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In the Spotlight: Lisa Majors, White House
Lisa Majors, a circulation clerk at White House City Library in White House, Tennessee, is an active user and proponent of READS to her community. Whether she is at the reference desk, in the stacks or out in town, Lisa uses READS regularly in her daily life. Lisa specifically enjoys audiobooks on READS and often listens to them on her way to the work in the morning.
Lisa says she uses READS more frequently in the morning, “on my commute to work, which is about an hour commute each day. Also, I love to listen while cleaning the kitchen!”
She understands the benefits of audiobooks and how they allow her to do more multitasking during the day, something she is familiar with during her eventful job at the circulation desk at the library. Lisa usually checks out two to three audiobooks per months using READS, which she mentions is a definite plus for her busy life.
Convenience is key for many with hectic schedules and being able to use READS on many different devices is crucial. Like many, Lisa uses multiple devices when she accesses READS including: a Kindle Fire, an iPad and iPhone. All it takes to use them is a simple download to your device. If Lisa ever forgot her Kindle at home, she could easily pick up her iPhone and listen to any audiobook on her account. This helps the user stay on track with their materials and strengthen their ability to read, listen or view any materials at their fingertips.
As a fan of nonfiction, science fiction and young adult selections, Lisa enjoys the variety of genres she finds on READS. As well as listening to audiobooks of these genres, she also enjoys streaming videos on her home computer. Lisa loves the discoverability aspect of the program, which helps facilitate lifelong learning. For her, she notes READS is able to connect readers to digital eBooks, audiobooks and other items in an affordable way. Lisa mentions, “The average cost for individual audiobooks could be unaffordable for some.” She says that in her own life, “the last three audiobooks I listened to would have cost around $75 to purchase. In addition, an audio content subscription runs around $25 per month.” With her free library card she can listen to or read up to 15 items at any given time, with no late fees, which she notes, is a “no brainer!”
Check out Lisa’s recommendations below and make sure to visit READS to check out convenient, free eBooks, audiobooks and streaming video! Also stop by to visit Lisa at the White House City Library circulation desk!
Digital Bookshelf: Lisa Major's Recommendations 
The Spy by Paulo Coelho
If you love nonfiction, science fiction, or young adult as much as Lisa does, check out these great titles available on READS:
Children’s: Frankie by Mary Sullivan. Geisel Honor-winning author-illustrator Mary Sullivan writes about two puppies that have to find their place in the pack when the attention moves from just one dog to two.
Youth: Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw. Burcaw pens an authentic, honest account of his life and the challenges he faces due to spinal muscular atrophy.
Adult: Morte by Robert Repino. In this work of science fiction, Morte, a housecat turned war hero, begins a journey to understand the fate of all of earth’s creatures while fighting the dreaded EMSAH.
Adult: The Spy by Paulo Coelho. Mata Hari went from a celebrated dancer in Paris to being accused of espionage in turn of the century Europe. Coelho’s novel is an unforgettable story about strength.
Summer Celebrations with Tennessee READS
The weather is already heating up and summer is here. What better way to celebrate the season than to relax outside with an e-book, audiobook or streaming video from READS? There are many fun occasions in the summer – the end of school and time by the pool. The beginning of summer brings exciting times and you will find many titles on READS that you can enjoy anytime.
The summer months are great times for travel and many are making plans for international trips. Reading about the culture before taking any trips overseas is an important first step in the travel process. European national holidays like Bastille Day, the French National Day that is celebrated July 14. Its history dates back to the famous Storming of the Bastille July 14, 1789, which was a turning point of the French Revolution. Celebrations are held throughout the entirety of France during the day, with military parades, concerts and balls attended by many. If you’d like to know more about French culture, check out “My Life in France” by Julia Child or if you would prefer something in fiction, try “Somewhere in France: A Novel of the Great War” by Jennifer Robson (available as both e-book and audiobook).
Traveling abroad is always fun, but we can’t forget about patriotic celebrations in our own country. The Fourth of July is a celebration of our independence as a country. This holiday commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 by the Continental Congress. This special day is celebrated with fireworks, parades, hot dogs, apple pie, American flags and much more. To get yourself in the patriotic spirit, check out some titles on READS, like “Freedom: A History of US” and “Fourth of July Creek” by Smith Henderson.
Here are a few titles to check out this summer:
At Home in the World: Tsh Oxenreider writes about her and her family’s accounts living across the world and the lessons they learned from their own wanderlust.
How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Matt Kepnes dispels the notion that traveling has to be expensive. He gives tips and tricks to making world travel accessible and easy.
When Paris Went Dark: Ronald C. Rosbottom describes Paris under German occupation in World War II, from 1940 to 1944.
Alexander Hamilton: Ron Chernow pens the autobiography that inspired a revolutionary Broadway play and brought the story of a founding father to the spotlight.
More Free Digital Resources
Are you ever curious about what is in the Tennessee State Library and Archives, but never had the chance to visit? Now you can browse what the State Library and Archives holds without leaving your house! The Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA) is a digital repository of Tennessee history and culture.
TeVA’s virtual archive includes everything from photographs to documents, maps, manuscripts, audio and film that has been digitized and made available online to Tennesseans. Simply go to http://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/ to start browsing Tennessee history!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I recommend an e-book, audiobook or streaming video on READS?

If you conduct a search for a title and you cannot find it, remember you can scroll down to the bottom of the search results page and the title may be listed there for you to recommend it for purchase. If the title is not listed that means it is not for sale to libraries in the digital format. Some titles that can be purchased by individuals through online vendors such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble are not available to public libraries.
For more in-depth instructions on how to do recommend a title, click here to read more.

Questions or Comments
Need help using R.E.A.D.S.? Send an email request to Support at rsupport.tsla@tn.gov
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