So this isn't the best video, someone shot it off their TV, but when I saw this on Bubble Guppies tonight, I couldn't help but jam along. Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Libraries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libraries. Show all posts
Sunday, October 20, 2013
#MLA13AC Highlights-Building Library Community Through Social Media
Kate Snyder of Piper & Gold Public Relations spoke about the importance of libraries using social media platforms to engage their readers online. She encouraged libraries not only to have social media sites but to do them well, by engaging their audiences with questions and posting fresh content daily. Here's why:
Saturday, October 19, 2013
#MLA13AC Highlights- James Kane's: Loyalty
How do make make librarians loyal to you for at least the duration of your speech? Show them a video about a little kid obsessing over their profession. Hysterical.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!
Let me ask you a few questions...
Do you know where your local library is?
Do you have a library card?
But most importantly,
Do you use it?
It's a well known fact that the best way to encourage early literacy in children is to read to them. One of the best resources for parents and caregivers encouraging early literacy is their local library. And the best part, the library is FREE! Well, you pay for it with your tax dollars, so you might as well use it! :) So this month, I challenge you to stop by your local library, apply for a library card, and chat-up your local librarians. I guarantee you'll be surprised by how much your library has to offer. From books, music, DVDs, computers, toys and puppets, to story times - there is something for everyone in your family!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Wordless Wednesday- I Must REALLY Want To Be A Librarian
Yesterday I showed up to work, and without warning was dressed darn near the same as one of the librarians. Apparently, I want to be a librarian so badly, I subconsciously dress like them. Oh, and I started work on my grad school application last night--for Library Science.
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| I apologize for the camera phone graininess... |
Monday, November 21, 2011
Be Thankful For Your Librarian This Holiday Season
Article From ZenCollegeLife.com
85 Reasons to be Thankful for Librarians
1. Librarians take care of libraries, which are still invaluable today.
2. Not all information is on the internet.
3. Older books still hold great cultural significance.
4. Libraries are still repositories for some of the most valuable works of literature in the world.
5. Even with the internet, the library is still the best place to do research.
6. Girls with glasses can still rock the “sexy librarian” look.
7. “Sexy Librarian” is still a popular costume at Halloween.
8. You can’t exactly find periodicals like The New England Journal of Medicine in Barnes and Noble.
9. For that matter, looking at turn-of-the-century National Geographics is still pretty entertaining.
10. Colleges need something to remodel every so often.
11. The library is still the best meeting spot for college students working on group projects.
12. Libraries are where most colleges store some of their history (choir CDs, videos of athletic matches, etc.).
13. A library is one of the few places people can have free internet access.
14. This means some libraries even hold LAN parties during later hours.
15. Somebody has to help lazy people find what they want.
16. Even online collections of books usually connect directly to a library.
17. “Librarian” is still a better career choice for spinsters over “School Lunch Lady.”
18. Studies have shown libraries and librarians improve student test scores.
19. They also have been shown to improve students’ individual learning skills.
20. With their training in instructional design, librarians can help teachers find resources for their curriculum.
21. Librarians also help teachers to use a variety of media in the classroom.
22. Many libraries today offer enough DVDs to serve as a poor man’s Netflix or Blockbuster.
23. Librarians often put together special programs to get children to read early on.
24. While teaching children to use the library, librarians end up teaching them valuable problem solving skills.
25. They also teach children to use multiple resources to form their own original works.
26. If librarians were no longer around, kids wouldn’t understand the opening scene from Ghostbusters.
27. Librarians know a lot about proper citation skills, as well as ethical uses of information, in order to avoid plagiarism issues.
28. Libraries are still a cheaper place to make photocopies than FedEx Kinko’s.
29. Despite the advances in computer technology, a human will still find information better than a search engine.
30. Librarians can also find information better suited to the person who needs it.
31. A library is much MUCH more well cataloged and organized than the internet.
32. Libraries have much better quality control than the vast majority of websites.
33. Who else is going to learn the Dewey Decimal System? You?
34. Seriously though, no one wants to learn the Dewey Decimal System.
35. For that matter, who else is going to show you how to use that microfiche machine?
36. Experienced librarians often know exactly what resources students need for particular courses.
37. Many libraries collaborate and offer book exchange programs, offering users an almost limitless supply of books and media.
38. Librarians can help relieve some of the workload from teachers by helping students to understand information better.
39. Some engineering teams have already explored the idea of a fully digital library…and ended up designing a traditional library with some advanced technology.
