Library Closed Monday

Have a happy Fourth of July!

Welcome year of the Goat!

Today marks the first day of the Chinese New Year!  Goodbye year of the horse, hello year of the goat!  (or sheep?)

China has used the Gregorian calendar (same one as us) since 1912 but the Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar.  The date (which you probably noticed changes from year to year) is based on the 2nd new moon after the Winter Solstice.

Roughly 1/6 of the world celebrates this holiday, and not just in China.  There are also celebrations in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and any other place with a significant population of people with Chinese ancestry. In the USA the biggest celebration is in San Fransisco.

If you want to wish someone a happy new year in Mandarin Chinese (the language spoken by about 70% of the country) you can say to them: "Xin Nian Kuai Le!"  (pronounced "zeen neean kwai luh")

Want to celebrate?  Here are some ideas how you can too!

• Eat Chinese food!  Order it, buy it at the store, or best yet, make your own!  Stop in the library and check out the cookbooks we have:
• Chinese Cooking for Beginners by Su-Huei Huang
• The Complete Chinese Cookbook by Ken Hom
• Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking by Fuchsia Dunlop
• Flavors of China by Clare Ferguson
• Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking by Eileen Yin Fei Lo
• The Shun Lee Cookbook by Michael Tong
• Clean your house, get a haircut, or buy new clothes.  Or do all three!  These are traditional ways the Chinese celebrate the New Year that are easy for anyone
• Find a video of a Chinese New Year parade online to watch 
• Try making a dragon mask or a Chinese lantern
• Since its the year of the sheep/goat, why not make some cute sheep cupcakes?
• A traditional gift to give is a red envelope with either cash or chocolate coins inside.  These are usually just given to children.
• Spend time with your family and friends.  A good tip for any holiday, or any day of the year!
• Safely set off some fireworks

One last idea for celebrating the Chinese New Year...read!

• YA GN YAN – American Born Chinese – Gene Luen Yang - Alternates three interrelated stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in the popular culture. Presented in comic book format.

• YA GN YAN – Boxers & Saints – Gene Luen Yang - In China in 1898 bands of foreign missionaries and soldiers roam the countryside, bullying and robbing Chinese peasants. Little Bao has had enough: harnessing the powers of ancient Chinese gods, he recruits an army of Boxers--commoners trained in kung fu--who fight to free China from "foreign devils."

• YA GN YAN – Level Up – Gene Luen Yang - Dennis, the son of Chinese immigrants, yearns to play video games like his friends and, upon his strict father's death, becomes obsessed with them but later, realizing how his father sacrificed for him, he chooses a nobler path.

• YA SFF WIL – Dragon Keeper – Carole Wilkinson - An orphan slave girl becomes a Dragon Keeper when she heroically comes to the aid of an aging dragon and both go on a dangerous journey across China to protect a mysterious stone vital to the dragon's legacy.

Memorial Day - Library Closed

The library is closed today.  We will be open tomorrow from 10am to 9pm.  See you then!

Learn What Your Name Means Day

Hey YAs, it's Learn What Your Name Means Day!  Today's the day to find out what your name means.  My name, for example, is Karyn.  Karyn is a form of Karen which means pure. 

Here are the current most popular baby names in the USA and their meanings:

Boys:
Jacob - Supplanter
Mason - Stone worker
William - Protector
Jayden - God has heard
Noah - Comfort, peace
Michael - Like god
Ethan - Firm, strong
Alexander - Protector of mankind
Aiden - Firey
Daniel - Attractive

Girls:
Sophia - Wisdom
Isabella - Devoted to god
Emma - Whole, complete
Olivia - Peace
Ava - Like a bird
Emily - Admiring
Abigail - Source of joy
Madison - Son of Matthew (I don't get it?)
Mia - Mine
Chloe - Blooming

What does your name mean?  I used this website to check out name meanings:

http://www.meaning-of-names.com/

Holiday Closings

Just a reminder, the library will be closed the following days:

Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
New Year's Eve
New Year's Day

Enjoy the holidays!

World Teachers Day

Hey YAs, today is World Teachers Day.  This day started in 1994, so this is the 18th yearly celebration of our teachers!  Today we recognize just how much teachers do worldwide.  So thank your teachers today.  Maybe bring them an apple, just be an extra good student today!

Arrrrgh me mateys!

It be Talk Like a Pirate Day!  So stop being such a bilge rat and yell out AHOY!

