King County Library System - Library Talk. - October 2008

Are you reading a great review of a book but it sounds slightly familiar?  You think to yourself, "Hmmm, have I already read that book?"  For your privacy, KCLS does not automatically keep a list of what you have checked out in the past, but you can choose to do this, if you like.

Simply log into your account via the online catalog, click on My Account History, and then click Opt In.  From this point forward, whenever you return an item and it is checked in, that title will appear on your Checkout History.  You can always delete individual titles, or delete them all and Opt Out at any time.

As a bonus, when doing future searches from My Account, you will be able to exclude items you have already read, seen or listened to from appearing on your results list.

For detailed instructions, continue reading!

Do you ever wonder what happens when you place something at the library on hold?

A "hold" means that someone wants to reserve a particular item at the library (a copy of a book, magazine, DVD, CD...etc.) It can be something that is checked in at your local library that you want to have set aside, or it can be an item sent from another library for you to pickup at your local branch. Library Holds

How does the hold system work?

Every morning each library runs a report of all the items placed on hold that it owns. Staff take the requested items off the library shelves, check them in, create a hold slip with the patron's name on it, file the item on the holdshelf or send it on to another branch where the patron wants to pick it up. Notification is sent saying that the item is ready to be picked up. The hold stays on the holdshelf for 7 days. If it is not picked up after 7 days, the item is taken off the holdshelf and sent back to the library where it came from or sent on to another patron who has placed a hold on it.

How long does a hold take? If an item is checked in at the branch where you want to pick it up, it is best to call that branch and have them pull the item from the shelf right away. If the item is checked in at another library it usually takes about 3-4 days for the item to get to the branch where you want to pick it up. It takes time for the library to pull it off the shelf, send it by truck to our shipping and sorting facility, send it by truck to the library where the patron wants to pick it up, and have a staff member put it on the holdshelf.

Sometimes you will notice you are "6 of 14 holds" on a DVD and there are 3 copies. What does that mean to you? It means that you are 6th in line for the item and there 8 people in line waiting behind you. There are 3 copies and they are all checked out for 7 days. Five people have to return the item before it is your turn. Once and item is checked in it takes about 3-4 days to get to the next person, that person has 7 days to pick it up, and can check it out for 7 days. So, it may take about 3-4 weeks for you to get your hold. If you want to know more about how to best estimate how long it will take for you to get an item on hold, please ask a staff member.

There is the option to freeze a hold. This is if you want the item, but are not ready for it yet. Maybe you are going on vacation or you are overwhelmed with other books to read. Have a frozen hold means you are still in line for the item, but it will not come to you until you re-activate or unfreeze the hold.Freezing a Hold

Why are holds important? It means you have access to every item in the in the King County Library System - all 43 branches! If you don't find the item you are looking for at your local library, you can place it on hold and have it sent to you from another branch.

Now that the school year is in full swing, your teachers are handing out assignments faster than Halloween candy.  If you need some extra help staying on top of your homework, our Study Zone tutors are here to help.  Tutors are available after school to assist K-12 students in all subject areas, including Math, Science, WASL and SAT test preparation.  Check out the online schedule or call your local library for hours.

If you can't make it to the library but have internet access, try using Live Homework Help.  This free online tutoring service, provided through Tutor.com, is available every day from 2 to 10 pm.  Simply log in with your library card number, choose your grade level and subject area, and you'll be able to chat with a tutor for up to 20 minutes.  Live Homework Help is also available in Spanish.

Did you know that KCLS librarians maintain a list of websites to help students with their assignments?  We've recently spruced up our Homework Help sites.  The information on these web pages is accurate, timely, and for social issues, reflects a wide variety of views.   Let's say you're interested in learning more about Washington State history.  Head over to Homework Help, click on History, Local, and presto - you have an entire list of links to choose from.

Tired of the glossy teen magazines focusing on fashion, beauty and boys? Interested in music, feminism, news, politics, activism and culture? Shameless might be for you.

Shameless is a progressive magazine for girls from Canada (yes, Canada. But don't worry; it's full of news and issues relevant to stateside girls as well). The Summer/Fall 2008 issue features topics including women in the skilled trades (i.e. carpenters, mechanics), radical street writers, the politics of fashion, defining gender, diversity in Hollywood and naturopathy. Not to mention loads of book, film, blog and music reviews as well as a special d.i.y. (do it yourself), feature. This month you'll find a review of the new LAL album and learn how to build a campfire. 

