Once Upon a Blog....

Summer Reading 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 19:57:00 +0000

The 2016 Summer Learning Challenge has started and you all are invited to participate! This year the

The Lansdowne Public Library offers a nine week Summer Reading Challenge for children through age 18. The program runs from June 13th through August 13th...nine weeks of reading fun!

What is the Summer Learning Challenge?
The Summer Learning Challenge, formerly known as the Summer Reading Club/Program/Challenge, is a reading incentive program designed to help children exercise their minds!
For the challenge we want you to "get into the game" and when you stop by the library to register you can learn about the programs and incentives available.

The benefits of our summer reading challenge include:
Keeping your mind sharp to help avid the "summer slide."
Encouraging a habit of reading.
It's fun!

There are scores of library programs to check out this summer and the calendars are below.

April events at the Library!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Fri, 01 Apr 2016 16:23:00 +0000

The calendar for April is available! Check out the images below for what's going on at the library.

Join us for Mysteries and Monsters! October 26-31

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 13:51:00 +0000

Calling all gals and ghouls!
You're invited to spend a week of howling fun as we explore mysteries and monsters!

Monday, October 26th beginning at 6:30 pm we welcome magician Ran'D Shine!
We love having Ran'D as our special guest and look forward to his amazing tricks and illusions.

Other activities:
Monster themed storytimes.
Monday, October 26th beginning at 10:30 am.
Tuesday, October 27th beginning at 10:30 am.
Thursday, October 29th beginning at 10:30 am.

Pajama storytime
Wednesday, October 28th at 6:00 pm

Monster Make and Take
Thursday, October 29th at 4 PM in the Family Room.
Join us for monster themed crafts and activities.
All ages are invited to participate.

Lansdowne Borough's Halloween Party
Lansdowne Farmers Market to the Twentieth Century Club When: Saturday October 31st 1pm-3pm
Come out in your Halloween costumes for an afternoon of family fun! We will parade our fancy Halloween duds from the Farmer’s Market down Lansdowne Avenue to the Twentieth Century Club, where we will have snacks, crafts, games, prizes and more. What a great way to start your night of trick or treating!

Halloween Hot Spot
We are pleased to team up with the Lansdowne Police Department for a Halloween Hot Spots!
The Lansdowne Police Department and the dedicated volunteers in all or our partner groups would like to be a part of your Halloween. The event will run from 5pm to 7:30 pm.

This year there will be five "Halloween Hot Spots" set up around the Borough. While you are out trick or treating with your young ones, please stop by. Volunteers will be handing out all kinds of goodies. Police Officers and a very special guest will be visiting each of the station to share safety tips and meet trick or treaters of all ages.

Please join Miss Rachee and other volunteers at the corner of Nyack and Wycombe! Other locations will be announced closer to the event. Visit us on Facebook to see what other locations will be participating.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten: Monkeying Around

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 16:45:00 +0000

The Library is participating in the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program and we want to help you succeed!

Check back each week as share the titles of the books we read during our storytimes. We will also share some books that we love.

This week during Wee Read we read books about monkeys and apes!
Be Quiet, Mike! by Leslie Patricelli

Betty Goes Bananas by Steve Antony
(Watch our Storytube!)

No Fits, Nilson! By Zachariah O'Hora
(Watch our Storytube!)

We also did a dramatic re-enacting of Five Little Monkeys by Eileen Christelow.

During Preschool Outreach we shared silly books and read the following:
The Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems
Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood ; illustrated by Don Wood.
No Fits, Nilson! (See link above)
Five Little Monkeys by Eileen Christelow.

Love books about monkeys and apes?
Here are a few more titles that you will enjoy!

Caps for sale : a tale of a peddler, some monkeys, and their monkey business told and illustrated by Esphyr Slobodkina.
Curious George by H.A. Rey
Monkey see, look at me! by Lorena Siminovich.

Join us for storytime! Visit the Lansdowne Library for all times.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 18:50:00 +0000

The Lansdowne Library is pleased to be a host for the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Program. We want to encourage and welcome all families and caregivers with children who have not yet started kindergarten to join this FREE program!

