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I joined the staff in the Smithsonian’s Department of Entomology, National Museum of Natural History in 1992, at the time Pam Henson and I published “Digging for Dyar: The Man Behind the Myth”. Having stayed in Washington, DC long enough to complete the article, my job at the Museum would give me roughly a dozen years to accumulate information on Dyar, while performing other duties.

The post A Flame as a Moth: How I began chronicling the life of Harrison G. Dyar, Jr., Part 2 appeared first on OUPblog.

Over the past several months, a quiet battle has been raging among librarians and politicians over the term “illegal alien.” For many years, immigrant rights activists have argued against using the term, which has taken on a decidedly pejorative meaning. Activists and legal experts note that while actions can be “illegal,” human beings cannot – to refer to them as such criminalizes existence itself.

While several news outlets have pledged to cease using the term “illegal alien,”  there’s one place where the term still stands: the Library of Congress. But while subject headings don’t usually claim a lot of media attention or political interest, the Library of Congress has become a battleground for those who want to replace the term, and for those who won’t give it up. Here’s a timeline of the issue (for more detail, check out this excellent Library Journal piece):

2013

Dartmouth College student Melissa Padilla notices problematic search terms while researching a paper. Padilla and classmates bring the issue up with Dartmouth’s librarians, and discover that the search terms come from the Library of Congress and cannot be changed within Dartmouth’s libraries. Together, librarians and students work on a proposal asking the Library of Congress to replace the term “illegal alien” with “undocumented immigrant.” The proposal is submitted in summer 2014.

2015

After consulting with staff members, the Library of Congress releases a public memo stating that it will not change the wording because the phrase “Undocumented immigrant” is not directly synonymous with “Illegal alien.” Word spreads to members of the American Library Association, who decide to work through the system to try to push the change through.

January 2016

Various divisions and affiliates of the ALA, including the subject analysis committee, social responsibilities roundtable, and REFORMA, formulate a resolution asking the Library of Congress to reconsider the original request.  The resolution passes at the ALA midwinter meeting in January 2016.

March 2016

The Library of Congress announces that it will no longer use “illegal aliens” as a bibliographic term, saying that the once common phrase has become offensive. The library plans to use “noncitizens” in place of “aliens” and “unauthorized immigration” in place of “illegal immigration.”

April 2016

After learning of the change, conservative Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee introduce a provision calling for the term’s reinstatement, which is tied to a bill for Library of Congress funding. They argue that the term is legally accurate and should not be changed for the sake of political correctness.

June 2016

The House votes 237-170 to order the Library of Congress to continue using the term “illegal alien.” This is the first time in history that the House has interfered in the Library of Congress’ subject headings processes.

As a company that values diversity, this is an issue that we feel deeply invested in. Those of us who love books know well how powerful just one word can be. When that word is tied to our identity, it can not only define us but also define how others see us. It can make us feel safe, or endangered. It can make us feel proud, or ashamed. We believe that the term “illegal alien” is derogative and has no place in the Library of Congress. To see it politicized- and especially to see the power of decision taken away from expert librarians and placed in the hands of politicians- is disheartening and alarming.

Tomorrow, we’ll share a guest post with René Colato Laínez, author of Mamá the Alien/Mamá la extraterrestre about his own experience being called an “illegal alien” when he was young.

In the meantime, the Library of Congress has posted a survey where the public can share their thoughts on the proposed changes. If you would like to see the terminology changed, you can fill out this survey through July 20.

Ack!  Too many good videos, too little time!  We’ve an embarrassment of riches today.  The only question really is where to start.  And the only natural answer is with Obama’s nominee for the Librarian of Congress.  Not much of a question there, really.

Next up, there is beginning to be a bit of a tradition of authors and illustrators recording videos of how they got “the call” when they won the Caldecott or Newbery (I almost wrote and/or Newbery, which is an interesting near flub).  Last year we had Dan Santat’s video.  This year, Sophie Blackall’s:

At this rate it may behoove us to just give the medals to people who are good at making videos.  And the Newbery Medal goes to . . . Tyler Oakley!