The writing is smart, sometimes snarky, and the articles are provocative, researched and reflective of a broader diversity than mainstream magazines for teen girls. Shameless is LGBTQS (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer, Straight), friendly and um, shamelessly publishes (come on, I couldn't resist), controversial and edgy opinions and perspectives liable to spark a good discussion amongst readers.

Find a sample of Shameless writing at its blog, named Best Canadian Feminist Blog at the Canadian F-Word Blog Awards. If you like it read the current issue cover to cover at the library for free.

I visited a school class this week and read a book about apple pie. There was a young man in the class who has a knack for cooking.  He insisted that his teacher photocopy the recipe in the back of the book.  With the holidays coming up, and all those new crop apples before us, it *is* apple pie time.  Here are some great books that you might enjoy with your apple pie....

How to make an apple pie and see the world by Marjorie Priceman. If you want to make the best apple pie, you have to have the best ingredients.  Travel the world in this delightful book as we gather pie makings from Sri Lanka, France, Italy and England.

Portland based investigative journalist David Oliver Relin, co-author of the award winning Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time, will be at the Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien on Tuesday, October 28th at 7pm.  Three cups of tea is this year's choice for King County Reads @ KCLS.

Relin is an investigative journalist who is committed to increasing awareness about critical human rights issues.  For two decades he has focused on social issues and their effects on children.  In Three cups of tea Relin tells the stirring tale of Greg Mortenson, an American mountain climber and nurse who becomes an unlikely champion of education in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

You do not need to buy a ticket for the event as seating is plentiful.
Directions to the Highline Performing Arts center.

The image here - click to enlarge - is from the November 18, 1886 edition of the Jackson Sentinel.  I thought Geronimo's capture might have made more of a headline, but there you have it.

Finding primary source material is a common homework assignment, and a number of KCLS databases can be used to fill that requirement.  Many of our homework-focused databases have a "primary source" component, but I want to focus specifically on our newspaper archival databases.  The image here is from Newspaper Archive, which contains national as well as international papers back to the mid 1700's.  It contains a good smattering of Washington State papers from the late 1800's through the mid 1900's.

A second excellent database is the New York Times Historical Backfile, covering all issues back to 1851.  They have some nice options for browsing by topic or by time period.  Geronimo's capture apparently only made page 5 in the New York Times.

Nineteenth Century Newspapers focuses, as you might have guessed, on the 1800's.  Sadly, Washington State is not represented.  But there is a very large selection of papers from various other states.

If you are not looking too far back, we also have many local and WA State papers available online, but coverage goes back just 10-20 years.  Washington State Newsstand contains 18 papers, including the Seattle Times and Seattle P-I.  [Microfilm coverage goes much farther back, but for online access, it's just the last few decades]

unfortunate newsflash:  as of January 2009, Seattle Times will no longer be available in the database above; we hope to find a replacement (AW / 11-5-2008)

Now that the series is over, and we have to wait until summer 2009 for the next movie, what is a Harry Potter fan to do? Professor Stephen Brown of Ulster University in England has just finished a study that identifies the four types of Harry Potter readers.

"Hufflepuff readers take the tales at a slow, steady and systematic pace and enjoy re-reading the books over and over.

Gryffindor readers are eager and energetic and will devour the latest Potter book in one sitting, but quickly move on to new things.

Ravenclaws are subversive and take the stories with a pinch of salt.

Slytherin readers are not fussed about the books. They prefer the films but pretend to have read the books when it suits them".

The library has Harry available in books, books on cd, books in other languages and dvds.

Since I'm a Gryffindor reader, here are the first books in the series that I read while waiting for my next Harry Potter fix. The first three have new books out!

I love listening to audiobooks, and I like them even more when I can download them, put them on my MP3 player, and take them with me wherever I go.

Note: Not all of KCLS's downloadable audio will work on an ipod. To find ones that will work on ipods, search Overdrive and look for this icon.

Here are a few of my favorite teen fiction books available as downloadable audiobooks:

The Giver
by Lois Lowry

The Rules of Survival
by Nancy Werlin

Tomorrow, When the War Began
by John Marsden

Don't have an ipod or other MP3 player? Borrow one from us! These players come pre-loaded with an audiobook.

KCLS has a wide variety of downloadable audiobooks, as well as downloadable ebooks, music and video.

Click here to browse our downloadable collections.

In addition to our fabulous collection of picture books, the King County Library System also offers story times for children of all ages.

Whether you already attend story times or you've never been, this new resource is for you!

