📚The Library Lowdown
Eugene School District 4J, November, 2023
Book Tastings Explore New Books and Genres
Chavez teacher Librarian, Martha Dyer, hosted a book tasting in partnership with first-grade teacher Sarah Singleton and student teacher, Maria Rosa Fabián. Students previewed six books from Wit and Wisdom's module 1. One of the theme questions they explored was, "How do books change lives around the world?". Students rated each book based on how well its illustrations and text piqued their interest. Mrs. Dyer said students were engaged and she would definitely do it again.
4J teacher librarians love to use Book Tastings as a method to encourage students to try new genres and explore books. High school libraries use them to kick off Book Love, a program used to encourage students to read for fun. Students come to the library every two to three weeks with their lit classes and it's turned out to be a creative and fun way to introduce readers to books they may not explore on their own.
Howard's teacher librarian, Debbie Pfeiffer, puts her own twist on book tastings and places new or overlooked books on different tables. Students pick a random book, open it to a random spot, read it for 3-5 minutes, then give it a star rating on a handout. After writing down the title, author, and/or call number, they switch tables, almost like musical chairs but with books too! Ms. Pfeiffer says the students always find books they're interested in and never knew existed. Students can’t wait to check them out! Even though at first they claim to have seen everything in the library, once students start reading or looking at a book they haven't seen before, they get intrigued and excited about it!
If you're interested in trying a book tasting at your school and need support, contact Amy Page (page_a@4j.lane.edu).
4J Librarians Welcome Siuslaw Library Staff
On Wednesday, October 25th, 4J Library Services hosted Siuslaw library staff to tour some of our libraries. Over the day, Siuslaw library staff visited school libraries at Chavez, Churchill, Howard, North Eugene, and Madison, where they explored, asked questions, took pictures, and documented ideas of note they would like to implement in their libraries. It was a rewarding experience for everyone as we made valuable connections and shared learning.
Take a peek into our fun day via the reels Siuslaw district librarian, Jennifer McKenzie, created of our time together.
Native American Heritage Month
Here are some other amazing resources:
- Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
- Native Knowledge 360° Project
- Article by Author Dr. Katrina M. Phillips about why we celebrate Native American Heritage Month
- Wilderness Ridge Bookmarks from the work of author Art Colson. His books can be found in Sora too!
Senate Bill 13: Tribal History / Shared History (ODE)
In 2017, the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill (SB) 13, now known as Tribal History/Shared History. This law directs the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to create K-12 Native American Curriculum for inclusion in Oregon public schools and provide professional development to educators. The law also directs the ODE to provide funds to each of the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon to create individual place-based curriculum.
National Novel Writing Month
"National Novel Writing Month is a fun, empowering approach to creative writing. The challenge: draft an entire novel in just one month. For 30 wild, exciting, surprising days, you get to lock away your inner editor, let your imagination take over, and just create! Set your word-count goal for the month and draft your novel right on our site. We'll help you track your progress. Plus, get support from published authors and an international community of fellow novelists. Our Young Writers Program supports under-18 writers and K-12 educators as they participate in our flagship event each November, and take part in smaller writing challenges year-round."
The website provides support, encouragement, and tools to help amplify the voices of emerging writers. Participants are encouraged to set a word goal and work on achieving it by the end of November. The NaNoWriMo website tracks words for writers like Fitbit tracks steps and it's going global! Anyone can participate, teachers, staff, students, parents...let's get writing!
Family Literacy Month
Flip Event!
Join the Native American Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month Flip live event at 3:00 PM on November 15th. You'll get free resources and learn how to honor their language, heritage, customs, and traditions. Register here.
Oral Histories: Amplify and Preserve Voices with the Library of Congress
Check out these two awesome opportunities for anyone to record and preserve an oral history with the Library of Congress. It’s an exceptional opportunity to connect with family, friends, and community members and listen to their stories! There are two fantastic resources below to explore. If you would like help getting started, contact Amy Page or schedule a visit here.
The Veterans History Project: Preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of American War veterans. If you are a vet or know of one, share your story! If you haven't had the opportunity to explore these stories, they are truly incredible stories of history.
The Great Thanksgiving Listen, a national movement encouraging youth and people of all ages to create an oral history by recording an interview with a mentor, family, friend, elder, or anyone they admire, is celebrating 20 years of stories that matter and has some cools new tools to assist with recording stories. Participants can record an interview with someone in the same room using the free StoryCorps App or with someone in a different location using our remote recording platform, StoryCorps Connect.
Here are a few resources to get assist with getting started:
These oral histories will forever be preserved in the Library of Congress digital collection. Please take a moment to check out the resources and participate!
The Ever-expanding Library of Things
Your Eugene Public Library card provides opportunities to check out a wide variety of games, educational toys, technology and crafts tools and other items for learning, creativity and fun. From specialty baking pans to sewing machines to robotics kits, our Library of Things offers ways to explore new interests, to learn new skills or to borrow instead of buying.
Categories include Arts and Crafts, Baking and Cooking, Board Games, Musical Instruments, Outdoor Games, Science and Technology. Browse the online catalog to place hold requests for pickup. Or visit any library location to find items available for same-day checkout. Browse our Library of Things to place holds: bit.ly/EugLibraryThings
Wordcrafters in Eugene
Wordcrafters main mission is to grow writers. They have plenty of youth programs to encourage young authors and help them refine their craft. Find upcoming programs below.
Fiction Fantastic Contest
Our annual Fiction Fantastic Young Writers Contest is now open. Youth that live or attend school in Lane County are eligible to enter this free short story contest. Visit fictionfantastic.org for more information or download this handy PDF to share.
Rainbow Reads Book Club
Rainbow Reads is a young adult LGBTQIA2S+ book group for Lane County teens hosted by Wordcrafters in Eugene in partnership with the Eugene Public Library! For more information about this free program visit here.
For November we're reading Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh.
When: Wednesday, November 8 | 4:30-6:00 PM Pacific
Where: Eugene Public Library, Downtown
Rainbow Read Club members can pick up a free copy of the monthly book at the Eugene Public Library Downtown.
Write Club for Youth
This our monthly writing workshop that runs during the school year and is offered to youth 9 and up. These workshops offer the opportunity for young writers to explore various genres and topics in writing with local teaching artists throughout the year.
November: Playwriting; Just Begin with Jeany Van Meltebeke Snider
Saturday, November 11, 2023
10 AM - 12 PM | ages 9 and up
Join Jeany Van Meltebeke Snider for our November Write club and jump into writing for theatre.
It's Picture Book Month!
Explore These Great Picture Books in Sora
Amy Page, Eugene 4J District Librarian
Email: page_a@4j.lane.edu
Website: https://wakelet.com/@AmyPage5788
Location: 200 North Monroe Street, Eugene, OR, USA
Phone: 541-790-7765
Facebook: facebook.com/4jlibrarymediaservices
Twitter: @AmyPageTL