The Book Fair Planning Kit just arrived, so it is not too early to think about volunteering for the Book Fair.  Kristen Womer is the Book Fair Chairperson, and would more than welcome any assistance at any time.  Once again, we are using Google Calendar as a planning tool - contact Kristen or myself directly for log-in information, or if you'd like to be a part of the "sales team".  Contact Kristen or myself if you'd like to help with planning.  Our goal is to have everything up and ready before Spring Break - since the Fair occurs less than a week after we return (April 3rd-10th).

Thanks to the beautiful and efficient handiwork by Mr. Ryan,  as well as to funds generated by the Winter Book Fair, there are more shelves in the library!  They will be used to hold the Professional Library and videos, as well as books to be entered or repaired and supplies.

This neccesitated a clean-out of all the boxes and storage containers that were in the library.  From that, I have set out numerous books. magazines and other educational materials to be given away - to students, faculty and parents.  After this week, anything remaining will be donated to my favorite charity.  Please come in, browse, and admire the new space!

I don't mean to brag, but I did find time to read, not one, but two worthwhile books in the last month:  Mitch Albom's, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and For One More Day.  These are relatively short, intense little books that carry a positive message.  I have placed them in the Young Adult section, due to somewhat disturbing content dealing with death, but feel that mature adolescents and/or parents will benefit from reading them.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven deals with a theme-park maintenance worker searching for answers to questions of his existence. In For One More Day, a former athlete, questioning the value of his life, has an opportunity to spend another day with his late mother.  The stories are told with humor, compassion and warmth, given the very serious issues with which they deal.  I highly recommend them.

Reminder:  all books checked out during the month of December were due Monday, January 5th.  Please check under beds and on home shelves for any overdue volumes.

Books will be re-arranged in the library during the next few weeks - due to continuous input of donations and new books, many existing sections are full or nearly so.  If you are interested in assisting with this project, please contact me via phone or e-mail.

Thanks to all, the Book Fair was a financial success!  Nearly 60 books were bought with money from the Fair's profit.  To see which ones, go to Surpass Web Safari catalog from the library home page and click on "New Materials".  We've got some great books to read, and plenty of funds with which to buy new ones.

Best wishes for a warm and wonderful holiday season!

Reading Safari, the Winter Scholastic Book Fair, kicks off tomorrow night in conjunction with the Holiday Party and Sock Hop!  Then, it will be open all next week, beginning at 7:30 every morning, and open through the basketball game and Winterfest IV. All classes in grades 1-6 have scheduled a time to visit, so be sure your students bring their money.  It will be open during the Lunch Recess time, as well.

The Book Fair is a fundraiser to bring in money for new books for the Library, so every purchase benefits the school.  We hold one two times a year, before Winter Break and again in Spring. To preview books, and see all of the hours it is open, visit the Book Fair Homepage.

I spent three successful days at the Denver Tech Center for the Colorado Association of Libraries annual conference.  For a full review of all the sessions which I attended, please see my personal blog.

I was as "green" as possible - as the association encouraged.  I put the handout for my presentation on-line a full two weeks beforehand and took an express bus to the light rail to get there two out of the three days (the bus schedule was not cooperative on Saturday).  I putl all my notes in a file on my laptop.  My only complaint was, for all the emphasis on 21st Century and being "green," the hotel's wireless Internet service was spotty and sometimes inaccessible.  Not quite as advanced as we'd like to be, but we'll get there.

Mark your calendars for Book Fair Safari - December 5th - 12th, 2008.

I am preparing a presentation to give at the annual conference of the Colorado Association of Libraries next week entitled, "Using Google Docs and Wikis to Bring Your Community Together". This has been an interesting challenge for me in several ways. I am intending to share my system for scheduling my library volunteers, and to explain how Web 2.0 tools were used to compile comments and memories for a teacher's tenth year anniversary celebration. I originally created a powerpoint presentation using Google Docs presentation format, but ended up creating a slide show in PowerPoint. The experience so far has taught me a great deal about the editors in Google Docs. It also provided a wonderful opportunity...

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Another new book in the Library is 2006 Coretta Scott King Award winner, Day of Tears by Julius Lester.  This is an account of many participants in one of the biggest slave sales in history, on the Butler Plantation in 1857.  The story is told entirely in dialogue, from each particiant's perspective, which makes for a fascinating study.  Also, it has a list of Internet links in the back, to provide the factual background for the story.  What a great and engaging way to study history! Click here for the historical information.