40. The copyright costs for digitizing all literature would be astronomical without even factoring in distribution and storage.
41. Even without the costs, digitizing all books in existence would take hundreds of years at the current rate.
42. The internet still mostly only holds information from the past 15 or so years, compared with the hundreds of years of knowledge found in a library.
43. Even though libraries themselves may be losing attendance, their online archives and websites are still receiving plenty of visitors.
44. Despite the rising popularity of e-books, 80% of people surveyed say they still prefer paper books.
45. The experience of reading an actual book is being preserved by libraries.
46. Libraries provide one of the few places for anyone to find quiet area to just read or study.
47. Sometimes, but not always, libraries have free coffee.
48. Sometimes there are even free snacks.
49. Unlike the internet, libraries are careful that the information they contain is checked for usefulness before being included.
50. Also unlike the internet, libraries are much less influenced by corporate interests.
51. They are also less likely to be manipulated by individuals, like search engine optimizers.
52. Information on more specific topics can be much easier to find in libraries.
53. Digital or not, a library still needs a human staff to run it.
54. The resources of a library are well indexed and will always deliver reliable results (I.e. no “broken links”).
55. Many popular news publications still require subscriptions to view their content online, but are still available for free at the library.
56. Libraries provide free and abundant knowledge to everyone (a privilege people didn’t always have).
57. Not everyone can afford books, but everyone has access to the library.
58. Someone has to buy all those books that college professors write.
59. Public bathrooms in libraries are usually cleaner than most places.
60. A library can mold itself for the specific community it’s in, whereas websites usually try to bring in everyone.
61. At libraries, you can take practice qualifying tests for almost any profession.
62. You can always make suggestions to librarians for specific books you’d like to see.
63. Many libraries also display original works of art or even have separate galleries.
64. Some libraries also hold a limited number of free museum passes that anyone can use.
65. If you don’t have a computer, you can always use the ones in the library.
66. The same goes for certain premium software and special databases.
67. If your library offers wi-fi, it’s probably free.
68. Several libraries also offer programs that cater to senior citizens.
69. Believe it or not, studies show that libraries are good for their local economy, since they make their community for attractive to potential businesses and individuals.
70. Libraries are still a cornerstone for free speech and open access to information.
71. When dictators like Hitler and Mao Zedong set out to eliminate a country’s culture or history, they started by shutting down the public libraries.
72. A library still provides a neutral environment for the free exchange of ideas.
73. Public libraries are surprisingly cheap to maintain, but benefit everyone in the community.
74. If you’re a comic book lover, you can probably find plenty at your local library.
75. They might even have some of those expensive indie graphic novels available.
76. We’re still an incredibly long ways away from a paperless world.
77. You might as well use the library, since you’re already paying for it through taxes or tuition.
78. There’s less risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome from reading books.
79. A library is a great excuse to get out of the house (seriously, why would anyone argue with you about it?).
80. Books are very portable and never need recharging.
81. With the economy these days, going to the library is a great source of free entertainment.
82. You can “try before you buy” any number of books without spending a dime.
83. Some libraries even have bookmobiles or mailing programs that deliver books right to you.
84. Studies have repeatedly shown that reading improves your basic vocabulary and just generally makes you smarter.
85. Regardless of what form a library takes, a librarian will always be ready to guide you to the information you need.
2. Not all information is on the internet.
3. Older books still hold great cultural significance.
4. Libraries are still repositories for some of the most valuable works of literature in the world.
5. Even with the internet, the library is still the best place to do research.
6. Girls with glasses can still rock the “sexy librarian” look.
7. “Sexy Librarian” is still a popular costume at Halloween.
8. You can’t exactly find periodicals like The New England Journal of Medicine in Barnes and Noble.
9. For that matter, looking at turn-of-the-century National Geographics is still pretty entertaining.
10. Colleges need something to remodel every so often.
11. The library is still the best meeting spot for college students working on group projects.
12. Libraries are where most colleges store some of their history (choir CDs, videos of athletic matches, etc.).
13. A library is one of the few places people can have free internet access.
14. This means some libraries even hold LAN parties during later hours.
15. Somebody has to help lazy people find what they want.
16. Even online collections of books usually connect directly to a library.
17. “Librarian” is still a better career choice for spinsters over “School Lunch Lady.”
