tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58883154470402056352024-03-05T07:18:40.869-05:00Teens in the 'BraryA blog about library activities for teens.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-28878292075202471662012-08-29T21:15:00.000-04:002012-08-29T21:15:06.099-04:00Hey, You Guy-uys!Our first meeting of the school year is next Thursday, September 6, at 6:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-31489587769790212272012-06-25T10:25:00.000-04:002012-06-25T10:25:45.151-04:00Well, dear friends, it looks like we have the same number of entries for different movies, so I'm going to make an executive decision... On Thursday, July 28, we will show <em>Casper</em>. It is a 100 minute movie, so just over an hour and a half. The show will start PROMPTLY at 6:00, and end at 7:40. We will need to put all the chairs away before we leave, so please remind your parents we will be finished later than usual. You may bring a snack, but please be careful with it. <strong>We</strong> will have to clean up! Any drinks must, of course, have a lid.<br />
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I expect you to behave like the growing-ups you are, not like the five-year-olds you are no longer. This means no throwing anything, no loud talking, no pushing people around. What you will do is show respect both to your fellow movie-watchers and to library property. <em>Capisce</em>?<br />
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Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-48885432961901203472012-04-11T15:48:00.000-04:002012-04-11T16:28:14.932-04:00What to choose?Hallo, mes amis! We are faced with a decision. This summer, I would like to have a movie night for all of you, but I need your input. From the following list of titles, please choose one and leave a comment. I would like to have a consensus by the end of the week so that I can start work on the brochure for your Summer Reading Program events!<br />
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Here are your options:<br />
<em>Beetlejuice</em><br />
<em>Casper</em><br />
<em>The Goonies</em><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</em><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</em><br />
<em>Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</em><br />
<em>Monster House</em><br />
<em>Scooby Doo (live action)</em><br />
<em>The Spiderwick Chronicles</em><br />
<em>Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride</em><br />
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Please leave your choice in the comment section. Thanks!<br />
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P.S. I have a prize for the first responder!<br />
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(edited to add: Please include your name on your comment!)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-68944566591216994062012-04-04T22:33:00.000-04:002012-04-10T22:01:26.805-04:00No-Sew T-Shirt Bag!<div style="text-align: center;">
As a Youth Services person in a small-ish branch library, I work with kids of all ages, but really LOVE working with my Teens. Finding activities for them which are cheap, easy, and fast can be a challenge, but this is one craft which ANYONE (with the ability to wield scissors) can do. <br />
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The materials are simple. Old t-shirt, sharp scissors, and a safety pin. That's all it takes to make a great book bag in a matter of minutes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj616qtIytwNMb2QpPE9C9cBAsT1FIQiRkw1zHSk8GsNLhQnsvMkbvc6N4xVrwF2PZzSt5kVBjD9-D8izpxZp4mhunJNiM5-3Jox5EvLV_rCPbMRlVZsvE9Czcn8WmWAKwQNFTGTAIBkjk/s1600/01Materials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj616qtIytwNMb2QpPE9C9cBAsT1FIQiRkw1zHSk8GsNLhQnsvMkbvc6N4xVrwF2PZzSt5kVBjD9-D8izpxZp4mhunJNiM5-3Jox5EvLV_rCPbMRlVZsvE9Czcn8WmWAKwQNFTGTAIBkjk/s320/01Materials.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cut off the sleeves to the INside of the seam and as much of the neck as you like to get the size opening you want.</div>
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Cut the seam off of each sleeve and discard.<br />
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Cut a ring from each sleeve and snip the bottom seam off to open the loop into a string.<br />
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Pull the strings of t-shirt material until they curl up along the edges.<br />
