The New York Times reports on a library in Arizona which has abandoned the Dewey Classification system for a "neighborhood" or bookstore style arrangement. These attempts at delivering a more patron friendly library always intrigue me because of the problems I have encountered finding things in bookstores. Browsing works when you have a vague idea of the type of book you want to read (mystery, history, cooking, etc.) , but it can be frustrating if your needs are more focused (low cholesterol cooking, the battle for Anzio during World War II) because you might need to "browse" several shelves looking for something that fits your request. And often, even helpful bookstore staff are stumped.

In a bookstore they might not even have a title that fits your need, but, in a more comprehensive library, how do you find what you need in the library without a classification system? While both Dewey and LC may have their drawbacks, I can't see abandoning them for no method of organization. If there is no catalog to use, are the items classified in some other way so the staff know what "neighborhood" titles 'live in'? Is there a secret 'staff catalog' of authors, titles, and subjects headings? How do the staff cope with questions?

Nice little set of statistics from the RIF newsletter:

Reading Is Fundamental | Parents | Elementary, My Dear Watson  Annotated

The Wonderful World of Fantasy

This month, the last Harry Potter book hits the shelves.  The bestselling series has introduced millions of kids worldwide to the joy of reading and to the wonderful world of fantasy. 

According to a 2006 Scholastic and Yankelovich study, :

76 percent of Harry Potter readers surveyed agreed that reading the series has made them interested in reading other books.

65 percent of Harry Potter readers agreed they have been doing better in school since reading the series.

Similarly, 89 percent of these readers' parents agreed that the series has helped their child enjoy reading more, and 76 percent agree the series has helped their child in school.

The Harry Potter series joins a lengthy list of magical books that have been engaging kids for centuries: from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy to Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. This month, whether your kids are Harry Potter fans or not, get them wrapped up in a fantastical story with these books and activities. 

Games & Activities

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  Harry Potter Crossword Puzzle —Test your chid's Harry Potter IQ with this fun crossword. (View the answer key.)
  
  


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  Aang, the Avatar Q&A—Read an interview with the star of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
  
   
  


• Eoin Colfer Q&A—Read an interview with the author of the Artemis Fowl series.  
  
   
  


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  Fantasy Booklist—Read one of these books to or with your child.
  

 

Mission Read: To the Library and Beyond!

Summer Reading Time ... The school visits are over and we are braced for the Space Camp that will be June 7th - 9th. We've hung the planets (not in exact perspective) and received some of the display materials from NASA.

Yep ... I feel 'spaced out' and tired of the theme already, but I know that will change as soon as the programs get underway! Our gr 2-5 readers will explore science engineering through a five week Fetch Challenge program. We will have our skills tested when we host the StarLab later this month and Leisl is offering the teens Anime Club, DDR, Design Squad, and the always icky Teen Food Fear Factor.

Joliet Public Library

I'm loving the new Playaways we've received ... unabridged books loaded on a 3 x 2 pod unit ... just whip out your ear buds, plug in, and go. I listened to Inkheart and have started Summerland, and am anxious for more. The only drawback is I can easily fall asleep when I listen in the evening, then I have to tab back through the chapters to where I nodded off! At least, when I fall asleep with a book in my hands, I usually lose my place only by a page or two.

So I'm off and running on the new blogger format .... we shall see what adventures await!

News and old news shared by shelf-awareness:
February 12, 2007~~ Fred Mustard Stewart, who wrote such bestselling novels as The Mephisto Waltz, Six Weeks and Ellis Island, all of which became movies or TV miniseries, died last Wednesday at age 74.A New York Times obit today quoted him saying, "I love to do saga books because I love to write about families. I think it's the best genre to write in because it's the least restricting. You don't have to depend on one plot device to hold it together. The family holds it together."


December 12, 2006 ~~ from shelf-awareness.com Congratulations to Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet, publisher and bookseller, who is now also a Commandeur des Arts et Lettres, following a presentation at the French consulate in San Francisco on Friday, Bloomberg reported. Ferlinghetti was honored for his poetry and publishing; he apparently joked that now he could command, among others, George Whitman, "my old friend at Shakespeare & Co. [the one in Paris]. He's only a chevalier. I can order him around!"