Join the Banned Books Week Contest

Banned Books Week Image

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read has been observed during the last week of September each year since 1982. This annual event, sponsored by the American Library Association, reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted.

Banned Books Week emphasizes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. For more information, please visit this link on the American Library Association site.

In honor of Banned Books Week, please visit the library to see the display of recently banned and challenged books and participate in this contest. Download the quiz form, or come by the library for a copy, and answer each of the questions and return your answer sheet to the library by Tuesday, October 5. Everyone with a complete set of correct answers will be entered in a drawing to win a Starbucks Gift Certificate.

Please participate in the student library survey

Students, please give your input to the library program by participating in the library survey. Please visit this link to participate in the survey. All students who submit a survey by Friday, October 1 and include their names will be entered in a random drawing to be featured in a library READ poster like the one you see of me here with my favorite recent book, Mockingjay. Mockingjay is the final installment in Suzanne Collins’ page-turning dystopian trilogy, The Hunger Games.jane small read poster

Vote for the Teens’ Top 10 for 2010

Voting is going on right now — through September 17 — for the Teens’ Top 10 for 2010.  Teens’ Top Ten is a “teen choice” list, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! It’s sponsored by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association), a part of the American Library Association (ALA).

The winning books will be announced in a webcast at during Teen Read Week, Oct. 17-23. If you read a lot, and have read a number of the nominated books, do visit this link and vote for your favorites before the September 17 deadline.

L.A. County Library Bookmark Contest

The Mira Costa Library encourages all students to enter the County of Los Angeles Public Library’s 31st annual public library bookmark contest.  Celebrate books and reading by creating a unique bookmark based on this year’s theme: “Swing into Reading.”

Each year the Manhattan Beach Library, our local L.A. County Library branch, selects 12 to 16 bookmarks out of hundreds of entries from local students.  Four winners will be selected in each category (Kindergarten-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade).  The winners will be honored at a Manhattan Beach city council meeting and will receive a certificate there.  Afterwards, they will be celebrated next door at the library with gift bags of treats, Barnes & Noble gift cards, and fifty copies of their bookmarks to share with friends and family.

You can print the Bookmark Contest Entry Form from this link or ask for a copy at our library or the Manhattan Beach Public Library.  Completed entries may be turned in at school by October 29th or to the public library by October 30th. The Mira Costa HS Library will also honor all the high school level winners by displaying their designs in the library and distributing copies of the bookmarks.

Start working on your design, and have fun! 🙂

Prezi About Your Librarian

To learn a little more about me, visit the About Your Librarian page and view the embedded Prezi presentation I made about myself. I am also using Prezi for the 9th grade library orientations which are starting this week. Prezi is a fun way to create presentations that allow for great flexibility in the order you move from one image or text item to another. If you are interested in using Prezi and would like help, let me know!

Get Connected @Your Library

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The library has actually been open — and very busy — every day since school opened. Starting Monday, September 13, though, it will be open with extended hours, from 7:30 A.M. – 5 P.M. Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 A.M. – 3 P.M. on Fridays. Please join the many students who have already been taking advantage of the library. Come by to study, get books, use the computers, and get help with book selection and technology. If you are a 9th grader, you will also be visiting with your English class this week or next week for a library orientation.

Official Library Opening Coming Soon

Throughout the first week of school, the library was devoted almost entirely to textbook distribution. We are almost done with that process! Even during this time, many students have already stopped by  to use the computers, read, study, and check out library books. The library will officially open with full services on Monday, September 13.

Library hours starting September 13 will be 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Fridays. Students can visit the library on their own before school, after school, during nutrition and lunch, any free period, or during class with a pass from their teachers. Students will also be coming as class groups scheduled by their teachers. All 9th graders will have a class library orientation with their English classes. I will be available to help find and recommend books and online resources and to assist with research and technology from 7:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. each day.

During the extended hours from 3 P.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Thursday, the library will be staffed by teachers Mr. McAvin and Mr. Zeoli and a team of volunteer tutors who can help students needing homework assistance. These hours are generously funded by the PTSA.