by Clemency Pearce

The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg

Music

Born to Die by Lana DelRay
MTV Unplugged by Florence + the Machine
Mission Bell by Amos Lee

Lead Librarian, Oshtemo Branch Library

Nancy Davis-Smith

The Best of 2012 | Nancy’s Blog Posts

Children’s Books

Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey by Mini Grey

The Quiet Place by Sarah Stewart

Teen Books

Violins of Autumn by Amy McAuley

Adult Books

Quick and Easy Autumn Gooseberry Patch

Quick and Easy Christmas Gooseberry Patch

Music

Uncaged by Zac Brown Band

Red by Taylor Swift

Own the Night by Lady Antebellum (2011)

A Thousand Miles Left Behind by Glorianna
Blown Away by Carrie Underwood

Ready to Read

Andrea Enyedi

The Best of 2012 | Andrea’s Blog Posts

Books

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Music

Horses and High Heels by Marianne Faithfull

Outside Society by Patti Smith

Mylo Xyloto by Coldplay

Movies

Farewell, My Queen

The Dark Knight Rises

Chronicle

Librarian, Oshtemo Branch Library

Angela Fortin

The Best of 2012 | Angela’s Blog Posts

Books

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

NW by Zadie Smith

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Half-Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan

Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro

I'm Your Man: the Life of Leonard Cohen by Sylvie Simmons

Crazy Brave by Joy Harjo

What's the Matter With White People?: Why We Long For a Golden Age That Never Was by Joan Walsh

The Book of Mormon Girl: A Memoir of an American Faith by Joanna Brooks

DVD

Take This Waltz

Elena

Parks and Recreation (season 4)

Damsels in Distress

Downton Abbey (season 2)

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

Argo

Safety Not Guaranteed

Moonrise Kingdom

A Separation

Music

The Salesman and the Shark by Sean Rowe

Visions by Grimes

The Idler Wheel by Fionna Apple

Nocturne by Wild Nothing

Shields by Grizzly Bear

Bloom by Beach House

Port of Morrow by The Shins

Old Ideas by Leonard Cohen

Here by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Tramp by Sharon Van Etten

Teen Librarian

Stewart Fritz

The Best of 2012 | Stewart’s Blog Posts

Books

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long

Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks

Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

Every Day by David Levithan

Black Heart by Holly Black

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

One Soul by Ray Fawkes

Love Goes to Buildings on Fire: Five Years in New York That Changed Music Forever by Will Hermes

Movies

Take Shelter

Marvel's The Avengers

Brave

The Cabin in the Woods

Drive

The Muppets

Being Elmo

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Shut Up Little Man!

Music

Break It Yourself by Andrew Bird

Ghostory by School Of Seven Bells

Yellow & Green by Baroness

Skelethon by Aesop Rock

Synthetica by Metric

Bloom by Beach House

Blunderbuss by Jack White

Audiovisual & Law Librarian

Ryan Gage

The Best of 2012 | Ryan’s Blog Posts: Books, Movies, Music

Books

Stay Awake by Dan Chaon

Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story by Jim Holt

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Zona by Geoff Dyer

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

You and Me by Padgett Powell

Winter Journal by Paul Auster

Farther Away by Jonathan Franzen

Every Love Story Is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace by D.T. Max

A History of Booksby Gerald Murnane

DVD

The Master

Amour

The Turin Horse

Moonrise Kingdom

The Artist is Present

On the Bowery

Damsels in Distress

The Deep Blue Sea

The Interrupters

Tiny Furniture

Beasts of the Southern Wild

The Invisible War

Chico & Rita

Kid with a Bike

Celeste and Jesse Forever

Gerhard Richter Painting

The Fab Five

Homeland: The Complete First Season

Bones Brigade: An Autobiography

Music

An American Trilogy (Reissued) by Mickey Newbury

Bloom by Beach House

Master of My Make Believe by Santigold

Oshin by Diiv

The Money Store by Death Grips

The Carpenter by The Avett Brothers

Delta Spirit by Delta Spirit

Confess by Twin Shadow

The Tarnished Gold by Beachwood Sparks

Sun by Cat Power

Fear Fun by Father John Misty

Strange Weekend by Porcelain Raft

Shields by Grizzly Bear

Life is People by Bill Fay

Maraqopa by Damien Jurado

Head, Technical Services / ILS

Gary Green

The Best of 2012 | Gary’s Blog Posts: Books, Movies

Books

I, Michael Bennett - James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge

Wicked Business - Janet Evanovich

Stolen Prey - John Sandford

Break Down - Sara Paretsky

V is for Vengeance - Sue Grafton

Explosive Eighteen - Janet Evanovich

The Tombs – Clive Cussler

Movies

The Pirates: Band of Misfits

Marvel’s The Avengers

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Chimpanzee

4.3.2.1

The Fairy

Oranges and Sunshine

Albert Nobbs

The Adventures of Tintin

The Three Musketeers

A Beginners Guide to Endings

Music

Made of Bricks by Kate Nash

Patron Services

Melissa Greenfield

The Best of 2012 | Melissa’s Blog Posts

DVD

Game of Thrones, The Complete First Season
The Artist
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Boardwalk Empire, The Complete First Season

Boardwalk Empire, The Complete Second Season
Wanderlust
Gone
The Big Bang Theory
Big Miracle
Marvel’s The Avengers
The Walking Dead, The Complete First Season

Government Information Coordinator

Christine Hann

The Best of 2012 | Christine’s Blog Posts

Books

Jersey Tomatoes are the Best by Maria Padian

Are You my Mother? by Alison Bechdel

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

Fangbone, Third Grade Barbarian by Michael Rex

Love Anthony – Lisa Genova

Left Neglected – Lisa Genova

The Journal of Best Practices: a Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to be a better Husband – David Finch

The Yellow Birds: A novel – Kevin Powers

DVD

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Albert Nobbs

Modern Family

Music

Beauty Queen Sister by Indigo Girls

Slipstream by Bonnie Raitt

The Descendants soundtrack

Electronic Resources Librarian

Caitlin Hoag

The Best of 2012 | Caitlin’s Blog Posts

Books

How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

NW by Zadie Smith

Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz

Vegetarian Cooking by Kathy Polenz

How Music Works by David Byrne

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon

Dear Life by Alice Munro

Movies

Parks and Recreation season 4

30 Rock season 6

Walking Dead season 2

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Music

Master of my Make-Believe by Santigold

Love This Giant by David Byrne & St. Vincent

Haunted Man by Bat for Lashes

Cataloging Librarian

Dan Hoag

The Best of 2012 | Dan’s Blog Posts

Books

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths by Michael Shermer

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Twelve by Justin Cronin

Broken Harbor by Tana French

The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: A Definitive Encyclopædia of Existing Information

Mortality by Christopher Hitchens

This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz

Building Stories by Chris Ware

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You by TheOatmeal.com

Movies

Argo (DVD TBD)

The Master (DVD TBD)

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (DVD 12/4)

Compliance (DVD 1/8)

A Separation

Beasts of the Southern Wild (DVD 12/4)

The Avengers

The Dark Knight Rises (DVD 12/4)

Cabin in the Woods

Hysteria

Television

Breaking Bad

Game of Thrones

Parks and Recreation

Mad Men

Archer

Louie

Music

An Unwavering Band of Light by Jenny Owen Youngs

Port of Morrow by The Shins

Blunderbuss by Jack White

The 2nd Law by Muse

Oceania by Smashing Pumpkins

Rhythm and Repose by Glen Hansard

The Dethalbum III by Dethklok

Rize of the Fenix by Tenacious D

What We Saw from the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor

Neck of the Woods by Silversun Pickups

Web Coordinator

Keith Howard

The Best of 2012 | Keith’s Blog Posts: Books, Music

Music

Peter Buck by Peter Buck

Glad Rag Doll by Diana Krall

Sounds That Can't Be Made by Marillion

Old Ideas by Leonard Cohen

Banga by Patti Smith

Psychedelic Pill by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Tempest by Bob Dylan

Genesis Revisited II by Steve Hackett

Thick as a Brick 2 by Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)

Born and Raised by John Mayer

Valtari by Sigur Rós

Privateering by Mark Knopfler

Dymaxion Mothership by Bill Caskey

Into the Wild - Live At EastWest Studios by LP

Follow by Travis & Fripp (Robert Fripp and Theo Travis)

