Kids and parents enjoyed a fun fire safety program at the Bear Mountain branch as part of The Big Read: Fahrenheit 451 in March. Activities included crafts, fire engine, firefighters reading stories, and a visit from Smokey the Bear!
April 12, 2010
Big Read Fire Safety Program
Wendy Klemin, Bear Mountain
Kids and parents enjoyed a fun fire safety program at the Bear Mountain branch as part of The Big Read: Fahrenheit 451 in March. Activities included crafts, fire engine, firefighters reading stories, and a visit from Smokey the Bear!
Kids and parents enjoyed a fun fire safety program at the Bear Mountain branch as part of The Big Read: Fahrenheit 451 in March. Activities included crafts, fire engine, firefighters reading stories, and a visit from Smokey the Bear!
April 14 is National Bookmobile Day
Ron Martin, Community Bookmobile
National Bookmobile Day is April 14. This is a good time to become aware of the bookmobiles operated by the Fresno County Free Library. There are three. The Community Libraries Bookmobile is a full-service library branch with 43 stops per month. The Children’s Bookmobile serves daycare centers exclusively. The Aprendo Van serves low-income communities instructing parents in fostering literacy.
The Aprendo van gives away books for parents to read to children and is funded through the tobacco tax increase that Californians voted in several years ago. It is based in Firebaugh and reaches out to families of agricultural workers.
The Community Libraries Bookmobile was housed in a new 33-foot vehicle in October 2007. It has a hydraulic wheelchair lift, and approximately 13 book cases with 63 shelves holding 3,000 items to lend in the same categories as the “stationary branches:” novels, nonfiction, magazines, children’s books, early-reader books, music CDs, books on CD, DVDs, videogames, and more. Borrowers have access to the entire collection listed in Valley Cat through hold requests; borrowers make around 70 hold requests each month.
Children patronizing the Bookmobile can participate in the Summer Reading Program, with presentations at two of the stops. Every visitor is given a schedule of stops printed with the days and times of their stop that they can write on their calendar to be ready to get their items returned at the next visit, which is their due date. The one-month stop cycle results in longer borrowing periods from the Bookmobile. If borrowers miss their stop, they can return items at any branch of the library consortium, in Fresno or from California City to Livingston. If borrowers misplace their schedule copies, they can access it at the library website, through the links to library branch hours.
The Bookmobile stops at a dozen senior residences and two convalescent care centers, near eight schools of the Central Unified School District and four of Fresno Unified and two other districts, and at two daycare centers near Auberry. It is in Auberry two days per month, and stops in Friant and and Cantua Creek. It visits four community centers, the Fulton Mall, and two southeast Fresno apartment developments. Schedule modifications are made near the beginnings and ends of school years.
When the Bookmobile workers are not on the road, during business hours they are in the Bookmobile office at the Sunnyside Regional Library. Just give them a call at 458-7323.
National Bookmobile Day is April 14. This is a good time to become aware of the bookmobiles operated by the Fresno County Free Library. There are three. The Community Libraries Bookmobile is a full-service library branch with 43 stops per month. The Children’s Bookmobile serves daycare centers exclusively. The Aprendo Van serves low-income communities instructing parents in fostering literacy.
The Aprendo van gives away books for parents to read to children and is funded through the tobacco tax increase that Californians voted in several years ago. It is based in Firebaugh and reaches out to families of agricultural workers.
The Community Libraries Bookmobile was housed in a new 33-foot vehicle in October 2007. It has a hydraulic wheelchair lift, and approximately 13 book cases with 63 shelves holding 3,000 items to lend in the same categories as the “stationary branches:” novels, nonfiction, magazines, children’s books, early-reader books, music CDs, books on CD, DVDs, videogames, and more. Borrowers have access to the entire collection listed in Valley Cat through hold requests; borrowers make around 70 hold requests each month.
Children patronizing the Bookmobile can participate in the Summer Reading Program, with presentations at two of the stops. Every visitor is given a schedule of stops printed with the days and times of their stop that they can write on their calendar to be ready to get their items returned at the next visit, which is their due date. The one-month stop cycle results in longer borrowing periods from the Bookmobile. If borrowers miss their stop, they can return items at any branch of the library consortium, in Fresno or from California City to Livingston. If borrowers misplace their schedule copies, they can access it at the library website, through the links to library branch hours.
The Bookmobile stops at a dozen senior residences and two convalescent care centers, near eight schools of the Central Unified School District and four of Fresno Unified and two other districts, and at two daycare centers near Auberry. It is in Auberry two days per month, and stops in Friant and and Cantua Creek. It visits four community centers, the Fulton Mall, and two southeast Fresno apartment developments. Schedule modifications are made near the beginnings and ends of school years.
