Free Library Blog

Meet Your Favorite Young Adult Authors!

Communications Office — 2009-11-20T14:25:00-05:00

Head over to Children’s Book World in Haverford on Sunday, November 22 for A Novel Idea, a benefit for the Free Library of Philadelphia. Nationally renowned young adult authors will be on location signing copies of their books purchased at the store that day, and 20 percent of book sale proceeds will help the Library acquire more young adult materials for teen readers.

A Novel Idea will take place at Children’s Book World in Haverford (17 Haverford Station Road) from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Joining us from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. will be an unprecedented number of distinguished young adult authors, including Laurie Halse Anderson, Jay Asher, T.A. Barron, Sara Dessen, Steve Kluger, Justine Larbalestier, David Levithan, Lauren Myracle, and Scott Westerfeld. They look forward to meeting you and signing your books!

Due to the nature of the benefit, only books purchased on November 22 at Children’s Book World will be signed. The Free Library will receive 20 percent of all proceeds.

The Most Magical Time of the Year

Communications Office — 2009-11-20T13:01:00-05:00

It’s that time of year again—not a day full of turkey and football, but the announcement of the 2009 National Book Award winners! In addition to the winners in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s literature, the National Book Award also honored two authors for their contributions. Gore Vidal was celebrated for his “distinguished contribution to American letters," and Dave Eggers (author of the 2008 One Book, One Philadelphia selection!) was honored with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. Presented to an individual whose life and work are examples of the National Book Foundation’s goals to enhance the cultural value of literature, the award honors Eggers’ work as an author, editor, journalist, publisher, screenwriter, and co-founder of 826 Valencia, a nonprofit center dedicated to improving the writing skills of students.

Check out a list of the winners and finalists below, and tell us which books you’ll be adding to your holiday wish list!

Fiction
Winner: Colum McCann for Let the Great World Spin

Finalists: Bonnie Jo Campbell (American Salvage); Daniyal Mueenuddin(In Other Rooms, Other Wonders); Jayne Anne Phillips (Lark and Termite); Marcel Theroux (Far North)

Nonfiction
Winner: T. J. Stiles for The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

Finalists: David M. Carroll (Following the Water: A Hydromancer's Notebook); Sean B. Carroll (Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species); Greg Grandin (Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City); Adrienne Mayor (The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome's Deadliest Enem)

Poetry
Winner: Keith Waldrop for Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy

Finalists: Rae Armantrout (Versed); Ann Lauterbach (Or to Begin Again); Carl Phillips (Speak Low); Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon (Open Interval)

Young People’s Literature
Winner: Phillip Hoose for Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Finalists: Deborah Heiligman (Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith); David Small (Stitches); Laini Taylor (Lips Touch: Three Times); Rita Williams-Garcia,(Jumped)

One Book Blog: On Social Class and Forgiveness

Communications Office — 2009-11-12T16:28:00-05:00

Two months ago, we announced the 2010 One Book, One Philadelphia featured reading selection, Marjane Satrapi’s The Complete Persepolis. The programming period officially kicks off in January, so we are encouraging everyone to dig into Persepolis now. That way, you’ll be prepared with plenty of ideas for thought-provoking discussions and workshops! In my last One Book blog, I asked for your thoughts about the first 30 pages of the book, in which a 10-year-old Satrapi struggles to understand the Islamic Revolution.

In the next few chapters, two themes are very apparent—social class systems and the art of forgiving. After watching how the reality of social classes caused heartbreak for her maid, Satrapi struggles with understanding the socio-political norms. Her father explains that certain loves are impossible because, in their country, they must stay within their social class. Wise beyond her years, Satrapi challenges him: “But is it her fault that she was born where she was born???” Have you ever been a part of, or witnessed, a similar situation? What are some ways that you have seen the social class system disrupt personal relationships?

Satrapi also learns about the importance of forgiveness after her mother catches her planning to attack a friend, the son of a man who was a member of the secret police. Her mother explains, “It is not for you and me to do justice. I’d even say we have to learn to forgive.” Later, Satrapi learns about the torture endured by her parents’ friends and becomes overwhelmed. Trying to comfort Satrapi, her mother says, “Don’t cry darling. They will pay for what they have done.” Confused, Satrapi questions her mother’s previous lesson on forgiveness, but her mother responds by saying “Bad people are dangerous but forgiving them is too. Don’t worry, there is justice on Earth.” Have you ever struggled with forgiveness? What are some lessons you have learned about forgiveness?

