Our Mistake

OOPS! We are so sorry. The pictures in the El Dorado Times of the top readers of the 2007 Summer Reading Program were the wrong pictures. The wrong file was sent to the paper. The correct ones are being sent today and will be published soon.
Thank you for your patience.

Teresa

Something new has been added!

I am so excited to launch my series of guest readers for FAMILY STORY TIME. Randomly, hopefully at least once a month, I will invite a guest to read a book at story time. I will publish an interview with the guest reader here on the blog on the day they read for us. I plan to have a podcast of the interviews later on, when I learn how to upload the files.

The first guest reader is Jon Pic, a recent addition to the staff at the El Dorado Times newspaper, here in El Dorado. He has generously agreed to donate his time and talents to our Family Storytime. Here is his interview:

What is your job?

I'm a reporter for The El Dorado Times. Glamorous, I know.

How long have you had that job?

I took this position on March 31st of this year, two days before my 25th birthday.

What do you like about your job?

I like that I get an opportunity to learn about things that I might otherwise have never taken an interest in. This job sort of forces me to learn as much as I can about other people's jobs. I often feel like I have to be as knowledgeable about the intricacies of other people's businesses as
I am of my own. In other words, I have to know a little bit about everything or at least be prepared to do some research about whatever subject I'm writing about.

Is there any advice you would give someone who wants to do the same job?

Love words. I like to enhance my vocabulary every chance I get. If I'm reading and I see a word that causes me to stumble ... I won't continue until I've thumbed through a dictionary to ascertain the meaning of that word. That may sound like a chore, but only in the beginning. Then I try to
use those words ... not only in my writing, but even in conversation. Who cares if people giggle at your verbosity? I guarantee your favorite authors love words, too.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a cartoonist or a comic book illustrator. As a kid, I would doodle during class and my mind wandered to the magical worlds that had been created in comics or animations. I would sketch pictures of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Darkwing Duck into my notebooks. I always really enjoyed hearing the compliments of my classmates when they would look over and see
my page of doodles.

Did you like to read when you were a child?

Absolutely comic books. My teachers were always so impressed with my "advanced reading level" in elementary school, I attribute that to my love of comic books. Those books sparked imagination and encouraged a surprisingly adult-level literacy that most kids' books don't offer. And I'm not talking about Archie and Jughead. I'm talking X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman and Superman. Are those books sometimes too violent for kids? Maybe. But I loved them. Still do, though I don't get to read them as frequently any more.

What was a favorite book or author when you were a child?

Well, the book that I remember being read to me in elementary school is "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". In truth, I haven't read the book in ages, so I couldn't begin to tell you what it's about (a bad day, obviously). But I've always been a fan of hyperbole and with a book title like that, Alexander is the king of exaggeration, in my book! Now that I'm reading books to a two-year-old every night, I think Dr. Seuss (A.K.A. the late Theodore Geisel) was a mad genius. Talk about creativity.

What do you like to read now?

I don't read as much as I should, but I'm flat-out voracious when it comes to J.K. Rowling's boy wizard saga, "Harry Potter." Maybe you've heard of it? Otherwise, I try to pick up books that cover subject matter that I find interesting. I picked up a book called "Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking". It's an interesting read about the human mind's remarkable ability to act instinctively. I've read a couple of books by Dan Brown..."The Da Vinci Code", of course, and "Angels and Demons". I picked up a copy of Sun Tzu's "Art of War", but I've had a little trouble getting started on reading it. I'm also trying to start reading Frank Herbert's sci-fi "Dune" series. I also like to read books about quantum mechanics (don't laugh) and filmmaking. On the rare occasion that I find a place that carries comic books or graphic novels, I try to find something I can read. I've most recently read Alan Moore's "The Watchmen", which is about to be turned into a movie next year and Neil Gaiman's "Marvel 1602", which imagines the struggles of major superhero icons like Dr. Strange, The Fantastic Four and Nick Fury as if they had existed over 400 years ago.

Do you have a favorite story/author?

I don't think I do. I've always been kind of adverse to the idea of picking favorites. Each story has its own unique charms and reasons for being enjoyable. Why limit yourself to a favorite book or song or actor or anything? Exploration of new things is always a joy.