Lazy landlubbers can use this 'ere Pirate Translator

I be Pirate Julia the Bitter.  Get yer own pirate name HERE.  Avast!  Share it in e' comments!

Smartly, me lads and lassies, read you some pirate books!  Watch you some pirate movies!  SING YOU A PIRATE SONG YAAAAAAR.

National Thank You Day

Thank you for reading my blog.
Thank you for reading books.
Thank you for coming into the library.
Thank you for supporting the library.

Today is a day to say 'Thank You' to anyone in your life that you are thankful to.  Doesn't matter if its your mom, dad, brother, sister, teacher, friend, or your librarian :)  So go find someone to thank!

Dont read today**~ Play a video game!

It's National Video Game Day, everyone!  So don't read, play a video game!**  As you may know we have a collection of circulating video games here at the library now for you to check out and play at home.  We have Wii and XBox games.

Don't have a Wii or an XBox?  Then you need to check out my favorite online video games!  My favorite site to play video games on is Kongregate.com - I love earning achievements!  On this site (if you sign up, you don't have to sign up to play) you can earn points and level up your profile by earning achievements on games. Here are some of my favorite games on Kong...

1. Bloons Tower Defense 1 2 3 4 5  - (click on each number to go to that edition of the game) I love tower defense games and the Bloons line are some of the best and cleanest looking ones.  You'll spend hours getting all these achievements.  5 is the newest one and I'm still earning some of my own for that one.

2. Link-a-Pix Vol 1 Vol 2 - I love logic games like these.  Good brain exercise!

3. Upgrade Complete 1 2 - Upgrading is fun too and in Upgrade Complete that's pretty much the point of the whole game.  Also good if you like shooters, but fun if you don't too.  (I hate shooters, but I like this!)
4. Pandemic 2 - I love books about sicknesses and plagues and apparently I love games with them too.  This game is hard to beat completely (it took me several weeks to get that last achievement) and has given me a whole new appreciation for Madagascar...haha.  You'll get it when you play.

5. Elements - If you like card games then you need to try out Elements.  Hands down the best online card game I've played.  And I love going back to this and playing more even when I already got all the achievements.  They occasionally add new cards too.





There are SO MANY MORE games I love on there, its hard to just talk about a few.  But go and discover games you like for yourself.  Maybe start out today with some of my faves, then find ones that you love.  Feel free to comment and tell me your favorite video games too, console, handheld, PC, online, or otherwise!

**Just kidding.  You can read today too!

its ~Read a Book Day~

I know school just started and you're probably wondering how you are going to make it to December (and the first vacation of the school year).  But today, take a deeeeep breath.  Relax.  And read a book.  It doesn't have to be a book for school.  Or a whole book.  Or a popular book.  It doesn't even have to be a teen book!  Read your favorite picture book again and enjoy the pictures.  Or try out an adult novel that catches your eye.  Reading can be so relaxing and a good way to destress.  Remember that over the next few months at school, you can always pick up a book and take a little vacation in it :)

What are you reading today?

Another Awesome Day~

Ok so writing this post is KILLING ME.  Its NATION FRIED CHICKEN DAY.  And I AM ON A DIET.  Sigh!  You guys and girls should eat lots of fried chicken for me.  For now, here are some pictures to drool over...

You can also check out this book!

Fried Chicken: An American Story by John T. Edge

Father's Day

It's Father's Day YAs!  Make sure you let your dad know how much he means to you today. 

Here are some teen books that involve fathers...

Sixteen-year-old Shelby finds it difficult to balance her mother's dying request to live a life without restraint with her father's plans for his "little princess," which include attending a traditional father-daughter dance that culminates with a ceremonial vow to live "whole, pure lives."

Eighteen-year-old Goth Sophie Blue, sensing that something is awry in her small town, begins to piece together the connections between her missing father, a scientific researcher at a local laboratory, and her high school's football star, Kenny.

French horn virtuoso Elsie Wyatt resents having to join her high school's marching band playing a melliphone, but finally finds a sense of belonging that transcends the pressure she has always felt to be as good as her father, principal french horn player in the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

When fourteen-year-old Everett Singh's scientist father is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves a mysterious app on Everett's computer giving him access to the Infundibulum--a map of parallel earths--which is being sought by technologically advanced dark powers that Everett must somehow elude while he tries to rescue his father.

