CMS Learning Commons
October
Ebooks and Audiobooks Available through Sora (Overdrive)
Did you know that GCISD students have access to thousands of ebooks and audiobooks through Overdrive? There is a new app to access the Overdrive catalog called Sora. It is much more user-friendly than the original Overdrive app. Here is a slideshow explaining how to use Sora to access the digital library. Sora by Overdrive
Student Library Group
We had the first meeting of the new CMS Library Council in September and had a great response. It is still open for new members, there will be another meeting during October. Members of this group will participate in book discussions, assist with selecting books to add to the library collection, publicizing library events, creating themed displays in the Learning Commons, and plan library related social events.
Tech Free Tuesday
The first Tuesday of every month is Tech Free Tuesday in the Learning Commons before school. We had the first one at the beginning of October and it was a great time. Students had a variety of tech-free activities to participate in including board games, origami, crafts, and puzzles. We will have the next Tech Free Tuesday Oct. 30 and will have some fun Halloween activities available.
Genre spotlight: Science Fiction
Science Fiction is stories based on futuristic ideas involving scientific developments, environmental changes, technology, space travel, and extraterrestrial life. Popular Science Fiction series include the Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and Divergent. Below are a few more Science Fiction novels that are popular in our library.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Publisher's description: A forbidden romance.
A deadly plague.
Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .
CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.
Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.
This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget.
A deadly plague.
Earth's fate hinges on one girl . . .
CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.
Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.
This is not the fairytale you remember. But it's one you won't forget.
Michael Vey by Richard Paul Evans
Publisher's description: To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is an ordinary fourteen-year-old. In fact, the only thing that seems to set him apart is the fact that he has Tourette’s syndrome. But Michael is anything but ordinary. Michael has special powers. Electric powers.
Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive.
Michael thinks he's unique until he discovers that a cheerleader named Taylor also has special powers. With the help of Michael’s friend, Ostin, the three of them set out to discover how Michael and Taylor ended up this way, but their investigation brings them to the attention of a powerful group who wants to control the electric children – and through them the world. Michael will have to rely on his wits, powers, and friends if he’s to survive.
Warcross by Marie Lu
Publisher's Description: For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.
Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.
Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.
Shannon Jones CMS Librarian
Email: shannon.jones@gcisd.net
Website: https://cms.gcisd.net/
Location: 1100 Bogart Dr, Colleyville, TX,
Phone: 817-305-4900
Twitter: @CMSColtsLibrary