Accuracy or Agenda?

Accuracy or Agenda?: "

In a couple of posts commenters have raised issues about Almost Astronauts. The book's editor, Marc Aronson, challenges readers to bring obje...

It reminds me of the first woman commercial airline pilot. She got the job because they decided that if she was strong enough to fly as a military test pilot, she was strong enough to fly a commercial airliner.

"

And the Winner is.....

This past Sunday, the regional winners of this year's Bruin prize in support of our 2009 Summer Reading Program were celebrated the Garden's Boston Museum. SEMLS joined with winners from both Boston and Metrowest regional readers as we were entertained by musician/storyteller Jackson Gillman before the award ceremony began. Rather than extend the ceremony any further we sent Blades to the penalty box and began handing out the goodies. Signed shirts, pucks, pennants, mini hockey sticks and of course the grand prize the Family Package. While every region had 4 winners, the Grand Prize winner came from the Southeast. GOOOOAAALLL!! Jenna Sylvia from the Middleboro Public Library was the envy of all as she accepted the Zamboni Ride package on behalf of her family.

We are so thankful for all of the wonderful gift-in-kind prizes that the Bruins offered to the State this year. While the activity of reading is the best gift that any kid can enjoy, it certainly doesn't hurt that we can partner with an association that also values, recognize (and can reward) literacy.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered...We're Done!

Silver streamers and accu-cut shapes have been taken down from windows and walls, planets and rocketships have been removed from ceilings, and the lunar/meteorite samples have been boxed up and been shipped back to NASA. Yep, I think we’re done with summer reading--except that we’re going to ask you to certify it by filling out the appropriate forms to conclude the official count of your busy summer--the State’s summer evaluation forms. If you hadn’t received the link via a Massyac email, the links to both the ReadsinMa.org evaluation and the standard Summer Reading Program evaluations are:
Summer Reading Program and/or the ReadsinMa.org Program.

Everyone should fill out the Summer Reading Program Evaluation and if you used the online program, please be sure to fill out the latter survey; either (or both) need to be completed by September 18th. What's next will be the awarding of the Bruins prizes that have been randomly drawn. We do have the winner of the grand prize winner, (big cheesy grin) but in a few days the regional & grand prize winners will be officially announced by Celeste Bruno of MBLC. Just so you know, nearly 7,000 kids elected to sign up online to be included in the Bruins drawing. Wow! How cool is that? So keep a look out for any electronic mail that should happen to arrive carrying the announcement. And again, thanks for your hard work and participation and we are looking forward to Going Green in 2010! Woo hoo!

Rock on!

With summer reading programs over for most, a number of you wanted to end your programs with a bang--offering a presentation of your own using notes & NASA's in-depth handbook that was shipped along the lunar and/or meteorite samples. I have to admit, I wasn't sure if anyone wanted to engage an audience to talk about the Apollo Missions outside of a craft activity but there were a few librarians who attended Rick Varner's workshop who put on their NASA-emblazoned shirts and hats and talked 'shop'. I happened to attend one program where Children's librarian Margaret McGrath & Outreach librarian Sharon LaRossa from the Plymouth Public Library both not only shared the history of the rocks and the significance of the loan but also Mrs. LaRossa's personal account of her trip to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor's launch this past June. It was a captivating presentation--especially as the inter-generational audience was asked to share their own memories of the news of the Apollo Launch some 40 years ago.

And while Margaret was overheard by some that this year's theme moved her out of her comfort zone before she began her powerpoint presentation, but you wouldn't know it. Plymouth's Children's librarian kept the interest of the audience and even answered a few questions that might have intimated most Arts & Humanities graduates.

Further down the Cape & Islands another librarian held a captive audience. Deborah MacInnis of Edgartown Library also demonstrated that hobbies do come in handy when you are serving the public. Edgartown Public Library has it's on 'resident astronomy fan' working as a children's librarian. Between the Summer Triangle glow-in-the-dark chart and Alien craft activities, Deborah also facilitated a program featuring the loan samples and I'm sure her personal account of meteorite history--the story behind her photo of Comet Hale Bopp's appearance in her backyard in 1997 also added a special element to her presentation.

