Let me say it again. There is NOT enough time for my reading! I am amazed with the amount of reading I have to do this semester. With two classes & the reading to support my practicum, I need more hours in each day. Although every book and article I am reading is interesting, I haven't read or listened to a book that's unrelated to classes for the last week. That has to change.
The last book I listened to was a non-class book, and was very interesting. Mindless Eating is a recap of research into why and how much we eat. All of the food experiments were interesting, some so funny I laughed out loud as I heard the stories. A cook on a Navy warship colored lemon gelatin red, and the color alone convinced his shipmates that they were eating cherry gelatin. Diners at a test facility were fed soup from a bowl that never emptied, and they were amazed at how filling a single bowl of tomato soup could be! Brian Wansink, the author, has studied eating habits for years, and has offered more than the stories of his research. He also provides hints for mindless eating strategies that can help us reduce the amount of food we eat (painless dieting?). Some of his suggestions aren't new, but the book was an entertaining and thought-provoking one to listen to.
My Children's Literature and Programming class has moved from reading about the power of story to studying child development. I remember reading Piaget during my undergraduate days, and didn't find the reading particularly easy. A Piaget Primer provides a very readable introduction to Piaget's work and thoughts about child development. It provides a good framework for thinking about children's books and for watching children's behavior. I may not have enough time for all my reading, but the books I'm spending time with are good company.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Story Power
Working in a library, how can I not be enthralled by stories? The newest addition to my recent reads is a required text for class this semester, and a fascinating book. Story Proof, the science behind the startling power of story, is filled with information, research results, and anecdotal evidence of the strength of stories in learning and in interpersonal communication. At 128 pages, it isn't a lengthy book, but author Kendall Haven has packed every page with data. Consider...storytelling predates written communication by more than 90,000 years; stories and myths were created by all cultures, even those that did not develop codified laws; storytelling is effectively used in business to inspire and motivate employees; learning story structure has been tied to increased comprehension not only in reading, but in other disciplines as well. Intrigued? I was. And I am. I'll refer back to the data in this book often! This was a good way to start the semester, and a good start to my list of books for the adult reading program.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Reading overload
Yes, I am absolutely in book overload. With nine required texts, and several as recommended reading, I am swimming in books. I did manage to read more non-school books, which I've listed in my recent reads.
Most of my recent reading has been fun and interesting. However, Tortilla Curtain, by Boyle, was just painful. It was my second time to read this book. Knowing how the stories turn out made for a difficult journey, although I still find it to be a good book for sparking conversation and thinking about social issues. I re-read it so I could participate in the book club at PPLD, and found I didn't have as clear a memory as I thought about the book. Interestingly, the book contains two interwoven stories, of two men and their families. Some readers connect more with one story, other readers with the other. That in itself makes for interesting conversation in a book group.
One week into the adult reading program at the library, and I'm on track to earn the candy bar and Cozy Cat mug. I managed to finish one book this week. Hooray!
Most of my recent reading has been fun and interesting. However, Tortilla Curtain, by Boyle, was just painful. It was my second time to read this book. Knowing how the stories turn out made for a difficult journey, although I still find it to be a good book for sparking conversation and thinking about social issues. I re-read it so I could participate in the book club at PPLD, and found I didn't have as clear a memory as I thought about the book. Interestingly, the book contains two interwoven stories, of two men and their families. Some readers connect more with one story, other readers with the other. That in itself makes for interesting conversation in a book group.
One week into the adult reading program at the library, and I'm on track to earn the candy bar and Cozy Cat mug. I managed to finish one book this week. Hooray!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New Year's thoughts
I'm surprised to see that it has been so long since I updated this blog! November brought class projects, the Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) convention in Denver, Thanksgiving of course, and lots to do at work. As a graduate student in Library and Information Science, the CAL convention looked different to me this year. With a fellow student, I presented information about learning styles at the convention. That was fun and a great way to meet others involved in the libraries of Colorado. Various sessions were informative and interesting, as were the keynote speakers.
December meant more holidays, final projects for classes, and a much-needed break from academics. I enjoyed lots of reading for fun, walking with my dog, extra sleep...and I ignored electronics as much as possible.
The books I found to occupy my time and my mind were great! I had heard about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and was curious to read it. What a delight! The characters were so well-developed and so varied that I felt that I knew them. Written in the form of letters among strangers who become friends, the book is comfortable and intriguing, with the sense of a different time and place. It was a joy to read, and is my favorite recommendation for this blog post.
