Thursday, February 18, 2010

Black History Month

Historian Carter Woodson is given credit for starting Black History Month in 1926. He decided that black people needed to be honored for their contributions to the United States. He came up with Black History Week, which was the second week in February. Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays were in February, and he believed both of these men had a major impact on the black population. Black History Week eventually evolved into what is now Black History Month, celebrated in February each year.

We celebrate the many contributions of African Americans and remember the legacy of great Americans like Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Benjamin Banneker, Mary McLeod Bethune, Sojourner Truth, and many more. We also honor Barack Obama, the first black President of the United States of America.

Are you working on a report or a biography for Black History Month? Do you need to get information and pictures? Come to your Library today! We have books and information to help you with your report. We will be happy to assist you. In the meantime, here are some sites to visit.

The Black Collegian Online The career site for students of color

Biography A&E Television's Biography site

The History Channel

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

WHO DAT? NO ONE! Part II

Continuing our questions that Reference Librarians might have to answer about the Super Bowl in the future.

How many people watched the Super Bowl:
106.5 million people, which broke the previous record for a televised event in the US, held by the last episode of MASH.

How much were the commercials than ran on the Super Bowl?
$2.5 - $3 million per 30 seconds. There were 47 minutes 50 seconds of commercials during the event, so CBS earned a big chunk of change.

Which was the most popular commercial?
Winners will be posted on February 17. In the meantime, you can go there and see them all and vote for your favorites. This blogger's favorite was Google's - the first time Google advertised on TV.

What were some of the most searched for Superbowl items?
Team:  Saints
Player:  Peyton Manning, followed closely by Drew Brees
Coach: Sean Payton
Recipes: buffalo chicken dip, guacamole, 7 layer dip, and pigs in a blanket
Advertisers: Dockers and Dennys - they used free in their ads

Monday, February 8, 2010

WHO DAT? NO ONE! Part I

Years from now Reference Librarians will be answering 7 February 2010 to questions about when the Who Dat Nation became the most powerful nation in the world. Which got us to thinking about what other questions might arise regarding yesterday's awesome Super Bowl victory by the New Orleans Saints. Here are a few we came up with. Which ones would you add?

How many extra copies of the New Orleans Times Picayune were printed on Monday, February 8, 2010?
193,000

Where was the Super Bowl played?
Officially, it's South Florida, but the stadium (Sun Life Stadium) was in Miami. The press headquarters were in nearby Fort Lauderdale.

What did it cost South Florida taxpayers to host the Superbowl?
About $6 million.

How many representatives of the media had credentials?
More than 4,500 members fromm 22 different countries.

Who was the half time entertainment?
The Who - should have been The Who Dat. Younger fans said The What?

What two Saints players had Indiana roots.
Saints quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees play college foorball at Purdue, which is in Indiana. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter - who made the game clinching interception and ran back 74 yards for a touchdown - played at the University of Indiana. Ouch!

What did losing quarterback Peyton Manning say to winning quarterback Drew Brees during the midfield handshake after the game?
Nothing. Manning went straight to the locker room without congratulating Brees.

Which Super Bowl records were broken?
Highest completion percentage, career: 82.1 - Drew Brees, Saints
Most completions in a game, both teams: 63 - Saints (32) and Colts (31)
Most field goals 40 and over: 3 - Garrett Hartley, Saints

Which Super Bowl records were tied?
Largest deficit overcome by a winning team: 0 - 10 Saints
Most completions in a game: 32 - Drew Brees, Saints
Most two point conversions in a game: 1 - Lance Moore,
Most first downs passing, game: 32 - Saints and Colts (16 each)
Fewest rushing attempts, game, both teams: 37 - Saints (18) and Colts (19)
Most yards, touchdown drives: 96, Colts
Most completions, game, team: 32 - Saints
Fewest times sacked, game, team: 0 - Colts
Fewest times sacked, game, both teams: 1 - Saints (1) and Colts (o)
Fewest fumbles, game, both teams: 0 Saints vs Colts
Fewest turnovers, game, team: 0 - Saints

What was the most surprising/pivotal/memorable play of the game?
Coach Sean Payton called an onsides kick by punter Thomas Morstead to start the second half - and it succeeded when safety Chris Reis recovered it.

How much were the tickets to the Super Bowl?
That depended on who was selling them, but the cheapest tickets were $1800 and went up to around $5000 for the good seats.

What was the best column prior to the game - according to your blogger?
Dear Miami: Get Ready for the Who Dat Nation coming for  the Superbowl

This will be a work in progress. After all, I have to do some real work today.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Interesting People & Strange Facts

There are so many web sites with interesting facts and trivia. The following facts and trivia came from this site. I find trivia like this very fascinating.

