New book

Just a quick post before I leave today , my hair is wet and I have not eaten, but I was convinced I had to create a post. Sharon Creech was in a recent post so when I got my new Booklist magazine, I had to tell you this. There is a full page color ad for The Unfinished Angel written by Sharon Creech. The reading guide is available at the HarperCollins website. Let me know if you read it before I can!

Grab them at the door!

I am a firm believer in great signage, but I believe even more strongly our libraries need awesome displays! Grab their attention right at the front door. Use some basic marketing skills! Every LMS knows if they put it on display it will disappear so let's use what we already know. On Thursday my grandaughter and I walked over to the library near her house. I checked out a book called, A Thousand Days of Magic Dressing Jacqueline Kennedy for the White House by Oleg Cassini. I would never have searched the catalog for that book. I would never have browsed the stacks for that book. I am not sure how I would have even known the book existed, had it not been for a cool display on FASHION. It caught my eye and led me right to this book. As many of us I was fascinated by Jackie since I was a little girl. The book provided several hours of intriguing entertainment for me at a much cheaper price than the local movie! So get out there and create some displays! Make them interesting, colorful and fill them with books (head out to a bookstore if you need some inspiration!).

LOVE THAT BOOK

Did you all read Love That Dog? I know a couple of you did cause Ann T. introduced it to me. I read it to every group I could find. There was one group, eighth graders, I was supposed to read for 15 minutes. Well, they were into the story, you can tell by their faces, right?. Well, the teacher gave me the nod and I read this book and read it till we were done! Had one gal in the back with tears in her eyes. Now that is a good book for you. Later a couple of my teacher friends used it with their students. Well, I just got a hold of Hate That Cat, same author, Sharon Creech. I liked it alot, not AS much as the other one but I enjoyed it. Try it and see if you like it. This book will be in one of the goody baskets I mentioned to you in the last post. Yeah, VEMA. I also finished the audio book, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austin. It seeks to explain how Jane could develve so well into love when she had never married. Very nice English sounding lady read to me for 8 disks! I couldn't wait to get back into the car! Those of you who know me, know I live way out and so I usually do NOT want to get back in the car. I thought the period details were well done, though I admit I am not an expert at all! Since I liked that one so much, I selected another English book. Will keep you posted!

Conference Time!

I like to be on time! I think other people like me to be on time, too, especially when I am leading a meeting, but I am really wondering whether I can be on time for all my conference responsibilities. It doesn't help that VLA is this month and next month we have VEMA AND AASL. I also think of my workshops as a mini-conference opportunities and I have two of those this fall. Whew, I am beginning to count on my fingers and toes how many gift baskets, free books, give aways, etc. I need. And ppts, I best count those as well. VLA is October 29 and 30th. It will be my first so I hope I can get out of the vendor area and check it out. AASL is the queen of conferences, not to say anything bad about VEMA, VEMA is awesome, but AASL is just huge! Therefore, it is amazing. The vendors bring their very BEST displays, the giveaways are mostly top of the line ( lots of free books, too). Best of all, no plane flight for me this time! AASL is in Charlotte, NC this year. This is a rare bonus for all of us in the mid-Atlantic area! Come join us? Too far you say well then---Who is going to VEMA? I know, I know, it is in Roanoke and money is tight and time off is impossible but I think you really have to work at it. And if this is your only chance at a conference, you really need to go. Our current conference chair has worked hard to be sure Saturday is awesome so how about if you just come for Saturday??? You need to bring back those new, fresh ideas- you can't do it all by yourself- you need staff development. So how about it????? All for now. My next post is about a wonderful audio book I am almost finished with, see you soon.