Published bi-weekly by Read to Me, a service of the Idaho Commission for Libraries
In this Issue:
Welcome
"You see, I don't believe that libraries should be drab places where people sit in silence, and that's been the main reason for our policy of employing wild animals as librarians." -- Monty Python
The Scoop welcomes news, photos, book reviews, tips and anything of interest to school and public librarians. Send us a quick e-mail or a photo and we'll send you a great book!
Meet Jean Dudley
Jean Dudley has been the school librarian with the Castleford School District for 16 years. Castleford is a small farming community in Twin Falls County. The school serves students in Kindergarten through 12th grade and this year they have 305 students. Many staff members in smaller school districts wear more than one hat, and this school year Jean has been teaching three sections at the junior high level and serving as the only staff member in the library.
Despite the challenge of trying to get everything done in the library and classrooms, Jean really enjoys seeing the kids get excited about exploring the LiLI Databases. “They get excited that they can find so much in one spot and it is all good information. Converting them from Google gives me a thrill,” she said. She also enjoys getting books the kids really like. “Especially with the grade school students, the enthusiasm is fun.”
Jean enjoys participating in Buhl Public Library’s Let’s Talk About It book discussion program, but with the added responsibility of teaching duties this year she hasn’t had as much time for reading as she’d like. She is currently reading The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. Two of her favorite children’s/young adult authors include Joan Bauer, author of Rules of the Road and others, and Philip Pullman. “I especially liked his Sally Lockart trilogy because of the strong female characters,” she said.
When Jean isn’t working she enjoys singing, horseback riding, and spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Library to Library
Meadows Valley Public Library Director Audrey Crogh reports the library recently received a grant for $5,802.75 from the local Meadows Valley Benefit Golf Tournament, "The Fosdick." Audrey says they will be using the funds to complete their Computer Technology Center, to add some new end shelving and a new magazine rack, to add some bean bags and rugs to our junior reading area, for some promotional materials and to purchase books for their Book Group. "To date, the Fosdick, which is run entirely by volunteers and local donations, has given the Meadows Valley Public Library just over $30,800.00!" Audrey said.
The Boise Basin Library District was able to distribute books from the Idaho Commission for Libraries through their outreach program. "More than 150 children in our district received a new book to take home, read, enjoy and share. The children from toddlers at daycare centers to pre-school, kindergarten, first, second and third graders at the Basin Elementary School in Idaho City are given the opportunity to hear stories read to them through the outreach program, a program designed to encourage the love of reading and serve the needs of community members by reaching out to our district through bookmobile services, school visits, daycare center visits and other organizations such as the Senior Center," Library Director Marcy Rowe said.
The Commission has more board books available for newborn literacy packages or other outreach efforts sponsored by the library. Contact Stephanie at the ICFL for more information.
The staff at the Boundary County District Library hardly get a break after summer reading when they dig into their winter reading program. They have been doing their winter reading program for several years and it's been a great hit. It sounds like this year's event was another winner. "Our Winter Reading Program was great fun and a success! We used the 'IditaRead' theme and mushed 1,605 miles or 1,605 books read in four weeks. There were just as many adults 'mushing' as children! The grand finale was two skits, I Wanna Iguana and Rumpelstiltskin, her side of the story and his side," staff member Sam Wallace said.
YoHo me maties! Melody Sky Eisler, youth services librarian at Garden City Public Library 
sent us this report and photos on the library's April 17th Pirates and Princess Ball in honor of the Kids Read the Same Book How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long. The library had over 200 children and adults dressed as pirates and princesses. They even had a couple of pirate princesses and some of their wonderful staff dressed up. The kids enjoyed pirate and princess cake and punch and listened to stories about silly pirates and daring princesses. The kids made crowns and pirate hats and danced to pirate shanties for a cake walk.
Young Adult Corner
Vivian Vande Velde Visits Various Venues
By Linda Brilz
The week of April 9th was a busy one for the youth services staff at both Boise Public Library and Meridian Library 
District. Thanks to an LSTA grant through ICFL, we were able to bring Vivian Vande Velde here as part of the Kids Read the Same Book program. Each year a group of very hard working, hard reading teens meets for several months to read through stacks of books in an effort to find just the right one for this citywide book program. This year’s choice was Heir Apparent, by Vivian Vande Velde.
During her three days of programs, Ms. Vande Velde gave presentations and taught writing workshops at six schools in the Boise and Meridian school districts. She also spoke at a reception at Boise Public Library, visited with the MLD teen book club, The Book Bandits, and signed lots and lots of autographs.