I'm hoping that the cold winter days to come allow me additional time for fun reads. Tomorrow (January 11) begins the Adult Reading Program at PPLD, and I hope to complete the goal of eight books for it. For years when my own children were young, I would encourage their reading during their time off from school, and the library summer reading program was a part of that encouragement. They enjoyed receiving prizes for time spent reading. And that's the idea of our Adult Reading Program as well. I know that I will continue to read, even with the academic work required of my program. The prizes aren't necessary to encourage my habit. Still, it is a treat to receive a prize for completing my goal. I hope my readers will participate in the library's reading program. Sign up on our website or at any PPLD location, and enjoy feeling like a kid again as you earn prizes for the books you read!
December meant more holidays, final projects for classes, and a much-needed break from academics. I enjoyed lots of reading for fun, walking with my dog, extra sleep...and I ignored electronics as much as possible.
The books I found to occupy my time and my mind were great! I had heard about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and was curious to read it. What a delight! The characters were so well-developed and so varied that I felt that I knew them. Written in the form of letters among strangers who become friends, the book is comfortable and intriguing, with the sense of a different time and place. It was a joy to read, and is my favorite recommendation for this blog post.
I'm hoping that the cold winter days to come allow me additional time for fun reads. Tomorrow (January 11) begins the Adult Reading Program at PPLD, and I hope to complete the goal of eight books for it. For years when my own children were young, I would encourage their reading during their time off from school, and the library summer reading program was a part of that encouragement. They enjoyed receiving prizes for time spent reading. And that's the idea of our Adult Reading Program as well. I know that I will continue to read, even with the academic work required of my program. The prizes aren't necessary to encourage my habit. Still, it is a treat to receive a prize for completing my goal. I hope my readers will participate in the library's reading program. Sign up on our website or at any PPLD location, and enjoy feeling like a kid again as you earn prizes for the books you read!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Autumn thoughts on an October night
It's a warm October night, and I'm wondering how many more pleasant days and evenings I will have before the snow is seriously flying. Getting to last weekend's class was a challenge. The trip to Denver could have been made on sled, given the icy roads from here to there. After a safe return home, I was delighted to sit and look out my window at snow-frosted trees and bushes. In contrast, today was warm and beautiful, a nearly-perfect October day.
My time has certainly been flying. I am amazed that it has been over a month since I've posted here. My classes are in full swing, interesting, challenging, and a fair amount of work. One class is about the organization of information, and as a part of that class, I'm reading and learning about using mind maps. This is a topic and a tool of interest to me, and is now also the subject of a class project. So I have the opportunity to do a lot of reading about this organizational tool, and you can see some of the books I've read as part of this project when you review my recent reads.
Another item on my recent reads list is Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam. It's one of the choices for PPLD's All Pikes Peak Reads initiative, that takes place every October. APPR, as we refer to it, is a program where we encourage readers in the Pikes Peak region to read and discuss the same books. This year's theme is space, and we have something for every age of reader. There are several space-related programs at all the library branches in celebration of APPR. I hope you have an opportunity to share in some of them.
Enjoy your Autumn, and happy reading.
My time has certainly been flying. I am amazed that it has been over a month since I've posted here. My classes are in full swing, interesting, challenging, and a fair amount of work. One class is about the organization of information, and as a part of that class, I'm reading and learning about using mind maps. This is a topic and a tool of interest to me, and is now also the subject of a class project. So I have the opportunity to do a lot of reading about this organizational tool, and you can see some of the books I've read as part of this project when you review my recent reads.
Another item on my recent reads list is Rocket Boys, by Homer Hickam. It's one of the choices for PPLD's All Pikes Peak Reads initiative, that takes place every October. APPR, as we refer to it, is a program where we encourage readers in the Pikes Peak region to read and discuss the same books. This year's theme is space, and we have something for every age of reader. There are several space-related programs at all the library branches in celebration of APPR. I hope you have an opportunity to share in some of them.
Enjoy your Autumn, and happy reading.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Book Club Kits
As I begin this blog post, I am enjoying a beautiful Fall morning. My classes have resumed, my kids are back in school, my early morning walks are started before the sun has shown its face...all signs that cool days and long nights are not far away. It's time to be thinking of good reads to keep us company as we sit by a warm fire.
My break from classes was too short, with too many things to accomplish. I had some repair/remodeling work done in my house, spent some time on yard chores, and read as much non-required reading as I could fit in. Death in the Sahara was a sad story of an ill-fated attempt to span the Sahara with a railroad, complete with clash of cultures and a fair amount of hubris tossed in. I knew the story wouldn't end well, but found the historical account to be an interesting one.
