CEO Newsletter, January 14, 2009

Children’s Event Organizer
Lakeshores Library System and
Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System
Youth Services Update
Issue 326, January 13, 2009
http://www.west-bendlibrary.org/mwflskids.htm
http://www.llsmwflschildrens.blogspot.com/


In this issue:
· Ruhama’s Review
· Be Creative @ Your Library/Express Yourself @ Your Library
· Movie News
· Upcoming SRP Workshop
· Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th Birthday
· Teen Tech Week
· Dates to Remember
· Website Faves
· And Finally…….


RUHAMA’S REVIEW

Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech
http://tinyurl.com/5e9u58

Jack is back with more poetry lessons (with the same teacher--she moved up a grade with the class) and this time, he can't seem to get cats off his mind. There are new poems and parts of poetry this year, as well as a new naysayer to 'new' poetry. Jack has to wrestle with what constitutes a good poem and good writing, as well as reconcile his love/hate relationship with cats.

This is a quick read that is powerful (very much like Love That Dog)--Creech conveys an amazing amount of emotions through the sparse text. Readers can follow the story easily without having read the first book, but will appreciate things much better by getting to know Jack from his previous year. Creech again includes the original poems in the back of the book, which I appreciated. This, as well as the first, would work really well for a book club for this next summer's theme (Be Creative @ Your Library).


BE CREATIVE @ YOUR LIBRARY/EXPRESS YOURSELF @ YOUR LIBRARY

Great Conversations in Music
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2091

This site presents video interviews with distinguished musicians and composers. Hosted by Eugene Istomin (1925-2003), one of the world's most admired classical musicians, the series includes conversations with Mstislav Rostropovich, Yo-Yo Ma, Milton Babbitt, and others. Topics include piano performance technique, modern contemporary music, the essence of the string quartet, the influence of master teachers, and lessons from the great virtuosos of the past. (Free Ed posting, 12/2/08, http://www.free.ed.gov/)


Exploring Leonardo
http://www.mos.org/sln/Leonardo/LeoHomePage.html

Focuses on the intersection between art and science, exploring how Leonardo daVinci applied the scientific method creatively in every aspect of life including art and music. The site was designed by the Boston Museum of Science for grades 4 -8, students and teachers.


The Renaissance Connection
http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/main.cfm

From the Allentown Art Museum, explores Renaissance visual arts and innovations and their role in the making of the modern world. Integrate art with social studies, science and language arts with these interactive activities for middle school students.


Art Safari
http://www.moma.org/momalearning/artsafari/index.html

Use art as a writing prompt for elementary aged kids with Art Safari from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This site's simple design and questions make it appropriate for younger elementary students.


MOMA’s Destination Modern Art
http://www.moma.org/destination/

MoMA's Destination Modern Art, designed for 5-8 year-olds, guides children to explore works of art using activities that include music, math, reading and more.

SmARTKids
http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/smartkids/

SmARTKids from the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago combines learning about art with reading and writing. Student must read a lot and write in an online journal to complete the games and activities at the site. Appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students.


The Visual Dictionary
http://www.infovisual.info/

The Visual Dictionary can be used by teachers and students as a quick reference. It would be especially useful for ESL students for mastery of the language. The terms are categorized into six thematic topics: vegetal biology, animal biology, human body, music, transport, and clothing. The site uses images to explain objects and each of the objects defined on the site provides annotations that identify details of the object and a short description of each part at the bottom of the page. Visitors will find information on everything from the detailed structure of a tree to the description of a police officer’s uniform. Additionally, a few tips for using the site in an educational setting are offered in the help section. (Education World Site Reviews, 12/3/08)


MOVIE NEWS

Coraline
www.coraline.com

Hotel for Dogs
www.hotelfordogs.com

Dragonball Evolution
http://dbthemovie.com/

Thundercats
http://thundercats-the-movie.net/

Race to Witch Mountain
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/racetowitchmountain/
(I saw this in production at the Disney Studios in California last summer!)


UPCOMING SRP WORKSHOP

Mark your calendars and plan to attend this year’s BE CRFEATIVE @ YOUR LIBRARY summer reading program workshop on Friday, February 6th at the Muskego Public Library. We’ll begin with registration and refreshments at 8:30, and the workshop will start at 9 AM. Ruhama Kordatskty Bahr will begin the morning with program, display and craft ideas. Stuart Stotts will show you how to incorporate music and theatrical style into your programs during the last half of the morning. We’ll end at 12:30.

