American Girl, Etc

We had our first (of two) American Girl programs for this month last night - lots of moving and crafting as we focused on the 2012 American Girl, McKenna! And as I was composing an email of resources and information to send to parents as follow up, it occurred to me that the info could make a good blog post. So here goes:

1. Our Friends of the library have made some absolutely darling knitted hat and scarf sets for girls and their dolls and some super-cute, four-piece doll cheerleader outfits. Proceeds from these items go to support library programming (like American Girl programs). You can see a few of the current options from the pictures, but you can also view items here at the library in two of our display cases, one of the first floor and one on the second; just ask a staff member for their locations! Also, you can request custom items as well; our Friends need two to four weeks to complete them, but you can get custom colors or cheer leading outfits. Upcoming holiday or birthday gifts?

Dolls not included :)

Prices:

Items for sale are pink.

• Scarf and hat set for doll, $15.00
• Scarf and hat set for "Mommy", $20.00
• 4 piece cheerleader outfit for doll, $25.00
• Mommy and doll hat set (2 pieces), $17.50
• Doll vest & hat set, $20.00
• (additional cost for postage for custom items may be requested since some of our Friends are currently out of state.)

To purchase items, stop by the library or for custom items, email me - elizabethe at zionsville.lib.in.us!

2. (It's also just $10.00 for an individual or $20.00 for a family to join the Friends of the Library, and you get first dibs at book sales as a Friend! Plus, if you join before Dec 4th
you get entered into our raffle for two round trip tickets on American Airlines to anywhere in the Continental US, the Caribbean, Canada, Bahamas, Bermuda, or Mexico. You can stop by the library for a brochure with more information or scroll down the page linked above and print out and drop off an application.)

3. One of the topics McKenna deals with in the books and in the movie is reading comprehension and the struggle that many fourth graders have with not just decoding what they are reading but also understanding it. I volunteered for a short stint with ReadUP through United Way last spring and as part of my training received a chart to help me ask the kids questions as they read. You can make a big difference in your child's life and literacy skills by using this chart, too! I have gotten permission from United Way to pass on the chart, so stop by the youth services reference desk to get a copy!

4. We also have a PAWS program here at the library where kids can come read to (trained) dogs to help give them a safe place for reading practice or just make reading more fun. Registration for October has started, and you can register here.

5. As many of you may already be aware, there is a new historical American Girl doll as of this month! Caroline Abbott a spunky girl from 1812. The books are currently being put into the system and should be available soon. (There is also an app related to Caroline that you can download for free ...)

I think that's it. Any questions or other related resources to share, post a comment or email me!

2012 United We Read Programs

By now, you probably know that the book that Boone County is reading together for the 2012 United We Read program series is “The Other Wes Moore,” by Wes Moore. This engaging nonfiction story is about two young men who did not know each other, but shared the same name and grew up in the same city at the same time. Today, one of these men works on Wall Street and is happily married, while the other spends every day in a prison cell for his participation in a botched robbery that ended in murder. What choices, both large and small, did these men make during their lives that led to such drastically different present-day outcomes?

Wes Moore read about the other Wes in a news article about the murder, and mailed a letter to him in prison. The letter began a friendship that emphasized the ways in which the choices each had made during moments of hardship and decision affected their destinies. What if you found out that someone with your name, who grew up nearby you, was living a startlingly different sort of life than yours? Even if you never meet another person with your name, what choices did you make that brought you to your current lifestyle, and would you change any of those choices? What about the choices you make today and will make tomorrow?

Read “The Other Wes Moore” and then come to the United We Read programs at the Library during October to discuss the ways in which choice, family, education, and interactions with others affect our lives and the lives of those we encounter.

Zionsville Book Talk
Monday Oct. 1st, 6:30pm
Talk about the book at this discussion led by Zionsville librarians Ellen Leffler and Barbara Litkowski.

Choice and Accountability: Influencing the Future
Tuesday, Oct. 2nd, 7pm
Dr. Greg Keller, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at IUPUI, talks about how your daily choices and behaviors affect your future.

Humanity: Commonalities Among Us All
Tuesday, Oct. 9th, 7pm
Dr. Marvin Scott, Professor of Sociology at Butler, talks about racism and society’s role in the success and failure of young adult minorities.

Mentorship: Bridging the Opportunity Gap
Tuesday, Oct. 16th, 7pm
Bill Stanczykiewicz, President and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute, talks about mentorship- what it is, who does it, and how it is important to the success of at-risk youth.

