Shoes are powerful things! The website Book Riot has compiled some images of book-inspired shoes – from romance novels to comic books. You can check them out here. And one last pair of very powerful shoes. . .
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/nrrdywv, licensed under CC BY 2.0
In a post from September 9th, the Princeton University Library announced that they made their Western European Theater Political Pamphlet Collection available online. The pamphlets in the collection were published in Europe during and shortly after World War I. Some of the topics they cover are the economy, territorial disputes, the press, and the military. The pamphlets were written in English, German, French, Italian, Russian, and other languages, and many sides of the war are represented. Now you can catch another little glimpse into US history.
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/pt386qp, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Recently, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) came out with their 25 Best Apps for Teaching & Learning for 2014. The apps were chosen because they foster innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration.
One of these apps is Notability. This app allows students and educators to take notes and add to them – through writing, drawing, annotating, and even voice recordings. This encourages students to mark up their texts with notes for themselves, creating a better understanding of their readings. AASL suggests, “students might also create portfolios of their work throughout the year.” Even Apple uses this app: “We rely on this sleek powerful note-taker to annotate documents, record lectures, sketch illustrations, and more.”
At $2.99 the app is a great value. It is recommended for grades 3-12 and is available on iOS only. Learn more about Notability through this tutorial:
For more apps, check out our 2014 Recommended App archive!
National Novel Writing Month organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they need to achieve their creative potential. Our programs are web-enabled challenges with vibrant real-world components, designed to foster self-expression while building community on local and global levels.” -National Novel Writing Month mission statement
October has brought us wind and rain, but November will bring us National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)! The month-long celebration, according to the about page of the event’s website, “is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30.” In 2013, “310,095 participants started the month of November as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.”
Still have questions about National Novel Writing Month? Check out their FAQ page, and be sure to celebrate NaNoWriMo in your own special way!
Calling all young adults! This month, all 32 Great River Regional Library (GRRL) branches will be offering opportunities for minors (ages 16 and under) with late fees to lower their fines by reading! Read Down Your Fines Week will take place from October 13th through the 18th, concurrent with national Teen Read Week. For every 15 minutes of reading the minor does at the library, $1 will be waived from their fines. GRRL says, “in the case of very young children with fines on their cards, parents will be able to read down their child’s fines by reading to them in the library.” The event applies to late fees, but not to lost or damaged materials.
The program is designed to get teens back into the library – library patron services specialist Beth Ringsmuth Stolpman says, “When teen are not allowed to check out materials they may feel unwelcome in our buildings.” The first Read Down Your Fines Week was held in June of 2013, and the event was repeated again later that year. GRRL reports that about 400 teens and children read their fines down to $0 in those two weeks, allowing them to check out materials again. Click here for more information.