NOYS: Bilingual Children's Book Fair

On Saturday, June 6th, 11am - 3pm

San Joaquin River Parkway & Respite by the River
Presents:

Flora, Fauna, Floricanto
Bilingual Children’s Book Fair
Featuring Doug Hansen, live music, and more…

This is a FREE event and the scheduled performances include:
Bilingual children’s music by Stanley & Yolanda Lucero
Interactive Story-time with Doug Hansen
Children’s music by Jeremy Hofer

Presentation by Karen Adler, featuring her book, “California Fruit Raps”

Bring your own picnic lunch, or Tamales, Fruit, Hot Dogs, and drinks will be available for purchase.

*All day - Children’s Mural with Christine De La Hofer

Of course, the Library will be giving away free books and doing library card signups.


Come down to the river if you can, this promises to be a great time for all!

NOYS: Career Fair Fun

On Friday, May 15th Faythe Arredondo and Connie Urquhart from Youth Services joined Lisa Lindsay from Sunnyside at Reyburn Intermediate School's Career Fair, where 1200 students learned about different career opportunities from more than 50 organizations. Students were required to visit each booth and ask what each career field was like, then choose two to write about. The questions included education requirements, salary range, a description of the career, and reasons they might/might not enjoy that career. They also asked what current volunteer opportunities exist that might give them a better understanding of the profession.

Traffic was high at the FCPL's booth. We heard comments like "This job sounds like fun" and "Dang! You can make that much for working in a library?" (it's all relative for a middle school student). Weary from years of receiving comments like "must be fun to sit around and read all day", it was surprisingly refreshing to hear, "You mean you get PAID for playing video games?!". [Note: we don't play video games everyday...we were promoting Lisa's gaming tournament at Sunnyside on Saturday May 23rd.]

But books still hold a place in our hearts, and in the hearts of teens. One shared with us this story: "I was really lazy when I was in elementary school. Then I read Twilight and I loved it! It was the biggest book I'd ever read. Now I get home from school, do my homework, and read 'til 10 or 11 o'clock at night."

In a crowd of 1200, I think we may have found at least one future librarian.

Fresno Big Read in National Spotlight

Roberta Barton, Headquarters


Fresno County continues to be a Big Read favorite! Our Tom Sawyer activities are featured this week on the national Big Read blog. Check it out at www.arts.gov/bigreadblog.

Not Your Usual Espresso

Sean Aragon, Central

An interesting article can be found on the website of the British newspaper, The Guardian. Ever heard of an Espresso Book Machine? The article tells of a London, England library that prints and binds books for patrons in minutes.

Tea Party

Robyn Aguiar, Sunnyside

Sunnyside’s first ever Mother-Daughter Tea Party was held on the afternoon of May 3rd and it could not have been more successful. We had 10 moms and 11 daughters for a total of 21. Classical music played in the background while we ate our orange/cranberry scones, our strawberries dipped in chocolate from the chocolate fountain, and our lemon tea cookies. Various teas and strawberry lemonade were the beverages “du jour.” We discussed trivia such as proper tea etiquette and what Queen Elizabeth serves for her intimate teas for 8,000 people. We also had guests guessing which famous tea parties were from which children’s literature. Our guests were dressed in their finest and we even had one Cinderella and one fairy.

Thank you to Anna Solis, Senior Library Assistant at Sunnyside who helped with the planning and Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there.

Why We Leave Our Computers On at Night

Jill Potter, Headquarters

With all the talk about saving energy and going green, you may wonder why we are asked to leave our computers on at the end of the day. Our first concern at the Library is public service. Tech Support schedules regular updates and maintenance that can be performed on computers while branches are closed, thus keeping the computers available for public and staff use during regular business hours. Microsoft Windows Updates and Anti Virus updates are scheduled for the off hours as well. Of course there will always be something that comes up that can only be done during business hours or during the scheduled branch visits. But for the most part, techs try to service the PCs as much as possible during the off hours.