The above is just a small report of the exciting workshops, presentations and programs that our region has offered to the public. When we meet this fall during the Roundtables I'd love to hear what responses you received this year with such a dynamic (and dramatic--remember the Perseids shower) summer reading theme. Granted an evaluation of the program will be submitted to everyone but for others who had the samples if you be so kind as to share how many people attended the showing of the rocks, whether or not you saw an increase in participation from 'non-users', etc., I'd love to hear during a meeting or if you want to send me an email, that will be fine. I am hoping that this theme turned out to be a great introduction to families who hadn't visited their library in a while or some instances and I hope not many, those who've NEVER visited their neighborhood library.

Publicity abounds!

The Press apparently loves our 2009 summer reading theme! How about you? I hope you are having fun as much as these kids are. Here's the latest in newspaper articles celebrating our Starship Adventure:

Herald News
Brockton Enterprise
Patriot Ledger
Wicked Local--Hanover
Wicked Local--Plymouth


I know I could be missing other news story so if I have overlooked your library's article, please add a link below.

Photo Contest Winner Announced!

Congratulations goes to the Carver Public Library who submitted their photos for the Picturing Space Contest. Carver has won the 16 inch inflatable Earth Globe, in time to celebrate Space and before we even launch into our 2010 Go Green at Your Library summer theme. And many thanks goes out to all the others who submitted! You're welcome to send others along the way still. We thoroughly enjoy seeing your photos.

And speaking of photos, we thought the best photo appeared in last week's Enterprise announcing some of the activities that our libraries are doing to promote our theme as seen in this photo featuring the West Bridgewater Public Library. I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as the kids are. I can't wait to hear about your 'space travels' this fall!

Far Out [Library] Earth Pads!

Libraries across the southeast are going out all out in celebrating this summer's theme. Check them out at SEMLS' Flickr account. While we are never in competition with one another, the winner of our random prize drawing will receive a cool glow-in- the-dark globe. The winning library will receive notice on July 21st but from all appearances, it looks like the families have library participants won several programs back already.

Thanks to all who submitted and good luck!

Picturing Space

With all this talk about the space flight, our solar system and constellations this summer, we certainly shouldn't forget to capture on digital 'film' all of those libraries who have invested considerable amount of energy, accu-cuts and mylar to decorate your library's stellar Youth Services Areas. We want to see them! Between now and Wednesday July 15th, send me your best four(4) library photos that capture the spirit of our 2009 Children's and/or YA themes. Whether it's your Youth Services area or your Kick-off parties send your digital photos in via email.

Those who enter will be entered into our raffle for a chance to win an '16 inch inflatable Earth Globe from the Space Store that features glow-in- the-dark cities from around the world that depict Earth at night. In your email, please include your contact information and the name of your library and where your photo was taken if off-site. Judges will be members of SEMLS office staff who will notify the contest winner by Tuesday, July 21st at 1:00 p.m. Photos will be presented on the SEMLS flickr page for the world and our traveling Martian to see.

Don't blink or else you might miss it!

Quietly last week, a few of the banner ads of our Starship Adventure began showing up online in the Boston Moms section of Boston.com, the front page of the Berkshire Eagle, and the New Bedford Standard Times. These eye-catching rotating banner ads will invite readers to visit the Mass.gov pages which feature our attractive MBLC page listing events in libraries throughout the state. Also starting this week will be radio ads on stations WCTK 98.1 FM (Cape) and WBRK 1340 AM(Pittsfield) promoting our 2009 program. So keep your eyes glued and your ears unplugged to catch the ‘publicity comets’. Patrons will be able to view them by chance if they should visit either of these sites throughout the summer months. And when they do, be ready to watch the stardust fly as kids and parents land at your building or fly by online.

