Summer (of Learning) is Here!

Growing up, reading was always the best way to let my imagination go wild.  While living in a military installation overseas, there normally wasn't much to do during the summer time, but there was always the good old library to visit.  We had a summer assignment of sorts, where we had a bingo card, with each square containing the name of a book.  The goal, of course, was to read through as many books as possible to get as many bingos as possible.

I don't really recall what the prizes were but I know that there were definitely no Tablets or iPads or anything of the sort at the time.  Maybe a cup that had a little label that had "Reading is Fun" along the side or something along those lines.  Still, it was a great program, and I had a chance to explore the center of the Earth or fight evil space men alongside my hero in an adventurous battle to save the world.

And now with the sun slowly starting to peek through the clouds, comes summer, and with it, the Summer of Learning at KCLS!

I didn't really grow up with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), and contrary to my current career, I was actually more interested in arts, crafts and languages.  If STEM was a big thing at the time, I'm sure I would have fallen into Science and Technology but alas it wasn't something available for myself.  Which is why I find it so exciting to see KCLS offering Programs that not only hit Reading and Art but also STEM.

Here are just some of the ones that I find interesting, though they aren't in Redmond unfortunately:

Bubbles, Volcanoes and Rocket Balloons Workshop
Presented by Debbie Hansen, The Science Lady.
Ages 3 to 5. or Ages 5 to 7.
Discover scientific laws through fun experiments including rocket balloons, effervescent bubbles, a baking soda volcano and dancing raisins.
Dates & Locations


Mathemagic!
Presented by Thomas Pruiksma.
Ages 8 to 12
Discover secrets about numbers and learn to do mathemagic (math + magic) tricks to amaze your friends and family in this workshop.
Dates & Locations 

Hands-on Bunraku Puppet Manipulation Workshop
Presented by: Thistle Theatre.
Ages 8 to 12.
Discover Bunraku puppetry, a traditional Japanese art for hundreds of years. A brief history, mechanics and demonstration of the Japanese art form is included.
Dates & Locations

Candy Experiments Show
Presented by Loralee Leavitt.
Ages 5 and older.
The author of Candy Experiments demonstrates that candy is more than a sugary snack. It can be an amazing science experiment! 
Dates & Locations
 
Candy Experiments Workshop
Presented by Loralee Leavitt.
Ages 8 to 12.
The author of Candy Experiments leads a workshop with stirring, squashing and sinking candy. Become a candy scientist! Dates & Locations

Of course, there's several more you can find at the Summer of Learning page on the KCLS site!

For children who participate in the Summer of Learning, there is quite the prize.  Go on to the Summer of Learning page to see the details! 

- James

Saturday, December 1st - Redmond Lights

Celebrate Redmond's Centennial by Day 
and
Redmond Lights by Night!

If you’re looking for something to do after the library closes at 5 p.m., you won’t be able to miss Redmond Lights across the parking lot at City Hall on Saturday, December 1st!  Traditionally a winter event held in the evening, the City has added Centennial events during the day. This will begin to close out the year-long festivities surrounding Redmond’s 100th birthday, which began at last year’s Lights event.

Things I About Redmond Lights:

- The Blinkers
- The Luminary Walk Celebrating Different Winter Traditions
- The [weather permitting] Hot Air Balloons
- The Northwest Boychoir
- Santa’s Arrival and Tree Lighting

Hope to see you there!

How Do I Love Libraries…Let Me Count The Ways…

The title isn’t exactly what I’m going to write about, but it felt more creative than “A Visit to Chicago Public Libraries”!

As you might already know, when I travel, I love experiencing new places through their libraries.  In the next six months I hope to be able to visit libraries in Oregon, Illinois (again), New Mexico, California, and South Dakota.  I recently visited an old college friend who lives smack in the middle of The Loop in downtown Chicago.  It’s a fabulous location for a visitor to start from…especially considering how many libraries there are within a few miles walking distance!

My first stop was the Harold Washington Library Center downtown.  Wow.  I’m pretty sure the entryway I came in through had more square footage than the Redmond library!  The building opened in 1991 and is a whopping 756,640 square feet.  (As soon as I confirm the square footage of the Redmond library, I’ll tell you how many times bigger than Redmond that is!).  I picked up the self-guided tour brochure at the reference desk in the lobby (atrium? foyer? rotunda?  lobby doesn’t do the space any justice) and off I went to explore the nine floors.