Many of the services and repairs that Tech Support does while the branches are closed are done using a great technology called Virtual Network Computing, or VNC. VNC allows a technician to access a computer in the network directly from any computer in the network. Once a connection is established the technician can literally see the desktop image of that computer and have access to the programs and files as if they are sitting right in front of the machine. Thanks to today’s technology, we really can be in two (or more) places at once! Due to privacy concerns, Tech Support will contact the branch and inform them that someone will be accessing one or more computers if repairs are being performed during branch hours.

Using VNC, technicians may be able to perform emergency repairs almost immediately. Please remember to leave problem computers turned on so they can be accessed by Tech Support. However, monitors may be turned off.

So, remember, at the end of the day, leave the computers turned on and at the CTRL-ALT-DEL screen and turn the monitors off.

KSEE 24 Highlights Fit for Life

Roberta Barton, Headquarters

The Library's Fit for Life initiative received prime promotion this week on KSEE 24. News anchor Stefani Booroojian featured Fit for Life on her "To Your Health" segment during Monday evening's newscast. Parents and children participating in an infant/toddler storytime at the Sanger Branch Library were filmed receiving free "Healthy Body = Healthy Brain" Tool Kits. To view the segment online, go to the KSEE 24 website. Don't forget to contact Linda Calandra or Roberta Barton for Tool Kits to distribute at designated Fit for Life programs in your branch.

NOYS: SRP on the wiki

Hey! Where are my Summer Reading program calendars?!?

Patrons are already asking when and where the programs will be!!!

Fear not, dear people! The paper calendars will be sent out this Friday, so watch for their arrival next week. After that, everything will start arriving quickly, so make room and get ready!

Until then, check out the YS wiki, where you can see both the Children's and Teen program calendars in all their colorful glory.

Prizes and more will be sent your way soon!

NOYS: What a Dia!

On Saturday, May 2nd, Youth Services and DGR staff collaborated to make Dia de los Ninos / Dia de los Libros (Children's Day / Book Day) entertaining and memorable for all who attended.

The day began with crafts in DGR: The shakers made plenty of noise and were ready just in time to make rhythm when Teocalli, amazing Folklorico dancers, performed in the Sarah McCardle room.

The fun didn't stop! Next up was children's librarian, storyteller and award-winning author Lucia M. Gonzalez, who's presentation included string stories, audience participation, music and anecdotes about growing up in Cuba and coming to America. She performed a puppet show of Pura Belpre's story - Perez y Martina: A Puerto Rican folktale.

Just last week it was announced - Lucia's book The Storyteller's Candle / la velita de los cuentos was named an Honor book of the 2009 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards.

The fun continued with a boogie-inducing performance by The Jammies!

The possibility of a rainy day could not stop the celebration and a great time was had by all!

Hope to see YOU next Dia!

Auberry Book and Bake Sale May 2-3

Anne Neal, Auberry

Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, from 9 am to 3 pm, the Friends of the Auberry Library will hold their big annual Book and Bake Sale on the lawn of the library. Thousands of books at bargain prices plus home-baked goodies like cookies, cakes, and pies will be for sale. Enjoy the coffee café where you can buy a slice of delectable pie and a cup of coffee while sitting in the shade and enjoying the ambiance. See you there!

NOYS: Youth Book Award Winners

Hey! Who won the Newberry Award this year?

Not only will I tell you who won that award...

(The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman)

...but I will tell you that the updated book award winners lists are no longer on the Intranet - they are now located on the Youth Services wiki.

The Children's Awards (there are a few) will be updated as new award winners are announced, and the YA Media Awards will as well.

In fact, if you are wondering where to go for Youth Services-related information, try the wiki!

Bear Mountain Yard Sale May 2-3

Robin Spencer, Bear Mountain

Come out to the Bear Mountain Advisory Board Annual Yard Sale, May 2-3, from 8 am to 4 pm at the Bear Mountain Branch Library.

The Foothill Seniors will host a bake sale with tasty cupcakes, cookies, candy, sticky buns and piping hot coffee. The American Legion will barbeque delicious hamburgers and hot dogs and also offer nachos and sodas. And don't forget the great yard sale bargains!

All proceeds help maintain Bear Mountain's Library Activity Center. See you there!