At the Library

It’s Here……..Banned Book Week!!!!!

 in At the Library / Book Events / Books by

Banned Book Week is here.

It is time to bring out those books which are removed from certain places for different reasons.

It is time to read something dangerous.

Something that might just challenge free speech.

Something that might make you think…..differently…..outside of the box…..for yourself.

Some of the  banned books are…

Harry Potter
The Catcher in they Rye
To Kill a Mockingbird
Fahrenheit 451
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland
and many, many more.

To see a list of 100 Banned or Challenged long standing books click here.

The 10 Most Challenged Books of 2010 were…

And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: offensive language, racism, religious viewpoint, sex education, sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group

Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit

Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: drugs, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit

The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: sexaully explicit, violence, unsuited to age group

Lush, by Natasha Friend
Reasons: drugs, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group

What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich
Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint

Revolutionary Voices edited by Amy Sonnie
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit

Twilight (series), by Stephanie Meyer
Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence, unsuited to age group

In honor of Banned Book Week choose a book, something really….banned…. and read.

I know that I will.

A Rant

 in At the Library / Books / Library by

It was only a few short weeks ago we celebrated libraries and librarians. You know, the people who find you the perfect book, help you with your homework, make sure you learn to read with fun, stimulating books. These are the quiet, behind the scenes people who really are the guardians of culture. They are the Masters of the Universe.

So to read THIS  makes any book loving, librarian loving person sick.

As in gag.

Just think about this the next time you need to do an assignment and go to the librarian – in the local library, school library, university library.

They are there for a reason.

Apparently LA doesn’t know about this.

Got Books??

 in At the Library / Book Events / Interesting by

 

 

 

 

Today (April 14) is “Donate A Book Day” which encourages people to give a book to their local library which will either be added to the collection, or give to the Friends who can sell it to raise money for the library. Here.

What a great idea. If you have a few extra books you can make extra shelf space by passing them on.

If you have a book you really love giving the library a copy shares this special read with others.

If you give used books to the Friends of your library the money raised can help a budget gap, buy materials on the wish list, who knows?

As an incentive the Book of the Month club is also offering a chance to win 10 books to 85 people who register their donation.

Got to go…..I’ll let you know what book I donate later.

What are you going to donate?

National Library Week

 in At the Library / Book Events / Library by

This is a special week.

It is National Library Week (April 10 – 16).

Introduced by the American Library Association it is a time to observe all the contributions made by libraries and librarians.

Think about it. How many times have you gone into your local library to research a topic, didn’t know where to go, or what to look for. Or didn’t even know how to use the library. Feeling timid, shy and possibly nervous you approached a librarian. Maybe even THE REFERENCE LIBRARIAN!!!! With dry mouth, and a hushed whisper you muttered something almost unintelligible to a normal person. Instantly (and sometimes even before you had finished your words) a knowing look came into their eyes  and at once they had reams and reams of titles to offer you. They knew better than you what you wanted. Firmly, with some authority they leap into action and beckon you to parts of the library you didn’t even know existed. Sometimes up solid stairs, or down rickety ones. Often they walk with purpose leading you through the labyrinth of stacks (that’s bookcases to the novice) and if you are lucky enough to be a member of a really large public library, or even a university library you find yourself wondering as you hasten your steps to keep up with them…….how will I ever find my way out (and then you regret not having a pocket full of crumbs to drop). Whatever gifts they bestowed upon you, book, download, url, whatever, you are able to complete your work, get a very decent grade, learn something and go into the world with the increased knowledge.

Go thank a librarian this week.

 

Like, WOW!!!

 in At the Library / Fun / Library by

So, as the name of this blog is My Library Card Wore Out you can probably guess that I use the library a lot. A LOT.

Of course, to borrow books.

And movies.

And sometimes game programs.

And sometimes cd’s.

The library is a wonderful place. (My local library also has fish……but that is for another day).

But there is something else going on in the library. Something sort of secret (well not really if you read the library newsletter, but most people don’t seem to pay attention to things like that). Something special.

And you need a library card to do it.

But you don’t need to go to the library for it.

Can you guess what it is????????????????

Any ideas????

Freegal Music.

FREEGAL MUSIC!!!!!

You can download music – for free. For FREE!!!

And it’s legal.

All you need is your library card number and you get 3 song downloads each week.

For free.

And did I mention it is legal?

If you use your card, your mother’s, your father’s, your sister’s, your brother’s you have an entire cd. Each week. Free. Legal!!

The catalog of music is growing all the time and it is good.

So, hop on over to your local library and see if yours participates in this. If not stop into the library directors office and smile sweetly and ask. Beg. Plead.

Thank you Barbara.

Like,WOW!!

Here is some of the music so far ~
Adele (luscious voice)
Imogen Heap (ditto)
John Legend
Glee Cast
Bobby Vinton (great cooking music M.O.M. says)
Sarah McLaughlin

and that’s just for starters!