Katie @ Covington Archive.

There is so much to know and learn when it comes to applying for college. Where should I apply? How do I make my application competitive? Once I get in, how will I pay for it? Some KCLS branches are offering programs that will help you answer these questions and more.  Come to one or all of these free programs! Some programs require advance registration, so follow the link for details.

COLLEGE OPTIONS: FINDING THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU
This workshop is designed to help students choose the right college. Discover your strengths and learn about the options that best suit them!
Newport Way Library, Tuesday, October 20, 7:00 PM

FINDING YOUR DREAM COLLEGE
Facilitated by a real-life college administrator, this workshop will empower those looking at schools to use numerous information opportunities to be both resourceful and resource full!
Covington Library, Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 7:00 PM

WRITE TO WIN
Hear from a real college administrator about what it takes to write successful college entrance essays and submit applications that work.
Covington Library, Wednesday, October 28, 7:00PM
Bothell Regional Library, Sunday, November 01, 12:30 PM
Maple Valley Library, Thursday, November 05, 7:00 PM
Auburn Library, Thursday, November 19, 7:00 PM

FINDING MONEY FOR COLLEGE
A representative from the non-profit College Planning Network will provide a complete review of the college financial aid process, including how students identify and apply for all types of grants, scholarships, work study and student loans.
Covington Library, Wednesday, November 4, 7:00 PM
Auburn Library, Thursday, November 12, 7:00 PM

NAVIGATING THE FINANCIAL AID MAZE
So you've filled out the FAFSA and have identified colleges, but how will you pay for it? A former assistant director of student financial aid will share tips on budgeting during college, tracking your student loan information and working with your financial aid office.
Auburn Library, Thursday, November 05, 7:00 PM

SAT INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR
Get test-taking strategies for the SAT and other college entrance exams, as well as advice on the college admissions process. This is a repeat of the program held on October 7.
Federal Way 320th Library, Monday, November 16, 7:00 PM

School has been in session for almost a month, and for many students that means homework is starting to pile up. Why not set aside some time to visit your local library and get your homework done? Many KCLS libraries offer Study Zone, and it is a great place for students to do homework and get help with their questions. Volunteer tutors provide free homework help during Study Zone hours. Students can find help in all subject areas, including Math, Science and WASL and SAT test preparation. Each tutor works with 1-5 students in a group setting. Study Zone is open to all students in grades K-12. 

Students are not required to register or provide personal information to participate in Study Zone, just drop in any time during Study Zone hours.  See the schedule for Study Zone hours at a KCLS library near you.

If there isn't a Study Zone location near you, don't despair! Visit any KCLS library for help from live volunteer tutors online through Study Zone Online. Please note that this service is only available from library computers.

If you can't make it to Study Zone, but still need help with your homework you can always try Live Homework Help, which is a service that connects you with a live tutor from any computer that is connected to the internet. The Live Homework Help is available 7 days a week from 2pm-Midnight. All you need is your library card number to log on and connect to a live tutor!

I picked up Two Wheels North by Evelyn McDaniel Gibb on whim and now I seem to be telling everyone I know about it! It's the true story of two young men who biked from Santa Rosa, California to Seattle, Washington to see the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Vic and Ray are fresh out of high school, and barely have five dollars between the two of them, when they set out to see the great fair. They are sponsored by their local newspaper, The Santa Rosa Press Democrat, and the Seattle P-I agreed to pay them 25 dollars if they make it there on bikes.  

These guys don't have the high-tech bikes or light-weight gear that we have today, and in some places they don't even have passable roads. They run into all kinds of trouble too, including wild animals, oncoming trains, a couple of fist fights, plenty of flat tires, and even a little romance.

Book-It Repertory Theatre in partnership with 4Culture will present a dramatization of this exciting story at two King County Libraries:

Auburn LIbrary, Sunday, September 27, 1pm

Covington Library, Thursday, October 15, 7pm

This is a short and fun read about an exciting period in northwest history told through the eyes of two eager young men, and it should make a great play.

The Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition is celebrating its centennial anniversary throughout 2009. For more information about events and activities go to http://www.ayp100.org/.

Is this woman sane? That's what I kept asking myself as I read Helen Thayer's Walking the Gobi. In 2001, Thayer and her husband set out to walk across the Gobi desert of Mongolia. Camels carried their gear and water while they walked for over 80 days, over 1,600 miles, in scorching temperatures as hot as 123 degrees! Why would someone do this?! Not to mention Helen's bum leg and hip which were bothering her even before she even started the trip.

I almost had to quit reading because her decision to go on this trip made absolutely no sense to me, but as I read further I began to understand why they went -- they were able to see things that few will ever get a chance to see and make great friends. As she and her husband walked across this seemingly uninhabitable corner of the globe, they met many friendly and interesting families who make their home in the Gobi. Thayer shares the rich and interesting culture of Mongolian nomads through the story of her unbelievable trek.
 
Walking the Gobi is this year's selection for the Black Diamond, Maple Valley, and Covington Read Together event. Helen Thayer will present a lecture and slide show at the Covington Library on Sept 22 at 7pm, and book discussion groups will be held at all three libraries.
 
Book Discussion Groups:
 
Tuesday, Sept 8, 7pm, Maple Valley Library
Thursday, Sept 10, 2pm, Covington Library
Thursday, Sept 10, 7pm, Covington Library
Tuesday, Sept 15, 7pm, Black Diamond Library
Tuesday, Sept 16, 10am, Maple Valley Library
Wednesday, Sept 30, 6:30pm, Maple Valley Library

Or at least you might have a few less overdues with help from text and email reminders from Library Elf! Library Elf makes it easy to keep track of what's due, overdue or ready for pickup from one or more library accounts. If you use the library a lot and have trouble keeping track of your items out and your holds that are arriving, then Library Elf may be right for you.  It's really easy to sign up, and the best part is it's free for KCLS patrons.

I just signed up and so far I really like the updates. I've been a lot better about getting my books back on time since I signed up.

  Signup with Library Elf to receive any, or all, of the following types of notices:

• Text message alerts* for "holds ready for pickup" and "items due the next day"
• Email and/or RSS alerts before items are due
• Email and/or RSS alerts on overdues and holds
• Email and/or RSS alerts on holds about to expire

When you log in to your Library Elf account, you'll be able to see a calendar display of up to three months of information with the relevant dates for dues, overdues and holds.

Happy reading, listening, and viewing!

There's one month left of KCLS's Read 3, Get 1 Free Summer Edition. Teens in middle school, junior high or high school can participate, and all they need to do is pick up an entry form, read 3 books, write 3 short reviews, and come into any KCLS branch to get a free paperback book. The books we have for this program are brand-new paperbacks, and we have many popular titles to choose from. Teens will also be entered in a monthly prize drawing at their branch, and they'll be entered in the system-wide grand prize drawing for a laptop. Read 3, Get 1 Free Summer Edition ends August 31.

Here are a couple of Read 3 reviews from teens at the Black Diamond Library.

Happy Reading!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
What is this book about? Junior is a Spokane Indian that gets advice from his teacher and decides to make his life better. He goes to Reardon, the mostly white high school outside the reservation, so he'll be able to do better.
What did you like about it? Junior is a funny, eager adolescent who is unforgettable and cute. I love him! Some of the jokes are kind of dirty, but you will pee your pants laughing. The story is true to life, captivating, and heart touching.
Marissa, 13

Love is Hell by Melissa Mar et al   
What is this book about? This is a book with many different stories about love, ghosts, insanity and how they all fit together.
What did you like about it? This was a really good book. I was familiar with most of the authors that contributed (Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier, Gabrielle Zevin, and more) so that made it even better.
Courtney, 16

One of the big film adaptations coming out this summer is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling. It isn't out until July 15, so you still have time if you want to read the books first.

