Two Book Tuesday

It's been rather a long while since my last Two Book Tuesday post.  A fact, for which, I am sorry, but I let both work and school distract me from this blog and am now working to remedy that failure.  While I haven't been posting, I have continued reading and rediscovering the joy of having a book in my hands, turning the pages and wanting to make notes about each new story.  So, let's get this post started!

I am currently reading The Sky Below by Stacy D'Erasmo, an interesting piece of literature that follows the life of one Gabriel Collins, who writes obituaries for a "ratty paper in lower Manhattan."  Honestly, I can't stand Gabriel.  He is exactly as the author has written him, a drug-dealing thief who manipulates those around him for his own gain.  However, his life story is a pretty compelling one and, as much as I dislike Gabriel, I can't stop reading.

 

As for my second book in this post: Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee is a story I have wanted to read since I came across a review for it in a professional library journal and decided to purchase it for my library's collection.  It is a super terrific sounding tale of a girl who is trying to find her way in a world full of superpowers, heroes, and villains.  Along the way, she gets the chance to be closer to her crush, Abby, takes a job interning for a supervillain to spite her superhero parents, and discover that maybe she has more power than she originally thought. 

Seriously, I can NOT wait to start reading this book!  It was ridiculously cool to meet the author at the 2017 Romantic Times Book Convention in Atlanta this year and to have her sign my book.  I can admit to feeling a little awestruck to meet C.B. Lee, she is super sweet and was giving away the best buttons at her signing table!

Battle of the Brains

One of my favorite things about working in the Youth Services department at the library, are the opportunities outside of our walls and I was excited to be asked to attend the 2016 Battle of the Brains competition at Houston High School in Germantown, Tennessee.  Battle of the Brains is a competition where young adults in the community are tasked with creating solutions to existing problems and to help assist in the planning of the future for their community.

This year, students were instructed to use math and science to tackle issues affecting Germantown's future.  I saw projects ranging from a station to change out the batteries of electric cars to increase range, car radios that would automatically turn volume levels down, a sort of hover train transit system, and many more!

I took the chance to write a little more about two of my favorite projects, one of which one First Place!

"Classroom of the Future"

Lucas M. and Alejandro S. are two students who are passionate about learning.  These are two young men who are dissatisfied with the current education system and who have spent countless hours pursuing topics discussed in the classroom in their own time.

Their project, Classroom of the Future, is an idea for a school where students can learn life skills, have the opportunity to be hands on with technology and other resources, and (best of all) are encouraged to learn and focus on topics they are passionate about.

It is encouraging and inspiring to see that youth in our community are passionate about learning and are concerned about the education system enough to come up with a plan to make it better.

"Sprinkler Sensors"

The four students who worked on the solution for over-consumption of water for lawns are resourceful and excited about their project.  Their project considered three main areas; a rain level detector, a soil moisture sensor, and grass types working together to conserve water in Germantown.

   

The use of Fescue grass, a drought resistant grass that has deep roots and can help prevent erosion is just one part of the project. This grass would appeal to Germantown residents and businesses because it stays green year round.

Now, the two most important aspects of this project are the rain level detector which, unlike current models that are tripped by any rainfall, would only be activated when a certain level of rainfall has been reached.

Additionally, a smarter soil moisture sensor would monitor the level of moisture in the soil rather than the mere existence of moisture.  These three components were combined to create a feasible plan that could be implemented in the very near future.

Congratulations to the winning team; Chae-Yeon P., Sally H., Mr. Kim (whose first name I did not get, sorry), and Hameedha K.

The 2016 Winners!

And many congratulations to all of the students that participated in the 2016 Battle of the Brains competition.  I was inspired by your passion and dedication and can't wait to see what you create next.  The sky is the limit and you are already flying!

.

Top Ten Young Adult Fiction at GCL

Is it any surprise that a list of the top ten young adult fiction titles checked out in 2015 contains The Hunger Games trilogy? There are five different dystopian series on this list, one classic, and one John Green novel (of course).

Whatever it is, you sure did enjoy these books this year... In fact, many of these titles were checked out OVER 50 TIMES! That is an extraordinary number for any young adult fiction collection. Good job, y'all!

Comment and let me know what you thought about these books, the movie adaptations, and anything else that tickles your fancy.  :)

1. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
   
2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
   
3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
   
4. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
   
5. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
   
6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
   
7. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
   
8. Divergent by Veronica Roth
   
9. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
   
10. Matched by Allyson Condie
    

I Don't Work Today!

For the first time in years, I arrived at the library ready to start my work week only to discover that I wasn't scheduled.  It was my day off!  I'd completely forgotten that, with the Thanksgiving holiday this week, I was not scheduled to work on Monday.

As mentioned, this is the first time in YEARS that I came to work on my day off!  And I think I know why...

While working in a Youth Services department has never been a dream of mine, having the opportunity to work face-to-face with the public, be a major part of the collection development, and create programming for the community has been an interesting challenge.