Space Movies

I forgot about The Last Starfighter and Snow Buddies

Space movies

Fly Me to the Moon is not covered by the movie license from movielicense.com. I personally have written to them to ask for permission. I have not had an answer yet.

These others either come with permission or permission is easily obtained.
Why Dragonfly, What's Up with the Moon (available on amazon) They give permission to show readily

Reading Rainbow Magic Schoolbus Gets Lost in Space (Comes with performance rights)

Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants (Came with performance rights)

Reading Rainbow Magic Schoolbus: Space Adventures: Out of this world (Comes with performance rights)

Reading Rainbow Alistair in Outer Space (Comes with performance rights)

Reading Rainbow Space Case (Comes with performance rights)

Aurora Explained available on Amazon used as VHS. University of Alaska gives permission easily. Their web site says, they still sell them but they don't. They also have great video stuff online.

Check out online the Science Channel's Space School. They have great photographic short videos of various space objects
like the Milky Way, the planets, the galaxies. If you have a digital projector you could show them on a screen or wall or you could set the children's computer stations up with bookmarks.

Space buddies (covered by movielicense.com license)

The Eagle Has Landed!

Wow. That was fast! In April I attended a workshop...in May I applied for the loan...in June I received my high-security item. Yes, the Lunar Samples from NASA's Goddard Space Center(Maryland) arrived for me today. Yes folks...SUMMER IS HERE!

Quite honestly I didn't think it would arrive THIS early but fortunately I talked with my Bank weeks ago to reserve a box for secure storage, so I was prepared for its arrival. Yet I'm extremely excited that along with the actual sample is a 3-ring binder full of information and activities. I haven't even gone through the binder but if you are at loss of ideas on how to present the Lunar Sample to your patrons, you won't be after reviewing the contents.

I'm not sure if any of you who have requested your 'little slice of history' has arrived yet but if it has send us your photos. Initially I had planned to place a photo of its contents on this blog, but I think I'll let you experience what I experienced when I opened the big brown box with its silver case and bubble wrap. Oops, I said too much already. Let me head off to the security box before I say anything else.


Special Agent Librarian 432
Signing off now

Things are just falling out of the sky!

Did you hear the news about our Bruins partnership? Woo hoo! I know it was a surprise for us too when we heard that the Bruins contacted the MBLC a few weeks ago about joining with the library to promote reading. But we're really not THAT surprised that someone of that stature would reach out to our little old library. LIBRARIES ROCK-- both on our planet and in space! This year's pilot program will encourage kids and families to participate via the ReadsinMa.org. In a few days, I will contact you with more information on the partnership as soon as we are closer to finalizing the press kit. Whew...this partnership is happening as quickly as a Haley's Comet!

And speaking of comets and other rock-like matter, I've received news that a few library lunar requests have been confirmed. Yeah! If your request has been confirmed why not share it on our Google calendar as a few libraries have done? You're get to see who has requested or decide whether you want to team with a nearby to share this NASA resource. If you're interested, you'll need to first create a Google account if you don't have one already. Once you've created an Google account, you can email me and I'll send you an invitation to be a part of this private calendar. I've added mine already--June 18th for the Stoughton Public Library training.

We are certified lunatics!

As of today twenty-eight(28) librarians and teachers were certified to handle and borrow the lunar/metorite rock samples from NASA's Goddard Space Center in Bethesda Maryland just in time for our summer programs. Rick Varner, an Aerospace Education Specialist from NASA, offered simple and fun activities for kids aged 7+, the history of space flight, along with providing online resources from his Portaportal.com page to supplement the fabulous handouts that were given to us.
If I had to rate any portion of the time spent with Rick last Friday, each section would easily been awarded 5 stars. In this short three-hour but information-filled workshop, 28 participants now have the opportunity to team up with other educational institutions, i.e. churches, after-school agencies or other schools and public libraries to present to kids and families the history of manned space flight and the geology of our galaxy. AMAZING!

