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The newsletter of the Sarasota County Library System    

 

 

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National Library News:

ALA Presidential Citation Recognizes Gaming

CHICAGO - Gaming has been given the presidential seal at the American Library Association (ALA). And that means a chance for libraries to shine a spotlight on their gaming programs.   ALA President Loriene Roy is offering a 2008 Presidential Citation to libraries--and librarians of all kinds--that use games and gaming as tools for learning, literacy development and community development.   "Libraries are embracing Web 2.0 and new services in response to and in anticipation of patron needs," Roy said. "We recognize librarians who are leading the way in providing exemplary services using gaming technology."   Citation winners will receive a certificate and be featured on ALA's games and gaming Web site. Winners will be notified in mid-May, and winning selections announced at the 2008 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim. Roy will present the citations at the ALA's first open gaming night at the conference.   Nominations are being accepted in three categories: education, recreation and innovation, including creative collaborations. Applications are being received from Jan. 14 through April 21. Self nominations are strongly encouraged. Apply online at http://creator.zoho.com/olos/2008-presidential-gaming-citations/form/1/.   The nominations will be reviewed by a panel of experts from the library field, the gaming industry, academia and philanthropy.

Local Library News:

Take a Reading Road Trip to Fruitville Library The Fruitville Library’s Children’s Department will present a Scholastic Book Fair from Mar. 29 to Apr. 2, 2008. Scholastic, the popular children’s publisher, is partnering with the library to offer the latest books, posters, reading accessories, software and toys at discounted prices to the public.   The book fair is scheduled for the following dates and times in Fruitville Library’s Meeting Room: Saturday, Mar. 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Mar. 31, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 1, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Apr. 2, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The schedule coincides with the beginning of Sarasota County Schools’ spring break holiday, a traditionally busy week at the library. Fruitville Youth Librarians and the Friends of the Fruitville Library will run the four-day fair, and all of the profits will be used to purchase new books for the Fruitville Library Children’s Department.   The theme for the fair is “Reading Road Trip.” Appropriately, the library will be decorated with automotive, travel and vacation memorabilia. The Sarasota Classic Car Museum and AAA Auto Club South (Bee Ridge Road office) are helping to sponsor the event with donations of travel-related items and displays.   Everyone is invited! The Fruitville Youth Librarians hope to see you there.

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Featured Stories:

Preserving the Value of Libraries for the Future: The New Planet Teen Computers and teens are like bread and butter these days. As the number of American teens using computers approaches 100 percent, libraries are finding it more and more important to provide online services designed especially for teens. Libraries are a constantly evolving environment, and the ways people seek out information are changing, too. More and more people are finding that the library is not just a place for accessing information, but a place for a community to share resources and interact. Teens are also finding that sharing information is even more gratifying than just seeking it out when it comes to the Internet. More than 60 percent of teens already use the Internet to publish blogs, post photos or movies and communicate with friends. The new Planet Teen website will encourage more creativity among teen library patrons, while developing a stronger sense of community and making teens feel like they have an important place in the library. As the site continues to encourage teens to use valid research sources and visit useful websites reviewed by librarians, it will also allow them to speak up and give input regarding their favorite authors’ sites, bands' sites and more. They will be encouraged to give feedback regarding the usefulness of the site, and their opinions will be shared with all. To encourage teens to use the website and libraries, we will continuously hold online contests and promotions. The new site will launch on Monday, Mar. 3, 2008, in honor of the American Library Association’s Teen Tech Week, and will open with a book review writing contest for the “Teens Write Reviews” page. Other upcoming contests will include poetry, short stories, MySpace Music and digital photography. Teens who already submitted art for the art show in 2007 can now find themselves on Google and expressed gratitude for being on the website and having the link remain active. They are able to use the site as a reference for their involvement when they apply to colleges and for jobs.     Be sure to check out the new Planet Teen on Saturday, Mar. 1! http://sclibs.net/Teens/PlanetTeen.aspx            back to top

Community Connection:

What Do Libraries Mean to You?

We asked a few people around the library, "What Do Libraries Mean to You?" This is what they had to say:    “Libraries are like food for the mind. If you had food in the libraries, I would never have to leave.”    “Libraries are my heart. I would be lost without my library”.   “Books are the windows to the world. Without libraries it would be a dull, colorless world indeed.”   “My lifeline--I always go to the library for my choices and they never let me down. I love that everyone working in the library is so pleasant and helpful. You don’t find that much anymore.   For the people who only get out of the house once a day the library is the place they go, therefore, the availability of human contact is very important."   “I can own all the books that I want to, at least temporarily.”    “As a volunteer, it has been a wonderful place for me to interact with younger people. Plus it has taught me how to make use of the library.”    One Sarasota native said, “Libraries are one of Sarasota’s greatest cultural attributes. Library staff provide excellent service. I hope the county places a priority on library services and hours and how this affects families with working parents.”