In lieu of a registration form, please RSVP to me if you are attending. You can either call me here at Lakeshores at 262-514-4500 x67 or email me at rpuntney@lakeshores.lib.wi.us.


EDGAR ALLAN POE’S 200TH BIRTHDAY

Most of us know that Lincoln’s birth bicentennial is next month, but it’s also been 200 years since the birth of Edgar Allan Poe. Here are some sites of interest, all from Librarians’ Internet Index:

Edgar Allan Poe Collection
http://www.prattlibrary.org/digital/index.aspx?id=180

The Enoch Pratt Free Library website has a collection of "Poeana," material related to American literary giant Edgar Allan Poe. Click on "Edgar Allen Poe Collection" near the top of the page to view images of selected items from the collection such as photographs of Poe, fragments from Poe's original coffin, locks of hair, and letters written by Poe. Also includes a finding aid to the full collection. From the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, Maryland.

Nevermore 2009
http://www.nevermore2009.com/

"Baltimore is celebrating the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe with a yearlong citywide festival, officially kicking off in January 2009 with a variety of events to celebrate Edgar Allan Poe's birthday January 19." The site features events listings, details about Poe sites in Baltimore (including his grave and the Poe House Museum), and links with resources for planning a trip to Baltimore. From the City of Baltimore and other groups.


Poe Revealed, 1809-2009
http://www.poe200th.com/

Website for Virginia's 2009 celebration of the 200th anniversary of the January 19, 1809, birth of Edgar Allan Poe. The "Teacher" and "Student" sections provide material introducing you to Poe's life and works, such as a timeline, details about his literary contributions (such as inventor of the detective story), discussion of Poe's writing techniques, animated version of "The Tell Tale Heart," and material about Poe's mysterious death. Also includes events listing and a blog.


TEEN TECH WEEK

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association (ALA) is sponsoring Teen Tech Week, March 7-14. The 2009 theme is "Press Play @ Your Library." Press Play @ the library can be interpreted broadly to make it work for you in your own library. One way to interpret the theme is to emphasize the word "play." Play can be about teens creating and sharing their own content for the fun of it, like videos, music, and digital artwork. Play through games can be encouraged with tournaments, tech trivia contests, and video games. The theme can also take a more educational direction. Teens can "press play" on various digital devices to learn more about the world around them. They can press play to watch film documentaries, listen to an audiobook, get online homework help, learn a new language, and more. YALSA encourages librarians and educators to be creative and take the theme in a direction that works for them and their teens! For more information about this celebration, go to http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Press_Play_@_Your_Library_TTW_2009. (from the state Youth Services Consultant’s posting, 1/14/09)


DATES TO REMEMBER

January 23-27 ALA Midwinter, Denver
February 3 Library Legislative Day, Madison
February 6 Summer Reading Program Workshop, Muskego
February 7 Riverport Chorus presents DivaQuest 2009, Waterford Union HS
February 28 Riverport Chorus performance, Cathe Center, Burlington
March 7-14 Teen Tech Week
April 2 Adolescent Literacy workshop with Christy Mulligan, Waterford
May 6-8 WAPL conference, Wisconsin Dells


WEBSITE FAVES

The faves this time are all about next Tuesday’s inauguration. These, and much more, are annotated at the Tech Savvy Mama blog http://techsavvymama.blogspot.com/2009/01/websites-of-week-inauguration-websites.html.


The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
http://inaugural.senate.gov/

This is THE official site for all things related to the inauguration. It provides the dos and don’ts for anyone planning to come to witness the inauguration but is also a wonderful resource for kids. This site features slideshows of previous presidents, walking through the President Elect’s inauguration day events (morning worship service, swearing in, parade, etc), and learning inauguration trivia on the Facts and Firsts page. Be sure to check back from now until January 20th to watch the construction progress on the platform for the inaugural ceremony.


PBS News Hour’s History of the Presidential Inauguration
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/inauguration/history.html

PBS New Hour has a wealth of resource including the history of the presidential inauguration and a quiz featuring presidential trivia (with both a novice and expert version), and photo galleries from past inaugurations.


Presidential Speech Archive
http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/spe_1797_0304_adams

If you’re wondering what former presidents said in their inaugural addresses, then you will want to visit the Presidential Speech Archive. The University of Virginia’s Miller Center for Public Affairs has an extensive collection of some of “the more important presidential speeches of the past 60 years.” The speeches are available in their entirety in full audio and some transcripts are also available, including recently added ones from the late 18th and 19th centuries.


AND FINALLY…………

Happy 100th birthday to Gene Krupa!