the BFYA blog

Volunteers party down

2006-08-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty good turnout for our volunteer blast last Friday night and were able to say, when it was all over, that it was a big success. The surprise hit of the evening was that the board games were really popular - so popular, in fact, that we decided then and there to have a games night for our YA's once a month! We'll bring back all the games we had on Friday, plus lots of new ones (anyone have a Go board they could bring?), get out the DDR, provide snacks, and invite all our BFYA's. Late Night at the Library will kick off on Friday, September 15 at 6:00 pm. Details will be posted here when we get closer to the date.

Of course, we'll still run Halo After Hours on Fridays, too -- just different Fridays. The next one of those will be on August 25th.

Thanks once again to all our summer volunteers! We love you!

Oh - and Megan L. took home the monkey. Take good care of it, Megan!

Who will take home the monkey?

2006-07-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

We'll know the answer to that by this time tomorrow, after the gala Volunteer Appreciation Party here in the library. All our Young Adult volunteers from this summer (you know who you are!) are invited to come at 5:00 for pizza, soda, games and prizes, and we'll raffle off the coveted giant inflatable monkey to one very lucky person.

We'll have the DDR pads out, all the computers up, and we even brought some non-electronic games for the traditionalists. Hope to see everyone there!

Volunteers contribute in a big way

2006-06-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

Summer reading is our favorite time of year because we see so many kids in the library every day. But it would drive us crazy, if it weren't for our Young Adult volunteer army, 35 kids ages 12 and up who show up every week to help out. Some sit at the desk and take reports, some help out with the little kids in storytimes, and some just do whatever we ask them to. We couldn't imagine summer without them! Thanks, everyone!

Other cool things we're doing: Miss Becky's Tuesday quilt group, Wild Things Quiltmakers, learned some stitches last week and created some great looking quilt blocks today; AniManga will be screening the second three episodes of Full Metal Alchemist next Monday, and another LAN party is scheduled for 5:00 Friday night.

Farewell, Miss Honda!

2006-05-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Ani-Manga Club watched our last 3 episodes of Fruits Basket today, and we made so much noise I thought they would hear us all the way upstairs! Next meeting, we'll get going on Full Metal Alchemist, so stop by on June 5th and 4:00 and start something new.

The summer schedule is out, and we have some new things and some old ones, too. New: Miss Becky's Wild Things Quiltmakers, meeting on Tuesdays in June and July, to learn the fine art of quilting for charity. Old: Get Wired!, more anime, and more Halo parties scheduled for May 26, June 16 and 30, and July 14. Also, we bought some DDR pads and now we have to figure out what to do with them! Get all the info on the Youth Services page of our NORMAL website.

We still have a reading program! You could win some very interesting prizes just for reading books from the library. See the staff, if you want to know more.

What a week!

2006-04-13T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Young Adult Department hosted three great events in one week! We ran Get Wired, a Halo LAN party, and the first meeting of the Ani-Manga Club, all within seven days of each other. Not coincidentally, it was National Library Week, and I think we celebrated in style.

Ani-Manga has decided to meet every other week, at least for a while, because we can't wait a whole month to see the next three episodes of Fruits Basket. Everyone had a blast at the first meeting. That little rat was so cute! If you want to come to the next meeting, but missed the first part of the story, we'll be more than happy to fill you in on what happened -- or you can check out the first five volumes of the manga, which should be available on shelf by then. Next meeting will be on April 24th at 4:00. Call and let me know if you're coming!

Fruits Basket

2006-04-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Ani-Manga Club will meet on Monday April 10 at 4:00 to screen the first three episodes of Fruits Basket. I've seen it, I like it, and I bet most of you will, too. Give us a call to let us know you're coming, so I know how many bags of wasabi snacks to buy (there'll be popcorn, too, for traditionalists).

Non-boring non-fiction.

2006-04-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

We have some great nonfiction on our new books shelf this week, including:
Bat Boy Lives! the WEEKLY WORLD NEWS guide to politics, culture, celebrities, alien abductions, and the mutant freaks that shape our world (be sure to use the link to check out the cover art, so you can understand what a credible news source this is)

Fantasy Encyclopedia: A guide to the fabulous beasts and magical beings-from elves and dragons to vampires and wizards (beautiful illustrations, if this is the kind of thing you like)

The Art of the Sports Car: The greatest design of the 20th Century (beautiful illustrations, if this is the kind of thing you like)

and

It's Happy Bunny: Love Bites

Non-fiction does not have to be good for you!!!

