In February I posted about the ways we can identify fake Amazon reviews, particularly the tool Fakespot.com. Earlier this week Buzzfeed published an article about the business of fake Amazon reviews, which includes these staggering statistics: 87% of Amazon shoppers surveyed said a positive Amazon review was critical in their decision to purchase a product,…
“Fake news” is a phrase we’ve been hearing a lot over the past year. The barrage of half-truths and outright lies seems endless. At times it seems we live in a fog of rumors and fabrications. A conversation with a casual acquaintance can open a window into a world of alternative facts (A national fast-food…
The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore is a hypnotic read about five girls at a summer camp and how a fateful night changes their lives forever. The book starts off at Camp Forevermore, where the girls first meet during their childhoods. Author Kim Fu goes into great detail regarding the mixed feelings these girls have…
As National Women’s History Month draws to a close this week, our spotlight is on Mae Durell Frazar (1852-1919) an accomplished writer, editor, world traveler, and entrepreneur who lived most of her life on or near Prospect Hill. Frazar is chiefly known as Somerville’s first female publisher. In 1887 she created a 16-sheet paper called…
Are you a graphic novel fan? Why not check out your local library for your favorites? We have an entire area dedicated to graphic novels. Is there a title missing, that you’d like to see added? Just ask a reference librarian! Or just come sit and read in our lovely little alcove. Below are some…
Monday was a big day in the children’s literature world — the American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards were announced! The annual awards include not only the big two — Caldecott and Newbery — but a number of other awards recognizing a broad spectrum of children's and young adult literature. The Randolph Caldecott Medal,…
African-American history is endlessly fascinating: it's the troubling, complex counterpoint to the sanitized, triumphalist version of American history so many of us were taught in school and that still appears in popular historical works. The Internet is a trove of riches on the black American experience. Below are links to a small, eclectic sample of what's…
Have you ever bought a product online because of great reviews and customer ratings but ended up disappointed with it? You're not alone: the problem is common enough to warrant news coverage. Many of the rave reviews on retail websites are fakes: written by paid reviewers who've never used the product or service in question….
“Winter is here”–Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones, Season 6, Episode 10. The Boston area’s white Christmas has given way to bone-chilling cold. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Simpson, local temperatures are and will be 20-25 degrees colder than normal into the next week. Frostbite is possible after as few as 30 minutes outside….
In This Book, Craftsmanship Is a Matter of Life or Death In the underground city of Caverna, the setting of Frances Hardinge’s novel A Face Like Glass, a sip of wine can rewrite memories, a bite of cheese can spark visions, and certain perfumes make the wearer literally irresistible. Its citizens’ facial expressions, too, are…