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Featured Database:

WorldAlmanac

If you are searching for a trusted, authoritative Internet alternative to Google and Wikipedia, take a look at WorldAlmanac.   This database offers information on many popular topics: American life, arts and entertainment, computers, economics, environment, nations of the world, people in the news, science, sports and much more. WorldAlmanac includes articles from “Funk & Wagnall’s New Encyclopedia” plus four world almanacs: “The World Almanac and Book of Facts,” “The World Almanac of the U.S.A.,” “The World Almanac of U.S. Politics” and “The World Almanac for Kids.”   WorldAlmanac's basic search screen lets you search by keyword, text or title. Keyword searches find words in article titles, subject headings or notes. Text searches look for words in the text or body of an article. Title searches find words that appear only in article titles.      If you are looking for an article on a specific person, country, state or topic, it may be best to try searching first by title. For instance, to find a copy of a perpetual calendar, search for the title "perpetual calendar":     That title search returned one article that includes a picture of a perpetual calendar:       Why not try searching for a topic that interests you?   You'll find WorldAlmanac on the Electronic Information Resources page of the library's website: http://www.sclibs.net/resources.aspx            back to top

Featured Internet Sites:

Healthy Websites, Healthy You

This month, the featured websites are all health related to help us all stick to our fitness, diet and wellness programs. WebMD (http://www.webmd.com) is an extremely thorough site which explores and explains everything from backaches to cancer treatments. Search for information about diseases, health conditions, drugs, symptoms, therapies and the newest research in the medical field. This is a professional and factual website which maintains a user friendly style to help you get your health questions answered.   Runner's World.com (http://www.runnersworld.com) is for those of you who are interested in taking your fitness to the next level. The Runner’s World site, which is a companion to the magazine, offers information about all aspects of running including articles about the proper way to dress for running in cold weather, proper nutrition for runners, how to treat running-related injuries and more. This website also features a race calendar to help athletes plan their races. For those without prior racing experience, there are plenty of training plans for running your first race, whether it is a local 5K or a full marathon.   We all know that keeping track of what we eat is an important part of keeping our weight, blood pressure and cholesterol in the healthy ranges. Calorie Count (http://www.calorie-count.com) makes it a snap to record exactly what you eat and even totals up your calories throughout the day. This website has plenty of handy tools to help you determine precisely how many calories you should be consuming based on your body type, gender, age and activity level.   Happy web-surfing everyone! Use these sites wisely, and you may see the benefits in more ways than one!          back to top

Book Reviews:

Staff Picks

Check out a variety of topics and items from BookNews.  You can even sign up to get free newlsetters in your email as they are updated monthly!   Check out this month's featured STAFF PICKS!         back to top

Library Events Calendar:

Click on the Library Calendar link from the Library's Home page

You can limit what shows on the calendar by individual library, by audience and by type of event. Just click on the dropdown boxes.            back to top

Reference Questions of the Month:

What's the best way to cook rattlesnake?

A patron called to say she had been given a rattlesnake--a dead rattlesnake--by her children for her birthday. She wanted to know how to cook it. Evidently there are many ways! According to the website http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zsnake.html, one could cook a rattlesnake any number of ways. Here are two recipes: "Bar-B-Q'd Rattler" ~ 1 rattlesnake, cut into 2 inch steaks ~ 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce ~ 1/2 cup honey ~ 1 tbsp fresh ground ginger ~ sesame seeds In a bowl, mix together the teriyaki sauce, honey and ginger. Pour marinade into a large ziplock bag. Add the snake steaks. Squeeze out the air and seal. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove the steaks and roll in sesame seeds. Place on hot grill. Cook over medium heat until done. Serve and Enjoy! "Rattlesnake Kabobs" ~ 1 rattlesnake, cut into 5 - 8 sections ~ 1 bell pepper, cut into 5 - 8 sections ~ 1 red onion, cut into 5 - 8 sections ~ 1 bottle of A-1 sauce Place rattlesnake sections onto a metal skewer with bell pepper and red onion sections between each section of snake. With a brush, generously apply A-1 sauce to snake sections. Place skewers over an open flame, preferably a campfire. Cook for about 15 - 20 minutes rotating halfway every 3 - 5 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!   Check out the website http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zsnake.html for other ways to cook the next rattler you’re given.           back to top

Volunteer Spotlight:

Russ Heitz: Dedicated Volunteer and Local Author

Fruitville Library volunteer Russ Heitz was born in Pennsylvania, which is also the setting of his suspense novel Crosshairs. Fortunately for us, Russ relocated to Florida and to the Fruitville Library. Russ focuses on keeping the library's DVDs and VHSs shelved and straightened. He also frequently restocks our treats basket. In his off hours, he continues to write short stories, poetry and the sequels to Crosshairs which is the first of a trilogy.   Russ has been writing for most of his life, including a stint of almost 12 years with Sarasota County writing press releases, speeches, proclamations and “translating” technical manuals into layman's terms. He belongs to numerous writing groups including the local chapter of the Florida Writer’s Association. Crosshairs was awarded Infinite Writer online magazine’s Book of the Year. It is a well-paced work that keeps the reader in the dark until all is revealed. You can read the beginning chapters on Russ’ website, http://www.russheitz.com. The book is available from the library, too.     Russ’ motto is "carpe diem" or "seize the day." He makes every minute count. So, when you see a trim man with a beard putting away DVDs, see if you can tell what plot is brewing in his head as he shelves.   Learn more about Russ Heitz's writing in an interview with Infinite Writer.             back to top