Hi everyone!

Thanks for visiting our blog! We have a special guest blogger today-Melanie Watt and her friend Scaredy Squirrel! Melanie and Scaredy have answered YOUR questions, and are glad you liked their books!

From Ms. Smoler first grade class at the John Ward School in Newton, MA:

Where did you get the name Scaredy Squirrel? - William, 7.
I was looking for a named that meant: afraid and Scaredy sounded right to me.
Also, I like how it sounds when it's pronounced!

Where did you get your ideas? - Alianna, 7.
I get ideas from looking at animals and remembering my childhood and from
paying attention to the world and people around me.

Why is Scaredy afraid of bunnies? - Francesco, 8.
Scaredy is very funny that way because sometimes he's afraid of realistic things and
sometimes his fears like bunnies for example are really ridiculous! I don't know
a lot of people who are afraid of bunnies... do you?

Why did you change the friend from a fish to a dog? - Morgan, 7.
These things happen! Sometimes we set out to do one thing and we end up somewhere unexpected!
Scaredy sets out to find a goldfish but ends up with a dog friend but what's great is that he can still
become friends with the goldfish on another day!

Did you draw pictures, cut them out, and paste them, or just draw them? - Amanda, 7.
I just drew them and painted it to look like that.
 
Why did Scaredy have to go through so many tasks to make a friend? - William, 7.
That's part of Scaredy's personality. He over thinks stuff and over plans things and overcomplicates
everything, it's in his nature and I think that's what makes him funny!

Why did you make Scaredy's smile so weird? - Nick, 7.
Because it's funny looking! And I like it because it looks like a nervous smile.

From Ms. Franklin’s first grade class at the John Ward School in Newton, MA:

What book are you going to write next about Scaredy? - Sam, 7.
I think it will be about Scaredy's fears at night.

How did you come up with a squirrel for the character? - Benjamin, 7.
Squirrel's look really nervous and busy to me, I thought it would make a great book character.

Why did you make Scaredy so scared? - Coleman, 6.
That's just how he is... it's his personality!

How old were you when you made up Scaredy Squirrel? - Zoe, 7.
I was about 30 years old. I was born in 1975.

Why did the dog chase the squirrel? - Mario, 7.
Dogs like chasing squirrels in general and Buddy chased Scaredy because he wanted to play with him.

Why didn't you make Scaredy meet one of the biters? - Emily, 6.
To create a surprise in the story, who knows he might meet one later in another book!


From storytime kids at the Winchester Public Library in Winchester, MA:

"Why is he afraid of green martians? They are just make-believe"--George, age 5
Scaredy has a lot of imagination and sometimes his fears are real and sometimes they are impossible!
 
 "What if you went into the whole world and saw the places and they weren't scary?", Hannah, age 5
That's a good point! The more you know about a place and the more places you visit, the less you are afraid of them.

4. "Why does Scaredy Squirrel know about green martians, etc., if he hasn't seen them, because he hasn't left his tree?"-- Saskia, age 8
The same way that you know...by television and martian movies. Scaredy has a computer and a tv in the tree trunk.

5. " Why are you afraid of germs? Germs are everywhere, even in the tree." -- Kendall, age 6, That's right! Everywhere but for some reason...Scaredy has not made that connection he's too busy planning things!!

 
6. "Could you write another book called Scaredy Squirrel Goes to Jupiter?--Emily, age 4
Now, that's an idea!


From  Kindergarten and First Grade students at the Lincoln-Eliot School in Newton,MA:
 
How did you decide on the contents for the emergency kit?
I thought about funny objects that could be used to defend Scaredy against
germs, martians and sharks and that's how I came up with rubber gloves, a net and sardines.

How did you decide to have Scaredy make a dog friend?
Because it's funny! Usually dogs chase squirrels around the park and they are not most likely to become good friends. It just goes to show you that sometimes friends come in all shapes and sizes and that's what happened with Scaredy and Buddy!
 
Why is Scaredy afraid of germs?
Scaredy is mostly afraid of what COULD happen if he does gets germs; like catching a cold!

Why do you use bubbles in your illustrations?
I get to draw Scaredy in a different setting in the bubbles. It's fun! I dress him up as a goalie, or as a construction worker... I can draw him doing nutty things!

 

Thanks for visiting Melanie and Scaredy!  Come back anytime. Melanie and Scaredy will also be visiting Canada next week. Want to join them? Click on the links to stop by!

 

Monday, April 14
KidsSpace Blog
http://kidsspace.torontopubliclibrary.ca
 

Tuesday, April 15
HRM Parent
www.hrmparent.ca
 

Wednesday, April 16
The Shelf Elf Reading Blog
http://shelfelf.wordpress.com

 

Friday, 4/11

MOTHER READER

http://www.motherreader.com/ 

 

To visit Scaredy anytime, click here !