I enjoy the work I am doing and the people I work with.  My co-workers are supportive and kind, always willing to lend a hand when needed or make a coffee run when the caffeine starts petering out.  :)

So, with Thanksgiving right around the corner I would like to say, "Thank you" to the Youth Services department of the Germantown Community Library.  Thank you for welcoming me, allowing me the opportunity to try new things, and for supporting me throughout all the changes we've faced over the last year.

Y'all are wonderful and I'll never be able to put into words how grateful I am for you!

Panic At the Children's Desk

After more than ten years at the Germantown Community Library, I made the craziest leap of my career and accepted a position as a Youth Services Library Associate.  Yeah, it was a surprise to me too, since I'd promised myself that I would never cross the maroon carpet into the Children's Department.

For the most part, working in the Children's Department has been a pretty good fit; there were the normal bumps and grumbles as staff tried to accommodate a new person into an already cohesive team, I've had more than my fair share of freaking out while trying to catch up on everything I'm not familiar with, and it's been stressful in entirely new ways to be working with young people day in and day out.

Here are just a few of the crazy days that I've had since joining the "Collective."  (points to anyone who recognizes that reference)

One afternoon, I was the only staff person working at the Youth Services desk and I am embarrassed to admit that I panicked a little when six children all wanted to play with a different LEGO set (and then wanted to trade it for a different set moments later) and another handful of kids were asking for scissors, tape, and coloring pages.  While I couldn't find the kid-safe scissors, we took Mom a pair of adult-scissors and found her to be happily surprised that her little girl "still needed her for something."  I never did find the coloring pages with the "house on it" for another little girl.

Overall, it was the most stressful hour and a half I've had so far as a Youth Services Library Associate, but it was also one of the most fun (in the strangest of ways).  I was able to provide most of my patrons / customers with what they were looking for or something similar, the Teen Volunteer assigned to work the Summer Reading Desk was an invaluable source of support, and ultimately I found a home for all of the LEGO pieces that had lost their sets.  :-P

Another encounter involved a young boy (maybe two or three) who was slamming a sign down again and again on the LEGO table.  We had just recently had one of those sign holders break and shatter into extremely sharp pieces that I cut my finger on and I didn't want him to get hurt either... so, I walked over and nicely asked him to be careful with the sign so it wouldn't break.  Mom made some comment that I took as exasperated humor and to which I responded with a smile and comment about the previously broken sign.

Barely twenty minutes later, I heard someone bouncing on top of the firetruck behind me (serious safety hazard, that) and turned to find the same boy.  He was an exceptionally well behaved kid, I promise, but I've seen kids go head first over the edge of the firetruck and am paranoid about it happening again... but with more serious consequences than the last time.

So, I went over to talk to him, asking him to "make sure to sit down or kneel if he was on top of the fire truck" and heard Mom make a nasty comment about how this was the Children's area and kids should be allowed to do kid things.  I was shocked by how angry she sounded and let her know that I was only looking out for her son's safety, as I'd seen other children take tumbles off the fire truck.

Without looking at me, she said, "I don't know why you're so mean.  Where did the nice librarian go?  You should leave and have her come back."

I don't think that I've ever had someone say something so harsh to me before and even now, recounting the event a month later, I feel hurt by her response.  Truly, I don't think that she was really angry with me but that she had had a long, frustrating day and I was an easy target.  I hope that she and her son continue to use our library in the future and that we are able to move past that first encounter and have a productive library-patron relationship.

AND today is Star Wars Reads Day, which is the first really big event that I have planned (and executed) and I'm really nervous about it.  Here's hoping it is a resounding success!

There have been ups and downs, really nice people and not so nice people, busy days and slow days, and I have learned so many new things!  I am excited to see where this new position takes me and what cool things I get to do in the future... I may write about my current job duties, for they are varied and awesome!

Two Book Tuesday

There are a number of upcoming releases that I am super excited to read, but seeing as I've called it "Two Book Tuesday," I will limit myself to just two books from entirely different collections... all the while wondering just what titles you are looking forward to this Autumn?

The first title is Lizard Radio and it is a young adult science fiction novel written by Pat Schmatz. What I noticed first about this title is the cover and if the novel is half as good as the cover then this should prove to be quite an interesting read.

Having just finished reading Static by L.A. Witt, I was surprised to see another title with a main character who does not fit the mainstream image of a single-gendered person. Kivali, the fifteen-year-old protagonist of Lizard Radio has grown up in a gender-rigid world that doesn't accept her status as a "bender." Abandoned as a baby, she doesn't know where she came from or what she is, but she does have a special gift... Kivali is able to enter a trance-like state to harness the "knowings" inside her. Just what are these "knowings" and how do they help Kivali in this coming-of-age story? Well, I guess we will have to read this book and find out!



