Se Habla Espanol Aqui

Yesterday a beautiful group of Spanish-speaking preschoolers toured the library, and one of their stops was the Reference desk. I spoke to them in English, at first. Their eyes widened with confusion, so I started again. “Yo puedo contestar,” I boasted, “cualquiera pregunta.” (I can answer any question.) The familiar Spanish words lit the sweet, beautiful children up like a beam of light. Suddenly we were all smiles. My simple Spanish was good enough for them, and I was happy. In fact, three weeks into a refresher Spanish course, I am right at their level! (Explaining to a 4-year old where snow comes from in basic Spanish is a breeze compared to finding some of those trickster 2007 tax forms online!) Talking with the wide-eyed children made me confident enough to put out my SE HABLA ESPANOL AQUI shingle for the first time today--- and mean it!

Hopefully the families of these tots will be coming en masse into the library, too. We have an influx of Spanish language books, CDs, and DVDs in processing at the moment. Reference librarian Lynne Ingersoll and Children’s Librarian Deb Beasely spent a week in Gaudalajara, Mexico this fall, where they ordered hundreds and hundreds of items for the library. And they are all coming in now. Fascinating, richly illustrated, literary or comic or instructional... it is all here!

I have in front of me now twelve multimedia sets by El Baile Regional (each with a big picture book, a DVD, and a music CD) that are ready to hit the shelves. Each set (Call number: SPAN DVD/SET 793.31972 BAI) features the music and dance traditions of a different Mexican state. For example, I have the set for Jalisco in front of me. Wow! I can read up on Las Alazanas or El Pasacalles in Spanish, then watch the dance (and listen to the music) with one swipe of my library card. What a way to experience the richness of a Mexican heritage or to celebrate our neighbors.

Adios Patty

Patty Wanninger has been director of BIPL since 2005. I interviewed her during this, her last week at BIPL.

So, Patty, where to next? Tell us about your new job.

I am a Milwaukee native, and am going back to Wisconsin to be the director of the Manitowoc Public Library and Manitowoc Calumet Library System. Manitowoc is a town of 35,000 on the Lake Michigan, right on the way to Door County. In addition to having a nice library (a new building opened in 1998), it is the home of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum and the U.S.S. Cobia, a tourable WWII submarine.

All the while I worked in Blue Island I commuted on weekends back to Wisconsin where my husband and youngest daughter still live. Although Manitowoc is not any closer to our home in Janesville, it is a place my family will eventually move to.

How would you like to be remembered here in Blue Island?

I hope I am remembered as someone who really liked Blue Island and the diversity of the community and who thinks that Blue Island is perfectly poised to grow and thrive. I think Blue Island has great assets and a great plan to put them to use.

How will you remember BIPL? What will you miss?

I love the fact that the Blue Island library means so much to people in the community, and really makes a difference to its users. I like our good-natured customer service. I will really miss the diversity of users. I think I’ll miss the range of programs we offer, and our really good technology infrastructure.

If you were to visit BIPL again in five years, what kinds of changes do you imagine you’d see in the library? Where are we headed as a library and as a community?

I hope that in 5 years, there is new housing in Blue Island near the train station that has retail on the first level and apartments or condos on the upper floors. I hope the community maintains its diversity and is a friendly, bi-lingual community with everyone from young families to yuppies.

I would love to come in 5 years and see a renovated library. I have been concerned about the aging physical plant, the inadequate restrooms, the complete lack of any energy efficiency, and the makeshift layout and furnishings. The library is such a vital and important part of the community, it would be great to see it refreshed and repurposed for the next 40 years.

When is your last day?

Feb. 1

What are you reading right now?

10 LB. Penalty by Dick Francis

Confused by Computers?/ Confundido Con Las Computadoras?

…Any person who has made it to this blog is already not too shabby with the keyboard and mouse, but there is always more to learn, right? Did you know that the Reference Desk offers FREE one-on-one computer tutoring sessions? The hour-long session (or sessions, as the need may be) can focus on any of the following:

• Basic Orientation to The Computer (What is a mouse, and will it nibble my fingers?)
• Basic Computer Skills (How do I get started?)
• Use of the Internet (How do I get the most out of Google? And is there anything beyond Google?)
• E-mail (How can I set up an account?)
• Word Processing
• Data Processing (Excel… this is Lynne’s specialty)
• Creating a Resume
• Applying for Jobs Online

… And more. We’ll teach you anything we know how to do. Just call or stop by the Reference Desk and set up an appointment. Sessions are offered in English or in Spanish.

Toda persona que ha entrado a este blog sabe como usar el teclado y el raton, asi es de que tiene que saber un poco de computacion, pero siempre hay mas que aprender, ?no? ?Sabia que aqui en el Escritorio de Referencia puede hacer una sita gratis con una tutora para aprender computacion? Una sesion dura una hora y puede centrarse en cualquiera de los siguientes:


* Orientacion basica de informacion (Que es un raton?)
* Conocimientos basicas de ordenador (?Como empiezo?)
* El uso de la Internet (?Que debo hacer para obtener el maximo rendimiento de Google? Y, hay algo mas alla de Google?)
* E-mail (?Como ouedo crear una cuenta nueva?)
* Procesamiento de textos
* Procesamiento de datos (Excel... esta es la especialidad de Lynne)
* Creacion de un CV
* La aplicacion para la creacion de empleo en linea

... Y mas. Vamos a ensenarle todo le que sabe hacer. Solo tiene que llamar o pasar por el mostrador de referencia y establacer una cita. Las sesiones se ofrecen en ingles o en espanol.


