The next STAB meetings of 2008!

Many of you have been asking me about our STAB meetings. I, unfortunately have some bad news. We have technically “run out of money” so we won’t be “buying" any more books this year. However, that doesn't mean we have to stop getting together at our meetings. I think what we should do is make our own list of books and review them. Then I request that we buy them next year. So, what I would like everyone to do is this:
1. Make a list of about 10 or so books that you think that we should own in the Shoreline Library. Try and limit it to teen books. Feel free to find out if we own the books by checking the catalog before you go to the next step. It will save us all time and trouble.
2. Go into BWI (email me if you need the password and login) and click on the link "Your Lists" on the top left side of the page. Find the list "STAB Picks" in "Private Lists" and open it by double clicking. To add books to this list:
2a. Use the "Add by Searching" link in the blue box on the top left side of the page.
2b. Type in the title of the book. The search can be a bit weird so you may need to try it a couple of times in different ways. Watch the dial buttons on the right to make sure you are searching the title or author or whatever your preferred search type is.
2c. Find the cheapest copy (because it is usually a paperback, not because I'm stingy).
2d. In the quantity field (QTY column) type 1 then click anywhere on the page.
2e. The check box in the "Want" column should be marked. If it isn't click it to mark it.
2f. Then click "Return to Editing" at the top of the page.
2g. Repeat as necessary.
2h. Make sure to hit the "Save and Exit" button when you are done.
3. Come to the meeting prepared to talk about your book. I'll assign your books to other people as well, but you'll have first crack at talking about it. I'll take a look at the books and if there are too many, I'll choose a bunch to review at our meeting.

I hope that isn't too complicated, but if it is, give me a call, email or come in and I can try to walk you through it.

Please get your list done by October 14th. We'll have our meeting on the 21st from 4-6pm.

Read. Flip. Winners!

A collegue of mine put together a montage of the Read. Flip. Win. winners and posted it on YouTube. I thought you might enjoy seeing it as well.



If you are looking for a full list of entries, take a look at this extensive list.

Shoreline Library was on the news last week!

King5 News did a special report on the Study Zone and they shot it Shoreline. They didn't want my bright, shiny face on TV, but if you look closely, you can see the library in the background. Yeah!

By the way, since you want to watch the report you have to go the King5 website.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Movie Trailer!

Thanks to Jason for alerting me to this! I've seen the trailer in the theater, but I keep forgetting to post it. Anyways, here it is! I know many of you liked the book so I thought you might enjoy the movie trailer. Enjoy!

Free SAT Class.

Are you taking the SAT and need a little bit of a boost? We've got you covered. Our Free 5 week SAT course starts September 27th. Sign-up online starting on September 5th. E-mail or call if you have any questions. Good luck!

If you missed our STAB meeting yesterday, you missed one of our best. Sure the pizza was really late. And the soda was a little warm. And the book list was a little spotty. But the warm-up game of "What job should Rick have instead of being a librarian" was one of the best we've had in a while. Please feel free to add your suggestions below. Perhaps I'll take your suggestions to heart if I decide on a new career path.

The other highlight of our meeting was Victor's triumphant exit. It will be his last from STAB as he has been banned--I mean he graduated. He will be missed. Probably.

On a more professional note, one of the items we discussed yesterday at the meeting was how to make the Read 3 Get 1 Free Program more interesting to the public. If you have any thoughts, please email them to me so I can compile them and send them off. Thanks!

Don't forget that the Video Book review event ends on July 31st. Get your entries in soon for a chance to win a Flip camera or an MP3 player. Get your details on the VBR site.


And also get your Read 3, Get 1 Free entry forms in. You could get $25 gift card for Amazon or B&N. Also a laptop or an MP3 player.

How can you not be excited?

Printz Award Winner's Speeches

I know some of you were following the ALA/YALSA awards last year. At the the ALA conference in Anaheim last month the winners of the Printz Award gave their acceptance speeches. You can listen to them on YALSA's site.

Just to remind you the winners was:

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

The Honor books were:

Dreamquake: Book Two of the Dreamhunter Duet by Elizabeth Knox

One Whole and Perfect Day by Judith Clarke

Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins

Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill

Enjoy!

Prizes, Prizes and More Prizes.

Earn books and chances to win Gift Cards, a laptop, MP3 players and digital video cameras. Just for reading and reviewing books.

Check it out and enjoy your summer.

STAB and Emerald City Comicon 2008

This year, I was fortunate to take a contingent of STABies to Emerald City Comicon to experience the joy and exhilaration of a comic book convention. If you have never gone to something like this, you really should at some point. Even if you don’t like comics, you can find plenty to do and see. There are lots of giveaways, plenty of people in costumes, and all sorts of amazing and intricate displays. Not to mention, it shows you what some people will do for the things they love/obsess over.



The day had an inauspicious start when Aaron, my nephew, and I hit a squirrel on the way to the library. I feared it was a bad omen, but there were no further problems that I could attribute to this sad occurrence.

About 9:45am, Aaron and I, Leslie, Natalie and Amanda left the library to head down to the convention center in the STABwagon to meet our collective and individual destinies. We found parking, got into the building and traded in our tickets for badges quickly and efficiently.