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Snip two holes on opposite sides in the bottom hem of the shirt, being careful not to cut the stitching of the hem. Having at least two holes is important, as otherwise there will be one large opening at the bottom of the bag instead of two or more smaller holes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE8uqyNwEwxwy-m7jmg4PaEGV_wZYkSp13KiG_W8QpFqQLzvZxjHm-3eZ5o0_T7BnPaSPE5sovXR6BR3HMX7n2RoqCRMP8L60vKIABuDniyFdpFDrNKm9TZiG7dRHA_eI7jfEYPE43_w/s1600/05Holes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE8uqyNwEwxwy-m7jmg4PaEGV_wZYkSp13KiG_W8QpFqQLzvZxjHm-3eZ5o0_T7BnPaSPE5sovXR6BR3HMX7n2RoqCRMP8L60vKIABuDniyFdpFDrNKm9TZiG7dRHA_eI7jfEYPE43_w/s320/05Holes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Thread" one of the t-shirt strings on your safety pin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7a23H_Y55fqsdFdb3jF8k4G8yjj68MZOHkg0dN7w85ewostTf0SZ9t37-erLzT5shAPZ-pt5GMwjCvf6wj8ipk-J_swT3lbZwUTwt1ml7Tzs2HGjs7YD6Qth1hfUES8zMXhWJdQNKwOU/s1600/07Thread+the+pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7a23H_Y55fqsdFdb3jF8k4G8yjj68MZOHkg0dN7w85ewostTf0SZ9t37-erLzT5shAPZ-pt5GMwjCvf6wj8ipk-J_swT3lbZwUTwt1ml7Tzs2HGjs7YD6Qth1hfUES8zMXhWJdQNKwOU/s320/07Thread+the+pin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Begin pushing the string through the hem of the shirt. Continue until you reach the hole on the other side of the hem.<br />
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Pull the string through until you have an even amount protruding from each hole.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE3ZD2lvrHBdz_lb3L7dRE6CSea_hfAsmWhmzPkQa3VGja2mZRF6b47E6YserNdbJtmOFS1UUJUvtatP9h6F_ssmzNsv7BT__KVrRZhjB3vN5yEWy4d5CzYUraxP2sjA7OJEczPsD2jU/s1600/09Pull+through.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeE3ZD2lvrHBdz_lb3L7dRE6CSea_hfAsmWhmzPkQa3VGja2mZRF6b47E6YserNdbJtmOFS1UUJUvtatP9h6F_ssmzNsv7BT__KVrRZhjB3vN5yEWy4d5CzYUraxP2sjA7OJEczPsD2jU/s320/09Pull+through.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tie a firm knot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUQxWatovcI8vcP0FNUA481AoistyzU9hphvSkACn-pq5LFIHdcdIiggL_hzXywCQKLg3_K7bimI66vpzOAZpVTpsOujCVY_aMB3eS17SBSK1GH5HhX2kV-sRIIGzQwH4X_1-Z9wj9Sg/s1600/10Tie+knot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUQxWatovcI8vcP0FNUA481AoistyzU9hphvSkACn-pq5LFIHdcdIiggL_hzXywCQKLg3_K7bimI66vpzOAZpVTpsOujCVY_aMB3eS17SBSK1GH5HhX2kV-sRIIGzQwH4X_1-Z9wj9Sg/s320/10Tie+knot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Snip the long ends of the strings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1fT1b62d9qKuY42xw_LI1bBXpVbQxrY7EFyuZR6Xp8h-ysTk59YlTcSYupl5S_lLqdVcPqw8UYMln3sEDc8TCJwgVSciRUe0ZXOZ_zLRBwaf1LTQxI18EioKeUiC7b4hYiJdmtLjTHw/s1600/11Snip+ends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd1fT1b62d9qKuY42xw_LI1bBXpVbQxrY7EFyuZR6Xp8h-ysTk59YlTcSYupl5S_lLqdVcPqw8UYMln3sEDc8TCJwgVSciRUe0ZXOZ_zLRBwaf1LTQxI18EioKeUiC7b4hYiJdmtLjTHw/s320/11Snip+ends.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Repeat using the other string through the other side of the hem. You should now have two smallish holes in the bottom of your bag.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif582HaDSVJg38XXtRYK2mnPx5HM9EsHLQKCh8hZUD_tPnD9lSTNh2OPfSv4ov05kRJ-i_B-qFeZrs5c0H823JTJmgX0a8EK-etQJo0VvAzcYsOPt7oVycyF4G8EQsBSgQ2JdJTC8hPks/s1600/12Bottom+of+the+bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif582HaDSVJg38XXtRYK2mnPx5HM9EsHLQKCh8hZUD_tPnD9lSTNh2OPfSv4ov05kRJ-i_B-qFeZrs5c0H823JTJmgX0a8EK-etQJo0VvAzcYsOPt7oVycyF4G8EQsBSgQ2JdJTC8hPks/s320/12Bottom+of+the+bag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That was easy!<br />
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Cute! And so is she...Thanks for modeling, Kayleigh!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-30090638953303596502010-12-20T14:25:00.000-05:002010-12-20T14:25:46.745-05:00Where'd you go?I haven't seen you for almost three weeks! Where have you been? Oh, wait. I'm the one who's supposed to be here. You just visit to see if I have anything brilliant to say. I haven't been feeling particularly brilliant lately. Getting ready for Christmas always seems to take it out of me, even when I don't feel particularly pressured or stressed. <br />
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I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas (pardon me, <em>Winter</em>) break and I will see you next week. Hopefully with something witty and pertinent to say. Me, not you. Well, it would be nice to hear from you, too. Witty or witless, I don't mind either one.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-82023985947538880222010-11-30T12:02:00.000-05:002010-11-30T12:02:30.749-05:00What a great excuse!Beginning in January, I will be taking a class titled "Young Adult Materials" in Library School. Yes! I will be formally studying past and present YA books! I love reading them, and now I can do so without feeling guilty about all the time I'm not doing something more productive. They're for <em>school</em>, after all. I'm so excited!<br />
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If you're lucky, I might find time to review them all for you!<br />