Products of Our Expectations: Family, Community and Success 
Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, 7pm
Dr. Tamara Leech, Assistant Professor of Sociology at IUPUI, talks about the role of family and community upon an individual’s success in life.

Oh, My Aching Back!

 

Eighty-five percent of Americans have suffered from lower-back pain at one time or another. Right now, eight million Americans have lower-back pain. Muscle and joint complaints have surpassed the common cold as the leading reason for doctor visits. Even for those who have not sought medical attention, nonprescription pain relievers are a billion-dollar industry.

Our first inclination when we have back pain is to stay in bed. Recently we have found that this is opposite to what we should do. New science says that “motion is lotion” where our spine is concerned. Movement pumps fluid into the discs that cushion the vertebrae, enabling them to act as shock absorbers. Taking a brief rest is understandable, a day or two off your feet is now the standard recommendation. But any longer than that can lead you to disuse, and because that can lead to weakening of the muscles it can lead to a real disability.

Your library has books and DVDs to help you move safely. One of our DVDs is "Back in Shape". It is performed by a yoga instructor who shares exercises that helped her come back from an auto accident.

Another DVD is "Save Your Lower Back" by Annette Fletcher. Annette is a Pilates instructor, she will help you strengthen the muscles that will keep your spine in proper alignment.

We also have a book that includes a DVD called "15 Minute Better Back Workout". The author is a physical therapist. She explains what exercises to perform to strengthen your back, reduce pain and avoid future problems.

Please remember: Your library is an information resource, and we strive to make that information as accurate as possible.  Please see your doctor if you need medical advice.

Decision 2012: Vote for Children’s Choice Books!

Join fellow readers from across the country in choosing your favorite books.  32 books were nominated by children across the country for the final vote, beginning on Sept. 4^th.  There are 8 Children’s Book Series, 8 Children’s Picture Books, 8 Tween and Teen Book Series, and 8 Tween and Teen Fiction Books to choose from for the first round.  On Sept. 24^th, the list will be reduced to the top 4 in each category.  On October 15^th, the top 2 titles will square off for a winner to be announced on November 7^th.

Voting can be done at three locations:
www.voteforbooks.com (National Tally)
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/voteforbookszionsville (Local)
Paper Ballot at the Library (Library only)

Make your vote count, and see how the electoral process works-lots of fun  
in this election year! Check out our blog for voting results.

The Other Wes Moore Book Discussion

One might expect two fatherless boys with similar backgrounds, growing up on rough urban streets, struggling in school, and tangling with the law, to follow similar life paths.  Right?  Wrong.  The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, Boone County's 2012 United We Read selection, documents two very different fates for a pair of at-risk teens, both, coincidentally, named Wes Moore. One exceeds all expectations becoming a decorated veteran, Rhodes Scholar, White House Fellow, author, and community advocate. The other is currently serving a life sentence at a maximum-security facility for armed robbery and murder. Why? What choices and consequences turned one life into a triumph, the other into a tragedy? What can we learn from these opposite trajectories—both as travelers on our own personal journeys and as members of society? If questions like these intrigue you, please check out a copy of The Other Wes Moore or download the eBook, and register to join us at the Library on Monday, October 1, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM, in the Lora Hussey Room to discuss what Publishers Weekly calls a "moving exploration of roads not taken." 

The Other Wes Moore book discussion kicks off this year's United We Read series.  More information about the Library's terrific lineup of speakers will be posted.

Friends of the Library AIRFARE GIVEAWAY and more!

There are many ways you can support your Library through supporting the Friends of the Library!

Did you know, no tax money is used to pay for Library programs? That's where the Friends come in!

Much of the programming the staff provides is sponsored and paid for by the Friends of the Library.

 

Show your support and Eat at Applebee's Oct. 23!

Print off the event flyer (click here), take it to the restaurant at 10325 N. Michigan Rd. from 4 to 9 PM Tuesday, Oct. 23, and Applebees's will donate 15% of your total check to the Friends. It's easy and all for a great cause!

Show your support and Join the Friends!

In honor of the Library's 50th Birthday, those who join the Friends before Dec. 4 will be eligible to win two round trip tickets on American Airlines to ANYWHERE in the Continental US, Caribbean, Canada, Bahamas, Bermuda or Mexico. Travel must be completed by Aug. 29, 2013.

