Monday, January 30, 2017

Leyendo libros para niños, en español

Libros para niños, en español

(En español / In Spanish)
Estoy leyendo libros para niños, en español. Son: El fútbol es nuestro juego por Leila Boyle Gemme (Una traducción de Lada Josefa Kratky de Soccer is Our Game), ¿Eres Tu Mi Madre? / Are You My Mother? por P.D. Eastman (traducido del inglés por Carlos Rivera) y El año de Gato Galano por Donald Charles (versión en español de Calico Cat’s Year, traducido por Alma Flor Ada). Leí estos libros para aprender español. Están disponibles en mi biblioteca de escuela.

(In English / En inglés)
I am reading books for children, in Spanish. They are: El fútbol es nuestro juego by Leila Boyle Gemme (a translation by Lada Josefa Kratky of Soccer is Our Game), ¿Eres Tu Mi Madre? / Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman (translation from English by Carlos Rivera), and El año de Gato Galano by Donald Charles (a version in Spanish of Calico Cat’s Year, translated by Alma Flor Ada). I read these books to learn Spanish. They are available at my school library.

ALA opposes recent Trump administration actions

Executive orders and actions of the Trump administration stand in stark contradiction to the values of the American Library Association. In a statement released Monday, ALA President Julie Todaro asserts, the ALA “strongly opposes any actions that limit free access to information, undermine privacy or discriminate on any basis. This includes the temporary suspension of visas and entrance to the U.S. based on anyone’s nationality or religion as well as the increased scrutiny of any individual’s communication such as mobile phone and/or social media activity.”

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Rudine Sims Bishop honored for lifetime achievement

Rudine Sims Bishop
Among notable recognitions during a recent presentation of the ALA Youth Media Awards: Rudine Sims Bishop received the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.

From American Libraries Magazine, “2017 Youth Media Award Winners Announced“:

“Bishop is a winner of numerous awards and has served as a respected member of many book awards committees over the course of her long and distinguished career. Her influential writing, speaking, and teaching articulates the history and cultural significance of African-American children’s literature. Her globally cited work, Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors, has inspired movements for increased diversity in books for young people, and provides the basis for the best multicultural practice and inquiry for students, teachers, writers and publishing houses.”

Government censorship of science

The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom issued a statement this week, condemning demands by the Trump Administration that scientific findings by the Environmental Protection Agency be subject to review for consistency with the administration’s political viewpoint.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

‘Ashland Reads’ returns to local schools

Book-plate design combining black text with the yellow and blue spoke-and-wheel logo of Rotary International, against white background. Text reads: 'Donated to Bellview library by the Ashland Rotary Club as part of the Ashland Reads literacy program. Program partners: Friends of the Ashland Public Library. Ashland Interact Club. Treehouse Books'
Ashland Reads” is taking place again in Ashland elementary schools, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Ashland. One of the highlights of classrooms’ library time this week was a first-grade teacher reading to her students, one of this year’s “Ashland Reads” selections.

As explained by “SOU Honors College” in a post last May to Facebook, some teachers and members of the Rotary Club chose seven hardcover picture books. Each of the nine first-grade classrooms in Ashland received a set of the books.

What happened last school year is happening again, right now; Ashland School District first-grade teachers are reading to their students from this year’s set of books.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Oregon Battle of the Books: Partial list of next year’s titles

Two stacks of books, their spines facing viewer. Library call numbers are affixed to the books' spines, as are other labeling, including green labels designating them 2017-2018 selections in the Oregon Battle of the Books

With a partial list of titles released for next year’s Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB), I start physical preparations and conduct a census of the books in Bellview Elementary School library.

‘Lowriders’ wins Pura Belpré Award for illustrator

Cover image: Lowriders to the Center of the Earth. The story's three man characters travel in a lowrider automobile through a cavern.
Each January, I await announcement of the American Library Assoication’s Youth Media Awards, representing the top books, video and audiobooks for children. And it’s gratifying when a book that I’ve read and enjoyed receives its due acknowledgement.

The Pura Belpré Awards honor a Latino writer and illustrator whose children’s books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience, and for 2017, the Illustrator Award went to Lowriders to the Center of the Earth (Chronicle Books, July 2016).

Illustrated by Raúl the Third and written by Cathy Camper, Lowriders to the Center of the Earth is the second book in a series. The first book, Lowriders in Space (Chronicle Books, 2014), introduced the three main characters: Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria and El Chavo Flapjack Octopus.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Estudiando español para trabajo en biblioteca

(En español / In Spanish)
Estoy estudiando español con Pimsleur y Duolingo. Entiendo y hablo un poco, y estoy investigando expresiones en español para trabajar en una biblioteca. Número de clasificación en el sistema Dewey: 463. En medios sociales: #EnEspanol

(In English / En inglés)
I am studying Spanish with Pimsleur and Duolingo. I understand and speak a little, and am investigating expressions in Spanish for working in a library. Classification number in Dewey system: 463. On social media: #EnEspanol

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Yo-Yo books in Bellview library

Three books about Yo-Yos arranged upright on wire stands atop library counter with their covers facing outward. From left to right the books are, 'Yo-Yos: Tricks to Amaze Your Friends,'  'You Can Yo-Yo' and 'Awesome Yo-Yo Tricks.'

During the second half of the school year at Bellview Elementary School, the staff promotes special activities for the students to pursue. With a new activity or set of activities each month, it helps keep things fresh and interesting. For January, the emphasis is on Yo-Yo and Kendama.

