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« April 2007 | Main | June 2007 »
Once again, several GRPL libraries hosted a LegoMania program. Kids either brought in their own blocks or we provided some for them, gave them time to invent, then had them share their creations with others! Some branches talked about the history of Lego's, and all had a great time. Check out some of the amazing creations these creative participants built.
This article in GRPL's Health Database Collection caught my eye:
A diet of worms could keep MS at bay New Scientist 193.2587 (Jan 20, 2007): p8(1).
I've also been reading a very interesting book: Infection: The Uninvited Universe by Gerald Callahan, 2006. This book mentioned infections as a helpful condition too. What's going on here? Pig worms are helping Crohn's patients and parasitic infestations are dampening down MS? It sounds very surprising, but I gather that Callahan and the Institute for Neurological Research in Buenos Aires both hypothesize that after evolving with parasites for eons, the human body's immune system has adopted ways of dealing with them that minimize autoimmune malfunction.
The great thing about our health databases is that you can print an article from them and take it right to the doctor's office with you. Health Reference Center Academic has over 3 million articles and is updated daily. So if you want to read more about some of the latest medical research GRPL makes it easy to do!
After emptying my wallet on my last trip to the gas station, I pulled out my dusty bike and contemplated switching from four wheels to two wheels. If the high cost of gas has you thinking about biking more and driving less, the City of Grand Rapids has put together a useful website and brochure called "Bike GR: A Guide to Bicycling in and Around Grand Rapids, Michigan". It's online here and the brochures can be found behind the reference desk at the Main Library. You'll find information on biking safety, preferred routes around the city, and even tips about bringing your bike on the bus with you.
If you prefer to stick with four-wheeled transportation, you can get a lot of good info on the EPA's Fuel Economy site. Find the cheapest gas in town, research tax incentives for hybrid vehicles, or compare gas mileage on cars you're thinking of purchasing.
A few weeks back I saw a demo of something I had heard about but couldn't get my hands on, Joost. I've now got a hold of it, and it was worth the wait!
Currently in beta, Joost is the next big thing to hit the Web. It's IPTV, commercial free television content on demand on the Web. Content from MTV, Comedy Central, CNN, National Geographic, and over 100 other stations worldwide. While it will be a paid service once it goes into full release, you can beta test it for free. One catch, you need to be invited to do so by a current user. If you'd like an invite, visit our contact page and drop a short line to our webmaster with your email address.
Did you know that outdated baking mixes like those used for pancakes, brownies, cakes, and cookies can produce mold that may be toxic if ingested?
A co-worker recently brought this to my attention. Although individuals who suffer from allergies are more at risk of suffering anaphylactic shock than others who ingest mold, everyone should be aware of this possibility and take precautions. You can read more about it at the United States Department of Agriculture site link above and here.
Most kids enjoy working with their hands and learning new things. That's why woodworking can be an a fun family activity. Barbara Robertson, author and woodworker, says that most kids can learn to hammer at age six and can do a beautiful job with simple power tools like drills -- as long as a parent works with them.
Summer is the perfect time to get the young ones in your life involved in creative woodworking projects. Woodworking has many benefits: it builds hand-eye coordination, encourages creativity, and builds self-esteem. Sound interesting? Here are a few woodworking resources available at GRPL:
Today people often use several different computers. It may be at work and home, perhaps a desktop and notebook, or at the library where you may never use the same PC twice. In any of these cases, it can be difficult to mange a list of Internet sites that you like to visit, or at least would like to remember. Why not keep them all in one place so you can get to them from anywhere? This is part of the concept behind del.icio.us.
Created as a combination of a social networking site and a repository for Internet links, it has many uses. Each saved link is given one or more tags. You can tag your list of links to logically group them, or search the tags that others have used. On the social side, you can give someone else your del.icio.us username and let them browse your links.
Check it out, and look for a GRPL del.icio.us page coming soon...
As most of you know, every year the library offers the Summer Reading Program at all of its locations. This is an exciting time for the library and keeps us all busy and on our toes! Now, being libraries and library workers, we understand the importance of reading and therefore the importance of the summer reading program. To help us illustrate the fact, visit the Collaborative Summer Library Program website which includes articles about studies done on summer reading.
Each week, beginning the week of June 18th, all the Grand Rapids Public Libraries will be hosting performers. Sign up for the program begins on Monday, June 11th, and the program goes through Saturday, August 4th. Do you have favorite memories of summer reading programs when you were a child? If so, please share!
Monday, May 14 is the day for the postage rates to go up once again. Letters, bill payments, and greeting cards will cost 41 cents, up from 39 cents. That's the bad news. The good news is that the United States Postal Service is offering something new, called the Forever Stamp. It will sell at the new 41 cent letter rate, but the cool thing is, you can use these stamps forever! The value will always be the one-ounce letter rate and can be used for any future one-ounce letter mailing without extra postage.
My only question: why didn't someone think of this sooner? I've got so many old stamps with old rates around that I could probably start a collection. If you have old stamps around too and want to start your own collection, check out the library's collection of books on stamp collecting and stamp values.