Now let’s get down to brass tacks.  People, there are awards out there that go beyond the mere borders of this great nation of ours.  And the Hans Christian Andersen Award is the greatest of these (though the Astrid Lindgren Award gives it a run for its money).  Now they’ve made a video for us that goes through the 2016 nominees.  I adore this.   I just want to meet all these people.  Suzy Lee!!!  Now, weirdly, I want her to adopt me.  And Iran! How cool is that?

This next book trailer seemingly has an international flavor to it, but is homegrown Americana through and through.  It may also be the most beautiful trailer of 2016 thus far.

Thanks to educating alice for the link.

Earlier this week, Phil Nel posted a killer post called Seuss on Film.  The piece is “a brief (but far from complete) collection of Seuss on film!”  Turns out, it was somewhat tricky getting Mr. Geisel on the old camera.  Phil’s a trooper, though.  He found newsreel after newsreel and has posted them on YouTube for our collective enjoyment.  You should really read his posting yourself.  In fact, I insist upon it.  And just to whet your whistle, here’s a jaw-dropping 1964 discussion with Seuss in New Zealand where he improvises answers to kids’ questions.

As for our Off-Topic Video of the week, I give this to you because I love you.  Really, truly, deeply love you.

Tap dance, our first American vernacular dance form, and the most-cutting edge on the national and international stage, has suffered a paucity of critical, analytical, historical documentation. While there have been star-centered biographies of such tap dancers as Bill Robinson, Fred Astaire, and Savion Glover, there remains but a handful of histories exploring all aspects of the intricate musical exchange of Afro-Irish percussive step dances that produced the rhythmic complexities of jazz tap dancing.

The post The missing scholarship of American tap dance appeared first on OUPblog.

The author of American Born Chinese sits down to talk with us about his new role as the first comics alumnus to hold the prestigious position of ambassador of young people's literature.

Have you ever written a letter to one of your favorite authors?

More than 50,000 young readers (grades 4 through 12) participated in the Library of Congress’ Letters About Literature program. Each participant was tasked with writing a letter to an author (living or deceased) about how one of their books affected them.

According to the press release, this “initiative is a reading-promotion program of the Center for the Book, with the goal of instilling a lifelong love of reading in the nation’s youth.” Below, we’ve posted the full list of winners and honors.

Level 1 (Grades 4 to 6)

National Prize: Gerel Sanzhikov of New Jersey’s letter focused on The Running Dream by Wendell Van Draanen.

National Honor Award: Chelsea Brown of Virginia’s letter focused on Shades of Black by Sandra L. Pinkney.

Level 2 (Grades 7 to 8)

National Prize: Gabriel Ferris of Maine’s letter focused on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

National Honor Award (three-way tie): Emmy Goyette of New Hampshire’s letter focused on Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Jonathan Hoff of New Jersey’s letter focused on Maus by Art Spiegelman.

Julianna Gorman of Maryland’s letter focused on Night by Elie Wiesel.

Level 3 (Grades 9 to 12)

National Prize: Aidan Kingwell of Illinois’ letter focused on the Mary Oliver poem \"When Death Comes.\"

National Honor Award (tied between two participants): Lisa Le of the District of Columbia’s focused on The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.

Hannah DesChamp of Oregon’s letter focused on the Pablo Neruda poem \"I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You.\"

Congratulations to Juan Felipe Herrera who has just been appointed the 21^st Poet Laureate of the United States (or PLOTUS for those in the know) by the Library of Congress!

To introduce students to Juan Felipe Herrera and his body of work, we have put together a collection of resources and activities for an author (and poet!) study. We’ve structured this Author Study Unit off of Reading Rockets’ Author Study Toolkit (available as a PDF and online).

