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April 11-17 is National Library Week

I'd like to dedicate my blog that week to celebrate libraries and do some interviews about what they look for in books. Therefore I was thinking I could get people involved to participate.

If you would like to participate in the "Bloggers Love Libraries" - Library Appreciation week. Please let me know.

Here are some ways you can participate:

1. Interview your local library and post the interview that week. Send me the link by April 9th and I will link to any interviews on my site that week so we can celebrate all the libraries around the country.
2. Dedicate your blog to do posts that relate to libraries.
   
3. Donate books a book basket that will be given away to a library that participates in the interview. (Not sure yet how the drawing will go yet)
   
4. Donate any other items - pens, pencils, swag, skype tours, etc

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Every children’s book editor must have a story about how they realized they loved books when they sat in their school library in kindergarten, listening to a story read by their favorite librarian. That’s how my story goes too. My school librarian, Mary Jackson (who’s now retired) was a great ally in my reading life. I was a voracious reader when I started kindergarten, and Mrs. Jackson let me check out whatever book I wanted. I still remember exactly where some of my favorites were: the Ellen Raskins on a bottom shelf, a specific collection of Christmas stories in the nonfiction stacks.

That small library was housed in a very old building, and when I entered sixth grade our school moved into a new building. The library expanded into a beautiful, light-filled space with room for browsing and reading and researching. When I was a senior in high school, I had a free period that I used to help Mrs. Jackson in that library. (I used to pride myself on having the Dewey numbers memorized...a skill I no longer have, unfortunately.) When I graduated, Mrs. Jackson gave me a gorgeous leather-bound journal—a gift I cherished, used to note the big moments during college.

This week, National Library Week, and especially today, National Library Worker’s Day, I think about Mrs. Jackson and am thankful to have had such an awesome lady helping me get to the stories I wanted. (She's also famous for being the only person in my small hometown to drive a cherry red convertible.)


Beth Brezenoff
Senior Editor

Let's hear it for librarians! In honor of National Library Week (April 12-18, 2009), an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's libraries and librarians, I've asked some author friends to share a few words:

Amy Hest, author of Little Chick

(and a former New York City public librarian):

"I will never forget the day I got my first library card -- it was green -- and the thrill of signing my name -- oh, so carefully -- at that tall (and scary) desk as the librarian looked on, and my mother. Doors were opening ..."

Carolyn MacCullough, author of Once A Witch (September 2009):
"My first job that came with a real paycheck was in the town library. I was a shelver. For four hours a day, three times a week, I made an endless loop of the shelves where I tucked books back into their proper home. If I could empty a cart in less than fifteen minutes, I let myself have five minutes to duck down in some semi lit corner and dive deep into whatever book I was reading at the time. Surrounded by the smell of ink, and the rustle of thousands and thousands of pages, it was then that I decided librarians were some of the luckiest people on earth."

G. Neri, author of Surf Mules (June 2009):

"When I first moved to Temple Terrace, Florida from Los Angeles 6 years ago, the local library was the first place that made me feel things were going to be alright. They had a great collection and super friendly people, and after I learned how to order from the Hillsborough County’s online catalogue, I found I could get virtually any book, DVD, or CD my heart desired, no matter how obscure. As I got to know the people who worked at my branch, they knew of me not as the author, but as the guy who had the most interesting holds waiting for him. Since then, they’ve come to know me as a writer and the guy who has 20-40 books and DVDs checked out at any given time. I love my library."

Mitali Perkins, author of Secret Keeper:

"I’ll never forget my first jaw-dropping visit to the Public Library in Flushing, Queens. I was seven years old and a newcomer to America, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. All of these books, for me, for free? My sister took me back every Saturday, without fail, so that I could hunt down and consume story after story — a habit that helped me survive life as an immigrant kid, and still keeps me sane to this day."

Anyone else? Come on... share stories of your favorite librarian or library or library experience with us!

Today is the start of National Library Week 2009, kicking off a week of appreciation for our nation’s libraries and librarians. The Honorary Chair of National Library Week this year is Jamie Lee Curtis a well-known supporter of children’s literacy and friend of First Book.

This week is jam packed with national events celebrating reading and libraries, which began this past Saturday with a reading event featuring the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. and the American Library Association’s executive director, Keith Michael. Tuesday is National Library Workers Day and on Wednesday check out the American Library Association’s web site for a list of “Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2008.”  Thursday wraps the week up with a celebration of teen literature.

