If any of your New Year's Resolutions involve running check out these informative, inspiring and fascinating books on the subject. All of them are available through the Library.

Haruki Murakami recently created a splash with the publication of his latest book 1Q84. Fans of Murakami's writing, runners, and anyone interested in the workings of this unique author's mind, may enjoy What I talk about when I talk about running: a memoir. In this slim volume Murakami discusses the beginning of his career as an author and the important role distance running plays in his work. The epitaph he suggests for his tombstone - “Haruki Murakami 1949-20** Writer (and Runner) At Least He Never Walked” – is indicative of his dedication to the sport.

Even those who don't aspire to run 50 miles through Mexico's Copper Canyon are likely to be fascinated by Christopher McDougall's Born to run: a hidden tribe, superathletes and the greatest race the world has never seen. Colorful characters, accounts of grueling races and poignant tales of exemplary sportsmanship make this book a thrilling read. McDougall's exploration of barefoot running is also enlightening and is credited for contributing to the current trend.
To learn more about barefoot running consider reading Run Barefoot Run Healthy: less pain more gain for runners over 30 by Ashish Mukharji. Written in a question and answer format, the book provides practical advice for those new to barefoot running.

For those new to running in general the Runner's World Complete Book of Beginning Running is a useful tool. Part one of this book, Why run?, addresses the reasons one might want to take up running. Other chapters focus on nutrition, stretching, weight loss and injury prevention. The chapter on intermediate training provides plans to achieve specific goals. Two training plans are provided, one for those who are already active and another for those who have not exercised for a while.

Runners who are interested in increasing distance and entering races may benefit from the advice found in Marathon and Half Marathon: the beginner's guide. This book contains a detailed 26-week training plan plus lots of great tips for dealing with injuries, setting goals and improving speed.

Looking for a good book to read?

The Library’s website offers several tools to help you find books you’ll enjoy.

On the Library main page (sfpl.org) you’ll find the Books & Materials tab. Click on this and then on Reader’s Corner for lots of ideas on what to read next.

The book icon labeled On the Same Page provides a description of a featured title. These books are selected bi-monthly for their wide appeal and good reviews. The books are almost always out in paperback and there are usually lots of brand new copies available. If the current selection is not of interest, click on the Previous Selections link on the right of the screen to see On the Same Page titles for the current and previous years.

If you’ve enjoyed an On the Same Page title view the Read Alikes, also on the right side of the screen, to find books that are similar in theme or tone.

Click on the One City One Book icon to learn all about the annually selected title and about programs related to the book, such as author visits.

The Lit Databases icon will take you to all of the Library’s subscription databases that deal with Books and Literature. To access these databases from outside the Library you’ll need your Library card number and your Library PIN. If you don’t have a PIN just stop by any of the service desks at any San Francisco Library. It only takes a few seconds to create a PIN.

The first database listed, BookBrowse, provides recommendations for fiction and non-fiction titles, reading guides and advice for book clubs and previews of soon to be released items. You can also use this database to search for recommendations based on setting, theme or time period. The read-alikes feature allows you to search for books similar to titles you’ve enjoyed in the past. BookBrowse also offers subscription e-mail newsletters so you can stay up to date on new books and all the great BookBrowse recommendations.

Further down the list of databases you’ll find Fiction Connection and Non-fiction Connection. Using this database you can search by topic, genre, setting, time period and type of character. You can also enter a favorite title, search for read-alikes and then limit the results by various aspects of the book, such as setting and genre.

The fourth book icon links to lists of items recently acquired by the Library. New lists appear at the beginning of each month.

For more recommendations check out the box labeled Next Reads. Here you can select newsletters by genre or non-fiction topic and have recommendations delivered straight to your e-mail address.

Finally, visit our new SF Bay Reads blog with recommendations and reviews by Library staff. From the Library’s home page click on the last tab, About, and then on Blogs. SF Bay Reads is the first blog listed.

BLOG TIP - It's Tax Time

April 18 is fast approaching (The traditional tax return filing deadline is April 15 of each year, but this year the IRS has approved April 18 as the deadline for Federal 2010 Tax Returns and extension requests in observation of Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia.)
However, April 15 is still the deadline for filing State IncomeTax returns.

A few basic tax forms from the IRS are available to pick up or photocopy at the Main Library and some branches. If the library does not have the form you need, additional forms can be ordered by phone. Librarians can also point you the IRS and Franchise Tax Board websites for downloading forms and instructions, but cannot provide tax assistance or advice.

The Government information Center of SFPL has put together a page with general tax information (http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000177201) so that you can find where to get forms, information on organizations providing tax preparation assistance, and other basic information. One of the best resources for finding tax preparation assistance in the SF Bay Area is the United Way’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Program, which can be reached by calling 211.

With the move away from paper, e-filing is increasingly popular.
Franchise Tax Board e-filing.
IRS e-filing.

Film Screening: Millennium: The Story

Saturday, February 5, 2011
4:00pm
Free!

The publication of Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo began an international publishing phenomenon. Now see the story behind the Millennium Trilogy. This documentary covers the author's early life, his influences, his work as an anti-neo-Nazi activist and his untimely death. The creation of the films, the controversy over the fortune Larsson's work generated and the possibility of a fourth novel are also addressed.