18. Studies have shown libraries and librarians improve student test scores.
19. They also have been shown to improve students’ individual learning skills.
20. With their training in instructional design, librarians can help teachers find resources for their curriculum.
21. Librarians also help teachers to use a variety of media in the classroom.
22. Many libraries today offer enough DVDs to serve as a poor man’s Netflix or Blockbuster.
23. Librarians often put together special programs to get children to read early on.
24. While teaching children to use the library, librarians end up teaching them valuable problem solving skills.
25. They also teach children to use multiple resources to form their own original works.
26. If librarians were no longer around, kids wouldn’t understand the opening scene from Ghostbusters.
27. Librarians know a lot about proper citation skills, as well as ethical uses of information, in order to avoid plagiarism issues.
28. Libraries are still a cheaper place to make photocopies than FedEx Kinko’s.
29. Despite the advances in computer technology, a human will still find information better than a search engine.
30. Librarians can also find information better suited to the person who needs it.
31. A library is much MUCH more well cataloged and organized than the internet.
32. Libraries have much better quality control than the vast majority of websites.
33. Who else is going to learn the Dewey Decimal System? You?
34. Seriously though, no one wants to learn the Dewey Decimal System.
35. For that matter, who else is going to show you how to use that microfiche machine?
36. Experienced librarians often know exactly what resources students need for particular courses.
37. Many libraries collaborate and offer book exchange programs, offering users an almost limitless supply of books and media.
38. Librarians can help relieve some of the workload from teachers by helping students to understand information better.
39. Some engineering teams have already explored the idea of a fully digital library…and ended up designing a traditional library with some advanced technology.
40. The copyright costs for digitizing all literature would be astronomical without even factoring in distribution and storage.
41. Even without the costs, digitizing all books in existence would take hundreds of years at the current rate.
42. The internet still mostly only holds information from the past 15 or so years, compared with the hundreds of years of knowledge found in a library.
43. Even though libraries themselves may be losing attendance, their online archives and websites are still receiving plenty of visitors.
44. Despite the rising popularity of e-books, 80% of people surveyed say they still prefer paper books.
45. The experience of reading an actual book is being preserved by libraries.
46. Libraries provide one of the few places for anyone to find quiet area to just read or study.
47. Sometimes, but not always, libraries have free coffee.
48. Sometimes there are even free snacks.
49. Unlike the internet, libraries are careful that the information they contain is checked for usefulness before being included.
50. Also unlike the internet, libraries are much less influenced by corporate interests.
51. They are also less likely to be manipulated by individuals, like search engine optimizers.
52. Information on more specific topics can be much easier to find in libraries.
53. Digital or not, a library still needs a human staff to run it.
54. The resources of a library are well indexed and will always deliver reliable results (I.e. no “broken links”).
55. Many popular news publications still require subscriptions to view their content online, but are still available for free at the library.
56. Libraries provide free and abundant knowledge to everyone (a privilege people didn’t always have).
57. Not everyone can afford books, but everyone has access to the library.
58. Someone has to buy all those books that college professors write.
59. Public bathrooms in libraries are usually cleaner than most places.
60. A library can mold itself for the specific community it’s in, whereas websites usually try to bring in everyone.
61. At libraries, you can take practice qualifying tests for almost any profession.
62. You can always make suggestions to librarians for specific books you’d like to see.
63. Many libraries also display original works of art or even have separate galleries.
64. Some libraries also hold a limited number of free museum passes that anyone can use.
65. If you don’t have a computer, you can always use the ones in the library.
66. The same goes for certain premium software and special databases.
67. If your library offers wi-fi, it’s probably free.
68. Several libraries also offer programs that cater to senior citizens.
69. Believe it or not, studies show that libraries are good for their local economy, since they make their community for attractive to potential businesses and individuals.
70. Libraries are still a cornerstone for free speech and open access to information.
71. When dictators like Hitler and Mao Zedong set out to eliminate a country’s culture or history, they started by shutting down the public libraries.
72. A library still provides a neutral environment for the free exchange of ideas.
73. Public libraries are surprisingly cheap to maintain, but benefit everyone in the community.
74. If you’re a comic book lover, you can probably find plenty at your local library.
75. They might even have some of those expensive indie graphic novels available.
76. We’re still an incredibly long ways away from a paperless world.
77. You might as well use the library, since you’re already paying for it through taxes or tuition.
78. There’s less risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome from reading books.
79. A library is a great excuse to get out of the house (seriously, why would anyone argue with you about it?).
80. Books are very portable and never need recharging.
81. With the economy these days, going to the library is a great source of free entertainment.
82. You can “try before you buy” any number of books without spending a dime.
83. Some libraries even have bookmobiles or mailing programs that deliver books right to you.
84. Studies have repeatedly shown that reading improves your basic vocabulary and just generally makes you smarter.
85. Regardless of what form a library takes, a librarian will always be ready to guide you to the information you need.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Dropping the ball, being sick, and Chicago Tourism.
