Fantastic True Stories...

These non-fiction books read like fiction! But it's all true...

It's easy to forget that as humans, we are all primates. In "A Primate's Memoir," neuroendocrinologist and MacArthur Fellowship grant recipient Robert Sapolsky describes his post-graduate years in Kenya researching baboons in this immensely readable, hilarious, and impassioned book.



How would you survive for 76 days lost at sea alone in a life raft? Steve Callahan's book "Adrift" will give you some ideas. Steve was lost at sea after something rammed into his sailboat causing it to sink in stormy seas. He had just enough time to gather some food, a few flares, a spear gun, a solar still for desalinating sea water, and his nautical charts. His story is a heroic tale of ingenuity, perseverance, discipline, and survival.



Imagine an oil spill larger than the Exxon Valdez spill. Now imagine this oil spill is on land, spans 15 years, and is in your neighborhood. This is what Joe Kane sets out to capture in his book "Savages." "Savages" describes the plight and the fight of the Huaorani tribe in Ecuador's Amazonian rain forest as they learn to live with the crushing demands of civilization on their land, their heritage, and their way of life. It is an unforgettable story.

Historic Oregon Voters' Pamphlets now available online

Now you can browse individual issues, or search across decades of Oregon's colorful elections history at:  http://library.state.or.us/databases/subjects/Voters_Pamphlet.php

The Government Research Services division of the Oregon State Library has digitized a historic run of Oregon Voters' Pamphlets as part of its mission to make government information available to the citizens of Oregon. Digital and paper copies of the Voters' Pamphlets are also a permanent part of the Oregon State Library's Oregon Documents Collection.
In 1904, Oregon became one of the first states to print and distribute a voters’ pamphlet. Voters' Pamphlets are a rich source of historic information including the full text of all measures voted on by the people; statements, biographical information and portraits of candidates running for state office; and statements for and against candidates and measures.

Your Fall Garden

Fallscaping: extending your garden season into autumn. By Nancy J. Ondra and Stephanie Cohen. North Adams, Ma. :Storey Pub, 2007.
635.953 OND


Check our catalog for this title


Don't let anyone tell you that your Fall garden can't be as dazzling as your Spring and Summer gardens. Pennsylvania gardeners Ondra and Cohen bring imaginative ideas, practical techniques and new inspiration to autumn, that often-neglected time of the gardening year.
According to the authors, the main characters in your Fall garden include some of the following: the multicolored foliage of trees, grasses and other plants; flashy seedheads and berries;and so much more.
The authors also offer a number of fall-friendly garden plans, complete with shopping lists, that will cover all kinds of gardens.
Throughout the book you will find Fall Techniques, with practical, down-to-earth information on how to divide perennials and design suggestions on planning paths
The book ends with a Fall Garden Care Primer, sharing ways to evaluate your garden, improve your soil, build new beds, take cuttings, prepare plants for winter, store your tools and care for your lawn.
Ondra and Cohen's vibrant and authoritative guide is a must-have resource for those wishing to maximize their Fall garden's potential.

Bicycle Maps

Our map collection includes a number of maps on cycling in the Portland metropolitan area. Country Cycling explores Washington County by bicycle and there are cycling/walking maps that cover the various areas of Portland. Divided by area, there are maps covering Northeast, North, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. The downtown area is also covered in the Portland by Bicycle map. Enjoy!

Financial Crisis

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has put together a TIMELINE of events and policy actions involved in the current Financial Crisis starting in February 2007. Click here to view timeline.

Other websites of interest include:

A series published in the New York Times. (last updated July 12, 2010). Click here to view NYT coverage.

PBS also offers information on the global perspective. Click here to view PBS article.

World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also provide information on their respective websites.

Get ready for the Holidays

Rick Steves' European Christmas

394.2663 STE

From England to Norway, Burgandy to Bavaria, and Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps, Rick Steves' European Christmas gets you a seat at the family feast, up in the loft with the finest choirs, and into the kitchen with grandma and her best-kept holiday secrets. With enchanting photos and more than a dozen recipes, this book captures the spirit of the season perfectly.

Foreign Affairs

No, I'm not talking about "that" type of affair but those that deal with foreign policy. Sorry if I disappointed you! But if you are interested in what is going on in the world of international relations and foreign policy in general, the Library subscribes to three journals that will inform and entertain you regarding the ever-changing world of foreign affairs. Check out Current History, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy in our Periodicals Department.