1. Set a purpose and goals for the author study

Have students read these books to find out:

• who Juan Felipe Herrera is
• how he uses his background, life, and experiences as inspiration for his stories and writing
• what themes Herrera writes about in his stories and what themes these books share
• which story (or moments in a story) the students connect to the most and why

2. Choose an author

Juan Felipe Herrera is the 21^st Poet Laureate of the United States and the first Latino poet.

3. Read and respond to the books

• From where do you think Juan Felipe Herrera gets his inspiration for his stories and settings? What makes you think so? How does he include his culture and heritage in his works?
• How would you describe Juan Felipe Herrera’s writing style?
• What themes or topics are most meaningful to him? Why do you think that?
• Compare two of his books. Use a Venn diagram to collect ideas on how these books are similar and unique. What is the central idea of each? Is the book written in verse or prose? Compare the topic, main figures, setting, and text structure of each.

4. Research the author

• There are a ton of news articles celebrating and reporting the announcement of Juan Felipe Herrera as Poet Laureate. Build excitement and interest for students at the beginning of the unit with a couple of the articles, such as this one from the Los Angeles Times.
• As a class, create a timeline of major events in his life and keep it posted in the classroom throughout the unit. Have students explore Herrera’s website, this curated Library of Congress collection of web resources, and bios from the Poetry Foundation, the Academy of American Poets, and the Library of Congress.
• Show students this YouTube collection of videos featuring interviews with Juan Felipe Herrera or the PBS clip of Herrera reading his poem, “Five Directions to My House.”

5. Culminating projects and reflection:

Here are just a few ideas:

• Several previous Poet Laureates created projects to share poetry with the public. Have students read about the Past Poet Laureate Projects from the Library of Congress. Knowing what they now know about Juan Felipe Herrera, have students brainstorm and discuss what project Herrera might create while Poet Laureate. What topics and themes are meaningful to Herrera? What makes you think that?
• The main figures in each of these stories draw a lot of strength from a special adult in their lives. Who in your life helps you when you are having trouble, feel scared or doubtful, or have a goal you want to achieve? What advice has this person shared with you? What actions and qualities do you admire most about this person?
• A major focus for Juan Felipe Herrera in his writing is family or community. Encourage students to write a poem or paragraph about a big or small tradition that is important in their own family or community.
• Juan Felipe Herrera has written a lot on his migrant background. Encourage students to interview their parents or guardians about their family’s migration or immigration history. When did you or our family come to this city/community? Why did you or our family come to this place (was it voluntary or forced)? From where did you or our family come?What traditions does our family have?
• What does “home” mean to you? How might this word mean more than just the place where you live? What does “family” mean to you? How might this word mean more than just your mother and father? How might these words mean something different to various people?
• Have students write a letter to Juan Felipe Herrera. In their letters, students may describe which story, poem, or moment in one of his books they connected to the most and why. Students can also include any questions they are curious about concerning Herrera’s life and work.

Picture book recommendations for the author study:

Calling the Doves / El canto de las palomas

Bilingual English/Spanish. Poet Juan Felipe Herrera’s bilingual memoir paints a vivid picture of his migrant farmworker childhood and his road to becoming a writer. Calling the Doves won the 1997 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for New Writing.

• Family Literacy Guided Lessons for Calling the Doves by Geneseo Migrant Center
• Interpreting César Chávez’s Legacy with Students by American Immigration Council
• Calling the Doves Preschool Story Stretchers by Type-A Parent

The Upside Down Boy / El niño de cabeza

Bilingual English/Spanish. Award-winning poet Juan Felipe Herrera’s engaging memoir of the year his migrant family settled down so that he could go to school for the first time. The Upside Down Boy captures the universal experience of children entering a new school feeling like strangers in a world that seems upside down at first.

Grandma and Me at the Flea / Los Meros Meros Remateros

Bilingual English/Spanish. Every Sunday Juanito helps his grandmother sell old clothes beneath the rainbow-colored tents at the remate, the flea market. Juanito learns firsthand what it means to be a true rematero, a fleamarketeer, and understands that the value of community can never be measured in dollars.

