Friday, May 30, 2014

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.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

‘A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade’

Book cover: A Pirate's Guide to First Grade by James Preller. A boy waves a pirate flag (a skull and two crossed cutlasses) from on top of the roof of his school bus, and his dog perches on its hood. Ghostly pirates surround the bus. The skull and crossed cutlasses motif is repeated on each side of the drawing.
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.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Drucker’s ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship’

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

Sunday, May 25, 2014

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.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

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’

The words "BOOK FAIR FIESTA" are centered above a stylized image of the sun. Below them is a draped banner that reads, "Yo Quiero Libros! Vamos a Leer!" with the English translations, "I Want Books! Let's Go Read!"
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

Infographic displaying four images, with caption, "Happy Election Day!" across the middle of the graphic. In upper left, a woman holds a book. In upper right, a woman leads a storytime for a group of young children. In lower left, two girls sit in a window seat reading books. In lower right, a Jackson County, Oregon official ballot drop site.
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.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Yarn Bombing at Your Library: Finals stress relief

Pile of knitted swatches and pieces in assorted colors and textures

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

Hats hanging from pegs on a pole. Included among them are red-and-green multi and teal-and-green houndstooth-patterned hats Hats hanging from pegs on a pole. In the foreground is the eight-paneled crown of a hat with stripes of gray, charcoal and teal twill
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.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

ALSC 2014 Summer Reading List brochures

Front-cover view of Summer Reading List brochures for kindergarten to second, third to fifth and sixth to eighth grades, produced by the Association for Library Service to Children. The cover image on each brochure features a book next to a campfire in front of a tent with trees in the background.
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.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

‘Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand’

Book cover: The Ninja Librarians, The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swann Downey. Cover art depicts a woman holding a fencing sword. To her right and left, a girl and boy hurl library cards in a way suggestive of ninja throwing stars. The trio are surrounded by library bookshelves through which lurking shadow figures glare at them. A disclaimer indicates the book is an uncorrected advance copy and that cover art is not final.
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.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

‘Hattitude’: Multi-colored newsboy hats

Three eight-paneled, multi-colored crowns for newsboy hats in shades of green, burgundy and reddish-orange Four eight-paneled, multi-colored crowns for newsboy hats in shades of off-white, tan, dark green and cream

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.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

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.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

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.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Scholastic Book Fair at Bellview Elementary School

The words "BOOK FAIR FIESTA" are centered above a stylized image of the sun. Below them is a draped banner that reads, "Yo Quiero Libros! Vamos a Leer!" with the English translations, "I Want Books! Let's Go Read!"
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.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

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

Paint displaying shades of yellow, assembled into a bookmark. A folded man's dress shirt and tie design has been stamped onto the bookmark and a red cutout circle with diagonal line through it superimposed on top of it. Above and below it are horizontal strips of patterned tape in a green and burgundy diamond pattern. The bottom of the bookmark is decorated with a wide horizontal stripe of white dots against a green background. Red, black and green decorative thread is strung and knotted through a hole punched in the top of the bookmark.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.

Friday, May 2, 2014

Bicycle publicity for Jackson County library district

Reflective vest on hangar, hanging from the handlebar of my bicycle. A sign pinned to the back of the vest reads "YES ON 15-122" in large green letters against a gold background. Smaller letters, also green, along the bottom read "KEEP OUR LIBRARIES OPEN."
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.”