 

Massachusetts Historical Records Council

Presents

 

Archives Alive!

 

 

Historical records and archival collections offer our clearest insight into the past. If carefully managed and thoughtfully promoted, these collections also offer an opportunity for repositories of these records to develop new audiences. In this two-part morning program, archives consultant Laura Scott Lowell will help participants prepare a checklist of steps necessary for “Getting Your House in Order.” This fast-paced overview will include topics such as developing collections policies, processing collections effectively, creating finding aids, and providing access to your collections. Numerous examples and handouts will be provided.

      In the second part of the program, public relations consultant Bonnie Hurd Smith will discuss “How to Promote Your Collections,” using her work for the Ipswich Historical Society as a case study in crafting public messages and promoting archival collections. Workshop attendees are encouraged to bring their project and program ideas to share, as the morning will conclude with a question-and-answer period.

 

Friday, April 11, 2008

9 am – Noon

Lexington Historical Society

13 Depot Square, Lexington

(Lexington Depot, off Mass. Ave.)

Admission: free

Parking: nearby lot

To register, click here  or call 781-862-1703.

Co-sponsors:

Mass. Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC), Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System (NMRLS), Metrowest Massachusetts Regional Library System (MMRLS), Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC), Essex National Heritage Commission (ENHC)

 

The Massachusetts Historical Records Council (MHRC) is an affinity group that seeks to assist the staff and volunteers of public and private historical records repositories to identify, collect, arrange, describe, catalog, preserve, promote, and provide access to these records. The Council further seeks to counsel public officials and records custodians on the stewardship and best practices in these areas. Launched statewide in 2007, the MHRC expands on the efforts of a regional initiative begun in 1999 under the leadership of the Essex National Heritage Commission. Council members include representatives of the National Archives and Records Administration, Mass. Board of Library Commissioners, Mass. Regional Library Systems Northeast, Metrowest, Central), Northeast Document Conservation Center, Essex National Heritage Commission, Historic New England, Massachusetts Historical Society, Mass. Humanities (formerly the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities), Peabody Essex Museum (Salem), local historical societies, and consultants in the areas of archives/historical collections and public relations. For more information about the Council and its work, please visit www.nmrls.org/hrc.

 

March 2008 newsletter is here!

The Metrowest Newsletter is now totally online. It is published entirely in html format.

Some of the articles you will see are:

• Advocating for Libraries
• MassCat Changes: A new system & membership opens up!
• Internet without a string – Metrowest has gone wireless!
• Online Workshops On Demand – Webjunction
• Manage your own Workshop Registrations!
• FY09 MARLS Cooperative Update
• Getting the "Giver"
• Workshops to Go
• Exciting Workshops at Metrowest!
• Wild Reads at Your Library
• From the Reference Center
• March 2008 Bookshelf-YA Programming
• Upcoming CE Events

 

Our legislative breakfasts are right around the corner!

Join us Friday March 14, 8AM-9AM at the Needham and Belmont Public Libraries. Hear from members of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, local library patrons, and our Legislators.

For more information and to register, please click here .

Come support your libraries!  

Disposal of surplus materials and/or equipment

Periodically Metrowest has surplus materials and/or equipment to dispose of. The surplus equipment is being offered on a first come, first serve basis. All requests need to be received by February 29, 2008. The library is responsible for the pick-up of the item(s) at the Metrowest office by March 21, 2008. Please contact Rita Gavelis rgavelis@mmrls.org or call 781-398-1819.

 
Library equipment (computers):

6 Dell 1503 FP Flat Panel monitors

 


7  Rubbermaid PC stands with rollers

 

6 Dell Keyboards
 



8 Microsoft mice

 

9 Altec Lansing Speakers

 

1 HP Deskjet 890c “Professional Series” Printer
 

 

Hi Everyone,

There has been an issue with our blog.  I do not know why it is offline, but am looking into it.  Please be patient while I resolve the issue.

 

Thanks,

Rita

Google is having a contest for students in grades K-12!

It's called Doodle 4 Google, and Google has invited students to play and draw on their logo, using the theme "What If...?"

More information can be found here , along with registration and lesson plans. From what I can see registration is open to schools only, but this might be a fun activity to do at a craft program.

 

 

The Boston Public Library, along with the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities, presents "John Adams Unbound", a exhibit on display at the Boston Public Library, Copley Branch. In addition, they are offering some small grants to bring the exhibit to YOUR library! For more information and to apply, click here . Applications are due by April

From YALSA's wiki:

This Valentine’s Day, have your teens, parents, children and library supporters flood federal elected officials’ district offices with Valentines that express love for your library and its staff and ask for support for important legislation.

