LEGO: For the Child in All of Us

Are you a LEGO fan? Those ubiquitous toy bricks have found their way into the library system! You can search the catalog using the word "Lego" to find all varieties of goodies, but we've also rounded up a list of some of the latest titles below.

We have books!

For Children

Dolphin Rescue adapted by Tracey West

LEGO Star Wars: The Dark Side by Daniel Lipkowitz

Robot Rampage by Greg Farshtey

Tribes of Chima by Ruth Amos

Build Your Own Galaxy: The Big Unofficial Lego Builder's Book by Joachim Klang, Oliver Albrecht, Lutz Uhlmann, Tim Bischoff

The LEGO Ideas Book: Unlock Your Imagination by Daniel Lipkowitz 

The LEGO Book by Daniel Lipkowitz
 
For Adults 

Brick City: Global Icons to Make from Lego by Warren Elsmore

LEGO Build-It Book: Volume 1 - Amazing Vehicles by Nathanael Kuipers, Mattia Zamboni [also an eBook]

Beautiful LEGO by Mike Doyle

The Cult of LEGO by John Baichtal, Joe Meno 

Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry by David C. Robertson with Bill Breen

Make: Lego and Arduino Projects by John Baichtal, Matthew Beckler & Adam Wolf 
 

We have DVDs!

Lego - Ninjago and Friends

The Lego Movie

Lego Batman the Movie: DC Super Heroes Unite

Star Wars Lego: The Empire Strikes Out  

Legends of CHIMA: The Lion, the Crocodile and the Power of Chi 



We have items in Spanish for kids!  

Las Leyendas De Chima: Comienza la leyenda by Trey King

¡A reparar ese camión! by Michael Anthony Steele

Los discos de poder by Greg Farshtey


And, last but certainly not least, if you got kids who'd like to get their hands on some bricks, our library system has 9 LEGO Clubs! Visit our Library LEGO Club page to find one near you! Age ranges vary (6-12, 2-14, 5+), so check with individual libraries for clarification.


Links

Bricks and Minifigs Albuquerque

Lego Is for Girls [Businessweek]

Back to School

The new school year is in full swing, and here at abcreads, we like to celebrate by highlighting some of the many print and online resources available to help our students succeed. In addition to homework help, test prep, and research databases, we have a wealth of materials to help with the challenges of going back to school.

Sometimes students aren’t the only ones who could use a little guidance. Our parents and teachers work just as hard, and we have resources for them, too!

Check out some of our lesser known gems:

For Students

Beyond Googling: In today's digital world, it's becoming increasingly important that we can find accurate, credible materials online. Our article databases provide access to high-quality periodicals and peer-reviewed journals that are great for older students. Check out our printable user guide with information and search strategies. UC Berkeley also has a good tutorial on how to evaluate a website.

Got a current events project? Opposing Viewpoints and Points of View are great places to start your research. They have a variety of primary sources and essays that shows both sides of the issue.

If you need biographies in a pinch, we have databases of those, too.


For Parents

Is your child struggling with stress and time management? Or dealing with a bully? We have a books in our catalog geared towards both parents and students to help handle these important issues.

If you're looking for a free afterschool activity, we host a ton of events for children and teens. Do you have a struggling young reader? Read to the Dogs can help them improve their skills and boost their confidence.

Need resources on life lessons or tricky situations? Check our online catalog for children's books on topics such as manners, respecting others, and handling friendships.

For Teachers

Our libraries regularly host classroom visits that introduce your students to the library with stories and crafts. 

Do you work at a Title I school or work with special needs students? Thanks to the Thomason Transportation Program, you can get free transportation
to and from the library.

Novelist K-8 Plus is an excellent website to turn to when you're looking for books for your classroom. Check out their professional toolbox for help finding Common Core content.

You can find all of these and more on our teacher and educator resources webpage.

Teen Read Week 2011

Are you a young adult? Or someone who enjoys young adult literature? If so, help us celebrate Teen Read Week 2011. This year's theme is Picture It @ your library®, which encourages teens to read graphic novels and other illustrated materials, seek out creative books, or imagine the world through literature, just for the fun of it. Teen Read Week runs from October 16 - 22.

You can celebrate Teen Read Week in a number of ways, including:

• Reading one of the Teen Top Teen nominations for 2011.
• Reading a graphic novel or comic (part of this year's focus!).
• Participating in one of ABC libraries' Teen Read Week programs (see below).
• Competing in YALSA's Teen Read Week photo contest.

Several library branches are celebrating Teen Read Week by offering programs just for teens. Sign yourself or your teen up for one! Click the links for more information on any of these programs.

