Celebrate with a Banned Books Lounge!

 I had the absolute pleasure of hosting a program in honor of Banned Books Week today called the Banned Books Lounge. This hour-long event was more than just a discussion—it was a celebration of our freedom to read, a time to reflect on the significance of intellectual freedom, and a space to share stories that have been challenged or banned over the years.

Throughout the hour, we explored the power of literature and why it’s so important to keep conversations about censorship alive. Some of my favorite books were part of the lineup: Catcher in the Rye, Charlotte's Web, The Giver, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Where the Wild Things Are. These books have faced challenges for a variety of reasons, but today, we honored them for the impact they've had on readers of all ages.

One of the highlights for me was reading the Grand High Witch's speech from Roald Dahl's The Witches aloud to the group. It's a passage that’s been both feared and loved, and hearing it in this context reminded us all of the unique and sometimes controversial power of storytelling. The discussion that followed was totally amazing. We delved into the topic of censorship and how it affects our ability to engage in critical thinking. Together, we reflected on how banned books often challenge us to question the world around us, offer new perspectives, and help us connect with our shared history.

It was truly inspiring to hear everyone share their thoughts on why these books matter, and why the freedom to read should never be taken for granted. Banned Books Week is more than a time to celebrate the books we love—it’s a reminder of the importance of access to ideas, and the role libraries play in ensuring that these ideas remain available to all.

Celebrating Banned Books Week This Week!

 Banned Books Week is here!! And what better way to honor it than by setting up a “Read the Banned” book display at your library? This is a great opportunity to showcase a collection of YA and Juvenile books that have all ended up on the challenged or banned list sometime or another. I love creating book display that spark curiosity and conversation. My hope is that everyone will be encouraged to explore these powerful stories and understand why they’ve been challenged—and, more importantly, why they should read them!

I’m excited to have a Banned Books display at my library, because it gives everyone the freedom to pick up a book that someone, somewhere, thought they shouldn’t read. There’s something so empowering about that—knowing you’re choosing a story that’s been silenced, and getting to decide for yourself what it means to you.

How to Set It Up

The “Read the Banned” display should be as bold as the stories themselves. Think colorful, thought-provoking signs highlighting why these books were banned, and maybe even some quick facts about censorship. Stack the shelves with titles like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Eleanor & Park, The Hate U Give, and Speak. I guarantee the display will attract plenty of attention!

Encourage teens to check out a banned book, and don’t stop there—pair this display with a discussion program. Teens can come together to share their thoughts on the books they’ve picked, why they think these stories matter, and how censorship affects their ability to engage with the world. This is the perfect way to turn a simple book display into a meaningful community conversation.

Program Highlight: “Wall of Words” Activity

One of my favorite ideas for this week is the “Wall of Words”. Here’s how it works: after reading a banned book, teens can write their favorite quote or a line that impacted them on a sticky note, and then post it on the wall. By the end of the week, you’ll have an entire wall of words that represents the strength and beauty of these banned stories.

It will look amazing—each note will be a small act of rebellion against censorship and a powerful visual representation of how stories bring people together. Whether it’s a line that gave them strength, a quote that made them think, or a sentence that stayed with them long after the book was closed, this “Wall of Words” will reflect the incredible influence of literature, even when it’s been silenced.

Extra Fun: “I’ve Been Banned” Photo Booth

Here’s where we take it up a notch—set up a “jail cell” photo booth in the library with the words “I’ve Been Banned” above it. Teens (and anyone else!) can take photos in the booth to show their solidarity with banned books. I’ve done this before, and trust me, it’s a blast! It’s the perfect way to combine awareness with a little fun, and everyone walks away with a memorable photo from Banned Books Week.

You’ll be surprised by how many people want to take part, and the photo booth adds a lighthearted twist to an important conversation. It’s a great opportunity to post on social media and spread the message about the freedom to read!

Check Out Banned Books!