We know as your child’s first teacher you want to do everything you can to make sure your child is ready to learn when he starts kindergarten. Research shows that reading to children at home increases their reading readiness skills. These children have a positive attitude about reading and are eager to learn. In addition, they acquire letter knowledge, background information, an awareness of the structure and sound of language, and a richer vocabulary; all from just listening to stories! We challenge you to read 1000 books before kindergarten to help your child get school ready.

Really…1000?!
It’s not as hard as it seems!
1 book a day for 3 years = 1095 books
10 books a week for 2 years = 1040 books
3 books a day for 1 year = 1095 books

YOU CAN DO IT!

How it works:

Register at the Lansdowne Public Library and receive a folder and reading log for the first 100 books.
Read to your child and record the titles read.
Report with your reading log to the library when you’ve completed 100 books.
You will receive a small incentive for each 100 book read, a reading tip and a log for the next 100 books.
Keep going until you reach 1000. You will receive a certificate and your child’s picture will be posted on our 1000 book Wall of Fame display.

You can do this for every child in your family, from infant up to kindergarten.

This club has no end date except your child going to school, so don’t feel rushed, just enjoy! Use every opportunity to read, talk, and sing with your children. These activities will not only prepare your children for school but create special moments in your lives.

FAQ
Do we have to read Library books?
No, you may read books from anywhere; your home, the doctor's office, grandma's house, other libraries.

If I read a book more than once, may I count it more than once? Yes, write down the title each time you read it.

I have more than one child to read to, may I count the same titles for each child? Yes, and if your older children read to their sibling, you may count that too.

May I count books which are read at storytime? Yes! Feel free to borrow some of the titles as well.

My child sometimes listens to books on CD or on the computer. May I add these to the list? Yes, as long as he has listened to the whole book.

What are the best books for my child? Really, anything your child likes and will hold his interest.

If you'd like some suggestions, the librarians LOVE to help families find books.

Reading aloud is widely recognized as the single most important activity leading to language development. Among other things, reading aloud builds word/sound awareness in children, a potent predictor of reading success.

"Children who fall seriously behind in the growth of critical early reading skills have fewer opportunities to practice reading. Evidence suggests that these lost practice opportunities make it extremely difficult for children who remain poor readers during the first three years of elementary school to ever acquire average levels of reading fluency." Torgeson, J. Avoiding the Devastating Downward Spiral, American Educator. (2004)

Research shows that the more words parents use when speaking to an 8-month-old infant, the greater the size of their child's vocabulary at age 3. The landmark Hart-Risley study on language development documented that children from low-income families hear as many as 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers before the age of 4. Hart, B. Risley, T. Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young American Children (1995), Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Thank you to the Upper Darby Sellers Library and Charlotte Ryan for assisting us with our launch!

Summer Meals

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 20:15:00 +0000

The Lansdowne First Presbyterian Church is providing meals for children this summer. Children 18 years of age and younger can stop by the church daily, at noon, for a nutritious meal.

Please call Pastor Nancy Timothy at (610) 622-0800 for more information.
Pastor Nancy can also be reached by e-mail: nancy.holt@rcn.com.

The Library is assisting the church by acting as a collection site for donations for their food pantry. If you would like to donate, please stop by the library with your goods. We will also be collecting food at our summer reading kickoff performance with Peter Taney and the Juggernauts. The performance will take place Friday, June 19th beginning at 10:30 am at the Twentieth Century Club. The Club is located at 84 S Lansdowne Ave.

Please call 610-623-0239 with any questions.

Our Summer Reading Kickoff Program is made possible by the Lansdowne Allied Youth and the Lansdowne Department of Park and Recreation.

Eighth Annual Children’s Choice Book Awards Finalists Announced

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 20:18:00 +0000

Every Child a Reader (ECAR) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC) have announced the finalists in the eighth annual Children’s Choice Book Awards (CCBA), the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens. Young readers across the country will determine the winners in all 7 categories of the Children’s Choice Book Awards by voting online at ccbookawards.com from Tuesday, March 17, 2015 through Sunday, May 3, 2015. In 2014, over 1.2 million votes were cast online by young readers. Winners will be announced during the 96^th annual Children’s Book Week (May 4-10, 2015).

