Something exciting just arrived at the library. Something big. Something that will take teams of people to put together (okay, not really, but at least one person will have to spend some time here with tools).
We’re looking forward to unwrapping the boxes and bringing something new to the library. It will revolutionize our lives and yours. It will make us better people. It will change the world!! (I’m exaggerating. But it will be fun!)
Any ideas? Think you know what we’ve got in these boxes?
Yes, the little symbol above has a few meanings. Whether you know it as a number sign or a hashtag, it was once just a symbol that became a word in our society. Even a famous musician once decided he’d rename himself and use a symbol instead of letters. It worked for a while, but we’ve gone back to calling him by his royal name, for the most part.
While symbols often change their purpose in our communication, there will always be a use for them, especially in this world on texting and 140 character tweets. You can find a bigger list of symbols that we turned into words right here.
I come across words everyday that I’d probably mumble into my shirt if anyone asked me to say them out loud. Unless you happen to hear a word or a name you’re unsure of, how else can you be sure of a pronunciation?
Forvo.com is a fabulous site that allows people to ask for a word or name they don’t know how to pronounce, and someone will upload an audio file of that word so everyone can hear it. Isn’t that amazing? There are words in other languages, words you might find in a dictionary, but also names and places that you might be reading about in far-off countries. Readers can vote on the pronunciations they think are most accurate, so there won’t be any discrepancies because of local dialects etc.
Even if you’re not struggling with a word right now, it’s a fascinating site to peruse. You might even come away learning a thing or two!
At the beginning of our lives, many of us grow to love books. The stories often take place in magical settings or simply places we’ve never been and so seem magical to little readers. I came across a wonderful blog post about popular children’s books and the places that inspired them. The comments below the article are just as interesting, with a small argument going on about the origins of Winnie the Pooh.
Just click on the link above, or on the picture to go to the site and read more. A fun way to waste a few minutes!
For me, May is all about planning for our summer programs and displays. I can’t even begin to think about these things until all of my other programs are wrapped up and put away. And to keep things fresh, I like to look for new things to do each summer, so I scour the web looking for ideas. This week, I stumbled upon a great link for Scavenger Hunt ideas….including funny photo ideas and videos to make.
A few of my favourites? Have the kids get their photo on a fire truck…with a fireman. (We did this last summer with our gnome mascot..okay, so he wasn’t exactly on the truck, but you get it).
Another funny picture? At least two kids in a doghouse (and yes, make sure the dog is out of the house, first.)
And one more idea for a scavenger hunt? Finding a buy one-get one free coupon.
If you’re looking for ideas for a fun summer program, or maybe just a tween birthday party, make up a list, grab some disposable cameras (or let them use their cellphones), and plan on laughing….a lot!
Recently, the OCLC (the Online Computer Library Center), posted a fantastic visual reference on How Canadian Public Libraries stack up! The results were truly fascinating and I think we can learn a lot about how the public uses and views libraries, through it. The OCLC is a worldwide library cooperative that aims to improve access to information held in libraries and find ways for libraries to reduce their costs through collaboration.
A few of the fascinating comparisons?
Nearly two out of three Canadians have library cards…almost the same percentage as people who have passports. (But of course, the library is your passport to anywhere, isn’t it?)
Canadian libraries circulate 10 times more DVDs each day than the online DVD rental company, Zip.ca. (All right, no word on the comparison to Netflix users, but I feel like we could probably give them a run for their money, too!)
Nearly 200 public libraries offer meeting spaces…and Carleton Place Public Library is one of those included!
To see all of the unique comparisons, just click on the photo below to see a larger version. It’s really something!