Children's librarians are adding all kinds of useful information to Tell Me a Story. You'll find story time plans, book suggestions, links to the online catalog, and the lyrics to songs and rhymes.

So the next time you need a good book to read to your child, check out Tell Me a Story!

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by Midnight on November 30. Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. Take risks and write on the fly.

Join us for the kick-off and meet weekly during the month of November as part of a writing support group. We will provide free writing workshops, a coach for one meeting and highlight library resources for writers. In 2007, over 100,000 people took part in NaNoWriMo. Isn't it time you finally wrote that novel?

Check out writing programs at your local library. 

ReferenceUSA is an amazing database for complex business and marketing searches.  But did you know you can also use it as a nation-wide phone book and reverse directory?  ReferenceUSA does not contain cell phone numbers or unlisted numbers, but everyone else should be there! 

When you access ReferenceUSA, click the Search text to the right of the RESIDENTIAL DATABASES listing.  You can then search for any or all of the following: first name, last name, city, and state.  You will need to select either one state or all states, but then you don't need to fill in all of the rest of the information.  If you wanted to, you could search for all the Marys in California, or all of the Smiths in the US!

Have fun trying to locate classmates for your reunion or long lost friends!

You also have the option to search by just the phone number.  This can be useful if you're wondering about a phone number listed on your caller ID at home.

The BUSINESS DATABASES part of ReferenceUSA can also be used to recreate a yellow-pages like search across the US.  For example, this could be helpful if you are trying to locate a florist or a hotel in another city.

Like Deathnote, Naruto and Bleach? Watch full episodes online for free on Hulu! It's legal, sharable and unlimited. Need I say more?

Well, I will anyways because it does sound too good to be true.

Hulu is easy.

You don't need to download any software (you only need Flash 9.0 and an internet connection), and you can share whole full videos or just the clips you want via email. You can also embed videos on your blog or MySpace or Facebook profile. Plus, you can watch and rewatch videos as many times as you want.

Hulu is free and legal.
You'll still have to watch commercials on Hulu videos but much less than what's on TV. Hulu acquires the rights to distribute its videos so you're not breaking any laws by watching them.

As with any website, visit Hulu at your own risk and don't give out any personal information without evaluating a website's authority, terms of use and privacy policy for yourself. If you aren't sure how to do this, ask a librarian for help.

The Bellevue Regional Library is proud to host Sam Lim, also known as the Scholarship Junkie, on Saturday, November 8^th at 1:00 p.m.  Sam has been featured in local newspapers and is nationally recognized for his insider knowledge on the best strategies to obtain scholarships.

In this workshop, attendees will learn:

·         How Sam won 18 scholarships-enough to pay for college!

·         How to build a strong scholarship file.

·         Tips to compile nationally competitive applications.

 

Spaces are limited.  Registration is already underway.  To register for this event, please visit us at www.kcls.org or call us at 425-450-1765.  

As I'm sure many of you know, KCLS no longer subscribes to Rosetta Stone, the database used to learn other languages. This was a very popular database, and we were very sad to lose it. Unfortunately, it wasn't really our choice, as Rosetta Stone has chosen not to offer an affordable and worthwhile subscription to library systems anymore. So earlier this year, our Online Services folk started looking for a replacement. I wasn't there, but rumor has it the search took them to Azerbaijan, and the hanging gardens of Babylon! And then, deep within the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica, they stumbled across a new service to replace Rosetta Stone. And wouldn't you know it, what they found is, I think, even better! Welcome then, to Mango Languages.

That's a pretty bold claim, I know, so bear with me while I defend my wild accusations. Obviously they both are language learning tools available online. Both offer a wide variety of languages to choose from. And both are accessible from home or in your local branch. Both there's a very important difference in between the two services, and it all comes down to how they go about doing what they do. If I were to compare the two of them to a game of darts, Mango Languages is like throwing darts from only a few feet away and slowly moving back as your aim improves. Rosetta Stone, on the other hand, was like playing in the dark. And instead of regular darts, you're throwing squirrels.

Oh sure after a bit of trial and error, and a lot of bandages, you may start hitting the dart board a little more consistantly, but you never really get the impression you're learning anything. Like a game of Concentration, you slowly improve your ability to remember where things were, and begin to guess correctly with a little more consistancy. But thats not really learning, is it? If you were to play 5 rounds of Concentration, and then replay Round 1, in all likelihood you weren't going to card locations any better than you did the first time. Its not really learning, its just exploiting your short-term memory.