On the other hand, Carol Goodman's Ghost Orchid was great fiction. It's one of the most compelling stories I've read in a long time. A little dark and fairly creepy, it's the story of a place and the spirits of the people tied to that place. There are lots of connections among the modern writers working in the writer's colony, as well as between them and the historical characters. I found it hard to put the book down, and harder to stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading.
I'd like to mention the Pikes Peak Library District book club collection while I'm adding information to my blog. While neither of the books listed above are in the collection, Tall Grass by Sandra Dallas is one of the offerings in the collection. It is historical fiction, set in a small town in southeastern Colorado during World War II. Written in the voice of a young girl, it provides a personal perspective of living near a relocation camp for Japanese-Americans. It offers much to discuss in a book club.
For those of you in book clubs, the book club collection is a great way to provide a copy of your selected book to club members. With over 200 titles in the collection, there are many books to choose from. The entire kit (most have 12 copies of the selected book) is checked out on one library card. Checkout period is six weeks, with no renewal. But six weeks is enough time to check out the kit, take it to your club, share the copies with your book club members, read, discuss and return the books. About one-half of the kits are checked out at any time, so you may want to request more than one title, The collection ranges from Ayn Rand to Anne Tyler, and from Ian McEwan to Rudolfo Anaya.
To view more information about using the book club collection and to see the current list of titles, click on this link to the book club collection. You can also go to ppld.org, access the catalog, and look at the right side under Select Collections, and click on Book Club Collections, or ask at your library branch.
I wish you happy reading, and hope you find the book club collection a good source of reading for your book club.
My break from classes was too short, with too many things to accomplish. I had some repair/remodeling work done in my house, spent some time on yard chores, and read as much non-required reading as I could fit in. Death in the Sahara was a sad story of an ill-fated attempt to span the Sahara with a railroad, complete with clash of cultures and a fair amount of hubris tossed in. I knew the story wouldn't end well, but found the historical account to be an interesting one.
On the other hand, Carol Goodman's Ghost Orchid was great fiction. It's one of the most compelling stories I've read in a long time. A little dark and fairly creepy, it's the story of a place and the spirits of the people tied to that place. There are lots of connections among the modern writers working in the writer's colony, as well as between them and the historical characters. I found it hard to put the book down, and harder to stop thinking about it when I wasn't reading.
I'd like to mention the Pikes Peak Library District book club collection while I'm adding information to my blog. While neither of the books listed above are in the collection, Tall Grass by Sandra Dallas is one of the offerings in the collection. It is historical fiction, set in a small town in southeastern Colorado during World War II. Written in the voice of a young girl, it provides a personal perspective of living near a relocation camp for Japanese-Americans. It offers much to discuss in a book club.
For those of you in book clubs, the book club collection is a great way to provide a copy of your selected book to club members. With over 200 titles in the collection, there are many books to choose from. The entire kit (most have 12 copies of the selected book) is checked out on one library card. Checkout period is six weeks, with no renewal. But six weeks is enough time to check out the kit, take it to your club, share the copies with your book club members, read, discuss and return the books. About one-half of the kits are checked out at any time, so you may want to request more than one title, The collection ranges from Ayn Rand to Anne Tyler, and from Ian McEwan to Rudolfo Anaya.
To view more information about using the book club collection and to see the current list of titles, click on this link to the book club collection. You can also go to ppld.org, access the catalog, and look at the right side under Select Collections, and click on Book Club Collections, or ask at your library branch.
I wish you happy reading, and hope you find the book club collection a good source of reading for your book club.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Welcome back
I’m just finishing my summer semester, and am looking forward to some pleasure reading before I begin to read texts again for my fall classes. I’ve just brought some non-fiction books from the library, and hope to start on one of them tonight. I’ll choose from Daniel Goleman’s Ecological Intelligence, Michael Asher’s Death in the Sahara, and Temple Grandin’s Animals Make us Human. I hope to find a good mystery to fit into my reading in the next two weeks also. The choices are difficult!
I created this blog as an assignment for one of my classes at Emporia State University. I hesitated to update the blog until it had been graded, but that has occurred, so I’m back with a few additional thoughts about goodreads.
I hope you’ve had a chance to look at the site. Did you take the tour? If not, look at the upper right part of the main page for goodreads, just under the banner of books, and locate the options to register, tour, or sign in. “Register” allows you to sign up and become a member, with a name, email address and password. “Sign in” is where you’ll enter your sign in name and password if you're already a member. But “tour” is a good way to read about the options of this site if you're not sure whether you want to join.