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p.s. Aren't exclamation points great!?!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-16705538323043771562010-11-23T16:35:00.000-05:002010-11-23T16:35:19.016-05:00Book Review, ahoy!<em>Cloaked in Red</em>, by Vivian Vande Velde--From the introduction, "Everyone knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood, the girl with the unfortunate name and the inability to tell the difference between her grandmother and a member of a different species." And, "However you look at it, 'Little Red Riding Hood' is a strange and disturbing story that should probably <em>not</em> be shared with children. That is why I've gone ahead and written eight new versions of it."<br />
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Ms. Vande Velde's eight new versions of LRRH are smart, funny, and ultimately satisfying. Unlike the original, which has plot holes big enough to accommodate a Mack truck, her short stories are tightly plotted and the characters are vivid and grand.<br />
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Since the stories are so short ( the entire book is only 127 small pages) there is only so much I can say about them. "The Red Cloak" is courtesy of an interfering mother who doesn't pay attention; "The Red Riding Hood Doll" gives a woman a bit of happiness in her otherwise drab life; "Little Red Riding Hood's Family" has one of the best openings... "Once upon a time, long after people had found out that their families could sometimes be an embarrassment, but before there were advice columnists you could complain to, there was a girl named Roselle."; "Granny and the Wolf" tells of a young granny who has to deal with a different kind of wolf; "Deems the Wood Gatherer" is an unfortunately near-sighted man with an unfortunate penchant for doing good deeds; the title characters in "Why Willy and His Brother Won't Ever Amount to Anything" are either dim-witted or overly-imaginative; "The Little Red Headache" is told from the wolf's point of view; and "Little Red Riding Hood's Little Red Riding Hood" is one of the most intelligent articles of clothing you will ever meet.<br />
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This little book doesn't take long to read, but it is well worth every minute!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-8316819303611031242010-11-16T16:42:00.000-05:002010-11-16T16:42:38.924-05:00Book Trailers?How many of you have heard of book trailers? They're like movie trailers, only they're about books. Of course. And, instead of using movie actors, they use unknown people to portray characters in the books. Sometimes there are voiceovers (similar to The Voice used in movie trailers), sometimes title cards are used. Sometimes the whole thing is nothing so much as a PowerPoint presentation.<br />
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Sadly, I am unable to show any to you right now, as I am at work and YouTube (and other sharing sites) is blocked. I will try to remember to link some from home later in the week.<br />
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Ha ha ha ha ha!<br />
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(Erm. Sorry. For those of you who do not know me personally, you have no idea how ludicrus is the idea of me remembering to do something work-related while I'm home.)<br />
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Anyway...<br />
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It is my hope to win a grant for us to acquire a video camera and editing software so we can make book trailers of our own to showcase our favorite books. And by <em>us/we</em>, I mean <em>you and me</em>! If any of you teens out there has a fabulous idea for a book trailer, let me know, and we will see what we can do!<br />
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We'll need scripts, actors, technical people, and more. Put your brains to work, people!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-27369838918388353422010-11-10T16:40:00.000-05:002010-11-10T16:40:06.717-05:00I'm baaaaack!I had so much fun visiting Tracy. I am really glad to be home, though. I missed my family, my co-workers, my patrons. Yes, I missed you, too!<br />
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We were weepy and giggly in turn. We stayed up too late talking, watching movies, and eating cheesecake. We talked about boys we knew way back when. We talked about our kids. We talked about our hopes and dreams for the future. No topic went undiscussed. How exhausting! How great.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-60612854606931100332010-11-02T10:08:00.000-04:002010-11-02T10:08:27.596-04:00No Teen Time in NovemberI'm goin' to TEXAS! I'm goin' to TEXAS! I'm goin' to TEXAS!<br />
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San Antonio, to be specific. My best friend (since High School, mind you) lives there and we are going to have a girls' week! My family is staying behind to hold the fort, and I am going to spend time with Tracy, whom I haven't seen in SIX YEARS!!<br />