And what is even more amazing is Mr. Varner's willingness to come back to the SEMLS region in June--June 18th to be exact--to offer a program geared to our teacher librarians. The extended version of the April 24th workshop will include more time for extra hands-on activities for registered attendees. If previous attendances couldn't get enough of the hands-on activities from the April 24th workshop, you are more than welcome to join us for the June 18th workshop. In fact, if you can't make the Thursday, June 18th workshop, five other regions across the state will host Rick's visit that same week.

Tuesday, June 16th (Western Region Conference Room)
Wednesday, June 17th Tewksbury Public (NMRLS & CMRLS Region combined)
Friday June 19th at Boston Children's Museum (Boston Region)

You have 3 other opportunities to become certified and participate in the fun outside of the SEMLS June 18th workshop. Registration for this workshop will begin on Friday May 1st so check the CE calendar to secure your space. In the meantime, you'll welcome to tour the actual facility where these samples are stored before they reach your library.

The Moon at Your Fingertips

Fly me to the moon
Let me sing among those stars
Let me see what spring is like
On Jupiter and Mars......
(F.Sinatra)

Don't you just enjoy those moments when the full moon lies so close to the night sky's horizon? There are times when I foolishly believe that if I walk in the direction of the moon that I would someday 'touch' it while it hangs so low in the sky during the summer months. If you've ever felt that way as a child or even as an adult, here's your opportunity to 'touch' the moon.

On Friday, April 24th, you are invited to participate in the training for the handling of Lunar Rock samples from the Apollo space mission era. Member librarians and even science teachers who are accompanied with their school's media specialist will have an opportunity to revisit the successful (and harrowing) stories and photos of manned spaceflight missions that took place between 1961-1975. Rick Varner, Aerospace Education Specialist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland will be on hand to prepare you for the proper handing of these primary artifacts of history for use in your public or school library program. Workshop participants will be able to request these lunar samples throughout the year from the Space Flight Center upon completion of training. If you want to be a part of the 'first public librarian crew' in the statewide training workshops, please click here to register.

In the meantime, we want you to enjoy the rest of Sinatra's classic song--compliments of Jason Mraz.

About as rare as a Blue Moon...

...when I offer my recommendation of a performer or artist but I wanted to mention an artist that I did find while searching the net. There's a painter and amateur astronomer in Manchester, Connecticut who replicates scenes from our galaxy. If there's 25,000 stars in a captured photo, then he recreates 25,000 stars in his artwork. Wouldn't that be a cool exhibit to tie into your summer reading program? Check out his artwork on his website. If any of you should host Mr. Rick Costello's exhibit in your library, please let me know. I'd love to come down (or up) to see his artwork.

Space is Cold & Edible!

How often do you use space, ice and food in a sentence? Hopefully more often than not after Tuesday's NASA inspired workshop. Shelley Quezada, a Simmons Library School Professor & MBLC's Consultant for Library Services to the Underserved offered a WONDERFUL workshop FULL of web resources that you can use, promote and borrow in support of your program. Explore! To the Moon and Beyond is one of many NASA inspired shelf-ready programs that educators and parents can use. Whether you are in the classroom or in the library this program features the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter(LRO) & Lunar Crater Observation & Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) missions. LRO/LCROSS what? Yeah, I know. It's a mouth full but if I could explain it in a nutshell--an unmanned spacecraft that will orbit the moon for a year to collect data primarily of the moon and of the sun's radiation for future space flight and scientific research. NASA with the help of teachers and NASA scientists has created very informal and traditionally low-cost projects that you can recreate at your library. While Shelley was kind enough to provide information on different books, links and exercises, we also took the time out to try out another shelf-ready program for kids aged 8 and up. Explore! Ice Worlds! a ready made program that can be found on The Lunar & Planetary Institute's (LPI) website provides a hands-on-lesson that will forever be ingrained into the left (& right) brained emerging scientist. See below the results of an All About Ice experiment that reiterates the freezing temperature of ice. It's amazing what a little ice, salt, sugar, milk and vanilla extract will do in a ziploc bag.