Banned Books Week is definitely about celebrating books— but it’s also about protecting our freedom to read. I've had lengthy discussions with my students and my own kids about books that get challenged and the consensus is that these books often hold a mirror up to society, dealing with tough topics like race, identity, sexuality, and the complexities of growing up. Yes, these are difficult topics, but by showcasing banned books and giving readers a chance to dive in, we’re saying loud and clear: these stories matter. 

Let’s make sure that everyone has the chance to read banned books and find themselves within their pages. And, my advice to you too is don’t forget to check out a banned book! 

Welcome to National Library Week !

Let's celebrate! 
It's National Library week all week 4/19-4/25, 2020. #Nationallibraryweek #Librariesstrong  

Every year in April, we get to celebrate a whole week in honor of libraries and give shout outs to all of the valuable librarians and library workers.  They play an amazing role in transforming people's lives and they have the superpower of strengthening our communities.   

This year's theme is very relatable "Find your place at the library," fits very well with what is happening right now, with our country all staying at home. The pandemic is affecting all of us across the nation, which has forced most libraries to shut their doors to the public.  The amazing thing is that librarians and library staff, they don't give up that easily.  Our motto through all of this pandemic has been "We are here for you" and we know that the library is your place and a safe haven for many. Libraries have taken to going online and virtual. We know that providing virtual services and digital content is what everyone needs more than ever right now. If you go to ccclib.org you can get an eCard and then you will have access to eBooks, movies, music, and a plethora of educational databases.  We are now also offering Online Storytimes and we will keep on creating more engaging activities because we love our communities. We want you to stay safe inside and access the library from the comfort of your home.

We'll be doing our celebration online and through social media.  This year you will see lots of posts on social media and we invite you to join in with us.  Check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/concordcalibrary for our National Library Week Celebration and please like our page.  We are also on Instagram @Concordcalibrary and you can follow us there. Comment on our posts, we'd love to hear from you!




Until next time,
Mrs. Librarian Lady

Do You Want to Make a Garden?

I just noticed that every one that is staying home is working on their yards and making really nice gardens.  I decided I wanted to start my own garden and was somehow able to get some seeds and planters from my local home improvement store.  I planted carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and some herbs.  The one thing that I totally forgot about after I planted everything is that I need some garden markers to identify each one!  Garden markers are great because they help you to know which plants are which, but they are also very decorative and add a nice touch to your garden. I am always craft minded so I thought why not make my own.  When I looked up DIY garden markers I saw that there were so many that I could choose from and I couldn't just pick one. Many of these projects use recycled materials, so this is also a benefit over buying markers.  I did decide on the painted clothespin markers, so I will have to post them after I receive my clothespin from Amazon. LOL. Here's a list of some of the cutest and coolest DIY garden markers that I could find.

I went wild over these adorable repurposed Spoon Garden Markers from the Magic Onions blog. This is such a fun and creative way to reuse metal spoons.  It also looks really easy to do!  I want to try this one just because it has so much whimsy and would make any garden look so sweet.

So hey I'm on a roll here with spoons and found this craft Plastic Spoon Garden Markers by the Sewing School blog.  I like this one a lot because I have a box of plastic spoons in my kitchen right now and a basket full of paint pens just waiting for me to get started.  I also like this because you can make it as colorful as you want. If you try this one for your garden let me know how it goes, I'd love to see a photo too.

These Brick Herb Markers are so cool! I found this tutorial on the Simple Details blog and all I can say is that it looks super rustic, but also elegant in a way.  I think the elegance comes from the fancy writing and this project looks so easy to do.  If you have any bricks laying around in your yard you can try it right now.  If you have some bricks, all you will need to make these awesome garden markers is a pencil and a permanent marker!

Wow! This has to be the most awesomest thing I have ever seen!  If you want to try these Aluminum Duct Tape Garden Markers you need to find yourself some of that aluminum duct tape they sell at the hardware store.  This stuff is pretty neat, it's made from real strips of aluminum. Aunt Peaches gives all of the details and instructions on their blog.  I think I could use this duct tape for all kinds of things around my house and around the library!