Here are some fun ideas to help celebrate this week:

• Visit your local library. There will definitely be fun activities going on this week and it is a great way to make new friends in person and in books.
• Have a family reading day. Everyone can bring a book to the table after dinner and talk about the story.

Looking for more ideas? Check out this list of 100 Terrific Websites to Celebrate National Library Week!

Guest Blogger Rachael Walker is the Outreach Consultant for Reading Rockets, a national multimedia initiative which aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, and others who touch the life of a child by providing comprehensive, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle. Rachael began her career in literacy outreach at Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), has also served as a consultant to the NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and was most recently the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Metro DC.

It’s Tuesday!  On Tuesday, he ate through two pears, but he was still hungry. Know who “he” was?  The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

If you’re hungry for a reading adventure, celebrate the 40th anniversary of the publication of Eric Carle’s classic picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar with Reading Rockets’ free Family Literacy Bag.  What Happens Next? The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of seven activity packets designed to help educators and caregivers use fiction and non-fiction titles to support reading activities at home and encourage families to go on a reading adventure together.

This Friday might be an excellent day to take such an adventure. Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, has named March 20—the first day of spring—The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day.  They offer a very celebratory activity kit (PDF) ideal for classroom and library use.

Spring is a great time to celebrate reading and there’s no shortage of opportunities to do so in April and May.  Are you ready for the following reading events?

National Poetry Month: Celebrate poetry throughout April and end the month with Poem In Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 30.

National D.E.A.R. Day: April 12 is author Beverly Cleary’s birthday and National Drop Everything and Read Day.  Send this e-card to all the readers you hold dear!

National Library Week: The annual celebration of the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians is April 12-18.  Celebrate with the theme, “Worlds connect @ your library.”

El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Day of the Child/Day of the Book): This April 30 celebration borrows from the traditional Mexican holiday and expands it to include literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.  Hear what children’s book author Pat Mora has to say about the founding of Día.

Get Caught Reading Month: Celebrated in May, but the Association of American Publishers’ nationwide campaign to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read is promoted throughout the year.  You can order their free posters of celebrities caught reading or make your own!

I have been sidetracked this morning, reading the headlines about the economy. I started the track by wondering what retail chains were going bankrupt, then mosied over to read about the "how to pay for college" crunch, and then ended up on biofuel and a global food shortage.

Yikes.

When I think about Maslow's hierarchy, food and shelter have to come before such things as problem-solving, community or eventually self-actualization...many of the things the Library (with a capital L) excels at. At least, the Library sets up the environment to make self-actualization more likely.

But people can't get excited about ideas or the life of the mind if they are hungry.

So it may seem like we as a society are heading into a time where we must hunker down and not do anything (translation: spend money). And of course I know all too well the whole "the library is free" mentality is a double-edged sword--it's free but it must be funded adequately.

But I was thinking that the economic downturn could be just the thing for libraries to use as a springboard to make their case to the American public:
1. We are a vital city service--as important as electricity or clean water.
2. Use us in good times and in bad.
3. We welcome ALL the people of the community here for technology access.
4. Hope lives here, at the library. Hope for improvement.

When all the headlines you see are about closing doors and belt-tightening, we can stand out from all the bad news: our doors are open, we are the place to come for education, entertainment, information...basically we are the place to come when you want to hope for a better life.

Is this realistic or am I just searching for a way out of all the bad news headlines?
Happy National Library Week.

• Check out a library book--or two or three or more


• Say an enthusiastic "THANK YOU!" to your librarian


• Send your favorite library (librarians) a "Just Because You're Special Card"


• Donate time or money to your favorite library


• Attend a library story time with your children


• Soak up the zen when you stop by your favorite library for some quiet reading time

Today’s National Library Week video is all about a game, in this case Go Fish. (More NLW videos here.)

Meant to post about this a couple of weeks ago (ahem!) but better late than never. I was so cheered to hear that OCLC's latest advocacy ad subject, Neal Petersen, was picked up and used in South Africa for National Library Week 2008. I was looking around quickly for other national library week celebrations from other countries...anyone know where a good list might be?

ADHD Librarian takes the meme and runs with it, with a song for the new National Library Week theme based on a familiar tune we all know.

She reading poster
She’s got reading fiction
She’s got int’net access
She got Porno filter
She say “One and one and one is ontology”
Got to be smart thinking ’cause she’s got library degree
Come together right now @ your library