Snow Day on Monday, January 10

Because of the severe winter storm threatening the southeast US, our school system has already announced school closings for Monday. A large majority of our students ride the bus to and from school and icy winter conditions on small country roads necessitate the closing. So there goes our Good Friday holiday.....which will be used as a makeup day.

HOWEVER, the Auburn University Tigers are playing for the BCS National Championship in Glendale, Arizona on Monday night. Auburn is about 25 miles away and is my alma mater. Soooo, Monday is a great day to be home getting ready for the game. Just hope the power stays on.

A big War Eagle to all of you. "Hey, it's great to be an Auburn Tiger".

Finished My First Book on My Kindle

Today I finished my first read on the Kindle. It's been kind of neat...right now a novelty I think. It was the final book in the Richelle Mead Vampire Academy series. I knew one of my 5th grade teachers would have the hardback when we got back to school, but it was nice to think of it, ask for it, Amazon sent it, the credit card paid for it and I could start to read. I also loaded A Tale of Two Cities....it was free. But there are 2 Karen Kingsbury books calling my name....Time to Dance and Time to Embrace. Those before Dickens I think.



Thanks to my husband for wanting me to have something before I even knew I needed it.

Redesigning Library

The 4-6 grade school where I have been the librarian/media specialist since 1996 is being revamped as a K-6 school as are 3 other schools in our district. (One of which will be brand new) As of yet the schools are not even named. The collections in our k-1, 2-3, 4-6 schools are having to be divided and the libraries redesigned for the new patrons we will have. All of this with very very little funding. Also I am redesigning for whomever takes my position as I am retiring at the end of this school year. Huge task! Our faculties will also be split up between the 4 schools. So the school I am leaving at the end of the year will no longer exist in any form or fashion except maybe the actual physical plant. All this is taking place while we still serve this year's students and attempt to teach to fidelity. And that's another thing.....Teach to fidelity does not seem proper use of the word to me.

Save the Words

This is so cool. Adopt a word and save it from a certain death.


http://www.savethewords.org/


Sponsored by the Oxford Dictionaries

It's International School Library Month Time (almost)

My students are again participating in the bookmark project for International School Library Month. We are paired again this year with Lam Tin Methodist Primary School in Hong Kong for an exchange of 450 bookmarks. Our other sister school is G. D. Goenka School in New Delhi, India. That match is for 300 bookmarks to be exchanged. We started today with our research on these two countries. The resulting project will be a poster display of the students' research. Look for these in the next few weeks.

This is a project we totally enjoy every year. I encourage all media specialists to get participate in this activity. Registration can be as early as July.

Mockingjay

Finished Mockingjay two nights ago. Was disappointed with the epilogue. My teacher friend, who turned me onto the trilogy, and I agree on this. Could it be because it was a "young adult" book Collins decided to tie it all up neatly with a bow? Co-worker said it reminded her of the epilogue in the last Harry Potter. Also we were somewhat disappointed in Gale's post war occupation. However, the choice to shoot Coin....outstanding! Reread those paragraphs several times. Wish I had reread Hunger Games and Catching Fire before beginning Mockingjay. Too long away from a series sometimes muddles up the read.

Summer Reading Rewards

Finished 22 books over summer vacation. Our public library sponsored a summer reading program for adults. Anyone reading 10 or more books was entered in a drawing for prizes. I won a grill/smoker, 10 pounds of charcoal, lighter fluid and grill tools. Fun, fun!

Books: Dead in the Family Charlaine Harris
The Shack William P. Young
Second Hand Michael Zandoorian
Take One Karen Kingsbury
Shades of Grey Jasper Fforde
Susannah's Garden Debbie Macomber
Ribbon of Years Robin Lee hatcher
Secret Keepers Mindy Friddle
Beachcombers Nancy Thayer
Home for Christmas Andrew M. Greeley
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Alan Bradley
The Walk Richard Paul Evans
Her Fearful Summetry Audrey Niffenegger
Bone Appetit Carolyn Haines
Mrs. Darcy and the Blue Eyed Stranger Lee Smith
Small Change Sheila Roberts
The Christmas List Richard Paul Evans
Lakeshore Christmas Susan Wiggs
Wedding Belles Haywood Smith
The Last Time I Saw You Elizabeth Berg
Wrecked Carol Higgins Clark

Most thought provoking......Shades of Grey. I love Jasper Fforde and have read all the Thursday Next books.

Guess I'm back to children's books for now. Lots of book talks to do. Nothing gets a book circulated faster than a good book talk/pitch/promotion.