Comfortable Void by Sync24

Octane Twisted by Porcupine Tree

Tech Intern

Brandon Kilburn

The Best of 2012 | Brandon’s Blog Posts

DVD

The Avengers

The Hunger Games

Men In Black III

The Dark Knight Rises

Head, Patron Services

Kevin King

The Best of 2012 | Kevin’s Blog Posts: Movies, Music

Books

Creole Belle by James Lee Burke

Summer of ’68: The Season That Changed Baseball and America Forever by Tim Wendel

Every Day by David Levithan

Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

Movies

The Avengers

The Dark Knight Rises

Downton Abbey, Season 2

The League, The Complete Season Three

The Descendants

Music

The Way We Move by Langhorne Slim

Boys & Girls by Alabama Shakes

The Carpenter by The Avett Brothers

The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomey by Nada Surf

We All Raise Our Voices to the Air by The Decemberists

Blunderbuss by Jack White

My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men

The Lumineers by The Lumineers

Signs & Signifiers by JD McPherson

The Lion’s Roar by First Aid Kit

The Dreamer by Rhett Miller

The Tempest by Bob Dylan

What Kind of World by Brendan Benson

Transcendental Youth by The Mountain Goats

Gossamer by Passion Pit

Library Assistant, Audiovisual

Karl Knack

The Best of 2012 | Karl’s Blog Posts: Movies, Music

DVD

Mad Men Season 5

Frankenweenie

Breaking Bad Season 5

Music

Soundproof Room EP by No Bails

The Verve/MGM Albums by The Velvet Underground

Break It Yourself by Andrew Bird

Antibalas by Antibalas

The Jet Set by Los Straitjackets

Psychedelic Pill by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

The Crossing by Menahan Street Band

Researching the Blues by Redd Kross

Temple Beautiful by Chuck Prophet

Betty Wright: the Movie by Betty Wright and the Roots

Library Associate, Teen Services

Jill Lansky

The Best of 2012 | Jill’s Blog Posts

Books

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

Witches! The Absolute Tru Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer

How Tia Lola Saved the Summer by Julia Alvarez

The Fault in our Stars by John Green

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

The Impossible Rescue: the true Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure by Martin Sandler

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

The Secret of the Fortune Wookie by Tom Angleberger

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Third Wheel by Jeff Kinney

Cataloging Librarian

Kristen Larson

The Best of 2012 | Kristen’s Blog Posts

Nonfiction

January first : a child's descent into madness and her father's struggle to save her by Michael Schofield

You can buy happiness (and it's cheap) : how one woman radically simplified her life and how you can too by Tammy Strobel

Driving the Saudis : a chauffeur's tale of the world's richest princesses (plus their servants, nannies, and one royal hairdresser) by Jayne A. Larson

My friend Dahmer : a graphic novel by Derf Backderf

Batting a thousand : a portrait of Anna Whitten, Kalamazoo's kindhearted angel by Michael Lozon

Klonopin lunch : a memoir by Jessica Dorfman Jones

Fiction

The rock star in seat 3A by Jill Kargman

Care of wooden floors : a novel by Will Wiles

Red ruby heart in a cold blue sea by Morgan Callan Rogers.

The chocolate money by Ashley Prentice Norton

Between you and me : a novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus

Children’s Books

Rooster’s Revenge by Beatrice Rodriguez

Boy, bird, and dog by David McPhail

Animal Masquerade by Marianne Dubuc

Movies

Argo

Moonrise kingdom

The five-year engagment

Facilities Management

Robyn Lilek

The Best of 2012 | Robyn’s Blog Posts

Books

Running Around (and such) by Linda Byler

When Strawberries Bloom by Linda Byler

Big Decisions by Linda Byler

Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller

Wrecked by Carol Higgins Clark

Gypped by Carol Higgins Clark

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly

We Shall Not Be Moved: the women's factory strike of 1909 by Joan Dash

Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness by Charles Swindoll

Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell

I, Judas by Taylor Caldwell

Lead Librarian, Eastwood Branch Library

Teresa Malynowsky-Rakowsky

The Best of 2012 | Teresa’s Blog Posts

Nonfiction

Kitty Cornered: How Frannie and Five Other Incorrigible Cats Seized Control of our House and Made It Their Home by Bob Tarte