We got wired, again!

2006-04-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

Eleven people learned to make bracelets, necklaces AND earrings under Suzanne's watchful eye, and laughed a lot while doing it. The next Get Wired! is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, so call us if you want to get in on the fun. (Elizabeth, you are so BAD!)

Our first after-hours Halo party (beta)

2006-03-24T16:42:00.000-08:00

Three Xboxes, ten guys, Halo 2, big fun. The next one will be bigger!

Want to get in on it? Call the library at 485-6917 and let us know.

What!! Another meeting??

2006-03-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

Yep, the next meeting of the BFYAC will be next Monday, March 26 at 4:00 (note special time), even though:

> Half of you will probably be out of town for Spring Break

> We can't use the meeting room because Miss Becky will be running babysitting classes in there

> I have to work at the Reference Desk because Mrs. Highler has Monday off

HOW WILL WE DO THIS? (you may ask)

I have a little project you can help me with for about an hour, in the Storytime room, and in return I will have even better food than I usually have, you can make as much noise as you want (within reason), and I've got some GREAT giveaways this month that only people can have who show up!

I'll be calling all you BFYAC'ers on Saturday with a personal invitation to attend, so consider yourself warned!!

We had a great time...and look what we made!

2006-03-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

Our first Get Wired! jewelry workshop was on Tuesday night, and it was a great success! The next one will be on Tuesday, April 4th. Space is limited and we already have 4 people on the list, so call or come in soon if you want to sign up!

New manga this month: we've bought the next 5 volumes each of Ranma 1/2 and Rurouni Kenshin, the latest 2 Inu Yashas, vols. 1-5 of Fullmetal Alchemist (very different from the anime - not necessarily better or worse, just different), and Alice 19th, 1-5. Thanks, Brittany, for suggesting that! We're also buying Astro Boy for you retro fans, since Matthew Q. saw it at S. E. Gross asked for it here.

Anything else you want, just let me know.

Hey! We're (almost) famous!

2006-03-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

While looking around at some other libraries' teen blogs, I ran across this website, which is devoted to info about libraries using technology to connect with young adults - and the BFYA Blog was included in their list of YA blogs. How cool is that?

There are still a few spaces left in Tuesday's Get Wired jewelry workshop, so give us a call if you want to come.

Make a bracelet at the library

2006-02-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

GET WIRED! Learn to make jewelry with beads, wire, and Swarovski crystals at the Brookfield Public Library this Tuesday, March 7, at 6:30, with expert instruction from local jewelry guru Suzanne Beatty. Bring $5 - $15 to cover the cost of your supplies and go home with a bracelet that you designed yourself. In April we will make necklaces, and we’ll do earrings in May. Sign up soon by calling the Youth Services Department at 485-6917.

Babysitting Classes in March and April

2006-02-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

Our next Red Cross Babysitting classes have been scheduled to coincide with your school's spring vacations. They will be held from 1:00 until 5:00 on Monday and Tuesday, March 27th and 28th (for kids in Districts 95, 96, and 102) and on Monday and Tuesday, April 17th and 18th (for kids in District 103, St. Barbara, St. Louise, and St. Paul). They are open to anyone age 11 - 15, the price is $30, and you have to register in person. Give us a call if you need more information.

We have another BFYAC meeting on February 27. I'll be calling everyone in the next 2 days to see if you can make it. If you haven't come to one of our meetings before and are interested, call me at 485-6917 and let me know you're coming so I can have enough food. We'll look at the results from the survey, and talk about upcoming plans for a jewelry making class and our new Ani-Manga Club, and I have a few little things to give away. Think of a number between 1 and 10! See you there!

How do you spend your spare time?

2006-02-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

Our new Young Adult survey is available in the library and at some of our area schools, or can be downloaded by clicking here. Fill it out and get it back to us by February 14th (or so). The programs and services we plan in the next few months will be directly influenced by what we learn from your answers, so, tell us what you want!

Next BFYAC meeting is January 30th

2006-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

The Young Adult Council will have a meeting this Monday, Jan. 30th, at 4:30. I called everyone who indicated on our last survey that they would be interested in joining with an invitation to attend. But if I missed you, or if you're a Brookfield kid in middle school or high school who is interested in getting involved at the library, give me a call at 485-6917 and let me know you're coming. (I have to know how many are coming so I can know how much food to buy!) The meeting will last about an hour and should be fun.