Mango Languages, on the other hand, starts off light and easy, and guides you towards your ultimate goal with the same sort of finesse you'd usually find in a classroom, or with a private tutor. With each of their many language lessons, they begin by teaching you some basic phrases, such as "Hello. How are you?" This is followed by a lot of repetition, and literal translations to help you understand a little better how each language works. They even include a few slides with each lesson to teach you about some part of the grammar that is important to note. By the end of the first few lessons, you will have learned several phrases you would use in normal conversation, including the important question "Do you speak English?" Which could be very helpful when you need to find an emergency room to help treat your friend's squirrel bites, since Rosetta Stone has so far only taught them  how to say "Ball", "Airplane", and "Boy".

The 2008 National Book Award Finalist list was just announced.   It includes a division that highlights literature for young people.   I'm excited for the picks this year, but I sometimes wonder if these books (though well-written and highly esteemed by professionals) are really what people (and kids) want to read. 

Fortunately for kids, there are two awards based on the votes of young people.  That's right!  Kids get to vote for a prestigious book award! Now this is really exciting!

Washington Children's Choice Award: for grades K - 3

The Washington Children's Choice Award is selected annually by Washington State's K-3 students, who vote for this award through their school librarian. The 2008-2009 school year nominations include the Cha Cha Chimps by Julia Durango and Oh, Theodore! Guinea Pig Poems by Susan Katz along with some other really delightful picture books that kids are sure to enjoy.


Young Reader's Choice Award: for grades 4 - 12

The Pacific Northwest Library Association's Young Reader's Choice Award is the oldest children's choice award in the U.S. 4th through 12th graders can vote through their school or public library.  The 2009 nominees include the graphic novel To Dance by Siena Cherson Siegel and the vampire romance New Moon by Stephanie Meyer along with many other great books that kids and teens really love.


Who will win these awards this year?  Well, that's up to your kids and students.  Contact your local school or public librarian to find out more on how and when to vote!

Going on a trip soon?  I just came back from Tanzania.  Before I left I heavily used the library to prepare for my trip.  Here are some examples of what I found at the library:

• 
  Books on CD for learning Swahili
• Swahili travel phrase books
• Travel DVDs on Tanzania
• Music CDs from Tanzania and Zanzibar
• Travel guidebooks by Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide
• Fiction books written by Tanzanian writers
• Travel literature about Tanzania and East Africa by writers such as Peter Matthiessen
• Interlibrary-loan book requests for books that the King County Library System doesn't own about travel in Tanzania
• Animal and bird identification guides for East Africa
• Information about Tanzania from databases such as the "International Relocation Center" where I learned it is impolite to hand people food with my left hand
• Web Links from the King County Library System homepage about Tanzania

I felt really prepared before leaving, but still experienced culture shock!  Nothing can really prepare you for the sights, smells and sounds of a new place.  Happy travels.

"Relationships are like waffles.  No matter who is involved, you're always gonna burn the first few."  -- Ron Silvern

The wisdom of Mr. Silvern is certainly reflected in literature, where some of the most inappropriate love affairs in the English-speaking world can be found.  From star-crossed Romeo and Juliet, to Jane Eyre's ill-advised love for that rapscallion Mr. Rochester, to the doomed affair between Winston Smith and the lovely Julia in George Orwell's 1984, readers might conclude that falling in love is sometimes a bad idea.  It does, however, make a great story.

Here are some recent books written for teens that follow the theme of inappropriate love.  The reader sometimes wants to holler at the characters who seem bent on rushing full-tilt into bad situations...but it really does make for a great story.

Let me begin with a popular book about a really inadvisable relationship:

Twilight   by Stephenie Meyer

Now, the male perspective. 

Among the standard questions that we get, a few come up so often that I thought a few tricks of the trade might be useful for you readers.

First:  "I liked this author/book; are there other similar books?"  Now, this gets into the field of Readers' Advisory, which can be a professional subspecialty in and of itself (classes, conference workshops, job titles, etc.).  Nothing beats a good Librarian or other library staffperson with Readers' Advisory experience.  They are highly valuable and much sought after.  And there are resources galore to explore, including some great KCLS databases.  But our typical patron is often on a run in/run out mission.