• Using Bilingual Books in 3rd and 4th Grade with Grandma and Me at the Flea
• Grandma and Me at the Flea Teacher’s Guide from Children’s Book Press

Featherless / Desplumado

Bilingual English/Spanish. At his new school or on the soccer field, all everyone wants to know is why Tomasito is in a wheelchair. His Papi gives Tomasito a new pet to make him smile, but this bird is a little bit different from the rest. Juan Felipe Herrera scores again with this sparkling bilingual story of self-empowerment and friendship. Featherless won the 2005 Independent Publisher Book Award for Multicultural Fiction.

• Featherless Teacher’s Guide from Children’s Book Press

What are your recommendations for a successful author study? Share with us!

Jill Eisenberg, our Senior Literacy Expert, began her career teaching English as a Foreign Language to second through sixth graders in Yilan, Taiwan as a Fulbright Fellow. She went on to become a literacy teacher for third grade in San Jose, CA as a Teach for America corps member. In her weekly column at The Open Book, she offers teaching and literacy tips for educators. 

The Library of Congress will host the “First Among Many: The Bay Psalm Book and Early Moments in American Printing” exhibition.

With this project, the curators will explore the early history of printing during American colonial times. An opening date has been scheduled for June 04, 2015. The closing date will take place on January 02, 2016.

Here’s more from the press release: “At the centerpiece of the exhibition will be two copies of the Bay Psalm Book, officially titled The Whole Booke of Psalmes Faithfully Translated into English Metre (1640). One copy will be drawn from the Rare Book and Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress. The second copy, which belongs to Rubenstein, will be on display from June 4 through Saturday, Aug. 8. Americans will see these texts together for the first time.”

April is National Poetry Month and I have neglected to say anything about it thus far. Well, I am about to fix that.

The Library of Congress today launched the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature. There are fifty recordings available at the moment and it will be added to every month.

The LOC is digitizing its collection of nearly 2,000 recordings of poets and prose writers who participated in events at the library. Most of the recordings are on magnetic tape reels and until now have only been available by visiting the library.

Among the items available at launch is Robert Frost being interviewed by Randall Jarrell in 1959 and the Academy of American Poets’ 35th anniversary program from 1969 that included readings by Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell. That is just the tip of the iceberg. It is a true treasure trove.

This is why I love the internet. Go now, explore the archive and enjoy.

Is it Tuesday?  I.... yes, I believe it is.  So for today's Kids Book Website Tuesday, I'd like to feature the - Ta Dah - Library of Congress.

With the National Book Festival happening this weekend in DC, I was looking over their webpages. On the "Educator's Share" page is this: 

Every year, a list of books representing the literary heritage of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands is distributed by the Library of Congress's Center for the Book during the National Book Festival. Why not read the book suggested for your state or district and then learn, through these books, about the other places that interest you?

Recently, I began to see links to a new exhibit at the Library of Congress. Titled "Books That Shaped America," it consists of 91 books.

When I learned of the list, I wondered who selected them and if those individuals had an inclusive view of the peoples of America. I've since learned that the list was developed by "curators and experts from throughout the Library of Congress."

There are some great items on that list, but, there isn't a single title on the "Books that Shaped America" by an American Indian, which makes me wonder about the curators and experts who selected the books. Is there not an American Indian amongst them? Or, perhaps, an expert in American Indian writings?

Today in History, from the Library of Congress American Memory, we celebrate the Fourth of July. PBS.org offers a comprehensive history of Independence Day at A Capitol Fourth, America’s Independence Day Celebration including the history and music of the celebration, the history of Old  Glory and the National Mall, and lots of links to significant people, places, monuments, and museums of our shared American history. Check it out. Here is a link to local San Francisco Bay Area Fourth of July Events.