• Photo Scavenger Hunt @ Cherry Hills (virtual) - deadline Monday, October 10 with slideshow at the October TAB meeting - Friday, October 21st
• Stenciling @ East Mountain - Saturday, October 15th
• Wii Gaming @ East Mountain - Wednesday, October 19th
• Kanji Japanese Calligraphy @ East Mountain - Saturday, October 22
• Horror Movie Screening @ Lomas Tramway - Friday, October 21

Zoo to You!

As a tie-in to our Summer Reading program this year, "One World, Many Stories/Un Mundo, Muchas Historias", ABC Libraries will be welcoming the Zoo to You outreach program to some of the branches!

From the Biopark website: "Get eye to eye with exotic animals and discover the wonders of the natural world without even leaving town! Volunteer docents will introduce you to our animal ambassadors, including birds, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. You can also touch many of our biofacts, such as animal bones, pelts and hides, feathers and other interesting animal items. Presentations last between 30 minutes to an hour and carry the conservation message that our actions matter."

Monday, June 6th - Cherry Hills
Wings
Explore our fascinating friends from their feet to their beaks. There are many types of birds and this program investigates how each bird's wings, beaks, and feet are suited to help each species survive.

Tuesday, June 7 - Taylor Ranch
Secrets of Survival
From desert dwellers to the oddities of the ocean...animals are specially suited to survive. Students will examine six distinct habitats and how animals adapt to their environment. Focus on several examples of adaptations, breakdown what a habitat is, and understand what adaptation means. Have you ever heard the word prehensile?

Wednesday, June 8 - Los Griegos
Reptiles and Amphibians
What makes a reptile a reptile? Why is it different than an amphibian? Students will examine reptile and amphibian diversity and the characteristics of each species. Meet a variety of reptiles and amphibians to get a closer look at their interesting characteristics. How would you classify a turtle?

Thursday, June 9 - Erna Fergusson Library
Endangered Species
"To be or not to be?" That is the question for many animals. This program focuses on the importance of preserving wildlife and understanding the basic reasons for the decline of animal populations. Find out the variations between extinct, endangered or threatened. How can we as humans protect our delicate ecosystems?

Friday, June 10 - South Valley
Fur, Feathers, Scales, and Slime
During this introduction to the animal kingdom, students will discover the differences between mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Learn how these four classes of animals are born, what covers their bodies, and the unique characteristics of each. Did you know elephants have hair?


After the initial kick off week in June, there are plans to make smaller programs to set up in an exhibit style at various branches during the summer, including North Valley, Tony Hillerman, South Broadway,South Valley, and Juan Tabo. In June, exhibits will focus on Reptiles and Amphibians; in July, Birds will be featured; and in August, look for exhibits about Mammals.  Make sure to check back at the library's Events & Programs/Storytime page for more information!
 
Thanks to Jamie S. for the information & especially for putting these programs together!

Beginning Mosaics

We had Celeste Boals at our branch today for the second run of her Beginning Mosaics program. Here are a couple of pictures from this popular event! Celeste Boals will be back on Sunday, March 7th with a program on Clay African Pots & Drums-sign up now at the Information Desk!

Here are some pictures from the Mosaics program:

Welcome to Fuzzyland (Or, an odyssey in youth library services)

They teach you plenty of things in library school. Cataloguing, bibliographic instruction, theories of information, storytelling... lots of stuff.

They forget to mention to Youth Services types that you must also have an intimate acquaintance with gluesticks, foam-board, construction paper, and of course, ninja ducks.

This month at Cherry Hills, we're holding 3rd Degree Thursdays, a creative problem-solving game based on Odyssey of the Mind. (Why? I miss OM. ;p) Today, the problem was to make a monument to something that didn't deserve a monument, using two paper bowls, some string, a bit of modeling clay, some toothpicks, cotton balls, and a couple of small leftover summer reading prizes. Participants had no idea what the question was going to be before they arrived.

May I introduce you to Fuzzyland?

Created on the fly from random materials, by a five year old (the program is kids eight to eighteen, but she came with her sisters), Fuzzyland has a whole social system, and networks of relationships among its inhabitants... which are made out of cotton balls and pom-pom critters, as well as one of our favorite ninja ducks (the unofficial mascots of the Teen Advisory Board).

Maybe you'd like a more traditional monument. Meet Ninja Duck I:


Or The Statue of Cotton Balls:


And our oldest, unsure what to create to monumentalize, went with an abstract sculpture, sure to be a hit on the modern art circuit:


All of this is part of what the library does for kids--we like to offer them oppurtunities to be creative and solve problems on their own, and to give them the materials they need to keep their minds ticking along.

In preschool, we make flags monthly for the countries we "visit" via storytime, and all summer, we have programmers for all ages.

This is one of the best parts of my job as a children's librarian. You can keep track of all of our upcoming programs--for kids and adults--at the website.