Category: Libraries

Good-bye Summer, Hello Fall!

9/3/2019

*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.

Life is a series of changes but with the advent of fall comes the change that we at BTBL love most of all. The visual changes as the bloom of flowers leave us and the trees display their magnificent colors before dropping their leaves. This time also offers great outdoor experiences for children. A wonderful way to experience the changes of fall might be to read the story My Autumn Book by Wong Herbert Yee and then enjoy the wonders of nature with your child and collect the treasures the season has to offer and create your own Autumn Book.

Change at this time of year can also involve starting school or moving to a new grade. A wonderful story about the challenge of accepting change and letting go in order to grow up is Little Tree by Loren Long. With so many changes that occur in a young child’s life, it is vitally important that some routines and traditions remain, such as snuggling and sharing a story. Children are often confronted with daily changes and most of these changes are beyond a child’s control, which can lead to stress and anxiety. It is the established routines that can give a child a sense of control for they know what to expect. Routines give children a sense of consistency and security in an ever changing, unpredictable world. A routine of reading with your child will make them feel safe and secure and create an everlasting bond. Choose stories that help your child see that though life presents challenges, not all is lost such as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.

Do you have a library card? If not, it's time to get one!

Don’t forget to continue to utilize your local library. September is Library Card Sign-up Month so take your child to the library and let them get a card (if they are old enough) and teach them how to find books that interest them. For infants and preschoolers, check for story times and other scheduled activities.

What is happening in September?

2nd: Labor Day - To honor the contributions workers have made to this country help your child explore careers. Some books to consider are When I Grow Up by Al Yankovic, Lola Dutch When I Grow Up by Kenneth Wright and the The Berenstain Bears Jobs Around Town by Stan and Jan Berenstain.

8th: Poet Jack Prelutsky’s Birthday - With his innovative word play, Prelutsky’s poems are a must read for every child. Consider Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young and The New Kid on the Block.

Author Jon Scieszka’s Birthday - Nationally recognized reading advocate and the founder of the literacy program for boys GUYS READ. Share one of his picture books with your young one or for the older set a title from his Time Warp Trio chapter book series.

International Literacy Day - Helps to raise awareness for those who cannot read or write. Help your child understand how important reading is to life by reading Oh, How I wished I Could Read! by John Gile.

11th: 9/11 Remembrance Day - Honor those who were taken from us in your own special way.

13th: Author Roald Dahl’s Birthday - Who didn’t grow up with Dahl’s classics such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach? Share one of his timeless stories with your child.

14th: Curiosity Day – Each year, around the birthday of H.A. Rey, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) hosts an event called Curiosity Day. This is a day set aside to celebrate the magic of learning and discovery through reading, particularly the stories of everyone’s favorite curious monkey, George. You can find more information about this day and ways to celebrate on HMH’s official Curious George web page.

16th: Author H.A. Rey’s Birthday - Rey, with wife Margret, brought the delightful exploits of a mischievous and beloved little monkey to life, Curious George. Read about their remarkable journey to escape the Nazi invasion of Paris in The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margaret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden.

17th: Constitution Day – A day to celebrate our Nation’s Constitution. Consider reading We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States by David Catrow.

25th: Poet Shel Silverstein’s Birthday - Silverstein has delighted children with his poems and drawings for years. Among his notable works are The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends.

The Last Week is Banned Books Week – Celebrate the freedom to read by choosing your favorite book. For a list of frequently challenged/banned books, visit the American Library Association's website.

"No two persons ever read the same book."
-Edmund Wilson-

Happy reading!

-Kate @ BTBL

Author

We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest additions, a daughter (now 3) for Kate, a son (now 1) and another little boy expected this year for Amanda. We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.

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Library 101

9/12/2018

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Updated on 04/05/2021

*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided will go to support our literacy efforts.

The easiest way to raise a literate child is to read to them and to give them access to books. Since September is Library Card Sign-up Month, we would like to encourage all parents to bring their children to their local library to obtain a library card and allow their children to engage in the joy of searching for and finding books that will ignite their imagination, spark their curiosity and introduce them to a new world of ideas and concepts. A library is a unique place in that it gives people equal access to information and to books that tell them about the past, the present and lets them dream about the future. Libraries are filled with a plethora of books so helping a child to navigate the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system can make the task to find that special book that excites them a bit easier. So here we go…..!