Turning a great book into a great film seems to be a lot harder than it sounds. There are so many examples of amazing stories that get lost in translation to film. Great plot elements are left out, interesting and strange characters develop a Hollywood sheen of perfection, and they just don't carry the same feeling that the book was able to bring.

Or, sometimes, they get it right - not right as in just like the book, but right in the sense that a filmmaker is able to create something new and interesting using the story or concepts from a book. I'm thinking The Fellowship of the Ring, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Into the Wild, Touching the Void, Persepolis....I could go on and on, but I want to hear what others think, so leave a comment with your favorite (or least favorite) movies adapted from books. 

If you really want to get into books made into movies take a look at these books:
The Encyclopedia of Novels into Film by John C. Tibbetts.
Adaptations: From Short Story To Big Screen: 35 Great Stories That Have Inspired Great Films by Stephanie Harrison. 

You play videogames but have you ever thought about what it takes to make one? Maybe you want to be a game developer yourself? The King County Library System, in partnership with DigiPen Institute of Technology, is offering a special mini-workshop where you can experience the art and science of making videogames. Learn about the game industry, what it takes to be a game developer and take part in the hands-on lab where you will build an actual game!

Space is limited and registration is required, so sign up today! Go to our online events calendar to register. This program is for teens ages 13 and up.

Fairwood: June 23, 5pm
Redmond: July 8, 1pm
Bothell: July 9, 3:30pm
Covington: July 16, 2pm
North Bend: July 24, 3pm

If you just like to play videogames, check out our Game On! programs at local libraries. 

I'd never heard of National Poem in Your Pocket Day until I read about it on the Academy of American Poets website while browsing for some information on National Poetry Month. On April 30th people are encouraged to keep a poem in their pocket and share it with co-workers, family, and friends throughout the day. It actually sounds like a day I can get behind; I'm for anything fun and simple that doesn't involve costumes (I usually don't partake in Talk Like A Pirate Day).

Now I just need to choose a poem to carry around. The library collection has a lot of interesting poetry books. Here are a few that I looked at while in search of my pocket poem:

Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy by Sonya Sones. A novel about what happens when a family member has a mental breakdown told entirely in first person poems.

Technically, It's Not My Fault: Concrete Poems by Jack Grandits. The design of the text is interesting without even reading it, and, when you do read it, it is really funny!

The Columbia Anthology of American Poetry. All of your favorite, famous American poets in one handy volume.

Great Online Sources for Finding Poems:

Columbia Granger's World of Poetry. KCLS has a subscription to this online database. You can read or listen to poems, read poet bios and commentaries and more. To access the database you'll need your library card number.

Poets.org. The website of the American Academy of Poets.

Bartleby.com. Full-text of many classic poems.

I'm looking forward to hearing your pocket poems this Thursday, April 30!

I've been hearing a lot of news about budget cuts at Washington's public colleges and universities (see this Seattle P-I article about budget cuts). With colleges tightening their belts and limiting some of their offerings, choosing the right college could be more important than ever. The library has books, databases, and recommended websites that might help students decide where to apply and where to go.

Books
The Best 368 Colleges by Robert Franek

Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, LateBlooming, and Just Plain Different by Donald Asher

America's Best Colleges for B Students by Tamra Orr

The College Prowler Series - This series is written by students for students and gives unbiased reviews of schools including academic life, social life, and of course, food.

Databases
Testing and Education Reference Center 
Search for schools that have a particular program or specialty. This database also has SAT and ACT test prep books and practice tests.

Careers Education Reference Collection
Search college and scholarship-themed reference books.

Websites
KCLS librarians have put together a selection of recommended websites for post-secondary education.

A note of caution: if you read about a feature of a school that you really like, it's always a good idea to talk directly with the school about that feature, program, or service before you get your heart set on it. Things can change really fast...especially now when some colleges are making large budget cuts.