* Images by Dj_Riel and Geopelia

Put Yourself To The Test (GED)

What do Peter Jennings and Jessica Simpson have in common?
Chris Rock and Bill Cosby?
Michael J. Fox and U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell?

They all passed the GED!

I spent the morning learning more about the GED, and especially the online prep class GED-I. Turns out there are ALL KINDS of FREE classes to help in preparation for the GED (or General Educational Development) Exam---

Full Time classes from 9am til 2pm, Mon-Fri;
Part Time classess to fit all kinds of schedules (morning, afternoon, and evening);
An online option that requires only a few face-to-face visits on campus.

Check out GED-I to learn more! This website will help: finding the closest location for a class, exploring the exam material, deciding if an online class is for you, and getting connected with any information about the GED exam itself. Finally, after enrollment, this is where to go to participate in the online course, which includes a chatroom, e-mail contact with an instructor, lessons, and more.

The next class session will begin in March. Register now!

For further information about the free GED classes, come to the Reference Desk.

Free Civics Flash Cards

Quick..

What is the Constitution? (The supreme law of the land)

How many changes, or amendments, are there to the Constitution? (27)

Are you or is someone you know studying for the US citizenship (or naturalization) exam? We have sets of flash cards to give away! The flashcards ask and answer questions about the history and government of the U.S., and will be a great study tool. Plus they're free... from Blue Island Public Library.

These are going to go like hotcakes, so come get yours at the Reference desk now!

Meet Skye, Reference Librarian

1. What is your official title here at BIPL?

Reference Librarian

2. How long have you worked here?

Since October of 2007--- I am the newbie!

3. Tell me a little about your main duties or responsibilities.

I answer questions in English and Spanish at the Reference Desk. I give one-on-one computer tutorials for patrons in English and Spanish. I assist in selecting non-fiction books for the library. For better or worse, I run this blog. And I am working on all sorts of projects that you'll hear more about down the line, such as digitizing our local newspaper collection, sponsoring an African- American- centric book club, and other fun stuff.

4. What special areas of knowledge do you have that come in handy when answering reference questions?

I'm good on literature and books--- I love to make personal recommendations. Also, I do well at teaching how to use the library databases and do online searching.

5. What do you like to do in your free time?

Read, write, pet my cat Pearl, and visit Chicago.

6. What is your favorite aspect of living in Blue Island?

I love the feeling of community at the library, and I like walking to work. Plus the honey butter BBQ Shrimp at Maple Tree Inn rocks!

7. What is your favorite book?

Right now I am reading The History of Last Night's Dream by Rodger Kamenetz from our new book shelf. An amazing investigation of dreams and dreamers from Genesis to last night.

Book Lovers Unite

On December 23rd 2007,Chicago Sun Times Books editor, Teresa Budasi, in a defiantly titled article “How the Grinch stole the Books section” explained that the Sun Times Book section has been downsized. So the era of “full-length book reviews, local author features and interviews” has come to an end. Now look for Book mentions in the Sunday Show section, sandwiched between articles on Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan.

“The Grinch in this situation” she explained, “is not an evil creature or even a person. The Grinch is the economic climate of the news business. Times are tough nationwide in this industry and here at the Sun-Times it’s no different.”

Read the article here.

Times may be hard in the news business, but readers are still flocking to libraries, thank god! Many library users are drawn in by the public computer banks, but research shows that they often walk out with a book or two too.

"Internet use seems to create an information hunger and it is information-savvy young people who are most likely to visit libraries,” said Leigh Estabrook from the University of Illinois.

Statistically speaking, more than half of America used a public library last year.

Read more here.

The Grinch can’t touch Blue Island Public Library. Not while we're on the lookout!

The Phantom Won Over Tanesha

Tanesha Woods sez: "The Phantom of the Opera was awesome, except there was a lady sitting in front of me with a big hat. I normally don’t really like musicals, but I liked this one. The music was great. The elaborate costumes were great. The singing was amazing. And the special effects were awesome."

A New Year's Resolution for 2008

Finding the right words in Spanish for a decent conversation can feel like trying to make my way across Lake Shore Drive blindfolded. The words whiz by so fast! Slam! Someone call 911! But with the help of a class in Spanish 3 at the Moraine Valley Community College, 2008 is going to be the year the Reference Desk hangs out a shingle that says: Se Habla Espanol.

With the help of the 37.9% or more of Blue Island residents who are familiar with Spanish, I will learn to speak like a real mujer, a real bibliotecaria (or librarian, that is.) I resolve to practice my new Spanish with unsuspecting, innocent patrons who WILL NOT LAUGH when I call Los Estados Unidos, Los Tostados Bonitos (as has actually happened!)

Here’s my shout out to la gente de Isla Azul, Illinois. Try me. I may surprise you with how much I understand.