People can lose their lives in libraries. They ought to be warned.
― Saul Bellow
Tag Archives: library
Weekly Quotation: Saul Bellow
Filed under Photos, Quotations
Weekly Quotation: Albert Einstein
The only thing that you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.
- Albert Einstein
Filed under Photos, Quotations
52 Ways to Use Your Library Card
There are 52 items on this list for ways to use your library card, which makes it one idea for each week of the year. I didn’t create this list, but it’s a good general idea. I’m sure you can think of many more wonderful ways you can use your library card. So get out there and enjoy your library!
1. Get to know your librarian, the ultimate search engine @ your library. 2. Browse your favorite Web site(s).3. Plan your next vacation.
4. Find a list of childcare centers in your area.
5. Learn about local candidates for office.
6. Pick up voter registration information.
7. Reserve the latest mystery.
8. Pick up a video.
9. Listen to a classical CD.
10. Participate in a community forum.
11. Find out how to navigate the Internet.
12. Prepare your resume.
13. Get new ideas for redecorating your house.
14. Get a list of community organizations.
15. Attend a lecture or workshop.
16. Hear a local author reading his/her latest novel.
17. Join a book discussion group.
18. Attend preschool story hour with your child.
19. Get homework help.
20. Look up all kinds of health information 21. Research the purchase of a new car.
22. Trek to another planet in a Sci-Fi novel.
23. Call the reference desk if you have a question.
24. Research your term paper.
25. Learn about the history or your city or town.
26. Decide which computer to buy using a consumer guide.
27. Check your stock portfolio.
28. Read a newspaper from another country. 29. Borrow an audiobook for your next road trip. 30. Use the library’s resources to start a small business. 31. See a new art exhibit.
32. Volunteer as a literacy tutor.
33. Find a new recipe.
34. Ask for a recommended reading list for your kids.
35. Make photocopies.
36. Get a book from interlibrary loan.
37. Enroll your child in a summer reading program.
38. Take a computer class.
39. Hear a poetry reading.
40. Take out the latest fashion magazine.
41. Enjoy a concert.
42. Trace your family tree.
43. Check out a special collection of rare books.
44. Check out a legal question or issue.
45. Find out how to file a consumer complaint.
46. Get nostalgic by looking at old magazines.
47. Borrow some sheet music.
48. Learn how to use a database or computerized catalog.
49. Find the latest romance paperback.
50. Pick up tax forms.
51. Get some Internet training.
52. Find a quiet spot, curl up with a book and enjoy.
Filed under Library, Reading Resources
My Library Card is Valuable Because…
September is a fabulous month for libraries. (Every month is a wonderful month for libraries.) September is library card sign-up month. American Library Association along with other organizations are promoting the library and obtaining a library card. Individuals submit a photo of themselves or with family and show why your library card is so important. Along with the photo the individual states why their library card is so valuable. There will then be a random drawing and a lucky individual will win a Target gift card (U.S. residents only). Adults, children, and even the family dog can be in the photo as long as the library is somehow promoted. Click HERE to submit a photo.
Filed under Library, Reading Resources
**Library Card Sign-Up Month**
I absolutely, positively love my library. Yes, I have my library card number memorized and can state exactly when it's open. This little card is your passport to endless knowledge.
The library opens up so many possibilities to individuals and the community. It's a shame that so many libraries in the United States faced with economic troubles have closed. My own city closed two libraries.
I discovered that this post from last year received almost 300 views just today! I thought I'd reblog the post since it's library card sign up month!
Filed under Library, Reading Resources, Reblogged
Weekly Quote: John Berry
If your library is not “unsafe,” it probably isn’t doing its job.
Filed under Photos, Quotations
Book Review: The Librarian of Basra
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq
Alia Muhammad Baker is the librarian of Basra, a city in Iraq. Her library is a meeting place to discuss books, but also to discuss war. Alia worries that fire from the war will destroy the books, which are very precious to her. She asks the governor for permission to move the books to a safe place, but he refuses. Alia decides to protect the books herself and secretly brings books home every night. Finally, war reaches Basra. Alia asks her friend, Alia Muhammad, who owns a restaurant next to the library to help save the books. They quickly remove the books from the library and hide them in the restaurant. Only nine days later, a fire burns the library to the ground. They move the thousands of books to her house and friends’ houses to protect the books from harm.
