Disability Equality Index to rate inclusion policies

An online survey will allow businesses the chance to receive an objective score on disability inclusion policies and practices.The Disability Equality Index (DEI) will rate companies on a scale of 0 to 100.

100 percent in Cuesta College internship

I received feedback from my instructor yesterday for the final assignment in my Cuesta College internship, and I earned 100 percent in my class.

‘A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade’

Unexpected discoveries, like A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade (Feiwel & Friends, 2010), are one of my chief joys when shelving children’s books.

Written by Jame Preller entirely in pirate lingo, it documents a child’s first day at school.

The boy’s imagination transforms his school bus and classroom into a pirate ship. Illustrator Greg Ruth has created a host of imagined buccaneers that accompany the boy during his day.

Drucker’s ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship’

Jonathan Donihue, my husband and guest contributor, offers a book recommendation worth considering: Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

RVUUF: Religious Explorations Coordinator

This month, I began working as Religious Explorations Coordinator for the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. This part-time position helps to ensure smooth functioning of programs for children ages 0 to 4, pre-kindergarten through second-grade, third- through fifth- and sixth- through eighth-grade.

Autism: Employment traits worth investing in

At Entrepreneur.com, Lisa Evans lists four steps employers can take to create an autism-friendly work environment. She cites findings by D.C. author Patti Pacelli, that autism is seen at an asset in some companies.

Jackson County Library District: Early results

Unofficial election results showed Measure 15-122, the proposed Jackson County Library District, with 54.75-percent voter approval among 44,482 ballots cast as of a 7:55 p.m. Summary Report. Thank you to everyone who campaigned for our libraries and cast your votes in support.

Scholastic book fair, Bellview’s ‘most successful EVER’

Image credit: Scholastic

On Facebook, the Bellview PTO credits organizer Heather Loring with “the MOST successful Spring Book Fair in the history of EVER!!!”

Bellview received “credit” for books bought during the fair, which was used to purchase new books for the school library and classrooms.

According to Bellview PTO, “The amazing parents of Bellview really showed great support for reading this year, and came out in droves to support this super cool Spring Book Fair!”

Teacher-librarian Lauren Hall and I filled a small bin last week with books from among Scholastic’s offerings, and it felt great when Ms. Loring brought our stack of books to the Bellview library this morning. We’ll be working on labels and catalog records to get them ready for use.

Jackson County, Oregon: Election Day is today

Image credit: Libraries for All - Jackson County

Thought I’d pass along this election-day reminder from Libraries for All - Jackson County. And while we’re on the subject, be sure to take your ballot to an official drop-site.

Yarn Bombing at Your Library: Finals stress relief

Posted by Deana Brown‎ to Yarn Bombing at Your Library: “We hosted ‘Knitting for Stress Relief’ during dead/ finals week on my campus. Here are the bits n’ pieces I’m going to connect to yarn bomb one of the columns in my library!”

Hattitude: Hats at Lithia Artisans Market

Viewed during the Lithia Artisans Market on Sunday: these newsboy hats feature crowns that I assembled for Hat People in southern Oregon. The next steps after I drop off the crowns include assembling and attaching bills, buttons and lining.

ALSC 2014 Summer Reading List brochures

Image credit: ALSC

Just in time for summer reading, the Association for Library Service to Children has released 2014 Summer Reading List brochures for students in kindergarten to second, third to fifth and sixth to eighth grades.

“The lists are full of book titles to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer,” according to the ALSC. The letter-fold brochures can be downloaded in color or black and white from the ALSC website. The back panel of each brochure can be customized.

The ALSC is a division of the American Library Association.

‘Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand’

In The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand (Sourcebook Jabberwocky, 2014), author Jen Swann Downey introduces readers to the Lybrariad, a secret society of “Ninja Librarians.”

The mission of the Lybrariad is to aid people at points in history who were persecuted for expressing their ideas.

After falling through a hole in a janitor’s closet at the Passaic Public Library, Dorrie and her brother Marcus find themselves in Petrarch’s Library, a structure that is anchored to various points and places in time. Their arrival sparks concern for a new threat by the library’s enemies.

Social intelligence: Presumed versus assigned roles

At Social Thinking, Michelle Garcia Winner has written a perceptive essay about presumed versus assigned roles in social interactions.

‘Hattitude’: Multi-colored newsboy hats

Warm reds and cool tans: I love the way these color panels work together in crowns for what will be newsboy-style hats, sewn for Hat People in southern Oregon. Cool linen will be just the thing during warmer months.

Library service to children: two more classes for specialization

By taking two more courses this fall in the Cuesta College Library/Information Technology Program, I can be certified for specialization in library services to children. When I think of libraries’ early contributions to my development as a reader, it seems very worth doing.

Cuesta College LIBT 214: Internship hours completed

I’ve done it! With today’s Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL) spring regional conference, I’ve completed the internship hours I needed for the Cuesta College Library/Information Technology Program. I meet later this week with my internship supervisor Karen Angiolet (also OASL Region 5 representative to the state OASL board) to evaluate my performance as an intern in the Medford School District 549C Instructional Media Center.

Scholastic Book Fair at Bellview Elementary School

Image credit: Scholastic

The Scholastic Book Fair takes place before and after school, May 14 to 19, in the Bellview Elementary School science lab. The book fair will also be open during Bellview’s “Art Night,” 6 to 7:30 p.m. May 15.

In the Bellview library, I have bookmarks and coloring sheets, courtesy of Serena Robinson and Scholastic Book Fair publicity.

Summer reading begins as soon as school lets out

Courtesy of Denise Wilson at the Ashland public library, I have summer reading program bookmarks to display at the Bellview Elementary School library. The public library’s summer reading program will begin when school lets out.

Hand-made bookmarks in time for summer reading

Saturday’s “Crafternoon” in the Ashland library teen department was very appropriately themed in preparation for summer reading at Jackson County Library Services.

We made bookmarks using a variety of materials: ribbons, buttons, paint sample cards, “craft sticks,” decorative tape, stamps and, most importantly, imagination.

If you missed Saturday’s activity, be sure to watch for summer events, which begin as soon as school lets out. They’re one more reason to vote Yes on Measure 15-122.

Bicycle publicity for Jackson County library district

Bicycle-billboard publicity for a Jackson County library district

From now until the May election, whenever I ride around Ashland, I will be a moving billboard for the Jackson County library district. Green letters against a gold background urge viewers to vote “YES ON 15-122.”