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes by Maria Goodavage

Julia’s Cats: Julia Child’s Life in the Company of Catsby by Patricia Barey and Therese Burson

Sophie: The Incredible True Adventures of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse

Children’s Books

Moonlight by Helen Griffith

Rrralph by Lois Ehlert

Larf by Ashley Spires

Silly Goose’s Big Story by Keiko Kasza

Family Tree by David McPhail

My Snake Blake by Randy Siegel

Some Cat by Mary Casanova

DVD

We Bought a Zoo

Toast

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Music

Making Mirrors by Gotye

Kiss by Carly Rae Jepsen

Glad All Over by The Wallflowers

Babel by Mumford & Sons

Slipstream by Bonnie Raitt

Youth Services Library Assistant

Sarah Nyenhuis

The Best of 2012 | Sarah’s Blog Posts

Children’s Books

Cecil the Pet Glacier by Matthea Harvey

Chop Chop (a children’s magazine)

The Odyssey by Homer

The Princess and the Packet of Frozen Peas by Tony Wilson

Unlikely Friendships: The Monkey & the Dove by Jennifer S. Holland

Adult Books

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran

The Newlyweds : a novel by Nell Freudenberger

Quiet: the Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

DVD

Argo

The Artist

Damages, The Complete Fourth Season

Downton Abbey – Season 4

Mad Men, Season Five

Music

Babel by Mumford & Sons
Born to Die by Lana Del Rey
Coexist by The XX
Halcyon by Ellie Goulding
Little Seed by Elizabeth Mitchell
Sun by Cat Power
What We Saw From the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor

Lead Librarian, Powell Branch Library

Judi Rambow

The Best of 2012 | Judi’s Blog Posts

Adult Books

Low Pressure by Sandra Brown

The Last Victim by Karen Robards

No One left to tell by Karen Rose

Criminal: A Novel by Karin Slaughter

Close your eyes by Iris Johansen

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

All I did was shoot my man by Walter Mosley

The One by Cheryl Robinson

The gift of fire by Walter Mosley

The Nightmare by Lars Kepler

Children's Books

The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

I have a dream: Dr. Martin Luther King paintings by Kadir Nelson

The paradise trap by Catherine Jinks

The plant hunters: True stories of the daring adventures to the far corners of the earth by Anita Silvey

Hope and tears: Ellis Island voices by Gwenyth Swain

Two crafty criminals! by Philip Pullman

Wild about you! by Judy Sierra pictures by Marc Brown

Looking for me: in this great big family by Betsy Rosenthal

Chico the Brave by Dave Horowitz

Jack and the Beanstalk by Nina Crews

DVD

Snow White and the Huntsman

Brave

Hunger Games

The Good Wife

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Five Year Engagement

Battleship

Endeavour: The Young Inspector Morse

Tyler Perry's Witness Protection

Think Like a Man

Patron Services

Music

Vows by Kimbra

Making Mirrors by Gotye

Daydream by Katherine Jenkins

Pecados Y Milagros by Lila Downs

Ghost Bird by Zee Avi

Materials Selection Librarian

Steve Siebers

The Best of 2012 | Steve’s Blog Posts

Books

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander

Gods Without Men by Hari Kunzru

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua

The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier

Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta

Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne

Apostles of Culture by Dee Garrison

Movies

Nostalgia for the Light

Saint Misbehavin’

Parks & Recreation Season 4

Music

Neck of the Woods by Silversun Pickups

Bloom by Beach House

Port of Morrow by Shins

The Carpenter by Avett Brothers

Valtari by Sigur Ros

Americana by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Break It Yourself by Andrew Bird

What We Saw From the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor

Associate Librarian, Adult Services

Matt Smith

The Best of 2012 | Matt’s Blog Posts

Books

The Rage Against God by Peter Hitchens

The Better Angels of Our Nature by Pinker

The Myth of Choice by Kent Greenfield

The Rich and the Rest of Us by West and Smiley

America the Philosophical by Romano

Visions of a Better World: Howard Thurman's pilgrimage to India and the origins of African American nonviolence by Dixie and Eisenstadt