An additional evening and part of an afternoon were dedicated to a panel discussion with a group of teens at BPL. The discussion was filmed and will be made into DVDs to be handed out to junior high and middle schools in the Boise and Meridian school districts.
Vivian Vande Velde was a wonderful choice for our first teen author visit. She’s warm, easy to work with and very funny, and is an entertaining speaker. During her presentations, she offered tips and encouragement to aspiring writers and urged all of the kids to keep reading. She explained the process of writing and showed how a book goes from an idea to the final product. In one of the most entertaining parts of her presentation, Ms. Vande Velde showed examples of book jackets from some of her books and explained how they change with different printings.
For student note-taking during the school visits, the Friends of Boise Public Library sponsored jotterpads featuring the 2007 YNK Teen Summer Reading graphic. Teens were encouraged to go to the www.idahokidsread.org website to complete a survey about reading and about participation in library summer reading programs. They also had an opportunity to suggest authors for future visits.
Hosting an author visit is a lot of work but it was a fun and entertaining experience and very worthwhile for everyone involved. We couldn’t have asked for a more delightful person to work with than Vivian Vande Velde. Visit her website at www.vivianvandevelde.com and see more pictures of her Idaho visit.
Thanks to Linda Brilz, young adult librarian at Boise Public Library for sharing this article and Joanne Hinkel, community relations librarian at Boise Public, for the photos.
Book Look
Mary Nate, director of the Bear Lake County Library wrote to say, "I just ran across a most delightful picture book. I just happen to have met the author maybe 15 times. The Boy Who was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris is great. Carla is the Children's Librarian at the Provo City Library. Her library hosts the BYU Books for Young Reader's Conference. The artwork is wonderful too," Mary said. (Editor's Note: Mary has been attending the BYU Young Reader's Conference for at least ten years and has met some fabulous authors and illustrators. She highly recommends it to other librarians!)
Kimbre Chapman, youth services director at the Caldwell Public Library, recommends Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryon. They plan on using the book in their Day de los Ninos celebration.
Stephanie Bailey-White, project coordinator at the ICFL, just ordered Alfred Kropp: The Seal of Solomon by Rick Yancey. Stephanie thought The Extrodinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp was one of the best YA books she's read and she's looking forward to the sequel -- to be released May 1. She says fans of Gregor the Overlander and Harry Potter will enjoy these books. Her husband and kids loved it too. Here's the book description:
Thousands of years ago, King Solomon used a powerful ring, known as the Great Seal, to imprison the fallen angels of heaven in a sacred vessel. Now both the ring and the vessel have been stolen from OIPEP by a double-crossing Mike Arnold. Should Mike choose to wield the demons’ power, all hell could break lose . . . literally. Led by the mysterious Op-Nine, OIPEP has a plan to retrieve the artifacts, and their success depends on the least likely candidate, none other than the last descendent of Lancelot, Alfred Kropp. In this thrilling new adventure, author Rick Yancey proves once again that Alfred Kropp’s unlikely role as a world-saving hero is definitely no accident.
Amanda Pittman, Idaho’s Young Reader’s Choice Award (YRCA) Representative announced the 2007 Young Reader's Choice Award Winners are:
Junior: Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Intermediate: Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
Senior: Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
For more information about the Pacific Northwest Library Association YRCA awards please visit http://www.pnla.org/yrca/index.htm.
Upcoming Events
May 31, 2007: Deadline to apply for the 2007-2008 Read to Me First Book program. First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission -- to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The program provides a book a month for a year for each participating child and workshops for families. In addition to the 12 books each child receives, another program goal is to provide library cards and contact with librarians for at-risk children. Applications for new and returning libraries to participate in the 2007-2008 project year are due in May 31, 2007. See http://libraries.idaho.gov/firstbook for more information.
Summer Reading News
CSLP Announces Themes for 2008 and Beyond
There was a sense of excitement and purpose as over 75 members of the Collaborative Summer Library Program, known 
as CSLP, met last week in Portland to work on theme development for future summer reading themes. CSLP now has 44 member states, with only Louisana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Texas not participating. Representing Idaho were Jan Wall, ICFL library consultant for northern Idaho; Peggy McClendon, ICFL project coordinator; and Karen Yother, youth services and outreach librarian for the Kootenai Shoshone Area Libraries (shown right).