I won’t bore you with the play by play of my visit to each floor, but will mention a few interesting spaces I saw.  Amanda, Redmond’s Teen Librarian, had recommended “The Book Thief” to me several months ago.  I read it, thought it was fabulous, and was delighted to see it was the One Book, One Chicago selection featured in The Popular Library on the first floor.

I loved the display of new library card holders in the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library on the 2nd floor! The namesake of this section of the library did a really cool thing after the 1871 Chicago Fire.

And…we’ll jump all the way up to the 9th floor into the Winter Garden.  This is a shot looking up through the 100+ foot glass ceilings and the beautiful murals on the south side of the garden. It’s a marvelous space available for private events.

But wait, there’s even more library in store for the day!  In the early evening, we headed over to The Newberry and their annual book fair.  Alas, I only have the one sad photo of the trip below…I spent too much time perusing old cookbooks at the fair so didn’t spend too much time in the other parts of the building and completely neglected to take more pictures.  I did pick up an awesome 1970s crockpot cookbook though! It’s a good thing I’ll be back in Chicago in September and might have another shot at visiting. I’m hoping to visit the Pritzker Military Library on that trip too!

Hope to see you at Derby Days 2012!

The 72nd Annual Redmond Derby Days is just around the corner and the weather should be spectacular! The pancake breakfast at the firehouse….the parades….the music….and of course, the bicycles!  Spanning three full days this year, I hope you’ll find time to enjoy a few of the events this weekend. This year’s event also has a few special extras to help celebrate Redmond’s 100th birthday.

I’ll be in the Redmond Library booth starting at 3 p.m. and would love to chat with you about how the library can best serve your needs. Beware though, I just might try to recruit you to serve on the Board! Or the Friends!

Along with Redmond Lights (save the date: December 1), Derby Days ties for my favorite Redmond event of the year.  Actually, I think it’s a three-way tie with Ananda Mela, which is the last weekend in July and also on the City Hall Campus. All three events are a wonderful (and free) opportunity to celebrate the diversity to be found in our community and I’m grateful to be a resident in a place that honors our traditions yet is always moving forward!

How Things Fly: An Interactive Experience from the National Air and Space Museum

What makes an airplane fly? How does a spacecraft stay in orbit? Why does a balloon float in the air?

These and many other questions are answered in the How Things Fly Web site, a companion to the physical exhibition at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The goal is to explain the basic principles of flight.

While this online exhibit is targeted towards children, the simple explanations of scientific principles, such as aerodynamics and propulsion make it accessible for persons of all ages. Many of the principles are explained by using interactive examples.

For example, the Gravity Keeps Us Down to Earth section lets you calculate how much you would weigh on another planet.

Some of the images on this site are quite striking, such as the one from the Aerodynamics section — it shows air pressure on a 747 during flight. In the image below, the colored lines indicate points of equal pressure. Red shows higher pressure, while green shows lower pressure.

There’s also an Activities section that lets you try out some of the principles of flight. Have fun!

Library Night: Books, Stories, and Pizza

About 5 times during the school year, Rose Hill Elementary has a Library Night at the Redmond Library. The latest Library night was Tuesday, March 6th. This event is an opportunity to expose schoolchildren and their parents to the library and its resources. Best of all, every child gets to take home a book!

Typically, there are hundreds of books for children to choose from. The books are purchased in bulk from Scholastic Warehouse, usually with generous discounts. Ooooh, Soccer Mom from Outer Space — sounds like a good read!

Amy Silverman, a Rose Hill Elementary reading and math teacher, encourages a student to submit his name for the book drawing later in the evening. All students get to choose a book when their name is called.


The Library Night program always includes food. On this night pizza was on the menu. Janice Yuly, a volunteer, gives you a choice of pepperoni or cheese pizza. Dessert used to be cookies. Now it’s more nutritious, and fruit, such as grapes, is often served. Also, water is now served instead of soda.


The Library Night program also includes a read-aloud story. Here, Marilyn Bunday, a Rose Hill Elementary first-grade teacher, reads to a group of children and their parents. Tonight’s reading is from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I watched in amazement as Marilyn read the words of the entire story upside down so that children could see the pictures right-side-up. She said it’s a skill she’s developed over the years.

Finally, it’s time for the book drawing. Florinda Davis, a Rose Hill Elementary reading and math teacher, calls out a name. Anxious students wait for their chance to pick the book they’ve eyed earlier in the evening. For many students, a book is a prized possession.