Movies

Moonrise Kingdom

Chronicle

Bernie

The Dark Knight Rises

The Hunger Games

Lead Librarian, Washington Square Branch Library

Nancy Stern

The Best of 2012 | Nancy’s Blog Posts

Books

Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

The Expats by Chris Pavone

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante

Movies

Monsieur Lazhar

Music

What We Saw from the Cheap Seats by Regina Spektor

Americana by Neil Young

Readers Services Librarian

Karen Santamaria

The Best of 2012 | Karen’s Blog Posts

Books

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Help. Thanks. Wow by Anne Lamott

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon

Some Assembly Requiredby Anne Lamott

Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer

Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

NW by Zadie Smith

Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity by Andrew Solomon

Wild: From lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Kalamazoo Public Library Board Treasurer

James E. VanderRoest

The Best of 2012

Books

The Submission by Amy Waldman

Life and Leisure in Ancient Rome by J. P. V. D. Balsdon

Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor by Anthony Everitt

The Wolf : how one German raider terrorized the Allies in the most epic voyage of WWI by Richard Guilliatt

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Movies/Video

Downton Abbey

Lincoln

Librarian, Children’s Room

Andrea Vernola

The Best of 2012 | Andrea’s Blog Posts

Children’s Books

Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Red Sled by Lita Judge

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett

Do You Know Which Ones will Grow? by Susan Shea

The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in China by Ed Young and Libby Koponen

And the Soldiers Sang by J. Patrick Lewis and Gary Kelley (beautiful book about WWI Christmas Truce in early 1914)

Moonlight by Helen Griffith

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

Stars by Mary Lynn Ray and Marla Frazee

Teen/Tween Books

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Fault in Our Stars by John Gree

Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

Adult Books

Quiet: the power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer

Jamie Oliver’s Meals in Minutes by Jamie Oliver

The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

Some Assembly Required: a journal of my son’s first son by Anne Lamott and Sam Lamott

Music

Babel by Mumford and Sons

Bear Creek by Brandi Carlile

Youth Services

Sue Warner

The Best of 2012 | Sue’s Blog Posts

Children’s Books

A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead

Demolition by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock

My Teacher by James Ransome

Duck Sock Hop by Jane Kohuth, illustrated by Jane Porter

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Homer by Elisha Cooper

Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart selected by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

Caddy’s World by Hilary McKay

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin Stead

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath

Beyond Courage: the Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport

Adult Books

Broken Harbor by Tana French

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz

The Bartender’s Tale by Ivan Doig

Some Assembly Required by Anne Lamott

Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint Hill

The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler

Elegy for Eddie: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A Natural Woman: A Memoir by Carole King

Stolen Prey by John Sandford

Dinner: A Love Story: It All Begins at the Family Table by Jenny Rosenstrach

Visiting Tom: a Man, a Highway, and the Road to Roughneck Grace by Michael Perry

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Mad River by John Sandford

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust by Ina Garten

Adult Services, Tech Center

Ruth Wilson

The Best of 2012 | Ruth's Blog Posts

Books

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith

The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith

Garment of Shadows by Laurie R. King

What We Liked This Year

Staff Picks: Best of 2012

Library Director

Fiction

Nonfiction

Kalamazoo Public Library Board Secretary

Books

Kalamazoo Public Library Board Trustee

Books

Lead Librarian, Children's Room

Books

Library Aide, Adult Services

Movies

Music

Librarian, Children's Room

Books

Movies

Information Systems Analyst

Jim Clarey

Movies

Adult Services

Books

DVD

Music

Adult Services, Circulation Supervisor

Books

Music

Lead Librarian, Oshtemo Branch Library

Children’s Books

Teen Books

Adult Books

Music

Ready to Read

Books

Music

Movies

Librarian, Oshtemo Branch Library

Books

DVD

Music

Teen Librarian

Books

Movies

Music

Audiovisual & Law Librarian

Books

DVD

Music

Head, Technical Services / ILS

Books

Movies

Music

Patron Services

Melissa Greenfield

DVD

Government Information Coordinator

Books

DVD

Music

Electronic Resources Librarian

Books

Movies

Music

Cataloging Librarian

Books

Movies

Television

Music

Web Coordinator

Music

Tech Intern

DVD

Head, Patron Services

Books

Movies

Music

Library Assistant, Audiovisual

DVD

Music

Library Associate, Teen Services