CLSP President Mary Cameron (shown left), youth services consultant for the State Library of Iowa, kept the well-organized meeting moving along. CSLP announced that Highsmith was selected as the vendor through 2009. Two significant changes were approved by members:
1) Change in the dues structure - each state will pay $2 for each public library outlet (not including bookmobiles)
2) For voting purposes, every state will have the same number of votes -- three. In the past, votes were pro-rated per number of library outlets in the state. Idaho had 3 votes under this system while Missouri had 54 votes.
Members voted for the 2009 theme and decided on a concept for the 2010 theme. Upcoming themes are:
2008 Children's theme: Catch the Reading Bug (artist is Harry Bliss)
Teen theme: Metamorphosis @ Your Library (artist Jan Duursema)
2009 Children's theme: Be Creative @ Your Library (focus on the arts)
Teen theme: Express Yourself @ Your Library
2010 Water (Concept could include rivers, lakes, oceans, water sports and activities, etc.)
CSLP is so successful because of the commitment of dedicated volunteers representing member states. Idaho's own Jan 
Wall is Treasurer, serves on the board, and chairs the Budget and Finance Committee. Our public library rep Karen Yother (above right) serves on the Vendor Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee. Highsmith contracts with the children's manual editor Patty Sinclair, (in the photo at right Patty [left] is talking with Vendor Chair Karen Drevo [right]). Patty is a freelance writer and editor and a former children's librarian who lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Karen is a librarian at the Norfolk (NE) Public Library.
Your feedback or suggestions for summer reading materials is always welcome. Please contact Karen, Jan or Peggy with your comments.
School Zone
Do you have an outstanding school library program at your school or in your district? If so, please nominate it for the 2007 Idaho School Library Media Program of the Year award. The award is from the Idaho Library Association (ILA) and is sponsored by Follett Library Resources. If you know of an exceptional school library program (individual school OR district), consider sharing the success with the library community by nominating the program for this annual award. The application deadline is May 31, 2007. Details and nomination forms can be found at this website: www.idaholibraries.org/awards/index.htm
Know the Numbers
The Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor recently reported that Idaho's Hispanic population rose nearly 10 percent in the past two years. The Selig Center for Economic Growth projected a total of 138,558 Hispanic Idaho residents this year compared to 126,785 in the 2005 Census estimate.
Canyon and Ada counties have the highest overall Hispanic populations in the state — 33,098 and 17,961, according to 2005 Census data. Using Selig's projection and 2005 distribution percentages, Canyon County would have an estimated 35,609 Hispanics this year, with 20,146 in Ada County. Small counties in southern Idaho have the highest percentage of Hispanic residents. In Clark County, south of the Idaho-Montana border, an estimated 38 percent of all residents are Hispanic, according to Commerce and Labor statistics.
More than 20 percent of Canyon County's population is Hispanic, up from 18.6 percent in 2000, according to the latest U.S. Census estimates. The estimated Ada County percentage is 5.3 percent, up from 4.5 percent in 2000. Statewide, about 9 percent of current Idahoans are Hispanic, up from nearly 8 percent in 2000.
(Source: Idaho Statesman, April 15, 2007)
A Closer Look at Internet Safety
The following article is by David Townsend (photo at right), the Communications Coordinator at the Coeur d’Alene P
ublic Library. The article was published in the Coeur d’Alene Press. David has also provided us a copy of the brochure on which the article was based. "I put it together for the local school district's Spring Into Safety Carnival last month. Other libraries are welcome to customize it for their use if they are interested," David said.
[Editor's Note: Customizing the article or brochure for school and library newsletters, newspaper columns, and/or blogs is a great proactive approach and we love the plug for the LiLI Databases!]
Internet safety begins at home
The Internet has revolutionized the way we think about research, work, education, entertainment and even how we talk to each other. E-mail and instant messaging put us in immediate contact with people across town or continents away.
But these advantages also come with risks. Because nearly anyone can put anything on the Internet it can be difficult to determine how much of this information is reliable, how much information we are sharing about ourselves and — sometimes — who we are really talking to and their motives.
Perhaps most at risk are the children, who tend to be both curious and trusting. Learning the best way to use the Internet safely and with reliable results begins at home with your family and can continue at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library.
At Home and Away
The Internet is a worldwide network of computers linked by telephone lines, television cables, satellites and wireless communication systems. Your home computer is linked to the network by a service provider.