The ALA Youth Divisions - AASL, ALSC and YALSA - are sending out a call to action to library workers to have teens, children, parents and library supporters in their community send “I Love My Teen Services Librarian” or “I Love My School Librarian” Valentine cards to their U.S. Senators and Representatives, and to ask their elected officials to co-sponsor the SKILLS Act &/or support LSTA funding for libraries. Their voices are powerful and need to be heard, and you can help them do that! Let the legislators know you and your patrons support:

• The SKILLs Act, which guarantees that all students in the U.S. will be served by state-certified library media specialists and will have the resources they need to succeed.
• The Library Services Technology Act (LSTA), which can help libraries of all kinds expand services and access to information resources for people of all ages.

For more information and how to participate, click here .

Are you curious about Digital Collections or are contemplating creating one?  Here is a program for you!


A Road Map to Digital Collections: Hitting the Highlights

Amy Benson, Librarian Archivist for Digital Projects, Schlesinger Library, Harvard University will be the speaker at a Library information session "A Road Map to Digital Collections: Hitting the Highlights" to be presented on February 15 ( snow date February 29th) from 12:00- 3:00 pm. at ITT Technical Institute 10 Forbes Road Woburn . 01801. Hosted by ITT Technical Institute of Woburn MA. John Cathcart, Librarian.
RSVP to Karen Maggio (day) or Marion Mahoney (eve) ITT Technical Institute. 10 Forbes Road Woburn MA. 01818 781-937-8324, or email Jcathcart@itt-tech.edu

ITT Educational Services, Inc. ("ESI") is a leading provider of technology-oriented postsecondary degree programs. ESI operates 96 ITT Technical Institutes in 34 states, which predominantly provide career-focused degree programs of study in fields involving technology to approximately 49,000 students. ITT has locations in Woburn and Norwood MA. Headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis, ESI has been actively involved in the higher education community in the United States since 1969.

Amy Benson, Librarian Archivist for Digital Projects, Schlesinger Library, Harvard University


Location: ITT Technical Institute - Woburn, MA
Contact: John Cathcart   781-937-8324   jcathcart@itt-tech.edu


-Rita

Hey Everyone,

This has been quite the year for Technology here at Metrowest.  Not only did we completely upgrade our computer lab with the latest iMacs, but we have a few more additions! 

I am pleased to tell you Metrowest has addess two new technological features for our members.  The first is the EK registeration form for our Workshops.  With this new form, all members who register for a class can create their own passwords and access a history of the classes they have registered for.  Of course, this will only be able to track the registrations from this March on.  Also, it gives you the power to  cancel your own registration if something comes up.  This is a great feature and not only allows you to manage your own account, but frees up a great deal of Metrowest Staff time, so we can work on other projects for our members.

 

The second addition to our technological repertoire is wireless access.  Now, if you attend a workshop or meeting at Metrowest and bring a laptop, you can access the Internet wirelessly.  This means you can take notes or even take a hands-on class with your own computer.  

 We are very excited about these changes and hope you will be too.  If there are any other interesting gizmos and gadgets you'd like us to model, please let us know.  We might not be able to do everything, but we will certainly look into it.  This goes for workshop topics as well.   We are happy to here your suggestions!

-Rita

 

 

Do you know someone who consistently provides service above and beyond the call of duty and is a problem solver with a can-do attitude?  If so, you can honor them now!  Let them know they are appreciated and that their hard work makes a difference with a nomination for OUTSTANDING Paralibrarian of the Year!
 
And if you know a director, trustee, supervisor, colleague, paralibrarian or anyone who knows the value of paralibrarians and works to increase visibility and opportunities for non-MLS staff, why not nominate them for Paralibrarian Advocate of the Year?

Click here for details about how to nominate someone now.

The MBLC released a new toolkit as part of their Three Year Marketing Program. It can be found here . In addition, there are new television and radio spots.

These great resources were made to help Massachusetts Libraries support the program, so be sure to share these links!

 

 

The winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Awards were announced this morning at the ALA Midwinter Conference in Philadelphia:

CALDECOTT

WINNER: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Honors: Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
        Knuffle Bunny Two by Mo Willems
        First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
        The Wall by Peter Sis

NEWBERY

WINNER: Good Masters, Sweet Ladies by  Laura Amy Schlitz and Robert Byrd
Honors: Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
        Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
        Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

PRINTZ

WINNER: The White Darkness by Geraldine Mccaughrean

Click here for more.