Willa seems to have a perfect life as a member of a loving blended family until the estranged father she barely remembers murders his wife and children, then heads toward Willa and her mother.

Twenty years after the start of the war that caused the Collapse, fifteen-year-old Stephen, his father, and grandfather travel post-Collapse America scavenging, but when his grandfather dies and his father decides to risk everything to save the lives of two strangers, Stephen's life is turned upside down.

Flag Day

Hey YAs, today is Flag Day.  That means today is a day to celebrate our flag, that star spangled banner!

Did you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to display the flag?  Here are the rules for displaying our American Flag...

• The flag is normally flown from sunrise to sunset.
• In the morning, raise the flag briskly. At sunset, lower it slowly. Always, raise and lower it ceremoniously.
• The flag should not be flown at night without a light on it.
• The flag should not be flown in the rain or inclement weather.
• After a tragedy or death, the flag is flown at half staff for 30 days. It's  called "half staff" on land ,and "half mast" on a ship.
• When flown vertically on a pole, the stars and blue field , or "union", is at the top and at the end of the pole (away from your house).
• The American flag is always flown at the top of the pole. Your state flag and other flags fly below it.
• The union is always on top. When displayed in print, the stars and blue field are always on the left.
• Never let your flag touch the ground, never...period.
• Fold your flag when storing. Don't just stuff it in a drawer or box.
•  When your flag is old and has seen  better days, it is time to retire it. Old flags should be burned or buried. Please do not throw it in the trash. (You can bring your old flags to the Town Hall)

Bonus Fun Fact!  A person who studies flags is a Vexillologist.

TODAY IS AWESOME.

It's Chocolate Ice Cream Day!  You know what that means...eat chocolate ice cream!  I know this is a difficult task, but you must do it!  Here are some pictures to get your mouth waterin...

Do you have purple on today?

Well, you should!  Today is Wear Purple for Peace Day.  The goal of Wear Purple for Peace Day is to make the world a more peaceful place...and to encourage aliens to visit Earth.  WAIT, WHAT?  Yeah.  I saw this holiday in a list and thought well that sounds nice but then I looked it up and found this.  I think this is just too funny and hilarious.  Anyway, here are my top picks for purple clothing to wear today...

Shoes

Some Jessica Simpson platform suede heels for the gals with WAY more balance than me.  (I would break an ankle in these, but I think they are super cute)

SPARKLY!  Steve Madden flats for me :)

And some purple Vans for the boys who aren't afraid of purple!

 

Socks

Some classic Adidas purple socks

Lovely cable knit knee high socks.  I totally want these.

Pants

Killer purple skinny jeans.  (not for me, but you girls go for it!)

Tops

I love this purple top with the ruffle detail for the ladies...

And for the guys, this stylin purple striped shirt.  Come on guys, I know you can pull it off!

Belts

Shiny purple belt!

Don't hate on the purple belt boys...

And last but not least...a few killer purple dresses for my girls to drool over...

Do you have a favorite piece of purple clothing to wear to welcome aliens to earth?  I'd love to hear about it in the comments :)

National Haiku Poetry Day

Five syllables first
Then use seven syllables
You wrote a Haiku!


Write lots more Haikus today, they're lots of fun and super easy to do!

First day of Hanukkah!

Now, I'm not Jewish, but let's all wish our Jewish friends a happy first day of Hanukkah!  Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights and lasts for 8 days.  It is celebrated by light the candles of a unique candelabra known as a Menorah.

a Menorah

 One of the candles is lit every night of the festival.  But what about the 9th middle one you might ask?  Well that one is called a 'shamash' and it is there to be used, since using the Hanukkah lights is forbidden.  (for example if you wanted to light a fire or another candle, you could only use the shamash)

Other Hanukkah traditions include singing songs, reciting Psalms, and exchanging presents.  Customary foods eaten on Hanukkah are fried or baked in oil. (usually olive oil)  This commemorates the miracle of a small flask of oil keeping the flame in the temple lit for 8 days.  Some of the traditional foods include latkes (potato pancakes), pontshkes (jam filled donuts), and bimuelos. (fritters)

latkes (potato pancakes)

A tradition for children on Hanukkah is the dreidel game.  A dreidel (or sevivon in Hebrew) is a 4 sided spinning top with a Hebrew letter imprinted on each side.  The letters are an acronym for the Hebrew words "Nes Gadol Haya Sham," meaning a great miracle happened there."  In the dreidel game each player starts out with 10 or 15 coins (real or chocolate) or nuts, raisins, candies, or other markers.  EAch person places one marker in the 'pot' adn then the first player spins the dreidel and depending on which side it lands on either wins a marker from the pot or gives up some of their own.  For "Nes" nothing happens, for "Gadol" the player gets the entire pot, for "Haya" the player gets half the pot, and for "Sham" the player puts in one marker in the pot.

a dreidel (with "gadol" up)

So now you know a little more about Hanukkah.  If you have any friends who are Jewish, be sure to wish them a Happy Hanukkah!