So for that quick grab, if I'm not familiar with the patron's request, I often turn to "If you like" lists.  On many public library websites, you can find lists of popular authors (created by those Readers' Advisory specialists), often titled "If you like...".  A web search (I usually add the word "library" or limit the url to .org to weed out some of the junk) on "if you like" is an easy way to branch out to other authors you might enjoy reading.  [Not to confuse matters, but another term, less often used, is "readalikes"]

Second:  "What is the next book in this series?"  Again, there are many resources that might answer this question, but after years of using various sources, the best I've found is a British website called Fantastic Fiction.  It's quick, it's comprehensive (tens of thousands of authors), it's very current, it lists forthcoming titles, and it lists series in an easily printable format, by number and by publication date.  They show 340 separate Star Wars series, by the way.  They also have a great book award section.

It's a beautiful thing.

For at least 5 years now, with the blessing of my library manager and in cooperation with Shoreline school librarian Mary Jo Heller, of Einstein Middle School, I've been conducting a workshop entitled "SEX IN THE LIBRARY."

Really, the title says it all.

Let me 'splain:

Several years ago, Mary Jo purchased a book called Deal With It :a whole new approach to your body, brain, and life as a gurl.  The book contains information for young adolescent girls about growing up, coping with school, parents, homework, friends, boys, and their own changing bodies.   It also covers some information NOT covered in the school health curriculum.

The health teachers recommended that the middle school library not carry this book.  So Mary Jo called me at the public library.

Some of the information not covered in the school health curriculum is information that kids really want -- and maybe need -- to know.  It was very popular at the public library before the school library pulled it off the shelf...so I ordered extra copies for the public library.

This event started a long dialogue (which evolved into a 50-minute booktalk and workshop) about libraries, and acquisition policies and mission statements.  

We librarians are nothing if not realistic:  nobody wants to attend a workshop about acquisition policies and mission statements.  However, everybody wants to attend Sex in the Library!  

For the past 5+ years, we've presented our workshop about policies and mission statements with concrete examples of books dealing with teen sexuality from the school and the public library collections--focusing on the differences between the school and public library collections and reasons for the difference. 

We talk about the lastest, hottest books written for teens, and we ask for audience input about which books are appropriate for school libraries or public libraries or both--or neither.   We are continually learning from the people who come to learn from us.

We present our SITL booktalks to 8th grade students and their teachers, to the school PTA, to librarian groups, and to anybody else who wants to listen. 

Here's some stuff we've noticed: 

The kids are almost always more conservative than the adults. 

The PTA almost always finds money to amplify the school library budget. 

The librarians walk a

way talking to each other about their own selection policies and mission statements. 

Everyone walks away with at least one new book in mind to read.

Sex in the Library : it's a beautiful thing.

To view the complete list of books from our annotated bibliography, visit the bookblog.

October 12th through the 18th is Teen Read Week!  

This week many public and school libraries will be celebrating with lots of events just for teens.  This year's theme is "Books with Bite," and on Thursday, October 16th at 4:00 the Auburn Library will be having a sushi rolling demonstration.  A local chef will offer hands-on help on creating your own vegetarian sushi.  And if all this talk of food has whet your appetite, check out these recipe books especially for teens. 

Teens Cook : How to Cook What You Want to Eat by Megan and Jill Carle 

Sisters Megan and Jill Carle offer up a mix of 85 diverse recipes ranging from comfort food to sushi. The six sections in this book include traditional American cuisine, as well as recipes for German, Chinese, and Mexican dishes.  Megan, a vegetarian, offers advice on adapting many of the recipes to her diet.

Cooking up a Storm by Sam Stern, with Susan Stern

You've gotta eat -- and what better way to make sure that the food on your plate hits the spot than to make it yourself? Fourteen-year-old Sam Stern, with a bit of help from his mom, Susan, is more than happy to share dozens of his favorite recipes for all occasions. There are pancakes for breakfast and easy lunches like soup or salad to pack up for school. Quick meals like spaghetti are best for busy school nights; for weekends there are serious dinners like homemade lasagna. And don't forget fancy desserts; addictive but healthy snacks; and even special menus and suggestions to help keep your brain awake during dreaded exam time.

The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook by Judy Krizmanic 

Tired of grilled cheese and spaghetti?  This classic book contains a wealth of recipes and tips for new vegetarians. The recipes are split into chapters by meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner - and there are also chapters for soups, desserts and college cuisine. The recipes can all be made vegan or vegetarian depending on your choice. Recipes include everything from Thai and Indian cuisine to classic favorites like vegetarian egg salad and vegetarian BLTs. Information about vegetarianism and veganism and tips for teens are interspersed throughout.

According to an article in Blender Magazine, John McCain is an ABBA fan, while Barack Obama prefers the Fugees. 