Are you reading anything now?

Apart from my subscription to Entertainment Weekly magazine? After finishing "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows", I felt inspired to re-read the entire series, so I'm in the middle of "Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone" right now.

Did you ever try to write a story?

Sure. Every time I come to work I get to write a story. Some require more creativity than others, some require none at all. As far as a purely creative endeavor ... I'm more of a movie fan, myself. In the last few years, I've tried to pen a couple of scripts, but I find I get distracted too easily. I did write a ten-minute play and a children's book during high school for my classes.

Would you like to write or illustrate a book someday? What would it be
about?

Without a doubt. I'd love to write a comic book or a fantasy novel. I'm a champion of imagination. There's nothing wrong with historical non-fiction or biographies or literature, but I prefer to get lost in a world of whimsy and wonder. Some people might criticize that as arrested development on my part. If so, just call me Peter Pan. I'll take a strong dose of magic and mystery any day.

Do you have a library card?

When I first moved to El Dorado in 1996, I got a library card from Bradford Memorial Library. I left town for a few years and when I moved back to El Dorado earlier this year, I brought my old library card in and traded it for a new one.

Thanks to Jon. Great interview!
Keep reading!
Teresa

Hooray for the Bradford Memorial Library's Summer Reading Program Readers! We had 557 readers who read an astonishing 11, 559 books in June and July. Awesome! The pool party was a rousing success with 284 people enjoying the cool waters of El Dorado's municipal pool.
Great job, readers!

The pictures of the readers who reached the higest level this year will soon be in the El Dorado Times newspaper. Keep an eye out.

Hats off to you!

Teresa

Family Story Times are in session again! The Fall 2007 session runs from August 23 through December 20. We have 30 minutes of stories, songs and crafts. Last week our theme was summer. It was nice to see so many friends from this summer's group and also nice to see so many new faces.

You can go the the Bradford Memorial Library's Children's Services page for a schedule of upcoming storytimes.

August 30th we will have a very special guest. More about that later! I hope you can join us.

So many books, so little time!

Teresa

One last chance to get your prize photo taken!

You have one more chance to get your award photo taken before we send them to the El Dorado Times for publication! You may stop by the library anytime between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday, August 13, and the Youth Services staff will take your special picture. If for some reason you can't make it on that day, give us a call at 316-321-3363 or email me at yservice@eldoks.com and we will work around your schedule.

See you soon! Karen

The Pool Party is Tonight

Everyone who has a pool party ticket don't forget it's tonight. The party starts at 6:30 pm and goes to 8:30 pm. The El Dorado Municipal Pool, where the party is at, is located at 900 N Taylor in El Dorado. Also snacks will be available from the concession stand but you do have to pay for that yourself. It looks like it will be a great evening to swim so I hope to see a lot of you there.

Weekly Teen Programs Are Over

Monthly teen programming will start back up in September. I don't have an exact date so be sure to check the blog for updates and stop in the library from time to time for more information. If any of you have any great ideas for programs feel free to let me know. I have a few ideas but could always use more. For those who earned a pool party ticket don't forget it is this Saturday. Have a great rest of your summer.

KPTS Share-A-Story (You didn't miss it after all!)

Due to a glitch in scheduling, Pat Clough from KPTS will be here THIS SATURDAY, July 21, to present Steven Kellogg's The Missing Mitten Mystery. So join us at 11:00 a.m. for this high-energy program. And, remember, each family gets a book of their own to take home, compliments of KPTS!

music, music, music

Tomorrow is the last Family Storytime for the Summer session. Mr. Dale was scheduled to perform, but will not be able to, due to a family emergency. We are, however, still having a musical program. The Villigans were kind enough to volunteer to share their wonderful music with us! The performances will be at 10:00 and 11:00, in the Clymer room. Please join us, you will be glad you did!

See you at the library,
Teresa

One More Weekly Teen Program

Next Tuesday is our last weekly program for the summer. An officer from the El Dorado Police Department is coming to show us how to process a "real" crime scene. We will have prize drawings for some cool stuff. I hope to have a great turnout so tell all your friends to come too.

KPTS Share-A-Story on Saturday!