Sponsorship
The costs of the Rose Hill Elementary Library Night is underwritten by the Friends of the Redmond Library — this is the 8th year of sponsorship. One of the key goals of the Friends of the Redmond Library to promote and celebrate cultural literacy in Redmond. BTW, even though Rose Hill Elementary is in Kirkland, the school attendance boundary includes students who live in Redmond, making the Redmond Library their neighborhood library.

Thank you Friends of the Redmond Library!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

The most famous children’s book writer of all time, Dr. Seuss, would have been 108 today. Theodor Seuss Geisel, who called himself Dr. Seuss, wrote over 40 children’s books during his life, which have sold more than 200-million copies. Some of his most famous books include The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Green Eggs and Ham, Oh The Places You Will Go!, and Horton Hears a Who!

In May 1954, Life magazine published a report on childhood illiteracy, which concluded that children were not learning to read because their books were boring. Accordingly, a director of Houghton Mifflin compiled a list of 348 words he felt were important for first-graders to recognize and asked Geisel to cut the list down to 250 words and write a book using only those words.

Nine months later, Geisel completed The Cat in the Hat, using 236 of the words given to him. It was imaginative with simple drawings and strong verse rhythms — but most of all, it could be read by beginning readers.

The Cat in the Hat and subsequent books written for young children achieved huge international success and they remain very popular today. In 2009, Green Eggs and Ham sold 540,366 copies, The Cat in the Hat sold 452,258 copies, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish sold 409,068 copies — outselling the majority of newly published children's books.

Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham, written by Dr. Seuss, contains a vocabulary of only 50 different words, which is far less than the more chatty The Cat in the Hat, which uses 236 words. Here’s a word cloud (created by using Wordle) based on all the words in the text of Green Eggs and Ham.

Read Across America Day 
Geisel's birthday, March 2, has been adopted as the annual date for National Read Across America Day, an initiative on reading created by the National Education Association.

 

Presto! -- A World of Magic with Louie Foxx

Louie Foxx will perform a magic show at the Redmond Library on Sunday, June 19th at 2:30. Louie calls his performance a “one man side show” full of:

• Astounding Magic Tricks
• Side Splitting Comedy
• Amazing Cowboy Tricks
• Eye Popping Hand Shadows
• And much much more!

The Magic!
Here are a couple of magic tricks that Louie has created. The first one is the Tortilla Magic Trick.

Louie has added a new bubble trick to his bubble act, it’s called the Exploding Bubble.

For more info, click here. For other events at the Redmond Library, see Schedule of Events.

About Louie
As a kid Louie realized that he excelled at all of the things that adults told him were a waste of time. Instead of playing baseball in high school, Louie built himself a rickety table and rode the bus into downtown to perform magic tricks on the street corner.

Meet the Author: Samantha Vamos

On Tuesday March 22nd at noon, meet Samantha Vamos, whose most recently published children’s book is The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred. Join us at the Redmond Library, where you’ll get to chat with the author, look at early illustrations for her books, and watch a short movie on being an author. You’ll even get to take home an activity sheet.
Ages: preschool and older

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred
Synopsis:  When a farm girl starts cooking, all the animals want to help. The cow contributes milk, the hen offers eggs, and even the duck makes a special trip to the market.

While the pot is bubbling merrily on the stove, everyone dances and sings - but who is watching the cazuela? Samantha R. Vamos and Rafael López serve up a spicy tribute to the classic nursery rhyme "The House That Jack Built" in this bilingual celebration of community and food.

Watch the trailer:

For more information on Samantha Vamos, see About Samantha.

Redmond Library Schedule of Events
For upcoming events for children, including the popular Story Time program, see the Redmond Library’s Schedule of Events.

KCLS Summer Reading Program is Making a Splash!

Over 40,000 kids have signed up so far for the KCLS Summer Reading Program, and it’s not too late to get involved. This year’s reading theme is Make a Splash.

To find out how to be part of the Summer Reading Program, click Get Started for info. The Redmond Library is hosting plenty of reading events all summer long as part of the program. Click the Redmond Library’s Children’s Summer Reading Programs for details.

For an entertaining video on the KCLS Summer Reading Program take a look at The Little-est Pirate.

2009 Summer Reading Program is a Hit!

The King County Library System's 2009 Summer Reading Program has ended, and what a success it has been!

