Homework Help Centers Rock!!!

Check out this video about our Homework Help Centers (HHC) at the Columbus Metropolitan Library!



These are a fabulous resource where students and their parents can find everything they need to get their homework finished, even bilingual staff and volunteers at many locations! Too late to make it to the library for homework help? Check out our homework help website, filled with many useful resources you can use from home.

Cantajuego

I had never heard of this group before today. Cantajuego is a Spanish group that makes children's music. Their songs are very active, like a Spanish Jim Gill. Check it out!



Know any other fantastic Spanish children's music? Share it!

A tiny bit of shameless self-promotion...

I have to share that I am extremely pleased and excited to see that my recent "Listos para Leer" (Ready to Read in Spanish) presentation at Centro Esperanza Latina made the news! La Jornada Latina ran an article about it in their most recent issue, free on newstands now.

This event was easily one of the coolest things I've gotten to do in my job, thus far. We held two presentations, both of which were extremely well attended. All in all, we were able to make a library connection, deliver early literacy information, and provide kits filled early literacy tools such as board books and maracas to over 50 Spanish-speaking families! I have to admit that I was terrified, as this was the biggest presentation I have yet done in Spanish! Things went great however, and I had a lot of help from my colleagues Melinda Moreno, Michelle Garver, and Joy Converse. I am very grateful to the United Way for the grant that is funding such "Listos para Leer" presentations, to the Director of the Centro Esperanza Latina, Ms. Gianella Martinez for all of her help in coordinating this event, and to Ms. Patricia Ruiz for sharing our story through this article. I'm posting a copy of it below for those of you who read Spanish:


Imparten taller “Listos para leer”
PATRICIA RUIZ

La biblioteca metropolitana de Columbus, en colaboración con Action for Children, desarrolló durante los días 23 y 25 de febrero de 2009, en el Centro Esperanza Latina, el taller programa para padres “Todos los niños listos para leer”. A estos talleres gratuitos asistieron numerosos padres de familia de la comunidad, quienes recibieron información sobre cómo preparar el niño para el kinder y qué actividades debe realizar el padre en la casa para que el niño se inicie en el hábito de la lectura. Los participantes recibieron un maletín con libros en español, un abecedario magnético, marionetas y otros elementos útiles para que el niño desarrolle el amor por la lectura y la escritura.

El paquete también incluía una solicitud para obtener la tarjeta de membresía de la biblioteca para los menores de 17 años de edad, la cual es expedida totalmente gratis.

Críticas to cease publication

This is very unfortunate news. I often used this publication to learn about newly translated children's books. From the notice sent across the REFORMA Listserv:

"Reed Business Information has decided to shut down publication of Críticas after eight long and successful years...The publisher stated that ad support has greatly diminished, and given the current economic downtown, there was no sufficient foundation on which to continue with the publication of Críticas. Still, they remain optimistic, adding that they hope to somehow continue coverage of the U.S. Spanish-language book market through sister publications Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal."

I hope that Library Journal and School Library Journal have enough reviewers who speak/read Spanish to be able to fill in the void that will be left from the demise of Críticas . I will greatly miss the Cultura Crashers and Multicultural Link blogs that Críticas hosted as well.

This is the first publication that I have observed being drastically effected by our slowing economy. Do you know of any others? Where else do you recommend that we turn to find English reviews of Spanish materials?

Perfect Chemistry

This is the best book for teens that I have read in a really long time!

More than your typical "opposites attract" story, Perfect Chemistry reveals that even people from drastically different worlds often have more in common than they would ever imagine. Brittany and Alex have both meticulously crafted their images to reflect how they want to be perceived and to protect who they really are. Alex is the hardass Latino Blood gangbanger and Brittany is the super rich, super blonde, super perfect girl who has it all. But when these two are paired together as partners in chemistry class, they begin to break through one another's facades and learn the secrets each tries so desperately to keep hidden. In the process they discover something in one another that is missing from themselves, but how can people with lives so different find a way to be together?

With very believable and likable main characters, lots of drama, and some great humor, this book is filled with teen appeal. Sex and violence do come up, however, so it is probably not one for middle school and younger.

We don't speak Mexican here

This video comes from an ABC series called "What would you do?" and was shared with me by a colleague in REFORMA. Watch all the way to the end.



Food for thought. I hope that any of us who find ourselves in a situation where we are witness to discrimination make the choice to stand up for the real America; one built on diversity, tolerance, and justice.

Your life's work

A colleague at work shared this me and I think it is great!



The purpose of the librarian? Connecting information with people!