Don't forget the KPTS Share-A-Story program this SATURDAY MORNING at 11:00! Pat Clough of KPTS will be featuring a MYSTERY by Steven Kellogg: The Missing Mitten Mystery! "During a busy day in the snow, Annie loses one of her red mittens--her fifth lost mitten this winter! Where could it be? Did a mouse take it to use as a sleeping bag?"

Registration is limited to 20 families only (each family receives a copy of the book to keep). Call Youth Services at 316-321-3363 to register.

Hullop All,
I am sorry that I have been so sparse in my posts lately. Things were crazy my last week in England. There were so many things that I wish that you all could have seen. There was Paddington Station for all of you fans of Paddington Bear, there was The Kilns for all of you C.S. Lewis fans, and there was the Eagle and the CHild pub for all of you Tolkein fans. For all of you that love the theatre, I had the privilege of seeing Les Miserables in London and seeing the Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park. there were so many lovely and wonderful things to do and see, that I had and am having troubles writing it all down. For any of you that want a good story though, come by the library and we can have a chat. So, where in the world is Evan? Evan is sitting comfortabel in his home glad to have his own bed.

Ti Ti for Then and Ta Ta for Now!
Evan

Don't Forget About Our Weekly Programs

Next Tuesday (July 10th)the teens will decoupage a shoe box to make it into a treasure chest. There is still time to sign up if you would like to come. The program starts at 6 and will last about an hour. Will have snacks and prize drawings. I hope to see you there.

I wanted to thank ever one who helped my month to go smoothly and to encourage you all to finish the Summer Reading Program and get your prizes! :)

Farewell to Ben!

Today is summer intern Ben Kuestersteffen's last day in the Children's Library (for this summer at least!). Stop in and say "bye" if you get a chance. He's been a great addition to our staff and we've really enjoyed having him here!

Are You a Detective?

I was checking out the website for the new Nancy Drew movie and had fun playing their "Are You a Detective?" game online. Here's the blurb: "Are You a Detective? Welcome to the Draycott Mansion, once home to mysteriously murdered actress Dehlia Draycott. It is rumored that there is a hidden room within the mansion that holds the missing clues to this still unsolved murder."

Has anybody seen the movie yet? Give us a review if you have! And how about those books (I always come back to books somehow!)? You can find a quite a few Nancy Drew's in the Juvenile Series collection downstairs and also in the Young Adult Series collection upstairs.

Another fun website I found is Nancy Drew at MysteryNet.com. You can read about Nancy Drew mysteries and author Carolyn Keene; buy Nancy Drew books and Nancy Drew computer games like Danger on Deception Island; and discuss with others in Nancy Drew forums!

Hope all of you are planning fun (and safe) Independence Day celebrations with your families next week! We take a break from programming for the entire week and then resume our regular schedule the following week (Elementary and Teens on Tuesdays; Preschoolers on Thursdays).

Be sure to take time to see the new exhibits on the lower level of the library (in the hallway and also in the Children's Room) the next time you're in. The El Dorado doll collectors' club, an affiliate of The United Federation of Doll Clubs, Inc., has set up some wonderful displays of dolls and the books they're based on, such as
Eloise, Raggedy Ann and Andy, The Legend of the Bluebonnet, and Hitty: Her First Hundred Years.

Young people can become part of the UFDC Junior Collectors organization. You can download an application at their website.

Tell us what you think!

As you know, this is our first year to have you register via the web for our Summer Reading Program. The Youth Services staff really appreciates your willingness to take this step with us--it's been a real lifesaver for our small staff in helping us deal with registrations that just keep growing and growing every year!

There are, of course, some patrons that can't stand the new system (and we do sympathize with them). Most comments that we're hearing, however, are positive. Let us know what you think and if you have suggestions for next year for "tweaking" how we set up the program using the Library Insight summer reading program manager.

Thanks for your input!

Karen

"Was it a rat I saw?"....Palindromes!

Friend Hannah stopped by the library tonight and mentioned that her name is the same even if you read it backwards. I told her that there was a word for that phenomenon--palindrome! A palindrome is a word, phrase, verse, or sentence that reads the same backward or forward. Here's a link to a website that let's you play around with palindromes. It has palindrome riddles and also a list of single word palindromes. Have fun!