The second book that I am excited to see is a picture book written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (who may be a new favorite illustrator of mine). The Day the Crayons Came Home is a companion to the insanely popular The Day the Crayons Quit! and is sure to be just as popular with children and parents as the first book.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Duncan is about to take on the task of rescuing crayons from beneath sofa cushions and inside of socks. This is a story about finding friends in the unlikeliest of places, surviving the tough times in life, and coming home (to the crayon box).

NetGalley Open For Business

One of my goals for the year is to read more; whether it be reading for pleasure, school, or work I just want to READ.

To help keep me on track, I've hopped back on the NetGalley website as a "professional reader" to help encourage me to both read and review the material that I am reading.  I've already got one neat badge and hope to unlock more as I go.  :)

Wish me luck!

Two Book Tuesday

I do have two titles for Two Book Tuesday this week.  My favorite thing about this week is how odd the two books are, lol.

First, we have a book that I desperately wanted to find and read.  Sadly, I couldn't remember the title or author, and I barely remembered the cover art and general premise of the story.  Emily B., a co-worker of mine, was kind enough to help me dig through the depths of the internet until we found it!  So, the first book for Two Book Tuesday is The Cure by Sonia Levitin.

A strange mixture of science-fiction, dystopian fiction, and historical fiction, I first read The Cure when we lived in Baltimore, MD.  If you are a fan of the recently-popular Divergent series, then The Cure is right up your alley with "factions" and forced conformity into these factions.  Deviants are criminals with only two options: to die and be recycled or to accept a mysterious cure that is supposed to bring them back into the fold.

Gemm, a deviant and the main character of the story, chooses to take the cure and suddenly finds himself living the live of a 16-year-old Jewish musician in 1348 at the beginning of the Black Death.  As a young reader, this book was such a great experience that is has stayed with me over a decade later and is a title that I re-read every few years.

The absolute terrible part of this whole search process is that the library no longer owns this title and I need to look elsewhere if I decide that I want to read it, which I do.  I cannot put into words the sense of betrayal I felt that this book was no longer available at my library.  I have to wonder if this is how most patrons feel when we go through a period of healthy weeding of our collections.

And the second book I have for you this week is Beauty written by Hubert, with art by Kerascoët.

Apparently, I placed an Inter-Library Loan request for this title a few weeks ago and it finally arrived...  The strange thing is that I don't remember anything about the request or the book itself!  So, I find myself with the opportunity to read a pretty great looking graphic novel that I may not have otherwise picked up.

I'll let you know how it is.  :)

PIN or PIN Number?

Did you know that PIN stands for Personal Identification Number and by saying PIN Number you are essentially saying number number?  Well, it does and you are!

Working in a public library means that I have the opportunity to work with people having different levels of technological know-how. I've had users ask "Mouse? Isn't that a rodent?" and others asking "How do I code an app?" There is a pretty vast range of computer knowledge in our patron base and as a library worker it is my job to meet users at their level and be able to communicate and assist them on that level.

Sometimes, this means saying PIN Number because a patron might not know or understand what a PIN actually is.

As with any opportunity to teach, I use these interactions to explain what a PIN actually is or to help familiarize the patron with the program or internet browser they are using. One of the most rewarding parts of working with the public is being able to give them knowledge they didn't have before and the ability to use that knowledge.

So, do you say PIN or PIN number when talking to the public?

Which do you say?

PIN

PIN Number

Other

Poll Maker

Unshelved or Brianna?

A number of years ago my sister, Brianna, had an encounter with a patron at the Circulation Desk.  She had informed the patron that he owed a small fine and asked if he wanted to pay it that day.  The patron responded with a question, "So, how can we make this go away?"

To this day, I laugh at my sister's response. She told the patron, as only she could, that if he paid the fine then it would go away.

And do you know what?  He was shocked enough by her response that he paid the fine that very day.

For family and friends, what are your favorite "Brianna-related" memories?

This Unshelved comic strip reminded me of that and I thought I'd share.  Click the comic to see more of the fun library-times that is the Unshelved comic series.

Best Of Overload

At the end of the year, we are bombarded by the "best of that year" and "books you must read next year" lists from every source imaginable.  Amazon, Goodreads, The New York Times, and many other websites, blogs, and newspapers release their own (sometimes very different) lists which can make it hard for a reader to decide just which titles really were the best.

One of my favorite things to come out of last years avalanche of lists is the one from Wired.com.  They did a unique thing by utilizing the data already posted and available to the public; taking a slightly different route in creating their "best books of 2014" list and pooling all of the lists together and rating titles by giving points for a title appearing on Top 100 and Top 10 lists AND how often those titles showed up on lists.

Although many of the titles are not surprising, the results are somewhat interesting and cover a number of genres of both fiction and non-fiction titles.  I was surprised to see Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty was so far down the list, as it has been highly popular in my library and on the "best of" lists I'd already happened upon.

If you think you can handle just one more list of book suggestions, click HERE to read Wired.com's article.  Who knows, perhaps you'll find your next favorite read?