The finalists for the K-2, 3-4, and 5-6 Book of the Year categories were selected by kids through the Children’s Choices Program, a joint project of the International Literacy Association (ILA) and the CBC, in which 36,600+ children from different regions of the United States read newly-published children’s and young adult trade books and voted for the ones they liked best. Teen Book of the Year finalists were chosen by 4,000+ teens via voting conducted by Teenreads.com.

The five finalists in each of this year’s three new award categories — Children’s Choice Debut Author, Teen Choice Debut Author and Children’s Choice Illustrator — were determined by two selection committees comprised of librarians, educators, booksellers, and children’s literature experts appointed by Every Child a Reader:
Children’s & Teen Choice Debut Author Committee:

Jonathan Hunt, County Schools Librarian, San Diego County Office of Education
Amanda Hurley, Manager, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL
Max Rodriguez, Founder, Harlem Book Fair & Westchester Children’s Book Festival; Publisher, QBR The Black Book Review
John Schumacher, Librarian; Founder, Watch, Connect, Read
Seira Wilson, Books Editor, Amazon.com

Children’s Choice Illustrator Committee:

Betsy Bird, Youth Materials Specialist, the New York Public Library; Blogger, A Fuse #8 Production (SLJ)
Julie Danielson, MLS, Founder, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Colby Sharp, Teacher, Parma Elementary, MI; Co-Founder, Nerd Camp
Tegan Tigani, PNBA President; Bookseller and Children’s Book Buyer for Queen Anne Book Company, Seattle, WA; Editor for nwbooklovers.org
Bernette Ford, Founder, Color-Bridge Books, LLC; Consulting Editor, Boxer Books, Ltd

The 2015 Children’s Choice Book Awards finalists are:
KINDERGARTEN TO SECOND GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Duck, Duck, Moose! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones (Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group)
Eva and Sadie and the Worst Haircut EVER! by Jeff Cohen, illustrated by Ellana Allen (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
Frances Dean Who Loved to Dance and Dance by Birgitta Sif (Candlewick Press)
How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House)
A Pet for Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold (Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic)

THIRD TO FOURTH GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Claude at the Beach by Alex T. Smith (Peachtree Publishers)
The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza by James Kochalka (First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
Happy Birthday, Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm, illustrated by Matt Holm (Random House Books for Young Readers)
Kali’s Story: An Orphaned Polar Bear Rescue by Jennifer Keats Curtis, illustrated by John Gomes (Arbordale Publishing)
Sisters by Raina Telgemeier (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic)

FIFTH TO SIXTH GRADE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson (HMH Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group)
Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan, illustrated by John Rocco (Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group)
Temple Run: Race Through Time to Unlock Secrets of Ancient Worlds by Tracey West (National Geographic Children’s Books)
The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley (Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic)
The Return of Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke (First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)

TEEN BOOK OF THE YEAR

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
Cress by Marissa Meyer (Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai, co-written by Patricia McCormick (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group)
The One by Kiera Cass (HarperTeen)
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)

CHILDREN’S CHOICE DEBUT AUTHOR

Cece Bell, El Deafo (Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams)
Natalie Lloyd, A Snicker of Magic (Scholastic Press)
Katherine Roy, Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California’s Farallon Islands (David Macaulay Studio/Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
Piers Torday, The Last Wild (Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)
J.A. White, The Thickety: A Path Begins (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books)

TEEN CHOICE DEBUT AUTHOR

Sally Green, Half Bad (Viking Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group)
Jennifer Mathieu, The Truth About Alice (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
Don Mitchell, The Freedom Summer Murders (Scholastic Press)
Jason Reynolds, When I Was the Greatest (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Leslye Walton,The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender (Candlewick Press)

CHILDREN’S CHOICE ILLUSTRATOR

Chris Appelhans, Sparky by Jenny Offill (Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books)
Steve Light, Have You Seen My Dragon? (Candlewick Press)
Yuyi Morales, with photography by Tim O’Meara, Viva Frida (Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group)
Christian Robinson, Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing)
Brian Won, Hooray for Hat! (HMH Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group)

About the Children’s Choice Book Awards (CCBA)
Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader, the CCBA program was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading. More at ccbookawards.com/about.php.

