Hunger Games Movie Tickets on Sale

Yes, it's about a month away and you can already buy tickets for the midnight release on Friday, March 23 for the movie "Hunger Games." For those of you who are not familiar with the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, it’s the story of a futuristic United States, now called Panem that has crumbled and been split up into 12 districts. Each year, each of the twelve districts gather all of their teenage children and draw one name from each of two giant fishbowls. Those 24 teens are then whisked off to the Capitol where they get complete head to toe makeovers and are put through a series of tests, everything from physical to mental testing. At the start of the Hunger Games, all 24 teens are released into a wilderness custom made for each year's Hunger Games. The winner gets the ultimate prize… they get to live.
The Hunger Games books are absolutely amazing and librarians across the country are comparing circulation and hype to that of Twilight and Harry Potter. The film has already made its mark with the cosmetic industry-China Glaze has announced their line of Capitol Colours, inspired by the Capitol of Panem. Sadly, the collection will not be released until March 23, in conjunction with the movie. To tide you over, you can sit and drool as you surf the Capitol Couture style blog, which is devoted to all things fashion in the upcoming film. If by now you are having trouble concentrating due to lack of focus, you definitely need to sign up for our Hunger Games Movie Release Party at the library on Saturday, March 3 at 2:00 p.m. We will raffle off a Hunger Games READ poster and three of bottles of China Glaze nail color from their Capitol Colours line... 20 days before you can buy it! Registration is required and spaces are limited, so sign up already! Also, if all of this doesn’t pump you up, the sequel to Hunger Games, Catching Fire is already being adapted for the big screen. Save your money and I’ll see you at midnight on Friday, March 23rd for the big day and again in 2013 for the movie release of Catching Fire.

March Art Contest for PAWS to Read Doggies!

Show off your mad art skills and honor our beautiful library therapy dogs at the same time!

All ages are invited to submit original artwork of our beloved PAWS to Read dogs. *Six selections will be reprinted in a greeting card set. All submissions will be put on display in the library. Plus, all participants are invited to a pizza party with the PAWS to Read dogs on April 10th at 5:30pm!

Artwork can feature PAWS to Read dogs in any setting—reading with the children, visiting the hospital, playing outside, etc. Artwork can be submitted on white copy paper. It is suggested to use markers, crayons, or colored pencils. Artwork chosen for the greeting cards will be resized to the best fit for the cards.

Please turn in your submissions any time during the month of March to Youth Services and include the creator’s name, age/grade, and phone number on the back. Entrants must sign a permission slip to participate and all submissions become property of Therapets of Indiana with free rights to use for promotion purposes. Therapets of Indiana is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.

*Although we encourage artwork of all kinds of dogs, the greeting card set will feature Therapets of Indiana dogs only. These dogs are featured on the Therapets of Indiana website.

A favorite Library landmark has sprung a leak!

A puddle was pooling beneath our beloved fish tank, the carpet was wet, the fish were on edge they didn’t even want to eat—something absolutely had to be done!

Jon Mears with A Beautiful Aquarium came to the rescue. It was a difficult job, but it was really fun to watch. Here is what happened…

He took the fish out of the tank and put them in temporary holding bins with about 25% of their original water and air pumps so that the fish had enough oxygen.

The fish did NOT love their temporary housing. It was a bit dark and cramped for their taste, and the entrance to the youth department was blocked so they didn’t even get to see any kids enter the library, which is always the highlight of their day.

Then Mr. Mears had to drain all of the water out of our aquarium so that he could redo the plumbing, which was hiding underneath.

After he put in all new plumbing, it was time to fill the tank again!

It sounds like it was pretty easy to fix the big leaking tank, but the work was long and tedious, it took all day!

The fish are glad to be in their home again. Their home is a little bubbly and the fish are a wee bit confused, but I am sure all will be well on the fish front, and the Library is glad that the leak is gone!

On a side note, if you want to read a funny book about a leak, try Eloise takes a Bawth by Kay Thompson. It is long, but very funny!

I geek books and movies

The nominations for the 2012 Academy Awards have been announced and Hollywood’s special evening is fast approaching (2/26/12).

Each year at this time I wonder if I have seen most of the movies that were nominated, how many were based on books—and have I read those books?