To encourage students with January’s activity, Bellview library has books about Yo-Yo techniques available for check-out: Awesome Yo-Yo Tricks by Shar Levine (796.2 LEV), Yo-Yos: Tricks to Amaze Your Friends by Ingrid Roper (796.2 ROP) and You Can Yo-Yo! by Bruce Weber (796.2 WEB). Our informational collection includes books about many other fun activities; I’m encouraging Bellview staff to have their students give ’em a try.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Jeff Wheeler’s Muirwood series

Book cover, 'The Void of Muirwood' by Jeff Wheeler. Image depicts from-the-back view of a woman with long dark hair in a flowing green dress, arms outstretched at her sides, standing between two large rocks with sun faces carved into them. The woman faces a stone building
On my Winter Reads reading log for Jackson County Library Services: Jeff Wheeler’s Muirwood series centers around a medieval abbey on a world similar to ours, where a religious order whose priests are called “Mastons” live in harmony with a spiritual force called the Medium.

The harmonious force of the Medium is pitted against evil beings called the “Myriad Ones.” Women who pledge themselves to the Myriad Ones’ queen are possessed and become “Hetaera.”

The first series, Legends of Muirwood, consists of three books: The Wretched of Muirwood, The Blight of Muirwood and The Scourge of Muirwood. They tell the story of Lia, abandoned at birth at Muirwood and raised at Muirwood as a “wretched” -- so-called because her parentage is unknown.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Bellview Elementary School library ‘Top 10’


Back at work this week after snow-day closures delayed my return from winter break: I decided to do things a little differently with the Bellview Elementary School library “Top 10” for January 2017. I filtered results in our Follett-Destiny online catalog for the most often checked-out picture books during the previous 90 days.

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Friday, Jan. 6: Buses to run, schools remain closed

School-crossing in snowfall, New Year’s Day, 2017

Latest snow update is that Ashland schools will be closed Friday, Jan. 6, with all school-related athletic and extracurricular activities canceled for tomorrow as well. RVTD plans to resume transit service during normal hours tomorrow, but the routes may be delayed due to winter road conditions.

Winter Reads program at Jackson County libraries

Near-record snowfall isn’t the only thing that arrived with the New Year, 2017. Jackson County Library Services is offering its Winter Reads program for adults, Jan. 3 to Feb. 14, and it all begins when you pick up a Reading Log from your local branch library.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

For third day, Ashland school closures

Via an evening update: Ashland School District campuses will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 5, and all school-related athletic and extracurricular events will be cancelled as well.

Rogue Valley Transit cancels Thursday bus service

White-against-red-background: Exclamation point inside triangle, with letters above it, reading 'Weather Warning'

Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) has cancelled bus services for Thursday, Jan. 5. In a weather-warning bulletin, RVTD cited a forecast of icy roads and below-freezing temperatures continuing throughout the day.

Service aboard RVTD buses shut down early Wednesday afternoon.

RVTD apologized for the inconvenience, stating it hopes to resume regular service on Friday, Jan. 6. RVTD recommends riders check its website, Facebook and Twitter accounts or call 541-779-2877 for up-to-date service information.

Snowfall delays Rogue Valley Transit routes

Riders disembark from Rogue Valley Transit’s Route 10 between Ashland and Medford, Oregon as snow begins accumulating Dec. 6, 2013. Animated gif superimposes snowfall effect.
Photo from personal collection (December 2013). Animation by Google Auto-Awesome

Bus riders, be aware that heavy snowfall has caused delays in services. As of 7:36 a.m. today (Jan. 4, 2017), all Rogue Valley Transportation District routes were operating but many were running late. RVTD recommends that riders with smartphones download the One Bus Away app for real-time bus arrival information.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Ashland, Oregon: School closures continue tomorrow

Apartment building exterior with snow accumulation on ground and stairway railings, landing and steps. A black cat (our Starfire) is perched on the window-sill, looking out from inside the apartment

Ashland Public Schools has declared that all Ashland Schools will be closed tomorrow, Jan. 4, on account of inclement weather and hazardous-road conditions. The snowfall became heavier today by afternoon-early evening, just as the U.S. National Weather Service Forecast Office in Medford, Oregon predicted. Here’s what things looked like under the watchful gaze of our Starfire, peering out from the safety of our apartment. You can watch for snow-closure and delayed-start updates on the school district website.

Winter weather closes Ashland schools

Siskiyou Boulevard draped with snow, New Year’s Day near Ashland High School
Due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions, Ashland School District has determined that all schools will be closed today, Jan. 3, 2017. All school-related athletic and extracurricular activities are also canceled.

Monday, January 2, 2017

Good PR verifies deadlines and procedures

A few months ago, I volunteered to submit “Religion Briefs” each week for my church to the local newspaper. Doing so made sense, because it compliments my work as professional Web Content Editor — of updating the upcoming Sunday service on the church’s website.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

‘Talking Book and Braille Library,’ how it works

Digital player for Talking Book
and Braille Library
Shortly before winter break, I fielded questions from the Bellview community, concerning how students qualify for services through the Oregon Talking Book and Braille Library.

The official definition, from the “Registration” page, is that in order to qualify, a person “cannot read standard-size 12pt print for long periods of time comfortably.” To qualify as eligible, the program accepts the following:

Legal Blindness: Visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or the widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.