IMAX At Home: A Limited Time Offer (We Hope!!)

Along with so many other group/public activities, IMAX theatres around the country have closed for a month or so, but several IMAX films are now available to watch at home.  America's Musical Journey is streaming for free on YouTube; others through Amazon Prime, or Vimeo on Demand. 

Whether watching as an educational activity with kids (be sure to download the educational guides for each film), or watching for sheer entertainment, it's something different to do.  I haven't been to an IMAX theatre in years, so there are several on this list that I plan to check out soon.

The list below is from a Tennessee Aquarium newsletter; check out their live Penguin, Otter and Shark cams too.

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Never Stop Learning!!!

(from the Tennessee Aquarium newsletter) ... our friends at MacGillivray Freeman Films have opened up a portion of their film library for you to experience at home. Most of these amazing films come with educational guides for additional fun and learning. America's Musical Journey A cross-country journey celebrating the unique diversity of America's musical heritage. Available for streaming on: YouTube (free) (as well as Apple TV and GoUSA TV via Roku). An educator guide is also available.  Coral Reef Adventure Two filmmakers travel the world documenting the planet's coral reefs and the creatures that call them home. Available for streaming on: Amazon Prime An educator guide is also available.  Dolphins A playful, up-close look at the dolphins of Alaska, Patagonia and the Bahamas.  Available for streaming on: Amazon Prime  An educator guide is also available.  Dream Big  This inspiring celebration of innovations big and small and the amazing engineers behind them will change how you think about engineering.  Available for streaming on: Vimeo on Demand An educator guide and educational videos are also available.   Humpback Whales A journey into the mysterious world of one of nature’s most awe-inspiring marine mammals. Available for streaming on: Vimeo on Demand An educator guide and educational videos are also available.    National Parks Adventure The ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation’s untamed wilderness in places like Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and many more. Available for streaming on: Vimeo on Demand An educator guide and educational videos are also available.  The Living Sea Celebrates the beauty and wonder of the ocean as it explores our relationship with this complex and fragile environment. Available for streaming on: Amazon Prime Van Gogh: Brush with Genius  A moving look at the artist’s journey from the time of his first canvases at age 27 to his death 9 years later—a period during which he painted more than 900 paintings. Available for streaming on: Amazon Prime

Come Stock Up on Your Reading Supplies!

Anytime is a good time for reading! Except while driving or riding a bicycle . . .

Escape the doldrums! Junior high & high school students are invited to check out fiction and non-fiction books from the library to have on hand at home over the next few weeks.

In addition, if you'd like to get set up to borrow ebooks and audiobooks from our Sora/OverDrive collection, email Anna at library@paideiaschool.org for instructions and account info.

Parents and students from 3rd grade up can have their own Sora accounts.

Reading is a fabulous way to go outside when it's raining, or travel when you're stuck at home.

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For extra credit:  If you have a public library card, Sora can also be used to check-out and download K-12 books and audiobooks from your public library system.  

With Sora's sister app, Libby, you can access the entire public library collection.

Put your tax dollars to work for more books!

School Supplies

I also have a stash of index cards and lined notebook paper, plus a few different iPad/Phone chargers to loan. We aim to be a full-service establishment here at the Paideia Library!

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Waste not. This box is full of the pencils rounded up from my mom & dad’s house when we cleared it out in 2013. Whenever the pencil jar is empty, I sharpen another 4 or 5 and refill. At this rate, they should last until retirement! #paideialibrary

A post shared by Pilibrarian (@pilibrarian) on Feb 25, 2020 at 7:35am PST

Out With the Old:A Goodbye to Perfectly Good Books

There comes a time in every librarian’s life when it becomes necessary to weed out Perfectly Good Books. I know because I’ve been here long enough that I personally bought most of them for the collection. Ouch!

It's been a while, but today I put out another FREE BOOK cart in the JH & HS library.  Some of the books on it are donations we already own (I always ask the donors if it's ok for books to end up as a Free Book), some were highly-reviewed novels from 10-15 years ago that have never have been read by anybody but me, or they might be duplicates of a formerly hot title that we only need one of now. 

With non-fiction, it's probably woefully out of date (Quick and Easy Web Pages from 2001??) and doesn't need to be in the world anymore with incomplete or inaccurate information (these usually go straight to book heaven -- do not pass Book Cart, do not collect $200). "We are not an archive," is a useful weeding mantra.

Until writers stop writing and publishers stop publishing, some things just have to go, to make space for the Brand New Books. Here’s hoping many of these volumes find new readers before they land in their final resting place.

Because . . .

BRAND NEW BOOKS!!!

A January Routine: French Picture Books on Display

Displaying the picture books created by the high school French 2 classes has become a regular January short term event.  This is one of the final projects of the fall Long Term, and students take their creations back in the spring Long Term so they can make a video of the book, another big project in French 2.

Yesterday was the end of January 2020 Short Term, and the display came down today (high school teacher work day).    Enjoy this sampling of the fall term "Livres d'Images en Français" from Joanna Gibson's French 2 students.

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Thursday Thanks - I am thankful for having such enthusiastic readers in Junior High book club. We met yesterday to talk about The Golden Compass. Most members are fantasy lovers, but Turtles All the Way Down was a unanimous choice for February. #paideialibrary #thursdaythanks

A post shared by Pilibrarian (@pilibrarian) on Jan 16, 2020 at 11:46am PST

NaNoWriMo: A Novel Challenge

* IMHO, anybody who writes 50,000 words
in any kind of narrative is a winner,
no matter how long it takes!

Every November brings with it a "contest" of sorts -- the National Novel Writing Month challenge.  Anyone can enter, and the way to "win" is to write at least 50,000 words of a planned novel. No referees, no penalties, and no prizes (of the extrinsic variety, at least).  Any and everyone who crosses the word count finish line WINS!*

As a librarian who is woefully unable even to consistently write blog posts, I'm highly unlikely to jump into this contest, but I'm a great cheerleader for those who do.    After all, writers usually hope for readers, and this librarian plays a great audience.  I read a friend's NaNoWritMo novel a few years ago, enjoyed it and offered some experienced editorial tips.  I continue to be impressed by the former Paideia student (and faithful book club member) who had written 2 or 3 November novels by the time she was a senior (Hazel, you know who you are!).

Ask good writers for a helpful tip, and they'll all say "Read, Read, Read!"  The Paideia Library can definitely help there -- literary novels, literary non-fiction, action/spy/mystery novels, YA romance, long and complicated fantasy, short and fast-reading novels-in-prose-poetry -- we've got it all.  The more you read, the better you can identify better and worse writing, and hear your own writing in your head.  For writers looking for more concrete, actionable writing advice -- see the books in the display photo below.

November is drawing to a close (our Thanksgiving Feast is one week from today), but it's never too early to start planning for next November.  Historical fiction needs research and planning, complex fantasy needs outlining (and likely a glossary of characters & names).  Maybe you need to warm up by writing a short story or novella (apparently, under 40,000 words doesn't count as a "real" novel). If you want to procrastinate, you can even research all the steps you'll need to take to get your novel published once it's finished.

Check out a book, or check out one of these NaNoWriMo sites online, and get your game plan together.  Let me know if you want an audience come December 1.

• NaNoWriMo & NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program
• "How to Get the Most Out of National Novel Writing Month" (NY Times) 
• Be a NaNoWriMo Rebel (essay by writing coach Shaunta Grimes) 
• National Novel Writing Month: Resources and Tools (a guide from the University of Toledo)