Click on “Leave a comment” and share your opinions and thoughts on social classes and forgiveness!

Thanksgiving Books, Songs, and Rhymes for Kids

Communications Office — 2009-11-12T14:19:00-05:00

Looking for some great kid-tested, librarian-approved books for Thanksgiving? The children's librarians at the Free Library have put together a list of their favorites. Their comments about some of the books are included below.

Fiction

Gus the Pilgrim Turkey by Theresa Bateman

Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley

One is a Feast for Mouse by Judy Cox

Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell - "It's not a Thanksgiving book per se, but the rhyme is terrific and it's about a family preparing a meal, from shopping for ingredients to eating it together."

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B.G. Hennessy - "Tells the pilgrim/Indian story, values contributions of both."

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson

Happy Thanksgiving by Margaret McNamara - "In the Robin Hill School Ready-To-Read series."

Setting the Turkeys Free by W. Nikola-Lisa - "Though not a traditional 'Thanksgiving' story it is a highly imaginative adventure story that features turkeys and is a nice addition when doing a Thanksgiving-themed story time. In this fun story, a young boy creates 'handprint' turkeys that come to life and he must protect them. It's a fun read aloud and I always have everyone's attention when I read this one!"

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

Thanksgiving Day by Anne Rockwell - "It shows how the Native Americans helped the new settlers and has great illustrations. This is a Native American friendly book that tells the story of the first Thanksgiving via a group of multi-cultural children performing a holiday play. It celebrates the spirit of friendship, sharing and being thankful."

Turk and Runt by Lisa Wheeler

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams - "Interactive with hand motions and sounds! The little old lady runs into pants, shirts, shoes, a hat, gloves and a pumpkin head and puts them all together for a scare (a scarecrow)."

Non-Fiction

Feeling Thankful by Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly - "This is a non-fiction book that depicts pre-school and school-age children recounting the things in their life they are most thankful for."

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson - "Nonscary book with great pictures about the lifecycle of a pumpkin including the jack-o-lantern stage."

Thanksgiving Day at Our House: Thanksgiving Poems for the Very Young by Nancy White Carlstrom - "I like to intersperse Thanksgiving story times with a few selections from this book. Can be used with Preschool up to Grade 4 or so."

Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes - "Mostly for an older audience, but some poems may appeal to a preschool audience."

Of course, story time at the Free Library isn't just about sitting and listening to a great book. Here are some terrific Thanksgiving songs and rhymes, courtesy of the children's librarians, for kids to sing and recite. Some of them have actions, too - try them out, if you don't mind acting like a turkey!

Sing “If you’re happy and you know it,” substituting the word “thankful” for “happy.” Instead of shouting “hooray” at the end, shout “thank you!”

Turkey Jurky
(Sung to the tune of "Hokey Pokey")
You put your right wing in
You put your right wing out
You put your right wing in and you shake it all about
You do the Turkey Jurky and you turn yourself around
That's what it's all about!

The Turkey Dance
(Sung to the tune of "Turkey in the Straw")
Oh, you turkey to the left (two steps to the left)
And you turkey to the right (two steps to the right)
Then you heel and toe (do motion with foot)
And you scratch with all your might. (scratch with foot)
Now you flap your turkey wings (put thumbs in armpits and flap)
While your head goes bobble,bobble. (wobble head)
Turn around and then you say, (turn around)
"Gobble, gobble, gobble!"

Turkey Dinner
(Sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques")
Turkey dinner, turkey dinner,
Gather round, gather round,
Who will get the drumstick?
Yummy, yummy drumstick,
All sit down, all sit down,

Cornbread muffins, chestnut stuffing,
Puddin’ pie, one foot high,
All of us were thinner
Until we came to dinner;
Me oh my! Me oh my!

The Turkey
The turkey is a funny bird.
[Hook thumbs together and spread fingers to create turkey tail.]
Its head goes wobble, wobble.
[Wobble head back and forth.]
And all it knows is just one word:
[Hold up one finger.]
"Gobble, gobble, gobble."
[Make mouth shape with hand, opening and closing it while sounding like a turkey.]

The Turkey II
I'm a turkey, big and fat.
[Spread arms out.]
I spread my tail. I walk like that.
[Fan fingers like a turkey's tail; Waddle.]
Each day's corn I will not miss,
[Rub stomach.]
And when I talk, I sound like this:
[Point to lips; Cup hand next to ear.]
GOBBLE! GOBBLE! GOBBLE!
[Shout.]