Thanks to Steve Brosinski of the Brookfield Landmark for the article on page 7 of this week's issue about our new blogs. And thanks especially for spelling my name right!

The Simpsons...

2006-01-19T17:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the great effort of our technical services crew, we now have the complete first four seasons of The Simpsons on DVD for you to check out (seasons five and six are on order). Those of you who requested it, hurry in before someone else gets them! We also got Clone Wars Vols. 1 and 2, and the Fantastic Four, which I personally thought was great.

Our head of Adult Services wants you to know that she's just bought new CD's by Death Cab for Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, Foo Fighters, and Cold Play. They are in the turn-around rack near the windows on the adult side.

AND...I want everyone who reads this to go to this link, look over the titles listed there, and leave a comment as to which movie you think we ought to get first! We have just joined Operation Anime, an anime club that will send us one movie a month free to show and then keep for the YA department. Details and the first show date will be posted here as soon as we make a decision.

These just in

2006-01-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the weekend we got the first five volumes of Ranma 1/2 and the first five Rurouni Kenshin (if you liked Inu Yasha...). Also The Art of Halo: Creating a Virtual World (picture books for big kids) and an interesting new novel called The Water Mirror. Watch for some new Simpsons videos, late next week.

We're toying with the idea of having a lan party here. If you have an Xbox and are interested, let me know by leaving a comment.

Our YA volunteers prove once again that they are the best.

2005-12-23T13:54:00.000-08:00

We had our best Christmas Eve Eve Eve Storytime yet on Thursday night, and we couldn't have done it without the six Young Adult volunteers who showed up (mostly) on time and were completely useful throughout the evening. They even cleaned up when it was over! THANK YOU once again to everyone who helped. You can see more pics from the program by going here.

New and hot in the YA Department

2005-12-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

We get new titles a few times a week and I don't feel a need to list them all here, but I do want to mention the most interesting items, when they arrive:

For anime fans we've just added Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky and Grave of the Fireflies to our growing collection (we got Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke last month). Don't forget, we also own the complete Gundam Wing series on DVD as well. And if you're into manga we have the long-awaited Inu-Yasha vols. 21 and 22 and the first five Hikaru No Go (vol. 6 is due out in February).

If you've seen Peter Jackson's new version of "King Kong," check out The Making of King Kong: the Official Guide to the Motion Picture. We also picked up The Making of Doom 3 for the rabid gamers we know are out there.

The third installment in Kevin Crossley-Holland's Arthur trilogy, King of the Middle March, is here, the latest in the Young Wizards series, Wizards at War, and a collection of song lyrics by Alicia Keys called Tears for Water.

If you're interested in any of these give us a call at 485-6917 to place a hold. If there are any titles you think the library should own, you can let us know and we'll do our best to get them.

Taking a road trip over the holidays?

2005-12-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

Are you going to grandma's? Wisconsin? Florida? Do you enjoy sitting in the back seat saying, "Are we there yet?" Make the miles fly by with some great books on tape or CD from the Young Adult department! Get to know some warrior rodents with a title from the Redwall series (recommended for very long trips) or let Count Olaf be your tour guide with any of the Series of Unfortunate Events. Or this might finally be your chance to get all the way through Eragon and its sequel, Eldest. We've listened to a lot of these ourselves, so stop by for a recommendation, or close your eyes and just grab one!

Library news for Brookfield's Young Adults...you know who you are!

2005-12-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

The first announcement we can make on our new weblog is that there are still four spaces left in Miss Becky's next American Red Cross babysitting class. The class will be held on January 4th and 5th from 1-5 pm in the meeting room.If you are between 11 and 15 years old, and would like to improve your babysitting and business skills, this is what you've been waiting for. Once you have successfully completed the course, you'll get a Red Cross Babysitting Certificate, the Official Red Cross Babysitting Handbook, and your own personalized BABYSITTING BAG with a lot of cool babysitting things inside. Plus you'll have skills and confidence like you've never had before.

Come to the Youth Services Department soon to register and reserve your spot. There is a registration fee of $30 to cover the cost of equipment (dolls, dummies, your book & bag, and some other stuff) that you have to pay when you sign up. You will be treated to pizza from Paisans on Thursday afternoon. Then, you will be a GENUINE CERTIFIED BABYSITTER and you can get out there and make lots of money.

If you are interested in the class but can't make it in January, give us a call anyway and get on the list for the next class. We will call you when we schedule another one, and give you a chance to register before we open it to the public.