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq is a true story about a brave women in Iraq. War is a sensitive issue and I thought this book demonstrated that a community can work together to save precious books. The text is straightforward and doesn’t become too graphic when discussing war. It’s a good book to start a discussion about war with children. The pictures are vibrant and beautiful.
Celebrate National Library Week!
April 8-14, 2012
Related articles
Filed under Ages 8-10, Book Review, Children's Book, Picture Book
Book Review: Tomás and the Library Lady
Written by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Raúl Colón
Published September 23, 1997 by Dragonfly Books
Ages: 6+, 40 pages
Genre/Topics: Realistic Fiction, Migrant Workers, Library
Tomás’ family is moving to Iowa again, since his mother and father are migrant workers. They pick fruit and vegetables in the summer for Iowa farmers and in the winter for Texas farmers. Tomás loves to listen to his Papá Grande tell stories. Papá Grande tells Tomás that he is now old enough to visit the library to then share new stories. Tomás has never seen so many books in one place. The librarian asks what he would like to read about and he says tigers and dinosaurs. Soon Tomás forgets about the library lady, Texas, and Iowa. Instead, the story becomes alive as he rides a dinosaur. The time quickly goes by and the library lady lets him check out books. Tomás returns home and reads the new stories to his family. During his visits to the library, Tomás teaches the library lady Spanish words. Sadly, Tomás must say good-bye to the library lady and the place that made him feel welcome as the summer ends.
I really enjoyed Tomás and the Library Lady, because the stories really come alive when Tomás reads and shares the books. The book is based on a real person named Tomás Rivera who was a migrant worker and became a writer, professor, and national education leader. He died in 1984. Tomás and the Library Lady won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, an International Reading Association Teacher’s Choice Award, and was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award.
Tomás Rivera, B.A. '58 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Related articles
- Suggested Reading for Pat Mora’s My Own True Name (beyondthepalebooks.net)
Celebrate National Library Week!
April 8-14, 2012
Filed under Ages 6-8, Book Review, Children's Book, Picture Book
Book Review: My Librarian is a Camel
My Librarian is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World
Margriet Ruurs wondered how books were brought to children around the world, so she researched different mobile libraries throughout the world. She contacted librarians who shared their information, stories, and pictures about various mobile libraries. Ruurs explores how books reach readers in Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, England, Finland, Indonesia, Kenya, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. The methods varied greatly from a bookmobile in Australia to a wheelbarrow at the beach in England to book boat in Finland to a library camel in Kenya to even an elephant library in Thailand! My Librarian is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World presents each country in alphabetical order on two pages. Each country includes detailed information about the book program, photographs, map, and the country’s flag.
Celebrate National Library Week!
April 8-14, 2012
Related articles
Filed under Ages 8-10, Book Review, Children's Book, Non-Fiction, Picture Book
Book Review: Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile
Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile
Miss Dorothy always knew she wanted to be a librarian when she grew up. She wanted to be a librarian in charge at a red brick library in the center of town just like her hometown in Massachusetts. Well, Miss Dorothy went to Radcliffe College and was ready to be in charge of a brick library but her plans changed slightly. Miss Dorothy married and moved to a farm in North Carolina. There was a slight problem, because there was no library. There was a community meeting and they agreed that they needed a place to store books and check them out. They decided that the town would raise money for a bookmobile and Miss Dorothy would be the librarian. Miss Dorothy was a little disappointed at first, since she believed a library was a building with shelves and books. She drove the bookmobile all over town to make sure everyone had a book to read. Miss Dorothy drove the green bookmobile to every school, farm, grocery store, post office, church, and even the courthouse. A generous reader donated a white house to be used as a library. Miss Dorothy never got her red brick building for a library, but she still shared her love for books and reading. Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile is loosely based on the author’s experience with a woman named Dorothy Thomas who greeted people with books in her van.