About Children’s Book Week (CBW)
Established in 1919, CBW is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Each year, official events – which give kids the opportunity to connect with their favorite authors and illustrators in person – are held from coast to coast. In 2015, official events will be held in all 50 states. Learn more at bookweekonline.com.

About Every Child a Reader (ECAR)
Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. Every Child a Reader creates and supports programs that strive to make the reading and enjoyment of children’s books an essential part of America’s educational and social aims and enhance public perception of the importance of reading. ECAR’s programs include Children’s Book Week, a nationwide celebration of books and reading, and the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country; The Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens of all ages; and The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Program, the country’s “Children’s Literature Laureate”. Please visit www.ecarfoundation.org.

About the Children’s Book Council (CBC)
The Children’s Book Council is the nonprofit trade association for children’s book publishers in North America. The CBC offers children’s publishers the opportunity to work together on issues of importance to the industry at large, including educational programming, literacy advocacy, and collaborations with other national organizations. Our members span the spectrum from large international houses to smaller independent presses. The CBC is proud to partner with other national organizations on co-sponsored reading lists, educational programming, and literacy initiatives. Please visit www.cbcbooks.org for more information.

No Place for Hate Poetry Slam

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 18:49:00 +0000

Join No Place for Hate Lansdowne Chapter for a Poetry Slam.

This month the theme is "What does Black History Month Mean to You?"

The event takes place Saturday, February 21 from 3 pm to 5 pm at Art Space Lansdowne which is located 25 S Lansdowne Ave.

Awards will be given to all teens who participate and there is a prize for the winner.

You must submit your poem, lyrics to spoken words by 11:59 pm on Thursday, February 19th, by emailing them to Meg.flisek@gmail.com.

See flyer for all details!

Delaware County Symphony is offering discounted tickets to DCLS library card holders

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 16:54:00 +0000

The Delaware County Symphony (DCS)presents the third of its Chamber Concert Series on Sunday February 8, 2015 at 3 p.m. in the Meagher Theatre of the Thomas A Bruder, Jr. Life Center at Neumann University, Aston, Pa.

The February chamber concert opens with Jennifer Flam, flute, Michael Berton, cello and DCS Music Director Tim Ribchester, piano, performing Bohuslav Martinu’s Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano. Martinu is one of the greatest Czech composers of his generation and internationally known for his concerti and chamber music. His work tends to command attention from its opening bars. Martinu offers a rhythmically vital and singing style that recalls the genius of both Antonín Dvořák and Igor Stravinsky.

The concert continues with August Klughardt’s Wind Quintet, Op 79 featuring Jennifer Flam, flute. Kristin Bray, oboe, Lynn Thomas, clarinet, Alex Bancer, bassoon. Rebecca King, horn. The concert concludes with Johann Sebastian Bach’s energetic and lively masterpiece Brandenburg Concerto No.4 a quintessential example of the High Baroque. This composition features Jennifer Flam and Barbara Cohen, flutes, Jeremy Desiderio and Lisa Roberts, violins, Barbara Ostroff, viola and Arnold Ostroff, piano.

Chamber program commentary will be provided by Tim Ribchester, Music Director Delaware County Symphony. We are pleased to announce for this concert in collaboration with the Delaware County Library System a special discounted group ticket price of $8.00 to all individuals upon presentation of their Delco Library Card the day of the concert. Tickets may be purchased at the door (cash, check or credit card). For additional information on the concert please contact us at 610-879-7059.

Chess Club

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 18:23:00 +0000

Each Saturday the library hosts a chess club. Our volunteers and coaches are available to teach and guide you through the process to process to learn to play.

Today we are having a tournament in addition to our regularteaching. Players 18 and under will go against each other!

We will update with the winner!

January Early Literacy Calendar of Activities

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 16:43:00 +0000

Theresa Dykes is our wonderful storyteller provided by the Delaware County Library System. Her programs are designed for children aged birth to 24 months, and consist of books, music, fingerplays, rhymes and puppets. Theresa is often our guest for Tuesdays during Bibs-n-Books. Theresa has created a wonderful resource an Early Literacy Calendar for you to use with your children! The calendar is geared toward toddlers (2 and 3) and encourages parents to read, talk, write, play, and sing with their child everyday.

January Activities can be found using this link.

Theresa will be joining us for storytime Tuesdays in January, beginning January 6th! Stop by for fun stories, playtime and more!