There is a display in the Teen and Adult area of books that were made into movies from past years; and this year is no exception. One of the most popular novels from 2009, The Help, has at least three nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress and two for Best Supporting Actress. I am happy to report that the movie closely followed the story line of the novel—I thoroughly enjoyed both.

Of the nine nominees for Best Picture, five were based on books. In the Best Actor and Best Actress categories, six of the ten pictures were developed from books. The same number is true of Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories. What three movies are tied as the most honored motion pictures in Academy Award history? (answer below)

Stop in the library and check out or download one of the featured titles:

Extremely Loud & Incredible Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

                The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Hugo (based on the children’s book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick)

Moneyball (based on Moneyball: Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis)

My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy by John LeCarre

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo (a teen title)

Of all the movies, Hugo has the most nominations with eleven. 

You can also Google and print the Oscars Award Ballot, and see if your picks are the same as the Academy’s chosen movies. There are many books in the library about the film industry. You might check out Awake in the Dark: the Best of Roger Ebert by Mr. Ebert or The Men Who Would Be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies and a Company Called Dreamworks by Nicole Laporte. The library also has many award-winning movies on CD and Blue-ray.

Popcorn anyone?

The answer to the question is: Ben Hur (1959), Titanic (1997) and Return of the King (2003) each earned 11 awards. For more quizzes go to quizland.

Happy Valentine's Day

In 1986, Ted Kooser, who would later serve as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004-2006, wrote a one-stanza poem on a postcard and sent it to 50 women friends for Valentine's Day. For more than two decades, he continued this tradition of sending an annual Valentine's Day poem to an ever-increasing circle. (According to NPR, Kooser's mailing list grew to 2,700 in 2007, and printing and mailing the valentines that year cost nearly $1,000.) The collected poems are published in Valentines: poems by Ted Kooser, available at the Library.

The first poem in Kooser's collection begins: "If this comes creased and creased again and soiled/ as if I'd opened it a thousand times/ to see if what I'd written here was right,/ it's all because I looked too long for you/ to put it in your pocket." I encourage anyone who likes poetry to read the entire collection. It's a real treat any day, not just Valentine's.

You can listen to Kooser reading some of his other poems at The Poetry Archive.

This Librarian’s Experience as an NFL Super Bowl Host Committee Volunteer

My husband Brett and I volunteered together. It was his idea and his initiative. “Would you do it with me if I signed us up?” I remember him asking one night a few months ago while I was making dinner and he was sitting at the computer. “Sure,” I responded, not really understanding the magnitude of that answer.

Much of my affinity for being a librarian is helping people find what they need. So I guess it stands to reason that is why I loved volunteering as a member of the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee Street Team. Granted, I was outside, much of it in 30-degree weather and sometimes in the rain, but it was a very pleasant, enjoyable experience. I got to direct people, I got to promote my city, and I got to participate in the camaraderie of townsfolk gathered in the streets of Indianapolis. Oh yeah, and I saw Shaq!

My husband Brett and I were stationed in four different locations: Mass Ave, City Market, South Meridian, and Union Station. Friends and family have asked me what kinds of questions I was asked. Here’s a sampling:

Where is the zipline?
Where can I buy NFL merchandise?
How do I get to Lucas Oil Stadium?
What is the nearest restaurant with the shortest wait?
Where is the Verizon stage?
Where are the Super Cars?
Where is a bathroom?
Where is ESPN taping?
Where is the Lego replica of Lucas Oil Stadium?
What time does the bus stop running to Broad Ripple?
Where are the Roman numerals?
Where can I get my cell phone charged?
Where can we get a wheelchair?
My daughter lost her iPod. Is there a Lost and Found?

I could go on and on. The Street Team was in constant contact with the Command Center. I was very impressed with the preparedness. Through radio communication, we were constantly informed of restaurant waits, road restrictions, crowd issues, protestors, drunken partiers, etc. Those who approached with questions were so appreciative, and numerous times I was given a hearty Thank You! by passersby.

Now, as we recover from about 20 hours of volunteer time over the course of just a few days, I reflect on how rewarding the experience was and how easy it was to do, despite my worries of how I would possibly fit it into my schedule. It was so easy, in fact, that it makes me wonder why I don’t do more volunteering.