Run Turkey Run
(Sun to the tune of “Farmer in the Dell”)
Run turkey run (running motion)
Run turkey run (running motion)
It’s almost Thanksgiving time
Run turkey run (running motion)

Roll pumpkin roll (roll hands)
Roll pumpkin roll (roll hands)
It’s almost Thanksgiving time
Roll pumpkin roll (roll hands)

Grow corn grow (jump up)
Grow corn grow (jump up)
It’s almost Thanksgiving time
Grow corn grow (jump up)

Mash potatoes mash (pound fists)
Mash potatoes mash (pound fists)
It’s almost Thanksgiving time
Mash potatoes mash (pound fists)

Eat your apple pie (eating motion)
Eat your apple pie (eating motion)
It is now Thanksgiving time
Eat your apple pie (eating motion)

Run turkey run (running motion)
Run turkey run (running motion)
It’s almost Thanksgiving time
Run turkey run (running motion)

Happy 40th Anniversary Sesame Street!

Communications Office — 2009-11-10T11:53:00-05:00

Today marks the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street, the educational children’s television show that bridged the gap between education and entertainment.

Check out one of our favorites here at the Library - a video in which the Cookie Monster visits a library and doesn't understand why it doesn't have cookies!

As we wish 40 more wonderful years to Sesame Street, search our catalog for numerous Sesame Street materials you can check out!

Science@Central - Featured Podcasts

Communications Office — 2009-11-09T15:21:00-05:00

Learn and listen to Science@Central, where you’ll hear podcasts from some of today’s best known scientists and science writers, including:

You can listen to our podcasts directly from your computer (click the link Listen to MP3 audio) or subscribe via iTunes.

Happy listening!

Uncle Sam wants you ... to have a great career! Part II

Communications Office — 2009-10-27T09:50:00-05:00

My last entry discussed U.S. Government resources for career assessment. This entry will feature resources that can inform you about the world of work. An important part of career decision-making is understanding what kinds of jobs and careers reflect what you learned through self assessment, and the U.S. Department of Labor has great resources that can help you find jobs that are appropriate for you in the real world.

Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is Uncle Sam’s career bible. It provides essential information on hundreds of occupations, and each occupation is presented in its own "statement," which describes the type of work performed, the work environment, education and training requirements, possible advancement, the employment outlook, and typical earnings. The Occupational Outlook Handbook also lists professional and trade groups that you can contact for more information. This valuable resource is revised every two years and has other features of interest to job seekers. A chapter called “Tomorrow’s Jobs” discusses statistics and trends in the labor force and features easy-to-understand charts of the fastest growing and declining occupations.

Occupational Outlook Quarterly
This magazine is published four times a year and serves as an update between revisions to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. It offers the latest information on jobs and careers, and articles are written in straightforward, non-technical language and cover a wide variety of career and work-related topics, such as new and emerging occupations, training opportunities, salary trends, and results of new studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is the first place where the U.S. Department of Labor’s 10 year employment projections are published.

The Occupational Outlook Quarterly has two sections that appear in every issue. The “Grab Bag” has short articles on varied topics related to careers with links to agencies and organizations to contact, and “You’re a What?” offers a day in the working life of real people. Examples include a solar panel installer, an auctioneer, and a voice actor. Another great feature of this resource is the online 10 year archive of issues. You can search by topic, regular features, or charts. All of the articles and data can be downloaded to your computer.

Career Guide to Industries
A companion to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Career Guide discusses careers from an industry perspective and highights the relationships between different occupations and how they cooperate within industries. This allows you to see a range of opportunities and career paths within different industries. The 2008-09 edition of the Career Guide discusses more than 44 industries, including manufacturing, transportation, financial services, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, government advocacy and grant making, construction, and natural resources.

For more information on how to find a great career, check out WORKPLACE Wednesdays, which kicks off again with How to Write a Résumé on November 4 at 6:00 p.m. at the Parkway Central Library.

Don’t forget the Job Fair at Northeast Regional Library takes place on Tuesday, November 10, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.!

You're invited to our first-ever Borrowers (un)Ball!