Book Bites: The Storytime with No Theme

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Tue, 16 Dec 2014 18:37:00 +0000

My "Infant/Toddler" Storytime has really morphed into more of a "Toddler/Whoever shows up" Storytime. I am not complaining; there have been days when it is me and an empty room or one or two children who wanted anything but me reading a book so a diverse age group is welcome. With my diverse age group, however, I find that I do need to think about mixing up what books we will share. The shorter books are best for a younger attention span while some of the older listeners are able to appreciate longer books. It's a struggle sometimes to find that magical combination of engaging story, fun for the audience (the listeners and their parents) and just right book.

Instead of stressing about a theme we shared some of my favorite books to read and among them was "Press Here" by Herve Tullet. This book was such a great way to allow the group to settle in, be a part of the action and quite frankly, I love this book!

Overview of "Press Here"

Press the yellow dot on the cover of this book, follow the instructions within, and embark upon a magical journey! Each page of this surprising book instructs the reader to press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book, and who knows what will happen next! Children and adults alike will giggle with delight as the dots multiply, change direction, and grow in size! Especially remarkable because the adventure occurs on the flat surface of the simple, printed page, this unique picture book about the power of imagination and interactivity will provide read-aloud fun for all ages!

Today's group are my "regulars" and before sharing the book I informed them that I would need their help as we read. I did let everyone know that there would be opportunities for everyone to help. The book worked great with the four to six revolving helpers who volunteered. Those a little more reluctant to help and shied away from being near the book would act out some of the moves (lean to the left or blow away the darkness).

The reaction of the children was great! They were amazed that by following directions that their actions created something new throughout the book.

We also read
Naked! by Michael Ian Black.
For this book we passed out scarves and pretended they were our capes.

Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin and James Dean.
For this book we learned the signs for colors and sang Pete's song each time his shoes changed colors.

Hello, Day! by Anita Lobel.
We learned animal signs and had a chorus of quacks and moos and other animal sounds as we read.

The Snowy Day by Ezra jack Keats
We pretended the scarves were snow and played along with Peter as we celebrated a very UN-snowy day in Lansdowne.

Bibs-n-Books will be on hiatus until January 6th! You are invited to join us when we return and help us welcome Theresa Dykes!

Interactive Frozen Sing-a-long

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Sun, 14 Dec 2014 19:08:00 +0000

The movie Frozen has come out with an sing-a-long edition and we decided to show it along but make it an interactive experience.

After following a thread from a group for libraries on Facebook (hat tip to Storytime Underground and all of their suggestions) we created some props, watched and rewatched Frozen and hosted an interactive event.

Prep:

Create snowflake wands to use when Elsa uses her powers.

(I really, really, really wanted to throw confetti when Elsa used her powers but common sense won when I realized that I would have to sweep up the confetti so the ribboned wands won.) Materials

knitting needles
ribbons of shades of blues, whites and purples
Snowflake templates
tape/scissors

To create:

Wrap the needles using the ribbons and secure with tape
Attach two cut out snowflakes to the pointed end of the needle (this will help ensure little hands are not poked by the needle).
Get ready to make magic!

Wands and Interactive Suggestions

Interactive Activities Suggestions

After watching the movie a few times and along with the suggestions from the list we came up with a few ways to interact with the movie

Suggestions to interact with the movie:

Stamp Your Feet when you see the trolls
When Elsa uses her powers, wave your wand
At the coronation, do the chicken dance
Shout "Yoo hoo" to the shopkeeper
Pretend to eat carrots with Sven
SING!

This question was posed to Facebook and some additional suggestions were

When Weezleton comes on the screen to say "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"
Have people hold hands
During the song "Frozen Heart" song shake maracas or shaker eggs

Create Snowman Building Kits

(Originally these were going to be an event souvenir but we decided this was going to be a fun way to share an Olaf creation)

Materials

Marshmallows
Pretzel Sticks
Bag to hold them in

We just put the marshmallows and pretzel sticks and those who chose so could create their snowman or eat as they would like.

Snowman Building Starter Kit

We just put the marshmallows and pretzel sticks and those who chose so could create their snowman or eat as they would like.