Sure, there were things that didn’t get done. We didn’t take any time off work and so household chores built up, there were many meals eaten on the run, and the kids were left with the oldest “in charge” a bit more than normal. But the kids seemed to be really proud of mom and dad and their small participation in Indy’s Super Bowl history—plus, the free tix to the NFL Experience sweetened the deal! Perhaps the mountain of laundry waiting for me at my house should deter me but, hey, that mountain grows and recedes no matter my schedule. And perhaps it’s time for the kids to learn how to sort, load, and fold.

I’m back to just being a children’s librarian now, although I have a really cool Super Scarf (see some of the cool ones at http://stories.indianapolissuperbowl.com/blog/super-scarves), and I gladly go back to leading 2-year olds in song and rhyme or trying to help parents of boys who hate to read. However, if you see me at the library and I say, “Have a Super Day!” that’s just me trying to keep the dream alive! Oh, yeah, and I plan to volunteer somewhere again soon!

P.S. My reason for writing about myself (my apologies!) is I have had so many ask me how my experience went and why I did it. Please note that MANY, MANY, MANY others did far more than my husband and me. Kudos to all those who volunteered and a special shout out to those who made the scarves, including our own Kathy Macy!

Black History Month

We've blinked, January's gone by, and it's now February already.

But February brings us to Black History Month! And if you're looking for related books, movies, etc, Miss Julie has gathered numerous materials, which you will find in our new giant book display area. Don't miss some great reads, listens (with our audiobooks), and fun & educational watches with our DVDs. (The Elijah of Buxton audiobook is an Association for Library Service to Children 2009 Notable Children's Recording, and in my humble opinion the Bud Not Buddy audiobook is  even better. Both print titles received Newbery recognition, an honor and an award respectively.)

Speaking of awards, have you heard of the Coretta Scott King awards? They are awards given "to African American authors and illustrators for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions ..." The Coretta Scott King awards are announced at the same time as the Newbery and the Caldecott awards, with the this year's Coretta Scott King author winner being Kadir Nelson for - a book previously mentioned on this blog - Heart and Soul. A prolific author and illustrator, you won't want to miss his work. 




Moving from print to the Internet, if you're wanting online information related to Black History Month, Encyclopedia Britannica has a whole site to peruse.  And Kaboose has some craft and activity ideas for young ones. You will also find useful newpaper, magazine, and other reliable resource information through INSPIRE, the Indiana online database collection. INSPIRE is very helpful for last minute, late-night homework assignments, too ...

And if these resources aren't enough or you want to dig deeper, don't hesitate to stop by and ask your friendly librarians :). We're always happy to help.

Teens Geek Chocolate

Christmas. Valentine’s Day. Easter. Three holidays known for chocolate and we are currently in the midst of the three. With chocolate being the center of attention at any home, we are making it the center of attention at the library. Teens in grades 6-12 and college students are invited to participate in our barrage of chocolate for the month of February. On Wednesday, February 8 at 6:30 p.m. we’ll make Chocolate Sculptures using chocolate fondant. On Monday, February 20 (a no-school day) at 1:00 p.m. we’ll do a Chocolate Tasting. Featuring four kinds of milk chocolate and four kinds of dark chocolate. We’ll compare several popular American brands of milk chocolate and also try some of those brands in dark chocolate. Hey, it’s free chocolate and if you’re at home on a no-school day you might have to clean your room, so you might as well come to the library and enjoy (I will say it again) FREE CHOCOLATE! If this isn’t enough chocolaty fun, all month long you’re invited to grab an entry form and participate in our “Guess the Candy Bar Contest.” All you have to do is correctly identify the most candy bars based on a cross-cut photo of them. It’s harder than it sounds.

Oh, and I’m fully aware that mom wants to come to the chocolate tasting. Here’s what you tell her: “Sorry, it’s just for teens, but we could make a chocolate cake or something.” And the next time you come to the library, check out some chocolate cookbooks, such as Bittersweet by Alice Medrich and I Want Chocolate! by Trish Deseine. It will be fun to cook with mom, plus, the end result is… chocolate.