Melvil Dewey (1851 - 1931)

The DDC, created in 1876 by Melvil Dewey, is the system utilized by more than 200,000 libraries around the world to organize their materials. All library materials are categorized by subject or field of study and assigned a DDC number (generally referred to as a call number). The DDC is made up of ten main classes (ranging from 000 – 900) that are broken down into ten divisions which are broken down further into ten sections. Each number simply gives the book a more specific classification, starting out with a broad subject and then narrowing down. The great thing about this system is that once you have located a book on a certain topic, you will find other books on the same subject around it. Most libraries today use the DDC to organize their nonfiction collection and shelve their fiction titles by author’s last name, even though literature has an assigned number of 800. This is done for simplicity’s sake as the fiction genre is so large.

The DDC Main Classes and Divisions

000 – General works, computer science and information

010 – Bibliographies
020 – Library and information sciences
030 – Encyclopedias and books of facts
040 – Unassigned
050 – Magazines, journals and serials
060 – Associations, organizations and museums
070 – News media, journalism and publishing
080 – Quotations
090 – Manuscripts and rare books

100 – Philosophy and psychology

110 – Metaphysics
120 – Epistemology
130 – Parapsychology
140 – Philosophical schools of thought
150 – Psychology
160 – Philosophical logic
170 – Ethics
180 – Ancient, medieval and eastern philosophy
190 – Modern Western philosophy

200 – Religion

210 – Philosophy and theory of religion
220 – The Bible
230 – Christianity
240 – Christian practice and observance
250 – Christian orders and local church
260 – Social and ecclesiastical theology
270 – History of Christianity
280 – Christian denominations
290 – Other religions

300 – Social sciences

310 – Statistics
320 – Political science
330 – Economics
340 – Law
350 – Public administration and military science
360 – Social problems and social services
370 – Education
380 – Commerce, communities & transportation
390 – Customs, etiquette, folklore & fairy tales

400 – Language

410 – Linguistics
420 – English and Old English languages
430 – German and related languages
440 – French and related languages
450 – Italian, Romanian and related languages
460 – Spanish, Portuguese and Galician
470 – Latin and Italic languages
480 – Classical and modern Greek languages
490 – Other languages

500 – Natural sciences (pure science)

510 – Mathematics
520 – Astronomy
530 – Physics
540 – Chemistry
550 – Earth sciences and geology
560 – Fossils and prehistoric life
570 – Biology
580 – Plants
590 – Zoology (animals)

600 – Technology

610 – Medicine and health
620 – Engineering
630 – Agriculture
640 – Home and family management
650 – Management and public relations
660 – Chemical engineering
670 – Manufacturing
680 – Manufacture for specific uses
690 – Construction of buildings

700 – Arts and recreation

710 – Area planning and landscape architecture
720 – Architecture
730 – Sculpture, ceramics and metalwork
740 – Graphic and decorative arts
750 – Painting
760 – Printmaking and prints
770 – Photography, computer art, film and video
780 – Music
790 – Sports, games and entertainment

800 – Literature

810 – American literature in English
820 – English and Old English literature
830 – German and related literatures
840 – French and related literatures
850 – Italian, Romanian and related literatures
860 – Spanish, Portuguese, Galician literatures
870 – Latin and Italic literatures
880 – Classical and modern Greek literatures
890 – Other literatures

900 – History and geography

910 – Geography and travel
920 – Biography and genealogy
930 – History of ancient world (to 499)
940 – History of Europe
950 – History of Asia
960 – History of Africa
970 – History of North America
980 – History of South America
990 – History of other areas

Download and print out this list of DDC Main Classes and Divisions and bring it with you on your next library visit.

DDC Main Classes and Divisions
File Size:	249 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Hopefully you aren’t thoroughly confused but if you aren’t a regular library user, your head might be spinning right about now. Don’t worry, repeated trips to the library will help you and your child become masters as you search the shelves and see what’s offered. You can also have fun exploring the DDC and becoming more familiar with the system by working on a coloring page, engaging in a scavenger hunt or simply exploring the shelves of your local library to see what books can be found under each number. When in doubt, ask a librarian for assistance.

To further enhance the experience, consider reading some fun library titles with your child such as...

Do You Know Dewey? by Brian P. Cleary

The Great Dewey Hunt by Toni Buzzeo

The Library by Sarah Stewart

Curious George Visits the Library by H. A. Rey

Pete the Cat Checks Out the Library by James & Kimberly Dean

Delilah D. at the Library by Jeanne Willis

No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Greene

A Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker

D.W.'s Library Card by Marc Brown

At the Library (A Shine-A-Light Book) by Heather Alexander & Ipek Konak

The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy

Aiden Pike: On the Sourdough Trail (The Dewey Decimal Adventures #1) by Mary C. Ryan

For more title suggestions, take a look at our book list:
Stories about Books, Reading & Libraries.