Before the movie started we passed out wands and the snowman kits and shared the suggestions for interacting with the movie.

Thoughts:

The kids didn't really interact. While I stood in front, off to the side and would shout out the interactive activity, most of the kids just wanted to watch the movie.

The wands were a hit although a few of the younger audience members spent most of the movie waving the wand. They were cute but at one point they were a little distracting.

Would I do it again? YES!
I was fun watching the movie and singing along. The audience enjoyed the movie there was not too much set up and clean up.

Any other tips for an interactive event?
Please share in the comments and don't forget to let it go!

-r

December 1st is Rosa Parks Day!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 15:37:00 +0000

On December 1, 1955, African Amerian seamstress Rosa Parks was travelling in a Montgomery City bus when the bus driver asked her to vacate her seat for a white man. The driver's request was standard practice of racial segregation in buses at the time. Rosa Parks refused to leave her seat on the grounds of fairness, freedom and equality. As a result, she was arrested and convicted of violating the laws of segregation, known as the "Jim Crow" laws. She appealed her conviction and formally challenged the legality of segregation. At the same time, civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King Jr, boycotted the Montgomery bus system.

The boycott lasted for 381 days, into December 1956, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the segregation law was unconstitutional and the Montgomery buses should be integrated. This boycott kickstarted other civil rights protests throughout the U.S. Over the years, the Rosa Parks bus has become a symbol of the fight for equal rights. It has been fully restored and is now displayed in the Henry Ford Museum. Rosa Parks' Day, on February 4, is also known as the Day of Courage.

In observance of the day, we are sharing "Rosa" by Nikki Giovanni and illustrated by Bryan Collier.

Early Literacy Activities for Your Child

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 14:48:00 +0000

Theresa Dykes is our wonderful storyteller provided by the Delaware County Library System. Her programs are designed for children aged birth to 24 months, and consist of books, music, fingerplays, rhymes and puppets. Theresa is often our guest for Tuesdays during Bibs-n-Books. Theresa has created a wonderful resource an Early Literacy Calendar for you to use with your children! The calendar is geared toward toddlers (2 and 3) and encourages parents to read, talk, write, play, and sing with their child everyday.

Theresa will share the fliers during her scheduled storytimes or you can download a copy from our blog.

Click these links for access to the December Literacy Calendars.
Calendar

Calendar Back

Thank you for reading and see you at storytime!
-r

December Programs at the Library

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 21:56:00 +0000

Happy Winter, Library Friends!

Attached is the December calendar for children. Here are a few things I wanted to highlight and share.

Family Room programs and activities will take a break from Sunday December 21 through Sunday, January 11th. Please feel free to visit the library and use materials and books during the break.

Homework Help will be discontinued in December. We are working on a new program with our volunTeens to provide assistance with reading. More details will be available soon.

Teen programming will be on hiatus until January 2015.

Welcome December with a holiday concert from Peter Taney and the Juggernauts! Thursday, December 4th beginning at 10:30 am. All are invited but we are requesting that large groups please call in advance.

Please visit us online at http://www.lansdownelibrary.org/ for more information about our programs. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for pictures and more.

If you have any questions, please call Rachee at 610-623-0239 ext 304 or email lacsd@delcolibraries.org.

Block Party at the Library!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 21:20:00 +0000

The Library was selected for an exciting new program called the Block Party Project!

When children play with blocks they are learning math, engineering, social skills and so much more! Through play, your child is discovering shapes, learning how blocks can be balanced, observing how they fall and discovering what fits together. Hard to believe, but these playful explorations are the foundation of later mathematical and scientific thinking - plus it's fun!

The Block Party is a workshop format to engage parents in block play with their children. Children are born learners, but they need experiences to be stimulating, fun, and interactive. Parents can guide children’s early learning experiences and use blocks as the tools to support their development. Playing with blocks can provide experiences where children learn math and science, new words and pre-reading skills, social skills, creativity, physical skills, and problem-solving skills. Block play is fun for both children and adults.

Learn more about the benefits of block play in this article from the National Association for the Education of Young Children or call Miss Rachee at 610-623-0239 ext 304.