When we entered the main hall we were hit by a visual and auditory onslaught of comic fandom. The main entry in the center was focused on webcomics. Some of my favorites were there, such as Wondermark, so we browsed for a while and I discovered that Natalie and I share an affinity for a couple of the webcomics. After gathering signatures, goodies, and having creepy discussions with the artists and creators in the area we moved on to the free stuff table.

It was like a comic fan’s buffet. There were posters, comics, (in)action figures, flyers and other assorted items all with comic related themes. I needed an extra set of hands and I thought that I had brought some. But, sadly, the extra sets of hands I brought (STABies) were too busy stuffing their own bags.

We moved on to looking at the various publishers. They were very friendly and gracious with their giveaways: more comics and more posters and a couple of buttons. I was especially interested in the Star Wars galaxies map. Now, the next time I go on vacation to Tatooine, I won’t get so lost getting there.

Next we stopped by some comic store booths. Things there actually cost money, so we browsed those pretty quickly. I have to say, though, as far as displays went, they were pretty impressive. Especially the one with Silver Surfer.

After the stores, we were off to the “Artist Alley”. Lines for autographs were huge, so we didn’t spend too much time there. It was fun to see the look of hopefulness of many of the fans. They had a guy mopping up all the drool from those in line slavering for their turn to get a picture/signature.

After this, we needed nourishment, so it was off to lunch. Natalie and I hit the Creperie, while the others tried their luck with Subway. (Crepes and Comics? I was in heaven.)

After lunch, it was time for one of the strangest encounters of the day. Adjacent to “Artist Alley” was the booth of the Fighting 501^st Legion’s Titan Garrison. For a small donation to a local cancer charity, you could get your picture taken with a few of the characters from the Star Wars movies. We were lucky enough to get Darth Vader AND Boba Fett. (DUDE!) They also had a few props that were available to use in the pictures. The STABies asked for light sabers, but I requested “the biggest gun you have.” They did not disappoint.

As the photographer was organizing us for the shoot, he gave me some direction. In the midst of that direction he said something that didn’t quite register. He gave us more direction, and said something to me again that didn’t quite sink in. He said it to me a third time and then, with horrible realization, I realized what he had been saying. He was referring to me as “Dad” and he must have believed that I was the father of the STABies!

“Whoa! “ I said, “I’m not their dad! I’m their librarian.”

“Whatever.” He responded, “Move a little to the left.”

We can get into whether or not it is mathematically or chronologically possible for me to have 4 seventeen year old kids, but the really strange thing is that all of the STABies in attendance looked different and none of them looked like me. I suppose I could have adopted . . .

Once we were done with that, we made one last sweep through the convention hall, picking up the last few remaining free items that were not nailed down. Then we were on our way back to Shoreline with the STABwagon full of very happy STABies and lots of comic paraphernalia. I hope we can go again next year and bring another adventurous group.

I'm thinking about redecorating the teen area of the library with these. What do you think?

Anyone taking the SAT in the near future? I thought you might find this article interesting.
If you are planning on taking it and need some help, here are some options:

• Check out Testing and Education Reference Center. You can take sample tests and read the books online when you click on the "Test Preperation Link". You'll need your library card to login.
• Check out the catalog to see what kinds of books we have to help you out.
• Relax. You'll do fine. Why not watch a DVD.

Happy Earth Day! Get out there and recycle or something!

Now for the real reason I am posting for you today. I need to know how many of you are interested in going to Emerald City Comicon. I need a good number to go to make it worth my while to go, and 3 would be that number. Let me know ASAP if you can or want to come. To see how much fun it is, check out what I did last year. Tickets are $15 if you buy them in advance--I can make a special trip to pick them up if you would like to go. I would like your medical release form back by May 3rd. Download it and bring it in. Thanks.

Also, May 3rd if Free Comic Book Day. We won't have any actual celebrations here, other than my own personal party that will take place deep in my soul. However, you can go to your local comic store and score a few comics that day if you are interested. Find the closest one to you at the handy, dandy FCBD website.

For your convenience, the closest Comic Store to Shoreline is World of Collections. Tell 'em Rick sent you and they'll give you a free comic. On Free Comic Book day, of course. Actually, you don't even need to tell them Rick sent you, they'll just give them to you for free for showing up.

Dinner with Mary Pearson

Last week I had dinner with Mary Pearson. She wrote The Room on Lorelei Street which was one of my favorite books a couple of years ago. Not to mention she was really a great person just to hang out with and talk about books and whatever else popped into our heads. (And the dinner at Sazerac wasn't too shabby either. I highly recommend the molten chocolate center cake.) She just came out with another book titled The Adoration of Jenna Fox. I haven't read it yet, but after watching the trailer, I'm really looking forward to it. You can get more information on the book at the book's website.

Happy Support Teen Literature day!

I'm sure you have all found a special way to celebrate. Myself, I hunkered down and finally finished Sherman Alexie's National Book Award winning The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (also available as an eBook, on CD or in Large Print.)

I highly recommend this book. It is the kind of book that when it doesn't having you rolling on the floor laughing you're rolling on the floor crying. It also has a bit of a graphic novel feel as there are quite a few illustrations scattered throughout the book. The main character, Junior, uses his cartooning to help him understand his world as it is destroyed and rebuilt around him through death, abuse, his own medical problems and all the other challenges he faces. And the thing is a fast read too. Only 230 pages. Check it out.