The top ten songs of each candidate can be found on this site from NPR.  Interestingly, the only artist appearing on both lists is Frank Sinatra.

To really get into the candidates' heads, why not take a listen to some of their favorite tunes?

To boogie like Obama, try these picks:

• What's going on? Songs of Marvin Gaye
• Remixed & reimagined (Nina Simone)
• How to dismantle an atomic bomb (U2)

To bop like McCain, check these out:

• Smile (Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys)
• Home before dark (Neil Diamond)
• Hag: the best of Merle Haggard

Or, for something everyone enjoys, try some Frank Sinatra:

• Young Blue Eyes: birth of the Crooner

This book has it all - computers, video games, hacking. I'm not into any of these, but I still LOVED this book! Set in San Francisco - terrorists blow up the Bay Bridge. People are scared, and the government starts using high-tech surveillance to "protect" its citizens. Marcus and his friends discover this new system isn't foolproof and innocent people are being interrogated and held prisoner. They use an underground communication network, the XNET, to remain free and avoid the police. There is excellent discussion on security versus civil liberties, as well as romance, raving and gadgets galore. Scott Westerfield described it best - "A rousing tale of techno-geek rebellion."

Cory Doctorow has a super impressive background.  Not only is he co-creator of the fun website Boing Boing, but he is also the former European Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Reviewers are comparing this book to George Orwell's 1984, and it's definitely one of the best books I've read this year.

We have lots of copies at KCLS, you can place a hold.

You can also read this book on-line for free, yes, that's free, under a Creative Commons license, so cool!

 

 

Maybe you've already read Phaidon's super-popular Japanese street fashion books (Fruits, Fresh Fruits, Gothic & Lolita), and so on. Maybe you simply flip through the glossy photo-candy pages for fun or maybe you're looking for inspiration for your own style. Want more? Inside scene information, interviews with Lolita-fashion-inspired artists and musicians, instructions for making your own clothing? Look no further than The Gothic & Lolita Bible Vol. 1, a full-color glossy photo-filled magazine-book. Yes, a magazine-book, otherwise known as a mook (I'm not making this up. See the Letter from the editor when you check this book out). 

Inside you will find: interviews with the artists of Vampire Kisses, Gothic Sports and The Dreaming, a Gothic and Lolita manga reading list, an interview with singer Nana Kitade, a full coverage report from a Baby, the Stars Shine Bright event, sewing patterns and tons and tons of photos of clothes. Take a quiz to figure out your Loli style and learn what, according to ketsu-eki-gata (psychologist Furukawa Takeji's theory of the relationship between blood type and personality), your blood type might say about you.

Fun, pretty, frilly, sweet, doll-like, imaginative, expressive, artistic, fashionable, modest, lovely, decadent, independent, ladylike, unique, nostalgic, unparalleled; though they are two separate styles, any and all of these words may be used to describe Gothic and Lolita. What they have in common is that they can be both a style and a lifestyle and The Gothic & Lolita Bible Vol. 1  is the ultimate guide to both.

Adrian Grenier, Meg Cabot, Sasha Cohen, Lauren Conrad, Romeo, Tom Anderson, Chris DeWolfe, Maya Angelou and more share their thoughts on why they vote, why you should vote and why voting matters in Declare Yourself, one of the most entertaining and inspiring books on the personal side of politics I've read.

In his "Essay titled ' A Couple of Ridiculous and Not-So-Ridiculous Paragraphs on Voting Designed to Make You Vote," Adrian Grenier states that "voting is the simplest form of rebellion against tyranny" and gives the following reasons for voting: "...so that you don't have to march in the streets in protest," "...because they're telling you what to do and you should be telling them," "...because the powers that be don't want you to," "they think you're young and dumb." The list goes on.

Tyra Banks recalls having political candidates as guests on The Tyra Show; she was so nervous she was shaking when she interviewed Senator Barack Obama.

Meg Cabot confesses that she wears one of those pink Girls Rule t-shirts but argues that, politically, girls really don't rule (even though they could).

Lauren Conrad first voted because, when she was 18, it was one of the only adult things she could do and it allowed her to make a choice that counted as much as anybody else's. She votes because it's a choice everyone makes for themselves, even if their friends try to influence their decision.

America Ferrera urges young people to use the information to their advantage. The wired generation has YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, etc.-  more ways of finding and sharing information than ever before- and should use this information to be heard and counted.

Alice Walker doesn't remember the first time she voted but she does remember the first time her dad did; in 1932, twelve years before she was born.