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Think about that my friends. Where were you six years ago? Some of you were in first grade, maybe Kindergarten. I hadn't even started working at the library yet! Now, Tracy and I have been friends since the summer of 1984, which if you do the math was twenty-six (26) years ago. During those twenty-six years, we (both of us Army brats, then she married Air Force) have lived in the same town for only 11 months, the same state for only 25 months (that's including the 11 months in the same town). The rest of the time? Never less than 1,100 miles. At its peak, the distance between us was over 2,000 miles. That was when she and her family left South Carolina for an Air Force posting in MONTANA.<br />
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Before the days of unlimited long-distance calling, we used to get into so much trouble over phone bills! Some things were just too urgent to wait for the mail, and e-mail was just not even in the picture in the early days of our friendship. And we're both talkers. I mean... TALKERS.<br />
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All of this by way of saying: Don't let time and distance separate you from your real friends. You know what I mean. The friends to whom you can say absolutely anything. The friends with whom you can sit in silence and not be worried about why nobody's saying anything. The friends you argue with, but always come back to because you help each other in ways you can't articulate.<br />
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Your BEST friends.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-62518574500217040042010-10-28T16:15:00.000-04:002010-10-28T16:15:07.035-04:00Ouch.I had a tooth pulled on Monday. I don't think I have anything else to say. Just, "Ouch."<br />
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I hope to be more erudite next Tuesday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-33566114732178503112010-10-19T12:02:00.000-04:002010-10-19T12:02:22.418-04:00One Hundred Seventy! From TEN Countries!That's how many times (and from how many countries) this blog has been viewed in the last six months. I'm so excited I can't stand it! From the standpoint of other bloggers, I suppose that's not an awful lot. There is one blog I frequent which has traffic in the thousands on a DAILY basis.<br />
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Looking at the information provided by the nice people here at Blogger.com, I realize that most viewers found me by accident, and probably did not stick around long enough to read even one post. But still. 170 from 10 countries! I would say I'm speechless, but obviously I'm not. Sputtering and repetitive, yes. Speechless, not quite.<br />
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So. Why bring this up? Because I had no idea ANYONE had looked at this blog. When you stop by, would you say, "Hi" in the comments? You don't need to say anything regarding the post, unless you just want to, but let me know you were here. I need the encouragement. And if more of you let me know you've visited, maybe I'll get more time to post, instead of just once a week!<br />
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And, hey, I love to hear from you anyway. I'm a people-person.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-53912482294245789332010-10-12T11:19:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:40:02.775-04:00School is kicking my... er... behind.Graduate school, that is. Yes, I have voluntarily gone back to school. I am pursuing my Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree. This means that I have no time to read and review books for all of you. Or for me. Booooo. You think you have homework? In the course of any given week, I have to read multiple chapters from two graduate-level text books, watch three lectures, participate in discussion boards on line, work on two group projects, and write a three page paper. And I usually can't start any of this until after 9:00pm. That's right. Nine o'clock at night. I work until I fall asleep, usually after midnight or 1:00, then the alarm goes off between 5:30 and 6:00, depending on how dedicated I'm feeling.<br />
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Go ahead. Whine at me about homework. I have more whine than you do, and I'm happy to share.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-77397105723488727162010-10-05T10:11:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:41:20.355-04:00Speed Dating? With Books?Come to the library on Thursday, October 7 at 6:00 p.m. for Book Speed Dating!<br />
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What is speed dating? A large group of men and women gather in a specified place. And then, as Wikipedia tells us, "Men and women are rotated to meet each other over a series of short 'dates', usually lasting from 3 to 8 minutes depending on the organization running the event. At the end of each interval, the organizer rings a bell or clinks a glass to signal the participants to move on to the next date. At the end of the event participants submit to the organizers a list of who they would like to provide their <span style="color: black;">contact information</span> to. If there is a match, contact information is forwarded to both parties. Contact information cannot be traded during the initial meeting, in order to reduce pressure to accept or reject a suitor to his or her face."<br />