Speaking of local, did you know the annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival held in San Francisco’s  Golden Gate Park in August brings more than $67 million  to the local economy, including over 750 jobs.  See San Francisco State University Professor Patrick Tierney’s study.  Tierney is chair of the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism at SFSU.

And. . . a music-based  curriculum, Academic Music, designed by SFSU researchers Susan Courey and Endre Balogh, is helping children understand fractions.  See  the findings of the six-week trial run at Palo Alto’s Hoover Elementary School in the journal Educational Studies in Mathematics. Look out Kahn Academy! Both of these SFSU studies were highlighted in the SF State Magazine Spring/Summer 2012 edition.

Finally, artist and SFSU Alum Steven J. Backman  used 30,000 toothpicks in his 13-foot long replica of the Golden Gate Bridge. Now on display at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

Graphic courtesy Flickr Creative Commons License by Citoyendu Monde Inc.

Related articles

• Life on The Gate: Working on the Golden Gate Bridge 1933-37
• Western Neighborhoods Project
• Great Minds  Thinking Differently

What are we about?

We’re bringing together people who share our love of reading to help us get books in the hands of kids who need them most. The movement recognizes the incredible effect books can have on a child’s imagination, sparking ambition, overcoming obstacles and inspiring curious minds.

RIF, the nation’s largest children’s literacy nonprofit, delivers free books and literacy resources to kids who need them most. For many of the kids RIF serves, their RIF books are their only books. They are the books that fill their hungry minds and nourish their future successes – in school and life. Since RIF’s establishment in 1966, we’ve provided 35 million kids with 400 million new, free books. Today, there are 16 million kids living in poverty in the U.S. To reach them, RIF needs you. Book People Unite.

The nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, the Library of Congress seeks to spark imagination and creativity, and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs and exhibitions. Founded in 1800, the Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site, in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill, and through its award-winning website at www.loc.gov. The Library of Congress is the home of the Center for the Book, a major national force for reading and literacy promotion, and sponsor of the award-winning Read.gov

Reading lovers are coming together to help us get books into the hands of kids who need them the most. Remember visiting Narnia, playing Jumanji, and eating Green Eggs and Ham? Books can have an incredible effect on children’s lives, yet there’s only one book for every 300 kids living in underserved communities in the U.S. So we’ve brought together some of our most beloved literary characters to help make this film and rally Book People for the cause. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdpKIjpaBU8

Amazon gets on the kids’ book bandwagon (buying rights to 450 Marshall Cavendish titles, but it doesn’t plan to stop there and hopes to acquire many more children’s stories. Amazon says it sees the children’s book segment as... Read the rest of this post

Thanksgiving, while not strictly an American holiday, has a  history that runs deep.  In October 1782, the Continental Congress declared November 28, 1782, a day of Thanksgiving for the young country.President Abraham Lincoln in 1864 proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving during the Civil War as he shared the news of General U.S. Grant’s success in battles.  Thanksgiving was to be celebrated the last Thursday in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, through much maneuvering, formally declared the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving to begin in 1942. Curiously, the change in Thursdays had to do with boosting the economy for the Christmas shopping season, as it was considered at that time inappropriate to advertise for Christmas before Thanksgiving! My goodness how times have changed!

The Education and Social Science Library (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), created a Thanksgiving reading list for children. Available on line also is their catalog of Native American Children’s and Young Adult Literature.

A very happy Thanksgiving to you and your families from SSPP Reads.

Reposted  from SSPP  Reads 11/10/2010. Graphic from Mike Licht, Creative Commons License.

Admission Day, September 9, was a state holiday when I was a girl.  Today we look at our history with a more critical eye to get a better understanding of the human condition.  California became the 31st state to join the Union on September 9, 1850, not long after gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in 1848 in Coloma.  By 1869 the first westbound train arrived in San Francisco thanks in no small part to the Chinese and Irish Immigrants yet in 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which banned all Chinese immigration.