For some reason, these Clothespin Garden Markers were my favorite DIY design.  I think I like the simplicity of the clothespin and they look easy enough to make. I also like that you can change out your markers if you want to make more and you can also reuse them if you need to replant somewhere else, they seem very portable.  I think this cute idea by Chatfield Court doesn't cost that much either and that was what I was really looking for right now.

If you are working on a garden right now or you want to get some gardening tips before you start, first go to ccclib.org and get an Ecard. Then click on this link to go to my booklist called Do You Want To Make A Garden? and you'll be on your way to the garden of your dreams.

See you soon!
Mrs. Librarian Lady

What's trending in the world of crafts?

Are you ready to try something a fun craft program at your library?  I love all kinds of crafts, so I am excited to show you my list of crafts that are trending so far this year. If you want to learn something new or revisit an old favorite, I am sure you’ll find plenty to inspire you!

Origami 

Well, there's nothing new about Origami, it's an age-old papercraft that was invented in China in 105 A.D. and was brought to Japan by monks in the sixth century. Today, this intricate paper folding craft is really fun for just about all ages. It's easy to learn and the outcome is some really creative and beautiful projects. The awesome thing is that the more you do Origami the better you get at it. As a bonus, the supply list for Origami is really short!

Weaving

I love modern weaving with a wide range of yarn, color, and texture. DIY wall hangings were making a big splash last year, and I expect even more people will join in and get even more creative with fiber love this year.  DIY weaving would be a great library program and it's so easy to make a cardboard loom.  Just think of all the awesome colors of yarn you will use!

Calligraphy

Oh, how I have always adored calligraphy.  That's funny because I remember not liking to write in cursive when I was in school, but I have always been a fan of the swirling and stylish lettering that makes calligraphy so enticing.  And so it is that brush lettering is evolving this year and with it the more refined art of calligraphy. The awesome thing is that you don't have to try and create your own lettering, you can practice with tracing templates to perfect your technique, and before long all your cardmaking projects will have a more professional appearance.  A calligraphy program at your library would be a great way to introduce the art of calligraphy and transforming letters in a work of art.  The short supply list for this program would be calligraphy pens, template sheets, and sheets of calligraphy paper. 

Pyrography

Pyrography literally means “writing with fire” but the term “wood burning” is probably more familiar to all of us.  Today’s crafters use a specialized tool with a heated tip to burn designs into wood. This fire writing tool can be used to decorate everything from jewelry boxes, crates, cutting boards and more. Ok, I have to get me one of these fire writing tools ASAP!  I definitely think that this could be a really fun library program for adults.  I will explore a little more and share my ideas.

Candle Making

I have so many fond memories of candle making.  I shared in my webinar Living in a Material World last month that I grew up making crafts with my Mom and candle making was one of our favorites. I love that the tradition of making candles is being carried on today and now it has been revitalized with modern materials and techniques. Candles are pretty simple to make, easy to personalize and make excellent gifts or can be used as accents for your own home.  I'll share some ideas for candle making programs at your library in the next few weeks.

Paint Pour

You might be saying to yourself what is this?  This is a pretty cool craft that seems to be taking the world by storm.  Last month my colleague had a program with a different name, but the same concept.  Her's was called Galaxy paint and pour and it was a sold-out show.  I have to say that paint pouring is a mesmerizing craft that consists of mixing various paint colors together before pouring onto your chosen canvas. With different results every time you’ll be addicted to seeing what you create next!

Which one of these crafts are you most excited to try at your library?

Tune in next time for more craft ideas from Mrs. Librarian Lady! 

Relaxing & Fun Spa Day for TWeens

For the past few months, I have been trying to pamper myself a little more than usual. I do a lot of running around at work, so when I get home my feet are very tired. I decided to start getting pedicures at least once a month and now my feet feel great and look so pretty. I love picking out a color and then topping it off with glitter!

I recently saw something that really spoke to my heart. On Saturday, I went to get a pedicure and I saw a tween boy getting a pedicure. He and his sister were both getting pedicures while their mom waited in the sitting area. I thought to myself, how cool is this? Later on, I reflected on how these two tweens making lasting memories and bonding which is an amazing thing for a brother and sister to do! 

So, in honor of all of the tweens out there, this blog post is chock full of spa day ideas and activities for guys and girls. Here's a list of fun activities you can do at your library that tweens will love. 

DIY Bath Bombs: Tweens will think you are the bomb after making these amazing bath bombs! 

Homemade Body Scrubs: You'll be tempted to eat these yummy smelling body scrubs.

Easy Towel Wrap: Add colorful ribbon and pins to make this terry cloth wrap unique.

Kool-Aid Lip Gloss: Make these sweet-smelling and tasty lip glosses just for fun. They make great gifts, too!

Glitter Slime: Glittery slime is the coolest thing. 

Hair Chalk: These awesome bright colors go on hair and wash right out. They're just so playful and fun!

Any time is a good time to plan a spa day, so I think I'll start planning mine right now!

Tune in next month for more tips and ideas for tween and teen programming from Mrs. Librarian Lady!

Celebrating Multicultural Crafts!

Good Morning!  It's a chilly November morning here in Northern California.  37 degrees is actually very cold for us Californians!  I woke up this morning feeling super excited because my colleague Dunyau and I presented at the California Library Association's (CLA) 2018 Conference on November 10th at the Santa Clara Convention Center.  We sent in a proposal last spring and it was accepted.  Our presentation is called Celebrating Diversity & Multiculturalism Through Crafts.  We had a lot of time to plan for our presentation and we did a lot of research because we are librarians and that's what we do :)  We had an amazing slideshow that Dunyau made on Canva and so many excellent topics to talk about.  We were really focusing on cultural awareness and helping young children learn about diversity and how we can find ways to share our similarities and differences.  When we were finished talking we invited everyone to make the crafts that we showed in our presentation.  What a blast it was!  All of the participants (I think there were around sixty) were really excited to try and make the crafts.  We had five crafts in all for them to make.  There were Ramadan mosaic tiles, Diwali painted pots, Pride ribbon streamers, Multicultural paper dolls, and Dia de Los Muertos mini tin altars.  I especially liked the mini tin altars, they are super cute and very easy to make.  Several participants told me that they were "inspired" and they are going to try these crafts at their library.  We are very excited to continue to share our research and presentation with other libraries and plan to create a webinar and possibly even a class that we take on the road!

Next time I will share more about our presentation and feature some of the crafts with the supplies needed and how to make them.

An Anti-Valentine's Day Campaign

I'm finally going to do to be able to get creative with and let loose my true feelings for Valentine's Day! I'm on a month long campaign to prove that Valentine's Day does not have to be all about hearts, love, and flowers. I'm hosting two Anti-Valentine's Day parties for teens at two different libraries! Wow that double exposure to heartbreak, disillusion, and pain. I love it ♥ I'm an evil genius muhaaahhaaahaaa! Finally something to get excited about in the cold winter weather. Here's my intro to the party invitation and I will be posting for the next month with pictures, songs, and crafts for this anti-heart celebration!

Do candy hearts and chocolates make you feel ill?
Are you running from Cupid and his stupid arrow?
Are you planning your ♥ Day escape?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone!
You are invited to an
ANTI-Valentine Party!!

A Lion in the Library???

Library Lion written by Michelle Knudsen and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Candlwick Press 2006.

A touching tale about a very special place that I like to sometimes call home

This is a sweet and enchanting story about a lion that visits the library and receives a chance to participate in story time just like all the other children. But, once the lion breaks the rules and roars really loud he is told that he will have to be quiet or leave the library. The lion begins to understand the library rules and does many helpful things for the librarians. One day, an accident happens to the head librarian and the lion does something to break the rules but only to help her because she is hurt. He thinks that he will have to leave the library forever, however he finds out that sometimes rules can be broken especially if it is to save a person in danger. I just love this book and read it to several second grade classes yesterday and they loved it too! This would definitely be a lovely bedtime story for kids as well.