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How does this work with books? A group of people sit down with a group of unfamiliar books. Each person has a form for evaluating the books. A timer is started for five minutes, during which time each person reads from the book in front of them. When the timer goes off, the evaluation is filled out and the book is passed to the next person. This continues until each person has looked at each book, or until the overall meeting time has run out.<br />
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At our event, you will have the opportunity to check out the books which have captured your interest.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-16896729707853820942010-09-28T16:28:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:41:39.904-04:00Banned Books/Challenged BooksThis week is "Banned Books Week." What is that all about? You may well ask, and I will certainly tell you. This is the week when libraries around the country celebrate ALL of literature--good, bad, and awful. You see, in these United States of America, we have certain Constitutional rights, among which is "Freedom of Expression." This means that anybody can say what they want, and any one who wants to has the right to listen or read or watch.<br />
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There are those in this country, however, who would like to limit the right of certain groups (especially students) in enjoying this freedom. As I have expressed before in this blog, I firmly believe that families have a say in the reading choices of the children under their care. This privilege does NOT extend to other people's children. No one has the right to interfere in the reading choices of another family.<br />
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Those who want to ban certain books from school libraries or curriculae have no business doing so. If they don't want their children to read those books, fine. They are welcome to ask the teacher/principal/media specialist for an alternative. I believe they are passing up a prime opportunity to discuss with their children how those books may contradict what their family believes or values and why it is important to them.<br />
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I'll step off my soapbox, now. <br />
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Go read <u>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</u> or <u>The Diary of Anne Frank</u> or, in a twist of irony, <u>Farenheit 451</u>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-34934901182331706982010-09-21T11:29:00.000-04:002010-09-21T11:29:31.831-04:00Banned Books Week September 25 - October 1, 2010There are many books that I will never read because I know I vigorously disagree with their message. On the other hand, I have no right to stop you or anyone else from reading those books. Not even for your own good. There are books I have told my own children they might not want to read because of the content, but there has been only one book I ever actually removed from the hands of one of them. It was a book from the adult fiction collection of the library, and it was <em>very </em>adult, while my child was only fourteen. A young fourteen at that. Now that he's grown, he's welcome to it.<br />
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Would I try to stop someone else's child from reading that book? Not directly, no. I would prefer to speak to the parent and let them know what was in the book that was so objectionable to a fairly libertarian (live and let live) kind of person like me and then step back and let them make the choice for their own family. Would I ever suggest or demand the book be removed from the public library shelves because I personally find it so disturbing? NO NO NO NO NO. And NO again.<br />
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I don't have the right to decide that any other adult in the world is too infantile to make that decision for themselves. And that's what the book banners and censors and suppressors believe. That other people are too weak-minded to make their own decisions about what to read.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-42436731401018397212010-09-15T09:58:00.001-04:002012-04-13T15:34:51.785-04:00Inviting myself...The middle school had a visit from me last Thursday, September 9. I had found a picture-book about 9/11/2001 which I had to share with <em>someone</em>. My usual crowd of pre-schoolers was out of the question. I invited myself to an eighth grade English class, and was rewarded with a group of attentive, respectful students. What a great experience!<br />
