Oregon Battle of the Books: Nominations sought

Oregon Battle of the Books is inviting nominations of books for the 2014-15 school year list.

“We try for a balance of genres,” Elke H. Bruton, OBOB administrative chair, stated via email. “Each book needs to be detailed or long enough to support the writing of 80 quality questions and should have high appeal to kids all over Oregon.”

Common Core State Standards: Library contributions highlighted

The library media center should serve as a “watering hole” for teachers to glean what their students are interested in, according to Tustin High School assistant principal Troy Fresch.

‘Gregor the Overlander’ by Suzanne Collins

Readers who enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy have an underground world to explore. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins is among children’s titles highlighted this year in Oregon Battle of the Books.

Gregor the Overlander (Scholastic, 2003) was Collins’ debut novel. In it, Gregor and his sister Boots are swept through a portal in their laundry room to the Underland, a world beneath New York City.

Oregon Trail cardholders to see benefits redued

The expiration of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act will leave Oregon Trail cardholders with 5 to 6 percent less each month in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Letters sent to SNAP recipients indicated that the reductions begin Nov. 1.

‘Vote For the Library’ ... in knitting

“Vote For the Library.” Knit letterforms using an alphabet grid.

‘Pie’ by Sarah Weeks (Friday cat blogging)

Of course, I couldn’t resist reading Pie by Sarah Weeks, with its premise that a cat has inherited a world-famous pie crust recipe. Not with Lardo, the cat in question, so endearingly pictured on the cover.

I have a weakness for cat books and would likely have read Pie even if it wasn’t one of the featured titles in Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB), third- to fifth-grade division, 2013-2014.

As Pie opens, Alice’s aunt Polly has died, leaving her pie crust recipe to Lardo and Lardo to her niece. Polly’s legacy — 13-time winner in an annual pie-making contest — is suddenly up for grabs. And someone is determined to do anything to be the next “Blueberry” winner.

Easier to walk when I shelve every day

For years I worked in a job that involved sitting at a desk. I really wanted the kind of job I have now: physically active at a library.

Study: Peers judge children with autism based on facial expression

A study released by SAGE Publications and the National Autistic Society, U.K., has found that slower development by children with autism in facial expressivity marks them out among their peers.

At Disability Scoop, Michelle Diament highlights the rate at which typically-developing children form impressions of children with autism: in as few as 30 seconds according to study findings.

Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Leading off with my reading of selected titles in Oregon Battle of the Books, The Tale of Despereaux came home with me this week from the Bellview library media center.

Written by Kate DiCamillo, The Tale of Despereaux is the story of a mouse inspired by tales of chivalry to devote himself to a princess. Horror of horrors, he lets himself be seen by humans and even speaks to the princess and her father.

The council of mice sentences Despereaux to be cast into the palace dungeon. A rat and serving girl also yearn for something more than society dictates they must be.

The book struck a chord; like so many of the characters in this story, I did not fit in with the “norm.” I believe the book will be of solace to readers who feel misunderstood because they are different.

Teens’ Top Ten: Winning titles

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is the No. 1 title in the Young Adult Library Services Association’s Teens’ Top Ten. Between Aug. 15 through Teen Read Week, Oct. 13 to 19, more than 32,000 votes were cast among 28 nominees.

The nominees were chosen by Teens’ Top Ten book discussion groups in libraries. All of the books were published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2012. The remaining winners are:

2. The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
3. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
4. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
5. Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
6. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
7. Crewel by Gennifer Albin
8. Every Day by David Levithan
9. Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross and
10. Butter by Erin Jode Lange

Day centered around Jackson County libraries

Saturday was entirely centered around Jackson County Library Services. We caught Rogue Valley Transit’s Route 10 into Medford for Learn-a-Palooza at the Medford library.

Patron check-out in Follett-Destiny library catalog

Patron search by homeroom

Writing detailed instructions is one of the ways that I commit a procedure to memory. The instructions that follow, address checking items out to patrons with the Follett-Destiny library management system. I first composed them in October 2013, and elaborated one year later with illustrations to accompany the procedure.

Oregon Battle of the Books

In the Bellview library media center this week I helped prepare for check-out, books selected by school librarians for Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB).

At CNN, brief history of Young Adult literature

“Monday marked the start of 2013’s Teen Read Week, but with young adult literature regularly burning up the bestseller lists, it’s clear many young adults don’t need an excuse to seek out the written word.”

At CNN.com, Ashley Strickland traces the evolution of young adult literature. Its roots, according to Strickland, go back to World War II, when “teenagers” were given their own distinction as a social demographic. The Young Adult Library Services Association coined the term “Young Adult” during the 1960s to represent the 12 to 18 age range.

Social sharing credit goes to Epic Reads on Facebook.

Safe, respectful, responsible

At Bellview Elementary School, students are honored for being “Safe,” “Respectful” and “Responsible.” From a recognition slip, given to students who display these values, I made a name tag to wear while I’m at work in the library media center.

Avoid that weeding ‘horror story’

Five questions can help guide library staff’s decisions to remove or not remove items from its collection, according to Rebecca Vnuk, reference and collection management editor with ALA Booklist.

• Would I be embarrassed if the library didn’t own it?
• If I put this on display, would it go out?
• Does the book fit the needs of my community?
• Does it have local interest?
• Is the author still living and writing?

New life for weeded books

At Baltimore County Public Library, decommissioned books have a second chance at life through a partnership with CollectionHQ and BetterWorld Books. The partnership was showcased during an ALA Booklist webinar, What Not to Weed: Best Practices in Weeding Library Collections.

Library Assistant at Bellview Elementary School

Bellview Elementary School Library Media Center

I’ve been hired as Library Assistant at Bellview Elementary School in the Ashland School District. Doug Werner works in the library during the earliest part of the school day and I arrive after him to work a three-hour shift.

Fiction enhances readers’ empathy

Scientists have demonstrated the short-term effects of reading on people’s social abilities. As reported on NPR: people did better on a test of social perception, “Reading the Mind in the Eyes,” after reading from literary fiction than people who were assigned to read from non-fiction or popular fiction books.

Jackson County libraries: Special district could bring in $9 mil

A proposed special district to fund Jackson County Library Services could bring in an estimated $9 million a year, according to Ryan Pfeil reporting for the Medford Mail Tribune. The district would eliminate a need for county general fund support and bring library hours back to pre-shutdown levels.

National Bullying Prevention Month

October is PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Month. What essential books or media would you recommend for children and teens to reinforce the message that bullying is not OK?

Library degree: Application for internship

FAQs: Cuesta College LIBT 214 Internship, Spring 2014 from Cynthia Parkhill

The final step toward earning certification and an Associate’s degree in the Cuesta College Library/Information Technology Program: Complete an internship.

I formally applied this week and between now and the end of the year, Cuesta faculty will place me at a site. The internship will take place this spring.