California History is the fourth grade curriculum throughout California.  Here at Sts. Peter & Paul’s we use the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt History/Social Science textbook and follow the California State Standards and the Archdiocesan Curriculum Guidelines.  Students in fourth grade explore history, indigenous people of California, the Spanish and Russian influence in our history, the California Missions, the Gold Rush,  immigration to the Golden State, and of course geography.

You might want to check out some of these links to learn more about the great state of California and you too can exclaim Eureka! I have found it!

• California Kids Page, Just for Kids State of California
• Kids Zone, California Museum
• Houghton Mifflin GeoNet Game
• Learn California
• California Historical Society, History Online
• Library of Congress, California History Collection
• National Geographic Kids
• The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco

Graphic from Flickr Creative Commons by kevincole.

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From the Library of Congress American Memory, Today in History– May 30:

“In 1868, Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic issued General Order Number 11 designating May 30 as a memorial day ‘for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land.’ The first national celebration of the holiday took place May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery, where both Confederate and Union soldiers were buried. Originally known as Decoration Day, at the turn of the century it was designated as Memorial Day.”

John McCrea in 1915 penned the poem about In Flanders Field and  Moina Michael, known as the Memorial Poppy Lady, in 1918 wrote this reply.

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies

Perhaps we all can pay tribute to our young heroes who gave their lives and remember their valor.

Graphic from Flickr Creative Common License by The U.S. Army

A female cooper’s hawk, nicknamed “Cooper,” is currently occupying the Library of Congress’ ceiling lantern inside the main reading room. Visitors and researches can still access the library. The video embedded above shows a CNN news reporter checking out Cooper’s roost.

Library of Congress director of communications Matt Raymond blogged about the hawk: “It’s not ruffling our patrons’ feathers, and they aren’t bothering it either. To them, the whole situation is like water off a duck’s back.”

A professional from the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia has will attempt a humane capture. The library has installed a mesh net so the hawk stays out of the human-occupied areas of the main reading room. (Via the Huffington Post)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Dennis Baron is Professor of English and Linguistics at the University of Illinois. His book, A Better Pencil: Readers, Writers, and the Digital Revolution, looks at the evolution of communication technology, from pencils to pixels. In this post, also posted on Baron’s personal blog The Web of Language, he explains how digital archaeology has revealed Thomas Jefferson’s revisions of the Declaration of Independence. Read his previous posts here.

Jefferson on the two-dollar bill

In a list of the colonies’ grievances against King George III Jefferson wrote, “he has incited treasonable insurrections of our fellow-subjects, with the allurements of forfeiture and confiscation of our property.” But the future president, whose image now graces the two-dollar bill, must have realized right away that “fellow-subjects” was the language of monarchy, not democracy, because “while the ink was still wet” Jefferson took out “subjects” and put in “citizens.”

In a eureka moment, a document expert at the Library of Congress examining the rough draft late at night suddenly noticed that there seemed to be something written under the word citizens. It was no Da Vinci code or treasure map, but Jefferson’s original wording, soon uncovered using a technique called “hyperspectral imaging,” a kind of digital archeology that lets us view the different layers of a text. The rough draft of the Declaration was digitally photographed using different wavelengths of the visible and invisible spectrum. Comparing and blending the different images revealed the word that Jefferson wrote, then rubbed out and wrote over.

Above: Jefferson’s rough draft reads, “he has incited treasonable insurrections of our fellow-citizens”; followed by a detail of “fellow-citizens” with underwriting visible in ordinary light. Below: a series of hyperspectral images made by the Library of Congress showing that Jefferson’s initial impulse was to write “fellow-subjects.” [Hi-res images of the rough draft are available at the Library of Congress website.] Elsewhere in the draft Jefferson doesn’t hesitate to cross out and squeeze words and even whole lines in as necessary, but in this case he manages to fit his emendation neatly into the same space as the word it replaces.

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