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What was the book? <u>14 Cows for America</u>, by Carmen Agra Deedy. On September 11, 2001, Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah was far from his home in Kenya. He was in New York City. The events of that day impacted him in an enormous way. When he returned to Kenya in the spring, he shared his story with the people of his remote Maasai village, who had not yet heard about the terrorist attacks.<br />
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In order to truly appreciate the message of the book, you must understand that, in the words of Kimeli, "To the Maasai, the cow is life."<br />
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Kimeli owned one cow. Just one, in a culture where the wealth of a person is determined by how many cows he owns. <br />
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With the blessing of the elders of his tribe, Kimeli set aside his only cow as a living offering to comfort the pain of a nation. That cow was joined by thirteen more from other members of Kimeli's village who also felt the need to do something for the American people. They invited the United States Ambassador to Kenya to come to a special dedication ceremony, because, as Carmen Agra Deedy writes, <em>"There is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort."</em><br />
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Those fourteen cows are considered sacred and, as such, will never be used for food or any other purpose. They remain under the care of the tribe who have tended them so well and the herd now numbers over 30.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-86675905900689900862010-09-07T15:46:00.000-04:002012-04-13T15:31:34.534-04:00And then there were sequels.I am currently reading <u>Still Sucks To Be Me</u>, by Kimberly Pauley. This is a sequel to <u>Sucks To Be Me</u>, which I read a few months ago. Why I didn't review it for you then, I'll never know. How about I review it now? Sound good?<br />
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First of all: How can you <em>not</em> want to read a book called <u>Sucks To Be Me</u>? The title alone is worth the price of admission. Second: This is a vampire story unlike any you have read before. Mina Hamilton is in eleventh grade, crushing on the cutest boy in her school, when the local Vampire Council discovers that Mina's vampire parents have neglected to inform the Council that they have a child. Technically, vampires aren't allowed to tell any humans of their existence, so having a human child (<em>who knows her parents are vampires!)</em> is a violation of vampire law. The Council is not happy. Mina is required to attend vampire orientation classes and then is forced to choose whether to turn and stay with her parents as they relocate, or to remain human and go into foster care with all memory of her parents erased.<br />
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Mina is sassy, sarcastic, witty, and loveable even in her angst. The chapter headings are little handwritten myth-debunking cards such as: "Myth: A stake through the heart will kill a vampire. Truth: Well, duh. It would kill anyone." Another is "Myth: Vampires have huge stockpiles of gold and treasure. Truth: If that were true, I'd be able to get my dad to actually buy me a car." And, one of my very favorites, "Myth: Vampires sleep in coffins. Truth: That's totally gross. It would take a total freak to want to sleep in a coffin." These are accompanied by little stick-figure drawings and cartoon vampire faces.<br />
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Ms. Pauley has created an absolutely wonderful character in Mina, and her twists on the vampire tradition are great.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-48555587397801558332010-08-31T15:02:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:42:26.125-04:00School visits, revisitedI have had occasion to whine about students' behavior during classroom visits, but my trip to the High School today to speak to two of Ms. Harmon's ninth-grade English classes was wonderful! Thanks, guys (and girls!) for you attention, your interaction, and your lack of rudeness. You are one of the reasons I look forward to my job every day.<br />
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The other reasons I look forward to my job are your younger siblings, cousins, neighbors, friends. I love kids of all ages and types and I want to help each of you just the right book to fire up an appreciation (if not outright passion) for reading.<br />
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When people talk about a love of reading, they so often mean a love of fiction. But there are so many other things to read! In the world of non-fiction, there is biography, how-to, did-you-know-that, look-how-pretty, look-how-scary... See? Many things. And don't forget magazines and newspapers!<br />