When the Bookmobile workers are not on the road, during business hours they are in the Bookmobile office at the Sunnyside Regional Library. Just give them a call at 458-7323.
Politi Egg Wall
Terrance McArthur
From March 29 to April 3, Politi Branch patrons were invited to color eggs (paper ovals), which were stapled to the wall of our Children's Area. 88 eggs were colored by children, teens, and a few adults, and displayed among the shamrocks (formerly known as St. Patrick's decorations). It was a colorful, interactive activity that brought joy to the Politi community.
From March 29 to April 3, Politi Branch patrons were invited to color eggs (paper ovals), which were stapled to the wall of our Children's Area. 88 eggs were colored by children, teens, and a few adults, and displayed among the shamrocks (formerly known as St. Patrick's decorations). It was a colorful, interactive activity that brought joy to the Politi community.
Politi National Poetry Month
Terrance McArthur, Politi
How do you celebrate National Poetry Month? The Leo Politi Library is using several methods. Stacks o' Poems has printed poems hanging from the library shelves. Each one is tied to the Dewey Decimal Number of that area: "The Grave" by Robert Blair is found in 133 (Ghosts); Henry Fielding's "Roast Beef of Old England is next to 641.5 (Cooking), and where else would you find "Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?)" but 822.33 (Shakespeare)?
Pick a Peck of Poems is a display of poetry books that can be checked out by patrons, along with more printed-out poems and the third part of the Poetry Month activities: Write Your Own Poems!
The first week of WYOP featured Haiku poems. An instructional sheet by the main display and in the YA area contained samples and the format for writing haiku. Twelve patron-written and staff-written haiku poems were pinned onto the display! The second week's poetic form is the cinquain, a five-line poem featuring nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Clerihews (4-line, semi-biographical, non-rhythmic, irregular-line-length poems) are scheduled after that. Concrete poems (shaped poems that resemble the outline of the subject) will wind up the month.
It's interactive, fun, and patrons are exploring the stacks, finding more than poems on the shelves!
How do you celebrate National Poetry Month? The Leo Politi Library is using several methods. Stacks o' Poems has printed poems hanging from the library shelves. Each one is tied to the Dewey Decimal Number of that area: "The Grave" by Robert Blair is found in 133 (Ghosts); Henry Fielding's "Roast Beef of Old England is next to 641.5 (Cooking), and where else would you find "Sonnet 18 (Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?)" but 822.33 (Shakespeare)?
Pick a Peck of Poems is a display of poetry books that can be checked out by patrons, along with more printed-out poems and the third part of the Poetry Month activities: Write Your Own Poems!
The first week of WYOP featured Haiku poems. An instructional sheet by the main display and in the YA area contained samples and the format for writing haiku. Twelve patron-written and staff-written haiku poems were pinned onto the display! The second week's poetic form is the cinquain, a five-line poem featuring nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Clerihews (4-line, semi-biographical, non-rhythmic, irregular-line-length poems) are scheduled after that. Concrete poems (shaped poems that resemble the outline of the subject) will wind up the month.It's interactive, fun, and patrons are exploring the stacks, finding more than poems on the shelves!
April 2, 2010
NOYS: Spine Poetry
It's National Poetry Month! Have you encouraged your library's teens to submit a poem to our contest yet? Sitting down and writing out poetry can be difficult for some, but here's something anyone can do and it's a super easy on-the-spot program idea. Have teens go to the bookshelves and skim the titles on the spines. Which can go together to form a poem? Here is an example of spine poetry.
Every Girl Tells a Story
Just listen,
Word after word after word
My sisters' voices,
Nothing but the truth.
Wild girl
Outspoken
Tender
The courage to be yourself
Things left unsaid
I hadn't meant to tell you this
Nevermind
Her stories
Try it! It doesn't even have to be a program--you could do it yourself as a great 3-D display. Have fun, and take pictures--we can post them here and on the wiki. If you need help posting the photos you can always email them to anyone in Youth Services.
Happy National Poetry Month!
Every Girl Tells a Story
Just listen,Word after word after word
My sisters' voices,
Nothing but the truth.
Wild girl
Outspoken
Tender
The courage to be yourself
Things left unsaid
I hadn't meant to tell you this
Nevermind
Her stories
Try it! It doesn't even have to be a program--you could do it yourself as a great 3-D display. Have fun, and take pictures--we can post them here and on the wiki. If you need help posting the photos you can always email them to anyone in Youth Services.