Drop by the library during the week of December 8th to learn more about the Block Party.
Monday, December 8th beginning at 10:00 AM
Tuesday, December 9th beginning at 10:45 AM (following Bibs-n-Books)
Thursday, December 11th beginning at 10:30 AM
Saturday, December 13th beginning at 12:30 PM

Large groups, please call to make arrangements for a date to schedule a Block Party.

Target Community Night! Wednesday, November 19th

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 16:30:00 +0000

Special Discount to Nov 23rd Chamber Concert for Delco Library Card Holders!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 17:05:00 +0000

The Delaware County Symphony is offering a special discount to DCLS card holders. The regular price of tickets is $18 for adults and $15 for seniors & students. The discounted price is $8.

The Symphony presents the second of its Chamber Concert Series on Sunday November 23, 2014 at 3 p.m. in the Meagher Theatre of the Thomas A Bruder, Jr. Life Center at Neumann University, Aston, Pa.

The November Chamber Concert opens with Music Director Tim Ribchester, piano, and concertmaster Nina Vieru, violin, performing works by Argentinean born composer Astor Piazolla. As a pianist Ribchester brings a special musical message to this concert. During his in depth studies of Argentinean tango music at the Academia Nacional del Tango, Buenos Aires, Ribchester acquired a unique appreciation of the creative technique and intricate sounds of Piazolla's works.

It was Piazolla who fused classical music, including Bach and Jazz into a new style of tango music known as nuevo tango. American music critics hailed Piazolla as the world’s foremost composer of tango music. It may be said that Piazolla changed the history and sound of tango music.

The concert continues with the fresh and vibrant sounds of American Jazz featuring the DCS Jazz Ensemble led by Vince Iannone, flute, clarinet and saxophone performing original arrangements and a wide selection of classic popular Jazz including all time favorites, How High The Moon, Autumn Leaves in an arrangement by Miles Davis, Sister Sadie by Horace Silver and Moanin' by Bobby Timmons.

Chamber program commentary will be provided by Tim Ribchester, Music Director Delaware County Symphony. We pleased to announce for this concert in collaboration with the Delaware County Library System a special discounted group ticket price of $8.00 to all individuals upon presentation of their Delco Library Card the day of the concert. Tickets may be purchased at the door (cash, check or credit card). For additional information on the concert please contact us at 610-879-7059.

Visit the Academy of Natural Sciences on US and check out Dino Days!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 20:24:00 +0000

Thanks to a generous grant from the Friends of the Lansdowne Public Library, we are pleased to be able to offer free passes for The Academy of Natural Sciences for our library users!

Located at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103, the passes provide admission for 2 adults and up to five children in the same household into the museum, all special exhibits, and Academy festivals. The passes will also give you

Free, expedited admission to popular festivals including Paleopalooza & Bug Fest.
10% discount in the Academy Shop & Café during your visit.

To borrow a museum pass:

Museum passes are free to adults with a current Delaware County library card.
Passes will be loaned out for 5-days, no renewals allowed. Museum Passes MUST be returned to the Lansdowne Public Library ONLY. You may return the pass, in the green envelope, in the video return drop or directly to the front desk staff
Holds are not permitted on Museum Passes. You may call ahead on the day you wish to pick-up the pass and it will be checked out on your card and held for two (2) hours or until closing, whichever occurs first. If you do not pick up the pass within that time it will be removed from our hold shelf ard and made available to another user.

· Daily Overdue Fine:

$10.00 per day up to the cost of the museum membership.
Lost /stolen membership card fee: the cost of the Membership ($150) plus a $10 processing fee.
You will be charged a $5.00 processing fee if the envelope the pass circulates in is not returned.

With your passes you are invited to celebrate dinosaurs and their closest living relatives—birds—with a holiday weekend of family fun at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Talk turkey with Academy experts, touch real fossils, play dinosaur detective, and more. Dinosaur Days are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 28, 29 and 30, and are free with museum admission.

There will be fun games and crafts, guaranteed to enlighten everyone from the wisest to the youngest dinosaur experts in the family.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Dinosaur Days event at ansp.org.

Highlights of the event:

· Academy Animal Ambassadors
Meet some of the Academy’s live animals and find out what you can do to help protect them during this live animal show.