Before you invite the world into your home via the Internet it’s a good idea to establish what the rules will be in your family:
- Talk to your children about what is acceptable computer use and the kind of websites they may visit on the Internet. This might involve frank talk about pornography, exploitation and violence. Explain that some adults may pretend to be someone they aren’t to lure children into dangerous situations or to gain access to personal and family information.
- Discuss how much computer time is allowed and when the computer may be used.
- You may want to place your computer in an area where the screen is visible from anywhere in the room.
- Nearly all service providers include parental controls, spam blocking and other features intended to limit intrusions on your privacy. You can also purchase software that allows you to filter the websites your children can access. Be aware, however, that these cannot guarantee your children — or you — will never see anything you may consider offensive. Also, depending on how technically savvy your children are, they may be able to find ways around the filter. Giving your child good decision-making skills may ultimately be the best filter.
- If your child is likely to use a computer at another family’s home, communicate your rules and expectations to the adults there.
- Make sure you are aware what the acceptable use policy is for your child’s school.
- Different libraries have different policies on providing filtered and unfiltered Internet computers. Library personnel cannot monitor patron use. Parents and guardians need to enforce their family rules for their own children.
- If your child uses a laptop computer remember there are numerous wireless access points in most communities where you will not be able to monitor his or her use.
It’s Not Always Good to Share
Children are inherently trusting and it’s not always easy for them to understand that people they encounter on the Internet may have ulterior motives. Your family’s Internet rules need to make it clear that sharing personal information is not a good idea.
A few suggestions for children:
- Visit only chatrooms and use only e-mail and instant message services approved by your parents.
- Never give out your full name, address, telephone number or e-mail address to anyone your parents have not approved.
- Don’t share your daily schedule with a stranger or arrange to meet someone without telling your parents.
- Don’t visit sites that require you to pay for access. Don’t give your parents’ or your credit card information to anyone not OK’d by your parents.
- Don’t post your photo without permission or open photos in attachments coming from strangers.
- Don’t respond to or open messages from people you don’t know.
- If you encounter a photo or other material that is unacceptable in your family, shut down the site immediately and tell a trusted adult what you encountered.
- If you accidentally access something that is frightening or confusing, it is not your fault!
Find the Right Stuff on the Net
With all the information available on the Internet it can be hard to decide what is reliable. Some sites can be identified as accurate based on the source — sites sponsored by recognizable reference publishers, for example.
The Coeur d’Alene Public Library — and other libraries in Idaho — have been provided subscriptions to trusted reference sources that can be used from your home computer or by visiting the library. This service is funded by the Idaho Commission for Libraries. These include national magazines, newspapers, virtual reference materials and even automotive repair manuals.
Different sources of information have been designed within these databases for specific age groups.
The library’s reference staff can show you how to use these resources — and other traditional reference materials at the library — for homework and other purposes. Call 208/769-2315 or visit the library, 201 E. Harrison Ave., to obtain the necessary user name and/or password to access these resources from home through the library website: www.cdalibrary.org.
David Townsend is the Library Communications Coordinator for the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. He can be reached at dtown@cdalibrary.org. Brochures, on which this column was based, are available at the library.
Tips & Tools
Specialized Resource for Librarians
PDS, a service of the Idaho Commission for Libraries, is providing free access to Wilson’s Library Literature and Information Science database. This full-text database provides access to over 155 full-text magazines and journals. The topics range from acquisitions and collection development to incorporating technology into your libraries and virtual reference.
Library Lit provides resources for all those wanting a short applicable article to those of you doing research on library science topics. Whether you work in a school, public, academic, or special library, there is something is this database for you. So check it out at: http://libraries.idaho.gov/pds and click on the Library Literature and Information Science link. Please remember that to use this new resource you will need to have an ICFL Library Card. If you do not have one, there is a link to the library card application form at the bottom of the login page (http://libraries.idaho.gov/node/1160).
News Beyond Idaho
Explore the Library: The International Reading Association has published a brochure called "Library Safari: Tips for Parents of Young Readers and Explorers." One purpose of the brochure is to encourage the "library habit" early, and it demystifies library services like circulation, reference and the library catalog. It also offers ideas for exploring the library with different age groups from infant through elementary school age. To order bulk copies or to download a single copy of the brochure go to the IRA website: http://www.reading.org/downloads/parents/pb1032_safari.pdf.
Talk Back: We welcome your feedback on anything in The Scoop. Just e-mail Peggy or Stephanie and we'll print your comments in The Scoop.