Happy National Poetry Month!
March 29, 2010
NOYS: Teen Poetry Contest
Thursday is April 1st, which means (aside from all the April Foolin' happening) it's the start of our annual teen poetry contest.The contest starts today and runs through the end of the month. More details on the website, but here are the basics:
1. All poems must be submitted using the online form.
2. Participants must fill out all of the required fields on the form.
3. There are two categories: middle school and high school. Participants must be between 7th-12th grade. One winner from each category will win a Borders gift card.
4. Only one poem per person will be considered for the contest.
5. Only one poem per person will be printed in the book.
Encourage the teens you know to participate!
March 22, 2010
NOYS: Stuff for the Teen Age
For 80 years, New York Public Library has been offering annually a list of teen-tested books called Books for the Teen Age. Last year it was renamed Stuff for the Teen Age and now includes movies, music and video games.
The new list was just released and it's filled with some great recommendations. The categories are:
- (Bad) Romance
- Deal With It
- For Real
- Freaks and Geeks
- Freaky Chaos
- Kick A$$
- Mystery
- New York
- ROTFL
- Zombies, Werewolves and Ghosts (Vampires are so 2008!)
March 11, 2010
NOYS: What's new in Youth Services
Lots to share!
Other projects currently in the works: Dia de los Ninos, Dia de los Libros events; Family Place workshops; outreach at Baby City and school career days; summer reading program prep; and homework centers. If you have any questions about these projects or anything else, please contact any one of your Youth Services team.
- We are currently in the process of revamping the Youth Services wiki. As always, all FCPL staff are encouraged to utilize and contribute to the wiki; however, we now ask that you sign in before viewing the pages. If you don't currently have access to the wiki, just click on the button that says "Request Access" and we'll get you set up. That way our staff-sensitive information is available only to staff, but accessible from any Internet connection.
- National Poetry Month is just around the corner. As a reminder, all Teen Poetry Contest entries must be submitted online. Beginning in April, there will be a link from the teen page for submissions.
- Are your shelves too full? Books looking torn and tattered? We can send you a weeding list of items we'd like you to pull. We will still weed your branch in person as its turn comes up on the rotation, but if you need space *now*, this is the way to go. Just email Jennifer Kish to get started.
- Any suggestions for purchase or material needs can be sent directly to Kari Johnson (Children's) or Connie Urquhart (Teen).
Other projects currently in the works: Dia de los Ninos, Dia de los Libros events; Family Place workshops; outreach at Baby City and school career days; summer reading program prep; and homework centers. If you have any questions about these projects or anything else, please contact any one of your Youth Services team.
March 2, 2010
NOYS: Teen Tech Week 2010
Teen Tech Week is back! During March 7-13th, teens can submit a review about nearly anything* and we'll put their name in a drawing for several Barnes & Noble gift cards. But that's not all! They can also friend us on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter and we'll add their name again!
And why do we celebrate Teen Tech Week? Because we here at the library believe that Technology + Teens = Awesomeness.
*Nearly anything: books, movies, tv show, music, video games, magazines, comics/graphic novels, audiobooks, etc. Basically, anything you can get at the library.
January 26, 2010
Fowler Library Recognized
Sara Gibbs and Terry Sterling accepted kudos from the Fowler City Council this month on behalf of the Fowler Branch Library for its contributions to community life. Go to the Fowler Ensign website to view the article and photo. Congrats to everyone at Fowler!
Becky Matli's Art
Marilyn McArthur, Support Services
Great half-page article with two pictures published in The Sanger Herald about Becky Matli’s art being displayed at the Sanger Library.
Great half-page article with two pictures published in The Sanger Herald about Becky Matli’s art being displayed at the Sanger Library.
December 21, 2009
NOYS: 10,000 patrons served
As the year comes to a close and we wrap up our fall outreach efforts, we'd like to share with you the number of kids & teens we've connected with this fall.Daycare Bookmobile
We visited 47 different day care centers each month, totaling 206 storytimes and serving 4,356 kids between the ages of 3-5. We saw 730 adults too.
Smartest Card presentations
In this hybrid "library intro / booktalking" presentation, we visited all grades K-12, totaling 28 visits and seeing 4,521 school-aged youth.
Add to these numbers the various family literacy nights, weekend community events, and branch program support--and we've seen well over 10,000 people this fall! Looking forward to the spring, when we'll turn our efforts to Big Read outreach, summer reading program promotion, early literacy programs for children ages 0-5, parents and their caregivers, and the establishment of a Family Place library at the Gillis Branch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)