These books were recently made into movies.  Look for them on DVD, too!

• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.  The movie version stars Keira Knightley and Jude Law. 
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien was made into the movie The Hobbit:  An Unexpected Journey starring Richard Armitage and Ian McKellen.
• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo was made into the movie musical which stars Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway (Academy Award, best actress).
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel was made into the movie of the same name starring Adil Hussain and Suraj Sharma as Pi.
• Lincoln, the movie, starring Daniel Day-Lewis (Academy Award, best actor) and Sally Field (nominated for best actress), was based on Team of Rivals: The political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
• One Shot by Lee Child was made into the movie titled Jack Reacher, starring Tom Cruise. 
• Safe Haven, the movie starring Juliane Hough and Josh Duhamel, is based on the book Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks.
• Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick was made into the movie starring Jennifer Lawrence (who won the Academy Award for best actress) and Bradley Cooper (who was also nominated for best actor).

These books are being made into upcoming movies:

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz. The movie, to be released March 22, 2013, will star Tina Fey.

After Earth - A Perfect Beast by Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger and Peter David will be made into a movie--as yet untitled--starring Will Smith.  No release date has been set.  After Earth - A Perfect Beast, coming out the end of April 2013,  is a prequel to After Earth by Peter David which will be coming out as an eBook and a paperback in May, 2013.

There are many outstanding classic films that have been either nominated or have won academy awards in the near or distant past.  Which films are some of your all-time favorites?  One of my favorites is Casablanca.

San Jose Public Library has the books that inspired the films. 

Here are some of the films that were awarded for best picture:

• Gone With the Wind (1939)
• Mrs. Miniver (1942)
• The Godfather (1972)

For some time, TCM will be showing academy award nominated and winning films during their 31 Days of Oscar program.  Another great way to re-visit those well-loved films! 

Good news for SJPL DVD lovers!  SJPL will now be purchasing "rental" DVDs, the DVDs that are released by Time Warner 50+ days after the release date of the full feature DVDs sold to the public but not sold to rental outlets or libraries.  Time Warner announced this difference in their marketing of DVDs in November, 2011.  The rental DVDs feature only the theatrical release movie without extra features, but now library customers will be able to check out these movies following the "on sale" waiting period.  And our first big purchase, of course--Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2, coming to a SJPL DVD collection soon!

Have a day off and want to treat yourself to a marathon of your favorite TV shows? The DVD collection at the Santa Teresa Branch Library has many of the most popular series on television available for check out.  Have you seen the hilarity of Michael Scott unfold on The Office?  How about HBO dramas Six Feet Under or Big Love? Ever want to find out what LOST was actually all about?  Come down to the Santa Teresa Branch Library (or any other San Jose Public Library Branch) and check out our DVD collection at the Marketplace.
 

Is there a great movie you missed seeing at the theater? Is there one that you would love to see again? Best of all, would you like to view it for free?

Check out the collection at your local San Jose Public Library! You will find an ever-changing array of movies, documentaries and educational DVDs for all ages.  The DVDs are now shelved at whichever library they are returned to, so you never know what you will find on the shelves to check out!

Library DVDs come in a variety of languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hindi, Chinese and French. 

Movies are checked out for 3 weeks, and cannot be renewed. The other DVDs also check out for 3 weeks, but can be renewed if no one has placed a request for that particular title.

Some library locations also show movies, and may even provide popcorn! Check the events listings on the library’s homepage, www.sjpl.org, for details. 

San José Public Library likes Harry Potter, too! However, we have received news that the Young Adult DVD Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, will not be available for libraries to purchase in the DVD format going on sale to the public November 11, 2011. The production company has withheld the sale of some theatrical release movies, including the latest Harry Potter, to libraries and rental agencies. Other popular titles not available for libraries to purchase are Crazy, Stupid Love, Contagion and The Hangover, Part 2.

"Rental versions" of these titles--with no extra features--will be offered for sale to rental agencies and libraries at some point, but SJPL does not buy "rental" products.* The full DVD version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, and possibly other unavailable titles should be available to libraries for purchase in 6 months or so. We will keep you posted!

*UPDATE!  SJPL now will be buying selected "rental" DVDs--  Rental DVDs are the same as those sold to rental DVD outlets 50+ days after the release of the theatrical release DVDs (with extra features) which are offered for sale to the public on the announced release date.  This will at least allow SJPL customers access to the movies!