Don't forget to also take a look at your library's events calendar for storytimes, lectures, workshops, movie nights and so many other things. My daughter loves attending the weekly preschool storytime offered at our local library. The children engage in songs, finger play, arts and crafts activities and listen to a story or two read aloud each week.

What is your family's favorite thing about going to the library? Share with us in the comments!

Happy reading and library time!

-Kate @ BTBL

Author

We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest additions, a daughter (now 5) for Kate, and two sons (now 3 and 1) for Amanda. We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.

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#SaveSchooolLibrarians

4/8/2018

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April is School Library Month!

     Imagine a space, centrally located within a school, equipped with flexible, movable furniture and a variety of technologies and resources, where students can come together to collaborate with peers and staff on projects and assignments, conduct research through various print and digital mediums, learn new concepts via hands on exploration and experimentation, hear a story read aloud, sit quietly to read, reflect, write or even color.

     Imagine further that in this space there are students not sitting apart from one another, working silently and independently, but rather sitting in small groups or pairs, discussing, debating, collaborating and furthering their knowledge together. Perhaps some of these students are even taking part in a performance or presentation of some kind.

     Do you have that space in mind? Can you envision the different types of learning taking place? Can you see the vast array of materials and resources at students’ and teachers’ disposal?

     The amazing space to which I refer is the school library, sometimes referred to as the learning hub or learning commons today, and sadly it is a space rapidly disappearing from many of our schools.

     With school budgets tightening their belts, school libraries are continually finding themselves at risk of being cut out to make room for other resources. A vast number of school libraries are operating without a certified librarian present to assist and guide students with conducting research, identifying reliable sources, formatting essays and citations, or selecting books or other reading materials. While some schools do have a person employed as a library aid or paraprofessional, these people are generally not qualified or knowledgeable enough to fulfill the role of a true certified school librarian. This common practice is a disservice to both students and staff, particularly in this time of startlingly low literacy rates. It is a consistently proven fact that schools that have a fully funded library with a certified librarian have higher student achievement and reading scores and yet, far too many of our schools look to the library first when making budget cuts with no plan in place to ever return its funding or look for new funding avenues.

     Consider that in a school library students not only have the opportunity to collaborate with other students and staff in an area filled with books and various technologies, but they also get to hear fluent readers bring a story to life, thus increasing their vocabulary and building background knowledge, even in the middle and upper grades. Additionally, the school library is often the only way that some students have access to books outside of their classroom. As far back as 1740, Benjamin Franklin recommended school libraries as an essential, key element of the ideal institution of learning. So, why is it then that they are now disappearing, when they are needed more than ever?

     The school library is more than a space that houses books and computers. It is the heart of the school. Some schools call it the the “Learning Commons” or "Global Learning Center," and are recognizing that it truly is the epicenter of the school, the central hub of learning and collaboration, not just among students, but among the teachers as well. School librarians bring with them a wealth of skills and knowledge that reach far beyond simply taking care of books. In today’s technological world, school librarians are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to guide our students through the confusing realm of digitized information and communication, imparting digital literacy and citizenship skills our students must have for continued success in education and, eventually, the workforce. Even more importantly, today more and more school librarians are trained in literacy education, including reading development and instruction and are, therefore, an additional valuable school resource available to students, teachers, administration and to the community of parents as well.

     This April celebrate School Library Month by showing your support of these sacred hubs of knowledge, curiosity and collaboration. A great way to start is by signing the petition on EveryLibrary’s activism site SaveSchoolLibrarians.org and by encouraging your children and/or students to utilize their school library and by letting your schools know that you and your family value the library and its continued funding. Show your support on social media with the hashtag #SaveSchoolLibrarians!

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Back to Basics

Good-bye Summer, Hello Fall!

Do you have a library card? If not, it's time to get one!

What is happening in September?

"No two persons ever read the same book."
-Edmund Wilson-

Author

Library 101

The DDC Main Classes and Divisions

Author

#SaveSchooolLibrarians

April is School Library Month!

Author

Archives

Categories

Back to Basics

Good-bye Summer, Hello Fall!

Do you have a library card? If not, it's time to get one!

What is happening in September?

"No two persons ever read the same book."-Edmund Wilson-

Author

Library 101

The DDC Main Classes and Divisions

Author

#SaveSchooolLibrarians

April is School Library Month!

Author

Archives

Categories

"No two persons ever read the same book."
-Edmund Wilson-