Student elections need online outreach

As a former Santa Rosa Junior College student and Oak Leaf staff writer, now attending courses online through another community college, I could relate to the sentiment in the May 16 editorial, “Student elections train us for future apathy.”

Fresh-baked bread on rainy day

Fresh-baked bread: whole wheat with sunflower seeds ... a great way to spend a rainy day.

Originally posted to Facebook

Guest blogging for Autism Women’s Network

Cynthia Parkhill guest-blogs for the Autism Women’s Network

My guest-blogging post for the Autism Women’s Network is about the benefit of my involvement in a medieval reenactment group, the Society for Creative Anachronism: that medieval reenactment brought me friends and professional skills.

Lending Library’s collection policy approved

The UUCLC Lending Library has a collection development policy, created by administrator Cynthia Parkhill for her studies toward an Associate’s degree in Library and Information Technology from Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. The policy was approved May 1, 2011 by the UUCLC Governing Board.

Author’s update, Aug. 6, 2014: A link to the document in my Slideshare account corrects a severed link on the UUCLC website.

Armstrong’s ‘Twelve Steps’ is timely read

What moment can be more exciting to an aspiring librarian than the arrival of an order of books, particularly when a title in the selection has direct bearing on contemporary happenings.

Upon learning about the Charter for Compassion, I was determined to secure Karen Armstrong’s book, “Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life,” for my small church lending library. Its emphasis upon the Golden Rule made it a valuable resource for nearly every religious faith and local interest in a Lake County charter gave it special timeliness and relevance.

Armstrong, a religious scholar, is author of many books including “A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam” and “The Case for God.”

Hand-made pouch for bus pass

Made a new ID holder out of brocade fabric to hold my Lake Transit rider's pass.

There are pockets on each side with a picture-frame opening through which the bus pass is visible. The fabric partition in the center has a grommet so I can hang it from a laniard.

I modeled my design after a plastic holder that was beginning to split at the seams.

Took two attempts to get the ID holder the right size but it turned out beautifully.

‘Say Something’ by Peggy Moss

The UUCLC Lending Library’s featured book of the month for May 2011 is Say Something by Peggy Moss.

A child who never says anything when other children are being teased or bullied finds herself in their position one day when jokes are made at her expense and no one speaks up. Say Something by Peggy Moss teaches children that being a silent bystander isn’t enough.

Lea Lyon’s bright, fluid watercolors illustrate the story, which also includes resources for getting involved in the community.

Peggy Moss worked as an assistant attorney general in the civil rights unit of the Maine Department of Attorney General and as associate director of the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence. Moss now works with schools, both as a consultant to the center and independently, to prevent bullying and teasing.