Interesting facts about Mark Twain

His real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Twain adopted his pen name in 1863 in Nevada. While he was a teenager, Mark Twain worked as an amateur printer. Mark Twain published more than 30 books throughout his career. Twain was a steamboat pilot apprentice on the Mississippi River and eventually earned his pilot’s license. Twain was very interested in parapsychology. He often made bad investments, which resulted in serious financial problems. Twain served during the American Civil War. Mark Twain is famous for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. William Faulkner called him “the father of American literature” . Twain had four children: Jean, Susy, Langdon and Clara Clemens.

Interesting facts about Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison was partially deaf. He developed this problem in his childhood days. He built his own science laboratory at the age of 10. This was built in the basement of his home. Edison’s First Patented Invention was a flop. In 1910 he invented the Edison battery, which used an alkaline electrolyte. Edison was considered one of the most prolific inventors of his time, holding a record 1,093 patents in his name. Besides the light bulb, he invented these things to go along with it: the parallel circuit, a durable light bulb, an improved dynamo, the underground conductor network, the devices for maintaining constant voltage, safety fuses and insulating materials, and light sockets with on off switches. Edison had five dots tattooed on his left forearm. No one knew what the dots meant. The inventor of the electric light was not Thomas Edison. In 1802, 77 years before Edison perfected a filament for the incandescent lamp, Davy caused a platinum wire to glow by passing an electric current through it.

Interesting facts about Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1856. Sigmund Freud is the founder of the science of psychology . His book The Interpretation of Dreams began the complex theory of Psychoanalysis. Sigmund Freud had a morbid fear of ferns. Sigmund Freud was deathly afraid of the number 62 and would not book a room in any hotel with more than 62 rooms in case he was allotted that particular room! Diagnosed with cancer in 1923 due to frequent cigar smoking, Freud underwent over 30 surgeries over the next 16 years. Freud had a penchant for rejecting people who did not totally agree with him. In 1930, Freud received the Goethe Prize in appreciation of his contribution to psychology and to German literary culture. He was 83 years old when he asked his doctor to end his life, and died of a physician-assisted morphine overdose in London on September 23, 1939.

Interesting facts about birthdays 

Your birthday is a very special day. Only eighteen million other people share it (unless you were born on February 29, in which case you really are special since only 4.5 million people have your birthday). The custom of lighting candles originated with people believing that the gods lived in the sky and by lighting candles and torches they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods so they they could be answered. When you blow out the candles and make a wish this is another way of sending a signal and a message. The earliest birthday parties in history were held because it was feared that evil spirits were attracted to people on their birthdays.

Interesting facts about the Barbie Doll

Barbie is named after the daughter of the original inventor, Barbara. The first Barbie dolls were made in Japan. On the bottom of the right foot they are marked Made In Japan. The Barbie doll was introduced in Europe in 1961. Every second, two Barbie dolls are sold somewhere in the world. The first Black, and Hispanic Barbie dolls were introduced in 1980. Barbie has appeared in over 40 various nationalities. The first Barbie doll sold for $3. Barbie has had over 80 careers. The first was as a teenage fashion model. Only stamp collecting is more popular in the U.S. than doll collecting. Barbie has over 40 pets. Among them are cats, dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra. Barbie is eleven and one half inches tall.

Other uses for toothpaste

Toothpaste contains calcium, antimicrobial agents that inhibits growth of bacteria and sodium fluoride.That is why it cleans the teeth and gets rid of toothache, filing teeth, leaving the teeth white, cleaned and disinfected. But few know that toothpaste, because its composition, can be used for other purposes. In case of burns, herpes, or scratches, you can apply a little toothpaste on the affected area at regular intervals and you will quickly get rid of troubles. Toothpaste can remove onion smell. If you spent a full day in the kitchen to cook and the smell of onions has not disappeared even after several washes with soap, try to wash your hands with toothpaste and you get rid of odor. Spots on the clothes have a fearsome enemy in toothpaste too. Rub the affected area of the coat a few minutes and rinse with water. Silver jewels which are blackened by time can be cleaned with a toothbrush and paste.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Read to Your Baby


We are excited that our latest program at the Library will focus on our very youngest readers - little kids under 3.

Toddler Storytime will be held on Tuesdays from 10-10:30 am. Group leaders are two young mothers who have little ones themselves and will alternate weeks. The fun sessions will include nursery rhymes, finger plays, songs, and stories just right for infants and toddlers.

Our popular pre-school storytime for 3-5 year olds will still be held on Wednesdays at 10 am.