April 11, 2012, is National Bookmobile Day!
Brief History of the Bookmobile:
The bookmobile service in the United States began in the late 19th Century. The first bookmobile service started by Mary Lemist Titcomb in Washington County, Maryland in 1905. Titcomb wanted to extend library services into rural areas. She referred to it as a “library wagon” and consulted with wagon makers to design the best horse-drawn wagon. In 1912, the county received a motorized bookmobile.
Related Information:
American Library Association Information About Bookmobiles in the United States
The First Bookmobile in the United States(neatorama.com)
Houston Public Library bookmobile (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Bookmobile horse and cart Washington D.C. (Photo credit: Crossett Library Bennington College)
Filed under Ages 6-8, Book Review, Children's Book, Picture Book
Book Review: Lola at the Library
Written by Anna McQuinn
Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
Published April 4, 2006 by Charlesbridge Publishing
Topics: Reading, Library, Books
Ages: 2+, 32 pages
Every Tuesday, Lola and her mommy visit the library. She carefully puts all her books in her backpack to return. Lola enjoys spending time in the children’s area where she listens to stories and songs. After storytime, Lola takes her time and picks new books to check out. When Lola and her mommy are finished checking out books they get a snack after visiting the library. Before bed, Lola’s mommy reads a library book to her.
Lola at the Library is a simple and sweet story about a young girl visiting the library. The book is a great introduction about the library. It takes many trips to the library for children to become comfortable, feel safe, and most importantly desire to come back. Now that I’m an adult it sometimes feels weird if I didn’t make my weekly library visit! Thanks Mom! 
Celebrate National Library Week!
April 8-14, 2012
Related articles
- Lola Reads to Leo (kidsbrain.wordpress.com)
Filed under Ages 2-4, Book Review, Children's Book, Library, Picture Book
Weekly Quote: Jorge Luis Borges
Filed under Photos, Quotations
Book Review: Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t)
Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t)
Miss Brooks is the librarian and she really loves books. She even dresses up for story hour and celebrates books all year. However, there’s a stubborn first grader who doesn’t think she will ever love a book the same way as the librarian. In May, Miss Brooks announces that it’s Book Week and each student needs to pick a favorite story to share with the class. They need to wear a costume and tell why you love the story. Miss Brooks fills her bag with books to read at home, but the child dislikes all the books because they’re too silly or have kisses. Finally, the mother calls the child a wart. Suddenly, it clicks and the stubborn child now wants to read a story about warts. So, the mother finds a book called Shrek! and they make an ogre costume. There’s even stick-on warts for the whole class!
I thought Miss Brooks Loves Books! (and I don’t) was a cute book for hesitant readers. The correct book may be difficult to locate, but it’s out there somewhere. There’s a book for everyone! Today is the start of National Library Week. Plan to visit your local library soon!
Celebrate National Library Week!
April 8-14, 2012
Filed under Ages 4-6, Book Review, Children's Book, Picture Book
Book Review: Library Lil
Library Lil
by Suzanne Williams, illustrated by Steven Kellogg
Ages 6 & up, 32 pages
Since the time she was born, Lil loved to read and had a wild imagination. When she was eight, she read all the books in the children’s room at the library. Lil was also very powerful as she held heavy encyclopedias with one hand while turning the pages with her teeth. Of course, she became the librarian and the town nicknamed her Library Lil. However, there was a problem because people in Chesterville were not readers and their only entertainment was watching television. Lil’s luck turned during a terrible storm that caused the power to be out for two weeks. Library Lil quickly came to the rescue with books to read, which created active readers in Chesterville. The library was the place to be for story time. A motorcycle gang entered town and Bust-’em-up Bill demanded a television to watch his wrestling show. He was disappointed when he learned that the town didn’t watch television anymore and was told to chat with the librarian. Well, Library Lil’s strength and enthusiasm helped make the motorcycle gang become readers.
Filed under Ages 6-8, Book Review, Children's Book, Picture Book