Sara Varon and Sheila O'Donnell made an election day minicomic illustrating how their votes are part of something bigger.

Besides the personal opinions of lots of famous people, Declare Yourself has a start-up guide for activists to speak, connect, act and vote. It also has a glossary of election-related terms (ever wondered what an incumbent is? How about a superdelegate?), and a super-helpful chart of the United States Government that shows who's in charge of what.

Declare Yourself. It's your right to have an opinion. It's your right to be informed.

For up to date information about the upcoming election visit info vote 2008 on the King County Library System's website.

 

 

 

 

 

So you're in a band. You have instruments and band members (or maybe it's just you), and at least one song ready to be recorded. You want people to hear your music (preferably people outside of your immediate family) and maybe even buy your record (once you put it out). Need help figuring out what to do next?

Check out The Indie Band Survival Guide: the complete manual for the do-it-yourself musician, by Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan. Why might you listen to their advice? As the lead members of Beatnik Turtle, they've played live, produced eighteen albums, written music for television, films and comedy shows and licensed music to ABC Family, all 100% indie (without a label). 

In the introduction, Chertkow and Feehan promise a "practical how-to manual to get your music heard, distributed, sold, booked, promoted and seen," all without being backed by a major record label. Among other things, the straightforward guide thoroughly covers everything you need to know about: establishing and maintaining a network, building a brand, claiming a presence on the web (on MySpace and beyond!), recording and mastering your albums and protecting your creative rights. You'll learn how to choose the color scheme of your website and what type of license you need to protect your content in specifc situations (i.e. whether you need either a Synchronization License or a Videogram License).

If you happen to be a teenager, you can practice the skills you've learned from The Indie Band Survival Guide locally. Record and master tracks then book shows at the Redmond Old Fire House. Promote your band and play a show in Seattle @ The Vera Project .

Don't forget about the library once you're famous.

Salmon are returning to streams and rivers all over the Puget Sound area right this very moment!  Pack up the kids and go outside and see nature doing its amazing thing.  During October along the Cedar River near Renton and Maple Valley you can view the salmon at four different locations.  There are volunteer Cedar River Naturalists at each location to show you the best viewing spots and explain what you're seeing including information on the history of the area, the river, what plants you are seeing, the life cycle of the salmon and much more.   If you have a group of students who would like a special tour with a naturalist contact Seattle Aquarium's Janice Mathison janice.mathisen@seattle.gov to make arrangements.  It's all free!

What are you looking for?  Flashes of bright red as Sockeye work their way upriver.  They are the easiest to spot because there are more of them than any other type of salmon in the river and because they are that startling red color.  In many places you can see the fish up close and personal!  Keep your eyes open for the endangered Chinook (King Salmon).  They like the deep pools and shadows.  They're not a flashy red but if you're lucky enough to spot one you'll know because they are BIG.  Count yourself blessed if you get the chance to see one of the beauties spawning in the wild. 

The Cedar River isn't the only place to view salmon though.  Take a look at the King County Salmon Season site for more viewing options throughout King County.

Go outside and play!

Have you ever read manga and wondered what exactly the characters were eating? Sausages shaped like octopi. Rice shaped into hamburgers. Apples shaped like rabbits. Lunchboxes arranged like flower gardens.

The Manga Cookbook will teach you step by step in manga-style (complete with super-cute mascots!!!), how to prepare your own mitateru snacks (food that's been arranged to look like something else), how to build a bento box and how to make Japanese staples like California Rolls, Oshinko (pickled vegetables), Teriyaki sauce and Nama udon.

Try a few recipes then show off your knowledge at a King County Library System Manga Club meeting near you.

Don't just read manga; eat manga-style!

Need a place to run your Dungeons & Dragons game and meet other gamers? Want free photocopies, lamination, snacks and use of D&D books? We thought you might so we decided to make it happen at the library. Bring your dice, drawing supplies and imagination to the Issaquah Library for Teen D&D Gaming Group meetings; we'll provide the rest.

Teen D&D Gaming Group is open to teens in middle and high school only. All levels are welcome, from beginners to experienced DMs.

Upcoming meetings:

• Friday, October 10 @ 2:20 pm (first meeting, dungeon masters to be determined)
• Friday, October 24 @ 2:30 pm
• Friday, November 14 @ 3:00 pm

The Issaquah Library is located at 10 West Sunset Way. Need directions?

