books

books

World Book Night … spreading the love of reading, person to person

World Book Night … spreading the love of reading, person to person

, books, Frances Yates, outreach, Programs 0 Comments
Think about a book you read recently that you enjoyed.  As simple as that…reading a book that gives you enjoyment.  Now think about people who know how to read, but do not. Perhaps they got out of the habit, or never developed the habit of reading for pleasure, or don’t have access, or any number of other reasons.  Now, YOU have an opportunity to change that. YOU can be part of a nation-wide reading advocacy project called “World Book Night.”  It occurs on April 23 but YOU have to act now.  Please go to the World Book Night website by JANUARY 25 and apply to be a “book giver.”  You’ll be directed to select 3 books as your top choices … Continued
LGBTQ Youth Literature

LGBTQ Youth Literature

, books, Jesse Whitton 0 Comments
Choosing a topic for my end of semester L390 Children’s Literature paper was a process of exploration. I chose to compare and contrast picture books with a common theme. I wanted a theme that dealt with current events so I focused on the 2012 elections.  With 3 additional States and the District of Columbia legalizing Gay Marriage (for a total of 9 states, http://gaymarriage.procon.org), I decided to examine children’s books that feature children with gay parents. So I turned to the IU East Library children’s book collection.  I located four books that were stories about gay parents: Daddy’s Roommate, Heather has Two Mommies, Gloria goes to Gay Pride, and And Tango Makes Three. A librarian also directed me to an … Continued
…NaNoWriMo? Start your “Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!”

…NaNoWriMo? Start your “Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!”

, Ashlee Brown, books 0 Comments
As you may know, November is right around the corner. Yep, you know what that means, National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. For those of you who didn’t know November was National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo is a month dedicated to encouraging novel writing, and creative writing in general, that was started by the non-profit organization, Office of Letters and Light. Starting November 1st, it is encouraged that you start writing your own novel, and finish it by the end of November and then enter your new novel into NaNoWriMo. After that, through NaNoWriMo, you are eligible for awards and scholarships for the best writings of the month! So what would be better to get you in the novel writing … Continued
Ban it, burn it, bury it….but whatever you do, don’t read these books!

Ban it, burn it, bury it….but whatever you do, don’t read these books!

, books, Frances Yates, Jesse Whitton, Programs 0 Comments
Each year hundreds of books are challenged. What does the word “challenged” mean? Challenged is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. Whether the challenge is based on sexual explicitness, sexuality, racism, religious viewpoints, violence, offensive language, or many other issues, some of the these books are removed from circulation. Last year alone, 326 books were challenged. Perhaps some of your favorite books made this list. (http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/reasonsbanned)  This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week (http://www.bannedbooksweek.org). Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries.  Banned Books … Continued
A truly good book teaches me better than to read it

A truly good book teaches me better than to read it

, books, Mandi Moning 0 Comments
“A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.” ~ Henry David Thoreau   The Library of Congress is currently housing an exhibit titled “Books that Shaped America.” These books ( http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-123.html) “shaped Americans’ views of the world and the world’s views of America.” While the list is not meant to signify the greatest works of American literature, they do provide a glimpse of our history, culture, and ideals. Working in a library, I naturally have a profound admiration for books and the effects they can have on an individual’s life. I encourage you to take … Continued