After listening to the audio version of Michael Crichton's newest novel, Next, I started thinking about biological patents. Crichton dramatizes what could be the effects of several issues involving gene patents, genetic engineering, and medical research. Next is a fictional work --- reviewers should repeat that several times before penning their diatribes against Crichton. It was a real page turner. However, some of the more bizarre things that he writes about are NOT fiction. Much of the fun of Crichton's works are finding out which parts are fiction and which sound too bizarre to be true but really are. For example, have you ever wondered who owns your disease?
Crichton felt strongly enough about these issues to write an editorial for the New York Times (registration required). The World Health Organization has some interesting articles on the subject available through their Genomic Resource Center. More information is also available through the Human Genome Project. Of course, GRPL also has many books about this important science, so check them out!
The winter session of storytimes just ended, and Miss Sue's group of kids at West Leonard had a great time with the plants they planted, tended throughout the 8 weeks, and took home with them at the end! What a great way to welcome in spring. If you think you missed out on storytimes, don't worry. They'll be back at some locations this summer.
The 2nd Annual GRPL Poetry Slam was a great time! "Romeo Ray" won the slam. We had lots of terrific local poets, all VERY talented. Everyone brought along a cheering section, which helped the judges score. But "Romeo Ray" caught the rhythm of the room and garnered the highest score. Thanks go to our Slam Master, Greg Bliss for keeping things moving and fun and to Laura Yawha, last year's slam winner, for starting the evening with her winning slam from last year. Everyone was happy to learn that GRPL has already scheduled 3 Open Mic nights with the next one on July 24 at 7PM at the Yankee Clipper Branch. If you weren't there, you missed a good time.
Just a reminder that there are currently four exhibits open to the public in the Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department. Subjects cover photography, travel, local history, and furniture. You can find detailed information through this link.
For our virtual friends, there are also ten online exhibits that are accessible through the GRPL website.
My Aunt C (name changed to protect the guilty) is a very nosy woman. She knows everything that goes on in her house and everyone else's. Aunt C's mind is as sharp as a chef's blade and her memory is as long as Crystal Gayle's hair. Lucky for me -- and everyone else -- she's well into her 80s and computer technology hasn't been her thing. She still snoops the old-fashioned way. But I fear this is going to change. A few weeks ago she discovered that her local public library offered free computer courses and she signed up for three of them. She's already taken two classes and just loves "that enter-net."
Apparently, during one of the classes, Aunt C "overheard" a conversation (obviously one that she wasn't a part of) about Google Maps and its ability to zoom in on just about any location worldwide. Google Maps may not be news to the computer literate, but Aunt C is excited that she has free access to technology that lets her zoom in on people and events half way around the world.
That reminds me about a little addendum to this spy story. Several new start-up companies (Spock.com, Wink.com, zoominfo.com) have created more comprehensive ways to search for people online which includes photos mined from social networking sites and blogs. This is great if someone is trying to locate you to give you lottery winnings, or to tell you that your sixth cousin removed died and left you his title and castle in the Scottish Highlands. But this information could also be a gold mine for identity thieves, stalkers, and spammers. Of course there are ways to protect yourself.
Wondering what your neighbors are reading? Following are the top ten titles on hold for GRPL patrons as of May 1st.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Step On a crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
I Heard That Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark
Forever by Karen Kingsbury
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
The Innocent Man: murder and injustice in a small town by John Grisham
You On a Diet : the owner's manual for waist management by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz
Plum Lovin' by Janet Evanovich
Sisters by Danielle Steel
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
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Hey graphic novel fans, listen up! Coming in May the library is holding a graphic novel workshop with graphic novelists Paul Sizer and Jane Irwin. They will talk about how they create their novels and will help inspire you to try it yourself! Check out their titles: Moped Army, Little White Mouse, and Vogelein as well as the rest of our graphic novel collections!
Thanks to the Detroit Shock and Meijer for helping sponsor this great event!
I have been invited to speak at the annual Hollyhock parade on July 4th. I am honored. I am thinking of wearing a librarian costume. You know, bun, half glasses and sensible shoes. But then again, perhaps no one would get the joke.
For 72 years the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood has presented a 4th of July parade for area families. It is low key, patriotic, and fun. It was started originally by parents to help their children understand what being a part of this country is all about. It starts at 8:30 and is usually over, including the ceremony afterwards, by 9:30-10:00. Elgin Vines & Co. provides jazz before and after the ceremony...the neighborhood committee provides coffee, popsicles, and cookies.
Carol Johnson usually sings the Star Spangled Banner and other appropriate songs, accompanying herself on a guitar.
Each year there is a "speaker of the day" at this brief ceremony after the parade. We have over the years had Jerry Ford, every sitting mayor and other elected officials, community activists, artists, etc. Vern Ehlers always takes part in the parade, as do our state elected officials. We do not allow anyone who is running for office to speak: it is not a political moment.