And once again, we ask that you do try this Ice Cream in a Ziploc Bag activity at your library.

More Science/Craft Activities Coming Your Way...

What was it nearly a week ago when many of us met with Dr. Gross, Co-Director for Education at the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling at Boston University with grad student Sarah McGregor aka The Sun Goodness for our Blast Off to Space program? Now many of the activities didn't involve rocket science but they were certainly related. We cratered the moon, determined how far earth was to a nearby planet and even discussed life on Mars. There was indeed some fascinating stuff, space trivia, mathematical calculations & theories passed along the room. But a program would not be complete with at least something bubbling throughout the session.



And yes, we do encourage you to try this at home and more importantly--at your libraries. Forget the science of it all and just do the crafts, dude.

Thanks for your timely ordering!

Eighty-six schools and public libraries are getting ready for a Starship Adventure at THEIR libraries in 2009!

Abington Public Library
Angelo School Library
Aquinnah Public Library
Attleboro Public Library
Avon Public Library
Berkley Public
Blanding Public Library
Boyden Library
Brewster Ladies' Library
Bridgewater Public Library
Brockton Public Library
Carver Public Library
Centerville Public Library
Chilmark Public Library
Conley Elementary School
Cotuit Public Library
Dennis Public Library
Dighton Public Library
Duxbury Free Library
E. Bridgewater Public Library
Eastham Elementary School
Eastham Public Library
Edgartown Public Library
Eldredge Public Library
Falmouth Public Library
Fiske Public Library
Hanson Public Library
Hingham Public Library
Holbrook Public Library
Holmes Public Library
Hyannis Public Library
Indian Head School
James White Memorial Library
John Curtis Free Library
John H. Duval Elementary
Jonathan Bourne Public Library
Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library
Kingston Public Library
Lakeville Public Library
Mansfield Public Library
Maquan Elementary School
Marstons Mills Public Library
Mashpee Public Library
Mattapoisett Free Public Library
Middleborough Public Library
Millicent Library
Milton Public Library
Nantucket Atheneum
New Bedford Free Public Library
Norfolk Public Library
Norton Public Library
Norwell Public Library
Oak Bluffs Public Library
Osterville Village Library
Paul Pratt Memorial Library
Pembroke Public Library
Plainville Public Library
Plymouth Public Library
Plymouth River School Library
Quincy Public Schools
Raynham Public Library
Richards Memorial Library
Sacred Heart Elementary School
Seekonk Public Library
Sharon Public Library
Snow Library
Somerset Public Library
Southworth Library
Stoughton Public Library
Sturgis Library
Swansea Public Library
Thayer Public Library
The Ames Free Library
Thomas Crane PL
Tufts Library
Turner Free Library
Ventress Memorial Library
Walpole Public Library
Wareham Free Library
Wellfleet Public Libary
West Bridgewater Public Library
West Tisbury Publlic Library
Westport Free Pulbic Library
Weymouth Public Libraries
Whitman Public Library
Yarmouth Town Libraries

If you missed the deadline to place your order of certificates, bookmarks, posters, young adult cards and reading logs through SEMLS for the March 23rd shipment date, please order directly by using Janway's online order form.

We're looking for taglines!

As you all know, Environment is the Theme for 2010. And as with every theme, there is usually a tagline. We are looking for some catchy taglines to help us celebrate our theme. So I'm inviting all my witty SEMLS librarians to help us create slogans for both the children's and teen summer reading program theme. A few have been offered by librarians in the Metrowest & Central region so far...

Going Green, Green Teens, READcycle at Your Library, Dream in Green at Your Library are just a few of the submitted slogans. If you think you would like to offer a slogan for consideration, feel free to post here or send me an email. Go ahead and throw your name in the green pool. 8-)

P.S. Thankfully Anne Vantran has already thrown her name in the pool. Green is Global at Your Library!....Get Energized at Your Library!

Will there be others? *wink*