Patti Smith recently received the 2010 National Book Award for her nonfiction memoir Just Kids. This memoir features her youth spent in New York City, living with the artist/photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Mapplethorpe, who died in 1989, was known for his controversial photos, which sparked much debate regarding art and censorship in the late 1980s. Patti Smith was his closest friend throughout the 1970s and 80s. She is known for her incomparable poetry and performance art, as well as being considered a pioneer of the NYC punk rock movement. We have quite a bit of her work available in the San José Public Library catalog.

Just Kids - a memoir of life in New York City, with Robert Mapplethorpe. Includes her thoughts on being one of the first performers at the CBGB club.

Horses [sound recording] - powerful and poetic songs

Gung Ho [sound recording] -a more recent offering

Keep in mind that this recommendation is for adults, as her memoir and her lyrics deal with issues of a mature nature.

Every autumn, I find myself listening to music by The Cure again.  

It might be Robert Smith's wailing vocals, teen angsty lyrics, or perhaps the generally slower pace of the songs meshes up with the slower pace I feel as colder weather sets in.  The Library has several albums by The Cure, all good for fall-time listening.  We also have a DVD of live performances and music videos, titled (go figure) The Cure.  

An 80s and 90s sensation, this alternative-goth-punk-rock band is still touring...and yes, Robert Smith's hair is still poofy.  If you are completely unfamiliar with the band, a good album to start with is Staring at the Sea, a collection of singles from earlier in their career.  You're likely to enjoy The Cure if you're a fan of Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey, or Echo and the Bunnymen.

You can listen to preview clips of many of The Cure's songs on Amazon, see a plethora of their videos on YouTube (including the epic "Lovesong"), and read more about the band's history on Wikipedia and AllMusic.com.  

I maintain that The Cure's Disintegration is the best album ever made by any band.  What's your favorite album?