Whether or not you make it to the gaming group, the King County Library System has Dungeons & Dragons books for you (yes, you!) to borrow anytime. Support your gaming habit without going broke! Search the catalog for keywords "Dungeons and Dragons" to find a complete list of books. Find general guides such as Dungeons & dragons player's handbook, Monster manual, or more specialized campaign items like An adventurer's guide to Eberron. 

Happy gaming...

Is your favorite library a cozy little branch with only a small magazine collection?  Or maybe you're interested in a magazine that is only at the Bellevue library, such as Sports Car International?

You can place holds on magazine issues and have them sent to your home branch, just as you do with books, videos, and other KCLS materials!

Placing holds on magazines is a little more complicated than placing holds on other materials, so please feel free to ask for help from a library staff member.  If you'd like to learn how to place the holds yourself, continue reading!

Not too long ago, we talked about OverDrive, the database of downloadable content KCLS offers to all of its card-holders. We also talked about media players that do (and don't) work with OverDrive. At the time I wrote those posts, staff here at Bellevue were getting familiar with OverDrive through some informal training some of us techs were giving. Thus, as is the way of things with technology, OverDrive updated their database right in the middle of everything! Blog posts were re-written, training was updated, and everything worked out in the end. So it should come as no surprise that now, two months later, OverDrive and KCLS have redesigned the eBooks page. Welcome then, to the all new KCLS Downloads.

At this point you may be asking yourself, so what? A fresh coat of paint and a new front bumper doesn't make a car any better. What is so special about doing the same to your website? Well besides the obvious fact that our website doesn't have a bumper, this isn't just a fresh coat of paint... its a whole new car--er, site. Whatever.

The new design appears in two places: our Downloads portal, which links to OverDrive, NetLibrary, and Books 24x7, and the OverDrive itself. The Downloads portal has links to separate OverDrive collections, immediately making it easier to begin browsing what you want to browse.

The OverDrive site itself is also simplified. The sidebar has been condensed, and menus now appear when you hover over many of the "Browse..." links. Like the changes to our Download portal, this makes it much easier to look at the format and subject you want, and avoid all the ones you're not interested in. All of these changes add up to a much nicer browsing experience... which is good, considering how much OverDrive has expanded over the last several months.  

I just looked at the forecast and it calls for rain... as far as the eye can see. I shouldn't be surprised.  We do live in the Pacific Northwest, after all.  Since we're due for some rain, what better time to stay inside and read to your child!?

 

Good books to share with your child
Listen to the Rain By Bill Martin
The Rainbabies By Laura Krauss Melmed
Rabbits and Raindrops By Jim Arnosky
Mushrooms in the Rain By Mirra Ginsburg
Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain By Verna Aardema
Big Rain Coming By Katrina Germein
Rainy Morning By Daniel Pinkwater

Don't forget to share your favorite rainy day nursery rhymes and songs!  For more fun, put on your rainboots and go outside to make some art.  Paint with watercolors and then take your paper outside to let the rain naturally blend the colors.  Puddles make a great setting for a discussion on science.   

Saludos de parte del Sistema de Bibliotecas del Condado King.  Uno de los privilegios que tenemos como bibliotecarios es la oportunidad de participar en conferencias profesionales donde podemos capacitarnos como profesionistas y educarnos sobre lo ultimo en servicios de información al publico.  Han pasado cinco años desde que REFORMA  (La Asociación Nacional Para Promover los Servicios de Información y Bibliotecologia a la Comunidad de Habla Hispana) tuvo su ultima conferencia anual, pero este año durante el 18 al 21 de septiembre se reunieron no solo bibliotecarios Latinos, sino bibliotecarios de toda la nación que sirven a la comunidad de habla Hispana.  Nos reunimos en la gran ciudad de El Paso, Tx, con el proposito de capacitarnos sobre como mejor servir a nuestras comunidades de habla Hispana. 

Las presentaciones recorrieron una variedad de temas, desde como servir a nuestros adolescentes mejor a proporcionando clases de computación al público.  Este último tema es de alta importancia para nuestro publico, ya que mucha de la información hoy en día es en forma electrónica, por eso me gustaria compartir varios de esos recursos con nuestro público.  Estos recursos son sobre el tema de computación:

Vocabulario de Computación Inglés e Español
spanishenglishcomputervocabulary.doc

Computación Basica
Computacion Basica.doc  

Internet Basico

Para mas información sobre este tema y mas, visite su rama del Sistema de Bibliotecas del Condado de King mas cercano al siguiente sitio:

www.kcls.org

O llamenos al:

1-800-462-9600