New Members will also receive FREE admission to the Friday Night Preview Sale at all three yearly book sales!  Membership forms are available online or at each Circulation Desk.  

Show your support and read about the many other ways you may support the Friends of the Library in our October Newsletter!

Fall Festival Parade

The Fall Festival parade will be on Saturday, September 8, 2012. Don’t forget, the Library will be closed until noon on Saturday, so be sure to stop by the Library after the parade!

Look for your favorite Librarians walking or dancing down Main Street; you might also want to check out the Friends of the Library Flyers, which we will be passing out during the parade with candy, of course! If you become a friend of the Library before December 4, you will be entered into a drawing for 2 American Airlines round-trip tickets to anywhere in the Continental US, Caribbean, Canada, Bahamas, Bermuda, or Mexico. Wow, there has never been a better time to become a Friend of the Library!

The Friends of the Library are a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization and donations made to the Friends are tax deductible.

The Friends of the Library pay for our much loved Library Programming. Many thanks to the Friends of the Library for all of their support!

Worm Your Way Into Composting

Did you know that worms can help you create rich, nutrient-dense soil for your garden? Putting worms to work in this way is called "vermiculture": the raising and production of earthworms and worm castings. Local gardener and crowd favorite Kristel Tippins will be at the Library to teach you about vermiculture on Tuesday, September 18th at 6:30pm. She will bring a working worm bin for you to look at and talk about how to purchase, contain and care for pet worms. Bump up your compost pile with worm castings and turn your food scraps into well-conditioned soil that will help you produce bountiful vegetable gardens, luscious lawns, and magnificent flower beds. 

The Library catalog has plenty of books about composting. Plus, check out tips on Composting 101.com. Then read the  
“7 Great Reasons to Compost.” 

Following are some items that can be composted:

• Cardboard rolls
• Brown paper bags
• Paper towels
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
• Fruits and vegetables
• Grass clippings and yard trimmings
• Hair and fur
• Hay and straw
• Houseplants
• Nut shells 
• Wood chips, sawdust, toothpicks, burnt matches

You can feel great about your role in protecting our planet when you compost, because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that composting helps to prevent pollution. According to the EPA, "Composting organic materials that have been diverted from landfills ultimately avoids the production of methane and leachate formulation in the landfills." They go on to say that compost has the ability to help regenerate poor soils and that it can suppress plant diseases, pests, and reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers.

For those of you who have been to a program by Kristel, you know that she is a talented chef who likes to feed others. After her program on the 18th, she will again wow attendees with a homemade dirt-and-worm-inspired treat. Tuesday, September 18th, 6:30pm in the Lora Hussey Room. Adults Only, Individual Registration Required. See you at the Library!

Back-to-School Books

It’s a new school year. To get you started on the right foot, the Library has assembled a great selection of books on a variety of subjects: homeschooling, study skills, college admissions, learning disabilities, tutoring, academic pressure, lifetime learning, college savings accounts, and more. The back-to-school display is on the second floor, so come in and browse. And don’t forget another great resource you can access from home. The Indiana State Library’s Testing and Education Resource Center (TERC) offers free, online practice SAT, ACT, AP, LSAT, GRE, GMAT, and MCAT exams, as well as other academic and career tools. (Look for the INSPIRE link on the Library’s homepage.)

And, talking about education, I'd like to recommend two books. Brooke Hauser's The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens escorts you through the metal detectors, down the corridors, and into the classrooms of the International High School at Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, where students from 45 different countries, speaking more than 28 different languages, converge in a melting pot of adolescent dreams and anguish. You’ll meet the compassionate teachers and the students they care about: gutsy Jessica Tan, a recent arrival from China, rejected by her father at the behest of his second wife, charismatic Mohamed from Sierra Leone who burns and sells illegal DVDs in return for food and lodging, and beautiful, mature Yasmeen, an orphan who adopts her younger siblings.

Closer to home, but no less inspiring, Searching for Hope: Life at a Failing School in the Heart of America is Indianapolis Star reporter, Matthew Tully’s expanded account of daily life at Manual High School, one of Indianapolis’s most beleaguered public schools.  According to Gerardo M. González, Dean, School of Education, Indiana University Bloomington, "Every reform-minded educator, parent, and politician should read this book. It will change the way they think about what's really needed to help every student in a struggling school achieve his or her full potential."