Communications Office — 2009-10-22T10:52:00-05:00

Give your dancing shoes a night off and join Library lovers across the city on Saturday, November 7th in a celebration of literacy and the vital role the Free Library of Philadelphia plays in our community! In lieu of our annual gala, we are hosting the first-ever Borrowers (un)Ball, which invites “guests” to support the Library without leaving home! This year, you can purchase an (un)ticket and curl up with a great book in the coziest corner of your home—by cutting the costs of an elegant gala, we are able to ensure that the majority of proceeds directly benefit Library programs and services!

So why not contribute what you would typically spend on an evening out on the town? Instead of spending money on dinner and drinks, you can help support services like our after-school programs and literacy training… all while unwinding in your pajamas and getting lost in the pages of a bestseller, a classic tome, or whatever you prefer!

For information on how to donate, click here. Happy reading!

Mostly Local: Recent Acquisitions by the Print and Picture Collection

Communications Office — 2009-10-15T11:39:00-05:00

The Parkway Central Library’s Print and Picture Collection is currently hosting a new exhibition of artists’ books, photographs, and prints acquired by purchase or gift in 2008 and 2009. On display through November 14, the exhibition mainly features work from local artists.

The Print and Picture Collection doesn’t have an endowment like some other special collections at the Free Library. For our acquisitions, we have relied on gifts from artists and collectors, a very small amount of mostly private Library funds, and money raised by the Friends of the Print and Picture Collection.

Because of the city budget crisis the past year, we bought very few photographs and fine prints in 2008 and 2009. We purchased a number of fairly inexpensive artists’ books, primarily at the Hybrid Book Fair at the University of the Arts in June, and some from individuals. We were also grateful to receive a very generous gift from Lilyan Maitin—24 prints by her late husband Sam, which served as a nice addition to the prints of his which were already in the collection. Several of the artists who participated in this year’s Robert Looney Memorial Event donated a print to the collection, as well. As it turns out, and as is our focus, most of our acquisitions are of work by local artists.

The Print and Picture Collection houses research collections of images of Philadelphia, as well as extensive fine art prints, photographs, and artists' books collections. A circulating picture collection of news photographs and pictures and illustrations clipped from books and magazines is also available to Library customers. The Print and Picture Collection is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 215-686-5405.

Uncle Sam wants you & to have a great career!

Communications Office — 2009-10-14T15:19:00-05:00

Yes, Uncle Sam has free online resources for career planning and job searching. Over the next few blogs, I’ll discuss some of these resources and how they can help you to develop and reach your career goals. Whether you are young and trying to choose a good career, or an older worker making a career change, the United States Department of Labor has tools and resources for job seekers of any age. Career development requires you to know your interests, skills, abilities, and values. Once you complete these self assessments, you can explore careers using your knowledge of yourself to help you to make a good choice. Check out the resources below and explore your interests, identify your skills, and learn about new career paths!

O*NET Resource Center
Consider and plan your career options, preparation, and transitions more effectively. Some of these self-directed career assessment tools available from the O*NET Resource Center are listed below.

O*NET Interest Profiler: This self-assessment tool can help you discover work activities and occupations you enjoy. Identify and learn about interest areas most relevant to you, and use your results to explore the world of work. The O*NET Interest Profiler is available in a paper and pencil version and an online version. www.onetcenter.org/IP.html
O*NET Skills Search: The Skills Search function is designed to help you use your skill set to identify occupations for exploration. By selecting a set of skills from six broad groups, you can create a customized skill list.

Career Voyages is a collaboration of the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education. It targets four groups: Students, Career Changers, Parents, and Career Advisors. Career Voyages has several components, one of which is Career Compass, a helpful resource that uses your interests to find occupations that might be right for you.

Career Compass links to America’s Career Resource Network, which features the Career Decision Making Tool (CMDT). The Career Decision-Making Tool helps you to: select a suitable career direction; identify the kinds of occupations within your chosen career direction; and pinpoint the kinds of learning you will need to qualify for and perform selected occupations. Anyone looking for a step-by-step process for choosing a career path will find this a valuable resource. Not only does it provide a process for choosing a career path, it helps you to understand how the world of work is organized.
Other features of Career Voyages are Career Videos; Green Jobs; Tools and Technology (used in high demand occupations); and Worker Reemployment.

If you visit these sites, you will be impressed by the range and quality of information the government has to offer. You’ll also believe that Uncle Sam does want you to have a great career! Stay tuned, on my next blog, I’ll introduce you to the government resources about the world of work.

Don’t forget: this week’s WORKPLACE Wednesday covers interviewing tips, and next week's program will be held in the Tech Lab on the ground floor and feature computer and internet resources for jobs and careers.