As a member, you can find people with similar reading interests, and start or join a group to talk about books…an online book club. You can list books on your bookshelves, starting with the existing choices of "read", "currently reading" or "to read", or you can create your own categories of books (a good way to keep track of books you’ve considered reading or have already discussed in a live book club). You can see what others are reading, and how they’ve rated the books, which can give you ideas for books you’d like to read. You can even learn about specific books, including a nearby library or bookstore that has the one you'd like to borrow or buy.
I’m still learning about goodreads and hope you are, too.
My next blog post will include some information about book club kits at the Pikes Peak Library District. These are a great way to provide books to an entire book club (up to 12 copies for your members). The books in this special collection are varied, and the collection continues to increase, so you'll have lots to choose from. Happy reading!
I created this blog as an assignment for one of my classes at Emporia State University. I hesitated to update the blog until it had been graded, but that has occurred, so I’m back with a few additional thoughts about goodreads.
I hope you’ve had a chance to look at the site. Did you take the tour? If not, look at the upper right part of the main page for goodreads, just under the banner of books, and locate the options to register, tour, or sign in. “Register” allows you to sign up and become a member, with a name, email address and password. “Sign in” is where you’ll enter your sign in name and password if you're already a member. But “tour” is a good way to read about the options of this site if you're not sure whether you want to join.
As a member, you can find people with similar reading interests, and start or join a group to talk about books…an online book club. You can list books on your bookshelves, starting with the existing choices of "read", "currently reading" or "to read", or you can create your own categories of books (a good way to keep track of books you’ve considered reading or have already discussed in a live book club). You can see what others are reading, and how they’ve rated the books, which can give you ideas for books you’d like to read. You can even learn about specific books, including a nearby library or bookstore that has the one you'd like to borrow or buy.
I’m still learning about goodreads and hope you are, too.
My next blog post will include some information about book club kits at the Pikes Peak Library District. These are a great way to provide books to an entire book club (up to 12 copies for your members). The books in this special collection are varied, and the collection continues to increase, so you'll have lots to choose from. Happy reading!
Let's talk about sharing information about books
When I was a child visiting the small library in my home town, each book I checked out had a pocket glued to the front cover. Inside the pocket was a file card with the name of those people who had checked out the book. I would sign my name and put the card in the file box on the librarian’s desk.
I know I’m dating myself, but we really did check books out that way! There was no concern about the privacy of those who had read the book previously. I could look to see who else had checked that book out from the library & talk with that person about the book…did he like it? What did she learn? What other books did that reader check out & like? What authors were similar in writing style?
With our more modern privacy laws and respect for confidentiality of borrower records, this is definitely an experience of the past! But there are book clubs and websites where we can recapture the job of discussing good and not-so-good reads with others. And in this post, I’d like to show you a website dedicated to books and readers. goodreads is a place we can go online to enjoy book conversations and more!
You probably noticed that the term goodreads in the last paragraph shows in a different color and with an underline. Those characteristics indicate a link. If you'll move your computer mouse to that word and click the left button, a new computer website called goodreads will appear. This is a great place to learn about books and authors and to participate in the social networking I mentioned in my last post. Here at goodreads, you can meet other readers with interests like yours.
The first page at goodreads is the welcome page. You'll need an email address, and a password to sign up. Then you'll be directed to a page where you can link other email addresses you have. This is optional, but adds to the social networking of goodreads, as you can then be linked to other members of goodreads that share your email provider.
Next is a book compatibility test where you can review selected books, to add to your profile on the site. You can also see who is on goodreads at that time, and can start a conversation on the spot!
Try linking to goodreads and sign up if you'd like to add online book conversations to your life. In my next blog post, I'll help you explore more of goodreads, and I hope to have some feedback from each of you. Let me know what you think of this blog. Is it helpful & informative, or too basic? Tell me what you think of goodreads. And let me know what you're reading now! Thanks.
I know I’m dating myself, but we really did check books out that way! There was no concern about the privacy of those who had read the book previously. I could look to see who else had checked that book out from the library & talk with that person about the book…did he like it? What did she learn? What other books did that reader check out & like? What authors were similar in writing style?
With our more modern privacy laws and respect for confidentiality of borrower records, this is definitely an experience of the past! But there are book clubs and websites where we can recapture the job of discussing good and not-so-good reads with others. And in this post, I’d like to show you a website dedicated to books and readers. goodreads is a place we can go online to enjoy book conversations and more!
You probably noticed that the term goodreads in the last paragraph shows in a different color and with an underline. Those characteristics indicate a link. If you'll move your computer mouse to that word and click the left button, a new computer website called goodreads will appear. This is a great place to learn about books and authors and to participate in the social networking I mentioned in my last post. Here at goodreads, you can meet other readers with interests like yours.