If I have made any mistakes in this blog post, please do not hesitate to let me know!  I am always open to learning more. =)

Wright Brothers Day

Welcome YAs!  Today commemorates the first successful flight of the airplane built by Orville and Wilbur Wright.  Today would be a good day to brush up on your facts on the first flights.  Here is what we have that might interest you~

YA 629.13 FRE

I think a good way to celebrate today would be to fly a model airplane.  Too expensive?  Try the cheap route, make a paper airplane!

Yay, today is a library holiday!

Don't worry, the library will still be open thou =)

It's Dewey Decimal System Day! (and it's also Melvin Dewey's birthday)

Melvin Dewey was born on December 10th, 1851.  He became a librarian at Amherst College and in 1876 he published  a very important book, one that would change libraries everywhere!  In his book he established his Dewey Decimal System.  But we all know that, what else did Mr. Dewey do?  He helped to form the American Librarian Association, established the first professional library school, and edited Library Journal.  He passed away in 1931, but we still use his system today. 


Below is a guide to where you will find topics in the Dewey Decimal System~


000 Generalities
010 Bibliographies
020 Library and Information Science
030 General Encyclopedic Works
040 Special Topics
050 General serials & their indexes
060 General organizations & museums
070 New media, journalism, publishing
080 General Collections
090 Manuscripts and rare books

100 Philosophy & Psychology
110 Metaphysics
120 Epistemology, causation, humankind
130 Paranormal phenomena
140 Specific philosophical schools
150 Psychology
160 Logic
170 Ethics (moral philosophy)
180 Ancient, medieval, oriental philosophy
190 Modern western philosophy

200 Religion
210 Natural theology
220 Bible
230 Christian theology
240 Christian moral & devotional theology
250 Christian orders & local churches
260 Christian social theology
270 Christian church history
280 Christian denominations & sects
290 Other & comparative religions

300 Social Science
310 General statistics
320 Political science
330 Economics
340 Law
350 Public Administration
360 Social Problems & services
370 Education
380 Commerce, communications, transport
390 Customs, etiquette, folklore

400 Language
410 Linguistics
420 English & Anglo-Saxon languages
430 Germanic languages (German)
440 Romance languages (French)
450 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic
460 Spanish & Portuguese languages
470 Italic languages (Latin)
480 Hellenic languages (Classical Greek)
490 Other languages

500 Natural Science & Mathematics
510 Mathematics
520 Astronomy & allied sciences
530 Physics
540 Chemistry & allied sciences
550 Earth sciences
560 Paleontology & Paleozoology
570 Life sciences
580 Botanical sciences
590 Zoological sciences

600 Technology (applied sciences)
610 Medical sciences
620 Engineering
630 Agriculture
640 Home economics & family living
650 Management
660 Chemical engineering
670 Manufacturing
680 Manufacture for specific usa
690 Buildings

700 The Arts
710 Civic & landscape art
720 Architecture
730 Sculpture
740 Drawings & decorative arts
750 Paintings & painters
760 Graphic arts (printmaking & prints)
770 Photography
780 Music
790 Recreational & performing arts

800 Literature & Rhetoric
810 American literature in English
820 English literature
830 Literature of Germanic language
840 Literature of Romance language
850 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic literatures
860 Spanish & Portuguese literatures
870 Italic literatures (Latin)
880 Hellenic literatures (Classical Greek)
890 Literatures of other languages

900 Geography & History
910 Geography & Travel
920 Biography, genealogy, insignia
930 History of the ancient world
940 General history of Europe
950 General history of Asia
960 General history of Africa
970 General history of North America
980 General history of South America
990 General history of other areas

got all that?  no?  feel free to use the online catalog to find what you need too then =)

MMM!! Today is National Cookie Day!

BEST HOLIDAY EVER =)

Here are some pics to drool over: