Thursday, August 29, 2013

Flashback (Demystifying the Youth Collection- Teen Fiction)

Join us today as we continue exploring the Youth collection and discover how to find Teen Fiction in the library.

Overview
Once readers enter middle school and begin to outgrow the Juvenile Fiction collection, they are ready to move on to Teen Fiction, which is divided into two sub-categories: "Y" Fiction (or Youth Fiction, for grades 7-9) and "YA" Fiction (or Young Adult Fiction, for grades 10-12).

What It Looks Like



Many of the libraries in the Ozark Regional system shelve Juvenile Fiction separately from Y/YA (aka Teen) Fiction, though as mentioned in an earlier post, some of our smaller branches still combine the two sections into one.  Like Juvenile Fiction titles, the spine label on a Teen Fiction book is white and is labeled with a "Y" or "YA" designation, as well as with the first three letters of the author's last name.  For example, a book by Sarah Dessen would have a spine label that reads "YA Des".

Left: The cover of a Teen Fiction title.  Right: A close-up of the spine label.

How to Find It
Here's an image of the catalog card for pictured book...

Author entry card for Sarah Dessen's Whatever Happened to Goodbye?

We know this title is Teen Fiction because our catalog card locator mentions that the book is labeled with a "YA", followed by the first three letters of Dessen's last name.  We know we can find this book shelved, alphabetically by the author's last name, with the other "Y" and "YA" titles in the Youth area.

There's our book!

And that's it- an overview of Teen Fiction and how to find a "Y" or "YA" book in the library!  If you've missed any part of this series on demystifying the youth collection, you can catch up on Board Books, Picture Books, Easy Readers, Juvenile Fiction, or the Paperback Collection at your convenience.  Next up: the Nonfiction Section!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Flashback (Demystifying the Youth Collection- Paperbacks)

Join us today as we continue exploring the Youth collection and discover how the J/Y/YA paperback section is organized.

Overview
If readers don't find what they're looking for in the Juvenile Fiction section, they might try the library's collection of paperbacks for Juveniles, Youth, and Young Adults (titles in this collection run the gamut, with books for grades 3-12).  Paperbacks often have a shorter shelf life (pun intended!) than hardback titles, but don't let their dog-eared appearance fool you!  You can find lots of great reads in this section, in a variety of genres: adventure, action, mystery, historical, fantasy, science fiction, contemporary, and more.  

What It Looks Like
Since paperbacks are flimsy by nature, they aren't processed as heavily as a hardback counterpart would be.  For example, paperbacks don't have spine labels.  When you want to know what age range a paperback book is geared toward, you just open the book and look in the upper left-hand corner of the white check-out card for the "J" for "Juvenile" (grades 3-6), "Y" for "Youth" (grades 7-9), or "YA" for "Young Adult" (grades 10-12) designation.

A peek at the white card for Mark Williams' Dragon Sword- by checking the upper left-hand corner of the card, we can see that this is a Juvenile Fiction (JFIC) from the paperback collection (PB).

Since paperbacks tend to rotate in and out of the collection much more quickly than hardback books, they are also shelved more casually- usually lumped by series or genre, rather than alphabetically by author's last name.  The paperback collection is a perfect place to browse for interesting titles you may not have stumbled across otherwise!

How to Find It
As I mentioned above, paperback books aren't processed as heavily as hardback titles.  Aside from not having spine labels, this also means that these books are not listed in the library's card catalog.  If you're looking for a paperback book, just browse the section until you find what you're interested in, or feel free to ask your local librarian for help!


And that's it- an overview of J/Y/YA paperbacks and how they're organized in the library!  If you've missed any part of this series on demystifying the youth collection, you can catch up on Board Books, Picture Books, Easy Readers, and Juvenile Fiction when you have time.  Next up: Teen Fiction!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Flashback (Youth Collection Demystified- Children's Fiction)

Join us today as we continue exploring the Youth collection and discover how to find Juvenile Fiction in the stacks.

Overview
After fledgling readers have mastered the challenge of Easy Readers, the next stop in their reading journey is the Juvenile Fiction sectionJuvenile fiction is intended mainly for readers who are grades 3-6 and varies widely in content and style. 

What It Looks Like

Left: The cover of a Juvenile Fiction title.  Right: A close-up of the spine label.

Many of the libraries in the Ozark Regional system shelve Juvenile Fiction separately from Y/YA (aka Teen) Fiction, though some of our smaller branches still combine the two sections into one.  The spine label on a Juvenile Fiction book is white and is labeled with a "J" for "Juvenile", as well as with the first three letters of the author's last name.  For example, a book by Erin Hunter would have a spine label that reads "J Hun" (see above picture).

How to Find It
Here's an image of the catalog card for this book...

Author entry card for Erin Hunter's The Fourth Apprentice.

We know this title is Juvenile Fiction because our catalog card locator mentions that the book is labeled with a "J", followed by the first three letters of the author's last name.  We know we can find this book shelved, alphabetically by the author's last name, with the other "J" titles in the Youth area.

Here it is!


And that's it- an overview of Juvenile Fiction and how to find a "J" book in the library!  If you've missed any part of this series on demystifying the youth collection, you can catch up on Board Books, Picture Books, or Easy Readers at your convenience.  Next up: the Paperback Collection!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Flashback (Youth Collection Demystified- Easy Readers)

Today, we're continuing our tour of the Youth collection, figuring out how to locate easy readers (also known as "step" readers or "level" readers) on the shelves.

Overview
Easy readers (aka "step" or "level" readers) are the titles children check out when they're interested in learning to read independently from an adult.  In line with their name, these books often sport an assigned "level" on their front covers or spines.  As the designations increase in value (they often range from PreK for fledgling readers and work their way up to Level 3 for those children able to read whole paragraphs on their own), the difficulty level of the book's reading content becomes more complex.  Like stepping stones across a babbling brook, easy readers are meant to smoothly guide children through the transitional process of becoming independently literate. 

What It Looks Like


Left: The cover of an easy reader.  Right: Close-up of the level label.

Easy readers are always either located in a separate section near the picture books, or at some of our library branches, the easy readers are interfiled with the picture books.  Regardless of how they're shelved, easy readers are simple to distinguish from other parts of the collection because, while they are still alphabetized by the first letter of the author's last name and carry a bright yellow spine label similar to picture books, easy readers' spine labels are also clearly marked with a large, black "ER" designation. 

How to Find It
Here's an image of the catalog card for this book...


Author entry card for Melvin Berger's Snap!

We know this title is an easy reader because our catalog card locator mentions that the book is labeled "ER", and after noting that the author's last name begins with the letter "B", we know we can find this book in the Easy Reader section with the rest of the "B"s.


Found it!

And that's it- an overview of easy readers and how to find them in the library!  If you've missed any part of this series on demystifying the youth collection, you can catch up on Board Books or Picture Books at your convenience.  Next up: Children's (or Juvenile) Fiction!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Flashback (Youth Collection Demystified- Picture Books)

All right, today, we're continuing our brief tour of the Youth Collection, figuring out how to locate picture books on the shelves.

Overview
The picture book collection is the section most people think of when they conjure up images of the library.  Picture books can range from simple to quite complex, in both text and illustration and are often books that parents/teachers/caregivers read to children prior to children learning to read independently.  The books I use in story time are almost always culled from the picture book collection.  

What It Looks Like

A wintry book to get you in the right frame of mind for upcoming chilly temps! 

Picture books are easy to tell apart from most of the other books in the Youth Collection; they have bright yellow spine labels, shared only with the Easy Reader Collection, which we'll cover in more depth in the next post. 

How to Find It
Here's an image of the catalog card for this book...

Author entry card for Jimmy Fallon's Snowball Fight.

All books in the picture book collection are arranged alphabetically by first three letters of the author's last name, so this title is a snap to find.  Just locate the shelf with the other yellow labels marked with an "F", and then browse down the line until you find the title you're looking for.


Here's our book!

And that's it- an overview of picture books and how to find them in the library!  If you missed the first part in this series of demystifying the youth collection, feel free to catch up here.  Next up: the easy reader (aka step, or level, reader) collection...

Keep reading!

Shaen

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Flashback (Youth Collection Demystified- Board Books)

Have you ever walked into the youth area of your local library and wondered "How on earth is this organized, and where do I find what I need?"  Maybe you browsed on your own until you located the right title, or maybe you asked a librarian for help.  Maybe you left the library frustrated that you couldn't find what you needed.

Well, no more!  All the information you need is at your fingertips- in the catalog and on the book spines!  Over the next few weeks, I'll help to "demystify" the code on those paper spine labels so you can always find exactly what you're looking for. 

Overview
Let's start with the board book collection.  Those small, sturdy squares with cardboard-esque pages are perfect for adults to read to babies or toddlers who are just beginning to learn how to appreciate books.  The covers of board books are washable, their pages don't rip easily, and they often feature simple, bright illustrations and minimal text.

What It Looks Like

Here's a seasonal board book I snagged from our collection at Ironton.

Board books are different from the majority of the Youth Collection in that they don't have spine labels. 

Look, Ma, no label! :)

We often keep our collection corralled in a plastic bin or two, near the picture books- a section we'll talk about in the next installment of this series!

How to Find It
Let's say you found the above dePaola title listed in the card catalog...

Author entry card for Tomie dePaola's My First Thanksgiving.

and you wanted to know how to find it in the Youth Collection.  In the upper left-hand corner of the catalog card is a call number or locator.  This card notes that My First Thanksgiving is a board book, so automatically, we know we can find it in the board book bin (or designated shelf, as it happens at some of our branch libraries), which I've already mentioned are always located near the yellow-spined picture books. 

And that's it- an overview of board books and how to find them in the library!  Next up: demystifying the picture book collection...

Keep reading!

Shaen

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Lots of Changes Afoot!

Lots of fun changes are happening at Ozark Regional lately, including a new member for the Youth Department (we'll introduce her soon!) and a fresh, fun, new program layout for Fall 2013 that includes seasonal programs at select branches for grade schoolers and homeschoolers, along with traditional toddler/preschool story time sessions.  Info should be out at the front desk of your library or in the left-hand column of this blog within the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!

While we're working our way through all of these changes over the next few weeks and getting ready to hit the road in September, I thought I'd re-introduce a series, "Demystifying the Youth Collection", that was first published on the blog in 2012.  In case you've ever been confused trying to locate materials in your library, here's help- at least as long as the card catalog is still in use (and just to satisfy your curiosity, yes, the library is on its way to being automated; the groundwork is being laid as we speak!  Like I said, lots of changes afoot!).

So, keep posted for the next few weeks as I lead you through the Youth Collection, step by step!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

July 2013 Contest Winners!

As promised, here are the winners for our July Contest Month for all eight Ozark Regional libraries!  Great job to all who entered, and congratulations to those who won!  Watch your local newspaper over the next couple of weeks for pictures of the winners in your town.

Iron County
Ironton
Coloring Contest (for 3-6 year olds)
1st place- Matthew Laird, Jr. 
2nd place- Gracie Payne 
3rd place- Carly Bockenkamp

 Book Spine Poetry Contest (for 7-14 year olds)
1st place- Brianne Cooper 
2nd place- Megan Cooper 
3rd place winner- Jessica Jarvis

Annapolis
Coloring Contest
1st place- Freyja Stockhausen

Book Spine Poetry Contest
1st place- Sieg Stockhausen

Viburnum
Coloring Contest
1st place- Ryleigh Barton
2nd place- Kaleb Gamblin

Crawford County
Cuba
Coloring Contest
1st place- Riley Bouse
2nd place- Ximena DeLuna
3rd place- Eden Frana
4th place- Cynthia Viramontes

Book Spine Poetry Contest
1st place- Sara Paulding
2nd place- Jason Paulding


Steelville
Coloring Contest
1st place- Jacob Bailey
2nd place- Mya Zefferi
3rd place- Katie Bailey
Honorable Mention- Landon Adams
Honorable Mention- Maylei Adams

Book Spine Poetry Contest
1st place- Katlyn Martin
2nd place- Curtis Bailey
3rd place- Adria Bowles

Bourbon
Coloring Contest
1st place- Gunner Alexander
2nd place- Cyann Alexander

Book Spine Poetry Contest
1st place- Madison Walsh

Ste. Genevieve County
Ste. Genevieve
Coloring Contest
1st place- Jenna Clayton

Book Spine Poetry Contest
1st place- Jenya Zoughaib 
2nd place- Emily Grither
3rd place- Kylee Clayton

Madison County
Fredericktown
Coloring Contest
1st place- Miley Darwin
2nd place- Mia Culbertson
3rd place- Brooke Matthews

Book Spine Poetry Contest
1st place- Elizabeth Settle
2nd place- David Robinson


Keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, August 2, 2013

Adios, Summer Reading Program 2013!


Thanks to all the kids and families who made our Summer Reading Program 2013 such a success!  Not all of the numbers are in yet, but I know we had great program attendance and summer reading club participation across the Ozark Regional system.  We also had lots of outstanding entries for our July Contest Month, and I'll be revealing the winners of the Coloring Contests and Book Spine Poetry Contest over the next few days.

And don't forget about fall programming- the library doesn't stop when school starts!  Story time programming for toddlers and preschoolers begins the week of September 16, and I'm in a mad dash planning the schedule, which you will hopefully see on this blog and the front desk of your libraries within the next few weeks.  We are also going to be providing a bright, fresh new series of select programming for grade schoolers and teens sometime this fall as well.

Soak up the rest of the summer, and keep reading!!

Shaen

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Closing Party- Mancala Program

The Closing Party was all about fun and creativity, as Miss Michelle led the kids in playing board games and then making their own African glass bead game- Mancala!- out of egg cartons and decorative items.


Jenga!
Having fun with friends.
Pictureka!
Connect Four!
Uno!
Learning to play Mancala.
Decorating Mancala boards (this message is near and dear to our hearts!).
Making Mancala boards.


Keep reading!

Shaen