Throughout the KCLS member libraries, 43,549 pre-school through elementary-aged children signed up. Of those, 2891 were from Redmond. Children who completed 1000 minutes of reading time will receive a certificate of achievement, a coupon for a mini-pizza, and an art supplies kit. In addition, they were eligible for a drawing to win a laptop computer!

During the summer, each library offered a variety of children's programs. In the video below, master magician Jeff Evans amazes the kids at the Redmond Library with his magic show "The Creative Conjuror":

Teen Reading Programs
Teens have been participating in their own Summer Reading Program events, Read 3 Get One Free and Read.Flip.Win, a video book review contest. The grand prize winner’s video is based on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde:

Tron: A Classic Movie from the Redmond Outdoor Movie Series

On Saturday, August 29th the classic 1982 movie, Tron, will be shown at Idylwood Beach as part of Redmond’s free Summer 2009 Outdoor Movie Series. Other movies being shown are Hook and Kung Fu Panda. Hook will be shown at Idylwood Beach on Saturday, August 1st. Kung Fu Panda will be shown at City Hall on Friday, August 14. All movies start at dusk—around 9:30 pm. These movies are presented by the City of Redmond Teen Programs. For more info, contact rypac@redmond.gov, or call 425-556-2358.

Tron
Tron is a 1982 science fiction film by Disney. It has a distinctive visual style, as it was one of the first films from a major studio to use computer graphics exclusively.

You might recall that the Master Control Program (MCP) is the main villain of the movie. It was a rogue artificial intelligence that ruled over the world inside ENCOM's mainframe computer.  During the rule of the MCP, many programs were enslaved and forced to play games against its henchmen, led by Sark. Memorably, the MCP would end most of its conversations with Dillinger and Sark with the phrase "End of line".

Enjoy this blast from the past!

I (Heart) Harry Potter

Like millions of adoring HP fans, I anxiously awaited the Half Blood Prince and had movie tickets in advance to view on opening day. The theater was packed with young and young-at-heart alike. I have seen midnight showings, stood in line at midnight for books, and even once had a Canadian concierge deliver a book because we accidentally scheduled a weekend trip on a book release day. (She was also getting one for her daughter at midnight, so it wasn't too terribly inconvenient!) JK Rowling creates a world that mirrors our own in many ways, but has just enough of the fantastic to create an unforgettable coming-of-age epic.

At its most basic, it's a good v. evil costume drama saga (my favorite kind of book and/or movie!), where nearly everything imaginable is possible through wizardry. Plus, the Quidditch effects improve with each film! I am unconcerned with deletions or additions in the translation from book to film - it's a completely different medium for artistic expression so I let a little interpretation here and there slide by. The last books are very dark at times and I was glad to see that the movie doesn't sugar coat the events. (Two of my favorite "evil" characters below.)

Besides the books and movies, one of my favorite elements of the franchise is the variety of industries that also create tie-ins:

• Want to view the first 5 movies? Redmond Library showcased the preceding films in the run up to opening week.
• Want to read about special effects? View this article from Popular Mechanics.
• Want to try a few inspired recipes? Palate Sensations (in Singapore) offered a Harry Potter cooking class.
• Want to see props and learn more about Potter science and technology? Visit Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry exhibit.
• Want to take a vacation? In the next few summers visit Florida's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

With the Deathly Hallows split into 2 movies, there will be a couple more years of anxious anticipation before I have to say goodbye (again) to "new" Harry Potter adventures.

Derby Days Just Around the Corner

Mark your calendars for Redmond's 69th annual community celebration and criterium - Derby Days Summer Festival! This year's festivities will be held on Friday, July 10th and Saturday, July 11th.


(The carnival at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse will be operating Thursday - Sunday.)

Redmond's Bicycle Criterium is America's longest running bicycle race - if you haven't yet witnessed the awesome speed and bike handling that is showcased in a closed course event such as this one, you'll be in for a treat!

The Kids Parade and Grand Parade on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. is one of the few sanctioned Seafair events on the Eastside. Look for the Redmond Regional Library entry in the parade! Arrive early for the parade and enjoy breakfast at the Firefighers Pancake Breakfast to benefit the Redmond Firefighters Benevolent Fund. You are never too old to try on the turnout gear!

New this year is Friday Night Live featuring the Beatniks. Enjoy live music, a beer and wine garden with food, followed by a movie - all conveniently located on the City Hall campus.

Hope to see you there!