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| Blair and I at "Cloud Gate" Image copyright EarlyLiteracyMama.blogspot.com |
So I kinda dropped the ball on the three days of Halloween finger plays. I ended up being incredibly sick by Halloween, so little man practically missed out. Thankfully, he has a wonderful Grandpa who made sure that he didn't miss out on the Trick or Treating fun. I will make it up to you though, I'm going to start posting "Finger play Fridays" so there will be a new one to enjoy each week.
During "sick-week", my friend from Australia came to visit. I haven't seen her in 9 years, so she got my undivided attention. Thankfully, I was able to get some antibiotics and join her on a girl's weekend away in Chicago. I had a blast, but it was hard to be away from little man for the first time.
So this week, I thought I'd focus on the excellent early literacy initiatives that I saw while I was in the city.
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| My foot compared to Apatosaurus Image copyright EarlyLiteracyMama.blogspot.com |
One of our first stops was The Field Museum. Though we only saw the Dinosaurs and Native Americans (we had five different attractions to visit with our CityPass), the exhibits were nothing short of AMAZING. There were many hands on activities, one of my favorites was comparing your foot to an Apatosaurus. This particular activity provides and excellent opportunity to talk about big and small with your child, and or heavy and light. You could also spend time talking about the opposites between humans and dinosaurs. The possibilities are endless.
The next of our stops was The Shedd Aquarium. Shedd is by far my favorite attraction in the city. I went once four years ago, and this year I noticed some major revisions to the exhibits that focused on early literacy. That, or I just didn't pay that much attention the last time I was there. :)
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| Shedd Aquatic Show Image Copyright EarlyLiteracyMama.blogspot.com |
One of the best early literacy attractions at Shedd is located in the "basement" of the building, underneath the Aquatic show tank. When you descend underneath the aquatics tank, you see a whole new world with dolphins, belugas, and penguins. There is also a hands on exploration table about tide pool animals and organisms. It is the perfect opportunity to talk about textures--what appears rough or smooth, and to to talk about sizes, what is big and small.
Kids will have the most fun in the interactive penguin exhibit where a they can climb around and act like penguins, they can even slide down a pretend ice slide on their bellies, just like penguins do.
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| One Book, One Chicago Initiative Image Copyright EarlyLiteracyMama.blogspot.com |
The one thing that I noticed about the city of Chicago itself is that they care about their libraries and literacy. Every where I went, I saw signs promoting reading. It intrigued me so much, that I just had to get a picture next to one. :)
When it comes to libraries and literacy, Chicago gets 5 out of 5 stars from me!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Graduation From Storytime
A few days from now Lil Man turns 17 months. And a month from then 18 months. I don't know where the time has gone. I swear I was pregnant yesterday, so I'm not quite sure how I ended up with a toddler. The time is flying by so fast, and I feel like I've missed so much, when I know that I haven't.
For about the past month, we've been prepping for fall programming at work. And I started to get really excited about this fall's upcoming baby storytime. Over the summer, Lil Man had really started getting into the storytimes, and he participated a lot more than when he was just a bump on a log of a baby.
But then it hit me. Lil Man is going to be 18 months come September. Too old for Baby Storytime. And Ms. Kendra--the Baby Storytime librarian confirmed it, Lil Man is going to be moving up to Me and My Grown Up Storytime. And to be honest, I'm bummed.
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| Copyright EarlyLiteracyMama.blogspot.com |
It's not that I don't like the librarian who puts on the next age group's storytime. I like her, and I know she does a great job. But, Lil Man just got adjusted to Baby Storytime and started to participate. I feel like shoving him in with the older kids, he's not going to be able to participate as well as he could in Babytime. At 18 months, he just isn't as capable developmentally as an almost 3 year old (the upper boundry of the group). Not to mention, he has friends in his group, and I'm friends with thier moms.
I'm torn. Do I take him to storytime and see how it all pans out? Do I keep him home for a bit, and let him mature a little bit more developmentally? Do I just, and I hate to use this term, hold him back in Baby Storytime? Or do I just stay home, and read some stories there?
No matter what, this fall is going to be bittersweet. I'll no longer have an infant or a baby, I'll have a toddler transitioning into a preschooler. And as much as it breaks my heart, I'm excited too, I can't wait to see how my Lil Man grows up.
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