Just a quick fyi. We recently changed our teen Web site around a little. One thing you might notice is missing: the "Express Yourself" link. This was a place where you could write book reviews and put them on our Web site. We also had big plans for this being a place where you could share your writing and other artsy endeavors. We aren't eliminating this possibility, we're just going with a new approach. It's called Bibliocommons.
Bibliocommons is the name of a new catalog we'll be getting in a few months. What is Bibliocommons? Well, you know the catalog we have now, where you go to look up books and movies? Imagine that, combined with Amazon and even a little bit of Facebook and you've got an idea. You'll be able to look up library items on Bibliocommons, place holds on them, see what you've got checked out, renew items, etc. All the usual stuff. What makes it fun is that you can also sign up for a user account, and while you're signed in you can write reviews, tag and rate items, create lists that you recommend to other users, even follow other users who have similar interests. Bibliocommons is easy to search and a lot more fun than a regular library catalog because it does all these other cool things. Keep your eyes open for Bibliocommons on our Web site - we hope it's coming soon.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Congratulations Teen Summer Reading Club Participants!
Congratulations to the 58 teens who read at least 5 books or for at least 25 hours in the Teen Summer Reading Club, which ended August 1st, and to all who signed up and made reading a part of their summers.
Congratulations also to middle-schooler Bookfan101 and high-schooler roma bella, who will receive $20 gift cards for their prize-winning entries/reviews.
As some of you may have discovered, writing about books isn't always easy, particularly explaining WHY you liked or disliked a particular book. (On the entry form you were asked not only to rate the book from 1 to 5, but to answer: "Why did you give it that rating? What did you think of the book.")
Bookfan101, in her review of The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, impressed with, among other qualities, her ability to convey why she liked the book, as well as her insight into character. "I loved this book because of the writing style, emotions you feel when you read the book, and the fact that you can view things from each characters point-of-view." Also impressive was her insight into the book's main character. She writes: "[S]he realizes how her actions could either hurt or help her future and the fact that music, something she gave up so long ago, could help her connect with people around her."
Roma bella reviewed Tom Brokaw's nonfiction title, The Greatest Generation, with grace and style, praising this book that "tells the stories of different men and women who lived and fought in WWII," people "who despite many hardships in their lives, they still went on to do great things for our country."
Thanks to all the rest of you participated in Teen Summer Reading Club, and who took the time to write thoughtful, interesting entries that made selecting only two winners difficult. You can read many of these entries in the "Comments" sections of the last few blog posts. They're a great resource to learn of books you might enjoy, written not by librarians or other adults, but by other teens.
Three teens deserve a special shout-out for reading more than 20 books--for catching the spirit of Teen Summer Reading Club.
Jemma
Library
vwong124
Finally, we hope you'll continue to make reading for pleasure--for the pure enjoyment you experience when you've found just the right book--a part of your daily lives year round.
Congratulations also to middle-schooler Bookfan101 and high-schooler roma bella, who will receive $20 gift cards for their prize-winning entries/reviews.
As some of you may have discovered, writing about books isn't always easy, particularly explaining WHY you liked or disliked a particular book. (On the entry form you were asked not only to rate the book from 1 to 5, but to answer: "Why did you give it that rating? What did you think of the book.")
Bookfan101, in her review of The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, impressed with, among other qualities, her ability to convey why she liked the book, as well as her insight into character. "I loved this book because of the writing style, emotions you feel when you read the book, and the fact that you can view things from each characters point-of-view." Also impressive was her insight into the book's main character. She writes: "[S]he realizes how her actions could either hurt or help her future and the fact that music, something she gave up so long ago, could help her connect with people around her."
Roma bella reviewed Tom Brokaw's nonfiction title, The Greatest Generation, with grace and style, praising this book that "tells the stories of different men and women who lived and fought in WWII," people "who despite many hardships in their lives, they still went on to do great things for our country."
Thanks to all the rest of you participated in Teen Summer Reading Club, and who took the time to write thoughtful, interesting entries that made selecting only two winners difficult. You can read many of these entries in the "Comments" sections of the last few blog posts. They're a great resource to learn of books you might enjoy, written not by librarians or other adults, but by other teens.
Three teens deserve a special shout-out for reading more than 20 books--for catching the spirit of Teen Summer Reading Club.
Jemma
Library
vwong124
Finally, we hope you'll continue to make reading for pleasure--for the pure enjoyment you experience when you've found just the right book--a part of your daily lives year round.
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