The first page at goodreads is the welcome page. You'll need an email address, and a password to sign up. Then you'll be directed to a page where you can link other email addresses you have. This is optional, but adds to the social networking of goodreads, as you can then be linked to other members of goodreads that share your email provider.
Next is a book compatibility test where you can review selected books, to add to your profile on the site. You can also see who is on goodreads at that time, and can start a conversation on the spot!
Try linking to goodreads and sign up if you'd like to add online book conversations to your life. In my next blog post, I'll help you explore more of goodreads, and I hope to have some feedback from each of you. Let me know what you think of this blog. Is it helpful & informative, or too basic? Tell me what you think of goodreads. And let me know what you're reading now! Thanks.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to Becky’s Book Blog, a place for readers to share information about book clubs and books. As an employee of the Pikes Peak Library District, I’ll include book club information from the library as well as online sources of book information and social networking related to books.
I’ve started this blog in response to conversations and questions I’ve been asked about books. I’ll try to answer those questions, & hope to have an online conversation with you. I’ll think of this as a chance to grab a cup of coffee & chat about the stories we’re reading and how to find more books that each of us can enjoy. Please join me!
My first blog post is an introduction to blogging and social networking, with a focus on the books we love! For those readers who are familiar with blogging and social networking, please read along. This will be information just to get us all started. If you have something to add in the form of clarification or correction, please post a response to my blog. Just be polite to me and to each other, as offensive posts will be removed.
For starters, here are some terms and concepts related to blogging that you should know.
What is a blog? The term is a shortened version of “web log”, and refers to a personal home page (mine in this case), that is presented in a diary form.
That means I can add entries on a regular or irregular basis, providing updates to my original post, or entry.
Blogs are part of what is called the live web or the incremental web, which means the reader (you) can link to a web page, and even to subscribe to it, and be notified of any updates to the blog. We’ll talk about that in a later post.
Blogs are a part of the social networking that occurs as we interact through using the World Wide Web. You, as a reader, can respond to what I or anyone else posts. This ability to respond and chat with other readers online is what makes a blog different from, and more fun than a web page that just provides information. We can agree or disagree with each other, add to what has been stated, and in the process get to know each other better.
This give and take also means that we have the advantage of each other’s knowledge. If I post something that is outdated or incorrect, someone can update my entry with a correction, or I can correct it myself. The update will be visible to all readers, who will have the advantage of the correct information. This collective intelligence is central to the interactive web. We can take advantage of the knowledge of others, and can all be better informed as a result.
So that’s a brief introduction to blogging, and Becky’s Book Blog in particular. My next post will add some information about a website that is dedicated to conversations about books. Happy reading!
I’ve started this blog in response to conversations and questions I’ve been asked about books. I’ll try to answer those questions, & hope to have an online conversation with you. I’ll think of this as a chance to grab a cup of coffee & chat about the stories we’re reading and how to find more books that each of us can enjoy. Please join me!
My first blog post is an introduction to blogging and social networking, with a focus on the books we love! For those readers who are familiar with blogging and social networking, please read along. This will be information just to get us all started. If you have something to add in the form of clarification or correction, please post a response to my blog. Just be polite to me and to each other, as offensive posts will be removed.
For starters, here are some terms and concepts related to blogging that you should know.
What is a blog? The term is a shortened version of “web log”, and refers to a personal home page (mine in this case), that is presented in a diary form.
That means I can add entries on a regular or irregular basis, providing updates to my original post, or entry.
Blogs are part of what is called the live web or the incremental web, which means the reader (you) can link to a web page, and even to subscribe to it, and be notified of any updates to the blog. We’ll talk about that in a later post.
Blogs are a part of the social networking that occurs as we interact through using the World Wide Web. You, as a reader, can respond to what I or anyone else posts. This ability to respond and chat with other readers online is what makes a blog different from, and more fun than a web page that just provides information. We can agree or disagree with each other, add to what has been stated, and in the process get to know each other better.
This give and take also means that we have the advantage of each other’s knowledge. If I post something that is outdated or incorrect, someone can update my entry with a correction, or I can correct it myself. The update will be visible to all readers, who will have the advantage of the correct information. This collective intelligence is central to the interactive web. We can take advantage of the knowledge of others, and can all be better informed as a result.
So that’s a brief introduction to blogging, and Becky’s Book Blog in particular. My next post will add some information about a website that is dedicated to conversations about books. Happy reading!
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