We have been looking forward to offering a toddler storytime because of the many benefits babies receive from being read to. Even though very young children do not understand everything that is being read to them, the rhythm of the language, the differentiation of sounds, the varied emotions and expressive sounds all lay the groundwork for becoming an enthusiastic reader later on. There are so many basic things learned that we might not even think of: the fact that a book is read from front to back, that pictures should be right side up, that the language of books is different than spoken language, just to name a few. The benefits of reading to babies is well documented. It improves social skills, and builds listening, memory, and vocabulary skills.

But perhaps the most important reason to read aloud is that it makes a connection between the things your baby loves the most - your voice and closeness to you - and books. Every minute spent reading together is a minute not spent passively in front of a television show or dvd. Research has shown that early overexposure to television may delay reading skills and may even be connected to attention deficit disorder later in childhood. Check out Read to Your Baby for more benefits, tips, and resources.

The National Institute for Literacy has a wide assortment of helpful booklets published on early literacy at each age that can be downloaded. They are also available for free at the Library. Stop in and pick some up. Then stay for a visit - we'll be happy to help you Raise a Reader!


Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Brand New Early Literacy Station Now Available


We are excited about our new Early Literacy Stations (ELS). ELS is a computer workstation loaded with more than 45 educational software titles for kids ages 2 - 10. ELS offers children a safe, standalone computer not connected to the internet that is age appropriate, engaging, and academically relevant for children. We have two stations in the Children's Department of the Armstrong Library, and one each in the Centreville and Woodville libraries. There is an imaginative interface that encourages exploration. The stations have a colorful keyboard, a tiny mouse, and a touch screen to promote easy learning and discovery.  We especially like the keyboard, where consonants are green, vowels are purple, numbers are red, punctuation is yellow, and functions are blue.


Many of the programs contain disguised learning activities that expand the child's experience through games and extension activities.The programs help develop skills in mathematics & problem solving, science & nature, social studies & geography, writing computer skills, reading, word recognition, & phonics, reference, and music & art. Your child will enjoy playing educational games with characters from Sesame Street, Between the Lions, Dora, Millie, Reader Rabbit and many more.

Did we mention that the ELS is fun? Children just love it!

We still have our children's computers that connect to the internet but can only access specific websites, listed on our website.

Bring your child to the Library and use all the resources we have available. This would be a good opportunity to spend quality time reading, selecting books, and playing educational games. Find out what your child is interested in and select books in those areas. We have a large selection of new books in for the children.

You may use our new card catalog and select board books, picture books, beginner readers, fiction or nonfiction books, accelerated readers, biographies and much more. The Children’s Librarian will be happy to assist you with any of your needs. We want to help your child become a reader and a life long library user.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, forward to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want or need to make and resolve to follow through on those changes.

Yes, once again it’s time for me to pick a vice and try to turn it into a positive. I lay in bed last night thinking what should it be this year: smoking, weight loss, better organizational skills and give up procrastination? Hmm, there are just so many to choose from that it's hard to decide. Perhaps I’ll put them all on my resolution list and see which one really sticks.

Now that I have chosen my resolutions, I need help to succeed, and what does a librarian do? That’s right - I head for the self help collection at the library. Wow, there are hundreds of books on self help of all types. Here are a few of my choices:

  • A Woman’s Way: The Stop Smoking Book for Women by Mary Embree.
  • Simplify Your Work Life: Ways to Change the Way You Work So You Have More Time to Live by Elaine St James.
  • The Organized Parent: 365 Simple Solutions to Managing Your Home, Your Time, and Your Family’s Life by Christina Baglivi Tinglof.
  • Strong Women Eat Well by Miriam E Nelson, Ph.D.
  • The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Futness by Dave Ramsey
The books are now piled up on my desk just waiting for me to jump in wholeheartily with note pad at my side, ready to jot down every helpful hint I can find. I left plenty of books on the shelf so I invite all those who are making New Year's resolutions to come by the Library and check them out.

If you need some ideas, here is a list from Wikipedia. In the United States, the most popular goals include:

  • Pursue a satisfying and fulfilling career
  • Lose weight
  • Get out of debt
  • Become more organized
  • Maintain a diary
  • Save money
  • Improve grades
  • Get a better job
  • Get fit
  • Eat right
  • Get a better education
  • Drink less alcohol
  • Quit smoking
  • Reduce stress
  • Take a trip
  • Volunteer to help others
  • Be less grumpy
  • Be more independent
  • Learn something new (such as a foreign language or music)
  • Try to get up early in the morning
  • Time management
  • Help the poor
 However you decide to start the New Year, your Library is here to help you!