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So, come to the library. Let me help you find the <em>right</em> book.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-54425748990548697802010-08-24T10:09:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:42:39.437-04:00Ready for a brain break?Now that school is well started, your brain may be in need of a mini-vacation. I have the perfect place for it to go. If you ask nicely, your brain may let you come along!<br />
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On Thursday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m., I will be hosting Teen Time at the library. When you bring your brain for its mini-vacation, stop in yourself for an opportunity to make a brainless craft (bottle-cap magnets), have a snack, maybe win a door prize. If you're really lucky, we'll talk about some books, too!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-43406545582166575212010-08-18T10:48:00.002-04:002010-10-20T15:43:04.402-04:00Censorship and suppression are alive and wellI subscribe to a listserv which connects me with other Young Adult library staffers around the United States (and even in Canada!). This listserv has provided much food for thought for me over the last few months and yesterday, a link was posted to a <a href="http://petehautman.blogspot.com/2010/08/nasty-thing-in-corner.html">blog entry</a> which made me want to bang my head on my desk. I did sit here for several minutes with my mouth hanging open.<br />
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In short, author Ellen Hopkins was UNINVITED from attending the Teen Lit Fest in Humble, TX. Why? Because (and I'm ashamed to say this) a middle-school librarian told some influential parents that Hopkins' work was "edgy and dark" and inappropriate. These parents raised a fuss with the school board and superintendent, who uninvited Hopkins.<br />
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My friends, I may not always agree with your reading choices, and I may <i>try</i> to steer younger ones away from material that I think is too mature, but I will never tell you "NO." If you encounter this kind of thing from anyone (other than your own parents telling you what they believe is best for YOU, as an individual), you have my permission to laugh in their face. Then go out and lobby as hard as you can to have the author or books reinstated.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-1546759466897182012010-08-10T00:01:00.003-04:002010-10-20T15:43:33.449-04:00Over, but not yet finished...Summer Reading is officially over. Behind the scenes, however, there’s a lot of work to do! I have to report statistics, compile evaluations, undecorated, and try to regain my sanity.<br />
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I have to start planning programs for the Fall months! I have Storytimes, Books & Beyond, Bedtimes, Family Movies, and something else. What is it? I know I’m forgetting something. Oh, yeah! TEENS!!<br />
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There will be official Teen Times with actual programs at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. I would also like to encourage you to come by any time to talk books or play games. The more I talk to you, the better I get to know you. The better I know you, the better able I am to find books and movies you’ll like.<br />
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So don’t be a stranger.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-46593973584644816672010-08-04T16:46:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:44:41.237-04:00So Long, Summer!The last hurrah of Summer is upon us! Join me for a Celebration Cook-Out (or, more likely, Cook-In/Eat-Out) tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. We'll have hot dogs, chili, nachos, and whatever YOU bring!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-46408990392984124892010-07-28T15:41:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:45:13.542-04:00Sharpie Art!!This Thursday (that is, tomorrow) we will be using over thirty different colors of Sharpies, stencils, and our own feverish imaginations to decorate shoes, hats. tote bags, or whatever else you bring to color on! This is a provide-your-own-canvas deal, so be prepared. I have the colors; you bring the surface to decorate.<br />
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I will be posting pictures next week.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5888315447040205635.post-77215627719058638252010-07-20T11:51:00.001-04:002010-10-20T15:45:41.505-04:00Double Wii!!For those of you who did not come to the Night of No Talent, you missed out on playing an extra night of Wii games. The system arrived from the State Library a week early, so we took advantage of it!<br />
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There are three more events for you guys this summer. Water Games this Thursday, Sharpie Art next week, and the Celebration Cookout on August 5. I hope to see you all at these events!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06065529932741277165noreply@blogger.com0