· Dinosaur Detectives
Do you know what makes a dinosaur a dinosaur? Can you tell a fossil from a fake? Put your skills to the test during this interactive stage show and meet a live animal that has some things in common with the extinct stars of the show.
· Story time
Visit Outside In for an interactive dinosaur story featuring a live animal.

A hot chocolate bar featuring different kinds of hot cocoa and delicious toppings will be presented for purchase by 12th Street Catering from noon to 2 pm each day, as a special part of Dinosaur Days. Just in time for the cold weather, the warm beverage bar coincides with the current exhibit Chocolate: The Exhibition.

Chocolate: The Exhibition, presented by Mars Chocolate North America, features the intriguing story of this “food of the gods” from its origin as a rain forest plant to America’s favorite sweet. There is a $5 fee to enter Chocolate.

Meet Author Matt Phelan on November 13th!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 20:03:00 +0000

The Lansdowne Library is proud to be a part of the "PA Forward Speak Up! Authors & Illustrators Speak Up for PA Libraries” initiative. This initiative places Pennsylvania authors and illustrators in the spotlight, increasing support for libraries everywhere during a critical period of economic downturn. We will be welcoming author and illustrator Matt Phelan as our guest on Thursday, November 13th beginning at 10:30 am.

Matt Phelan is the illustrator of many books for young readers, including Flora’s Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, Always by Ann Stott, Xander’s Panda Party by Linda Sue Park, and The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, winner of the 2007 Newbery Medal. He is the author/illustrator of the graphic novel The Storm in the Barn, which won the 2010 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction. His second graphic novel Around the World received the 2012 Carolyn W.Field Award from the Pennsylvania Library Association and two Eisner Award nominations. His latest graphic novel, Bluffton, is about summertime, vaudeville, and the young Buster Keaton. It has been nominated for three Eisner Awards including Best Graphic Album. His first picture book, Druthers - as well as many other titles, are available for check out at the library.

For more information please call 610-623-0239 ext 304 or visit the Library's website: lansdownelibrary.org

Election Time is coming! Cast Your Vote!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 00:41:00 +0000

A few years ago we held elections for who would be President of the Family Room. Of the five candidates, Owlbert Owl, Woolette Sheep, Inky Octopus, Mr. Dino and Inchy Worm, the winner was Owlbert Owl, as chosen by library visitors. He is up for re-election and the library needs your help once again to vote for family room mascot and president.

The candidates are:

Mr. Dino

Inchy Worm

Woolette Sheep

Inky Octopus

Owlbert Owl

Join us for special storytimes on Thursday, October 23rd at 10:30AM and Monday, November 3rd at 10:00AM to learn more about the candidates.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th and you can cast your vote for Family Room Mascot! Inchy Worm, Owlbert Owl, Mr. Dino, Woolette Sheep, and Inky Octopus all want your vote!

Book Bites: Kisses and Dinosaurs!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:28:00 +0000

Today during Bibs-n-Books we shared books about kisses and dinosaurs!
Wait, you are asking, HOW did you make the leap from kisses to Dinosaurs?
As I was pulling books today I found Nancy Tafuri's All Kinds of Kisses and then I ran across David Ezra Stein's Dinosaur Kisses and Dino kisses was born.

Here is a link to the books we shared:

Bibs-n-Books takes place Tuesdays beginning at 10:30! Join us!

Free Afterschool Homework Help!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 14:11:00 +0000

Elemntary school students can stop by the library for homework help! Bring your questions and one of our volunteers will help you get those problems solved! See poster for details.

November is Picture Book Month!

noreply@blogger.com (LA Youth Services) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 16:11:00 +0000

November is Picture Book Month and The Lansdowne Public Library will celebrate by featuring a new guest reader each day in November on our YouTube page!

What's a "StoryTube" you may wonder? It's our way of sharing the books we love with our library friends. Below is one of our favorite books, "Click, Clack Moo: Cow That Type" by Doreen Cronin.

We are looking for guest readers for Picture Book Month in November.

Our readers will be featured on our Youtube page sharing their favorite picture books!

Contact Rachee at 610-623-0239 ext. 304 or email at lacsd@delcolibraries.org to get on the schedule.

Picture book month is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November. It was created by author and storyteller Dianne de Las Casas. Visit the Picture Book Month website for more information.