Library Snapshot Day! Zoom In On Jewish Libraries

During the week of November 1 - 7, 2010 a single day was selected to show what is going on @ Bialik Library as part of the American Library Association's library advocacy initiative.  This particular week was also chosen by the Association of Jewish Libraries, to highlight the Global Day of Jewish Learning, on November 7, 2010. To help celebrate this, I invited author Alan Silberberg to speak to all the Grade 7 students about his new book, 'Milo'.  About 140 students and teachers were in attendance. Throughout the day,  I took photos and kept a headcount of students and staff using the library.  I also checked the circulation statistics for that date, a typical day at Bialik:

Library users November 1:  130 students and teachers used the library. 

Library Statistics November 1:  40 loans, 14 renewals and 25 returns

Results from all the participating Jewish libraries can be viewed on the 'People of the Books' blog at:
http://jewishlibraries.org/blog/ 

GNO @ JPL!

The 6th Annual Girl's Night Out was held last night at the Jewish Public Library, with Sara Shepard, author of the wildly popoular 'Pretty Little Liars' books and television series.  The Gelber Center was filled to capacity with tween and teen readers who greeted the author enthusiastically, along with their friends, sisters, mothers, aunts and librarians.  Delicious munchies kept the energy level in the room high while the author engaged the audience with tales of her own teenage years, which form the inspiration for her 'Little Liars' characters.  She also read from her upcoming mystery novel, 'The Lying Game', which will be coming out next month.  Many girls lined up to ask questions about Sara Shepard's life, work and career and she answered with humour and patience, hoping to inspire these young women to read and to write, as she herself had been at the same age by author Lois Duncan's mysteries.  Fabulous door prizes were handed out during the evening and each and everyone left with a goody bag.  Special GNO certificates were distributed to all participants inviting them to join the JPL at a great discount.  It was a great event and we look forward to next year's author, Ally Carter!

'Milo' author @ Bialik

On Monday November 1, Alan Silberberg, author of Pond Scum and numerous YTV and DisneyChannel tv shows, introduced his new book, Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze to the Secondary 1 students of Bialik High School.  Alan demonstrated how his illustrations for Milo are used to highlight emotions that the character, a 13 year-old whose mother has died, and who has been moved from house to house and school to school ever since, cannot express on his own.  His comical illustrations introduce readers to Milo's grade 7 friends, his family and his teachers, in a warm and funny way that our Grade 7 students found appealing, especially when they found out that Milo's story is based on the author's own experiences.  Our students asked many questions about writing, about getting published, and whether or not Alan had met some of their favorite tv stars.  You can find more information on Alan Silberberg at:  silberbooks.com