Cecil County Public Library Blog http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog Cecil County Public Library Mon, 23 May 2016 14:00:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.2 Summer Reading for Teens http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5168 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5168#respond Mon, 23 May 2016 14:00:56 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5168 girl-869213_1280You may have heard the term “summer slide,” which sounds like a pleasant family fun activity, but it actually refers to the tendency for students who don’t actively engage in educational opportunities to lose the knowledge and learning they gained during the school year.

But don’t worry, one of the easiest ways to reverse “slide” it is simply by reading throughout the summer. Our Summer Reading Program is almost here, which means we’ll be spending the next several months promoting reading and giving out prizes to those who complete a Summer Reading log. And teens have their very own program! We define “teens” as any child entering 6th – 12th grade. So if your child falls within that range, they can sign up for the Summer Reading Program, read 6 hours, and become entered into win cool prizes. And the best part, they can complete as many logs as they want throughout the summer!

We also have thousands of items available digitally, from ebooks and digital magazines to e-audiobooks, movies and music. All you need is your library card, PIN and access to the internet. While students have reading assignments during the school year – the summer can be all about what’s most interesting to them. Sports, zombies, pop stars – if your teen is reading books, magazines or graphic novels, they are engaging their minds and beating summer slide.

Did you know listening to audiobooks is a valuable reading tool? 85% of learning comes from listening and 30% of people are auditory learners. Listening to books exposes students to pronunciation of English, dialects and non-English words, expands vocabulary and can be combined with a physical book to guide struggling readers through the story. Audiobook narrators are actors who create compelling voices to make the stories come alive, thus improving attention spans.

AudiobookSYNC is a free program, available to all teens for 15 weeks, with a total of 30 teen-friendly audiobooks to download and keep. Many of the titles have curricular connections; all have high recommendations from both professional reviewers and casual audiobook listeners. You can even sign up for text alerts: text SYNCYA to 25827

Research has shown that freedom of choice in reading materials is a clear indicator in summer reading success. If your teen is picking out what she wants to read and listen to, she’s more likely to finish the books and keep reading all summer long.

Not sure what to suggest to your teen to read? Here’s a list of award-winning titles for teens, as well as a website dedicated to developing boys’ love of reading.

And our summer reading program has plenty of events for teens to hang out with other teens and explore topics from science experiments and games, to upcycling and art projects.

Our summer reading program begins June 1 – to register, go to http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/teens/summer-reading/.

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Armed Forces Day http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5162 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5162#respond Mon, 16 May 2016 14:00:13 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5162 Armed Forces DayWhat are you doing next Saturday, May 21? Did you know it’s Armed Forces Day?

President Harry S. Truman led the initiative to create a holiday for citizens to honor our military and their service to our country.The first official Armed Forces Day was held in New York City in 1950 and in 1961 President John F. Kennedy declared the third Saturday in May a national holiday.

When you visit the library, look for our Military Family Resource Collection. This special collection of adult, children and teen books, DVDs, and children’s learning resource kits are available to connect military members and military families with the materials they need to handle the unique challenges of military life. Resources include materials about deployment, families, women’s issues, relationships, re-entering civilian live, employment, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, job training, starting a business and more.

Do you know a veteran who would like to learn more about using computers and technology? We offer one-on-one basic technology appointments in all our branches – these appointments are open to the general public as well. We also have a list of resources for veterans and military families available on our website.

Cecil County Public Library is available to veterans who need assistance connecting with their VA Benefits. A great place to start getting connected with VA benefits is by visiting the Maryland Department of Veteran Affairs website or by contacting the Maryland Department of Veteran Affairs Service Officer, Russ Biondo, at the State Office Building, 2 South Bond Street, 4th Floor, Bel Air, MD 21014 (410) 836-4900. The Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs was created by the State Legislature in 1999 as an executive agency with the mission of assisting veterans, active duty service members, their families and dependents, in securing benefits earned through military service.

Join us in honoring the sacrifices and contributions made by our veterans and the brave family members and loved ones of our service men and women.

Have you thanked a vet today?

 

“Our nation owes each day of security and freedom that we enjoy to the members of our Armed Forces and their families. Behind our brave service men and women, there are family members and loved ones who share in their sacrifice and provide unending support.” – President Obama

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Plant Swap http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5157 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5157#comments Mon, 09 May 2016 14:00:40 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5157 PlantsIf you’re an avid gardener like me then this is your busiest time of year. It’s time to clean out your vegetable and flower beds, plan this year’s garden, and get your seeds started. When planning my garden I think about which plants worked well last year, which ones didn’t, what perennials need dividing, and where I need new plants.

One of the easiest ways to get free plants is to divide the ones you already have. One of the wonderful things about perennials is that as long as they are happy where they are they will come back year after year with very little maintenance on your part. But eventually they will get too big or start looking unkempt, and then it’s time to divide them. This will not only improve the health of the plant but give you extras you can use in your garden and share with other gardeners. I know I’d rather pass on an extra plant and give it a good home than, heaven forbid, throw it away!

But what if you’re looking for something new? One of the best, and cheapest, ways of adding diversity to your garden and trying new plants is to go to a plant swap. At a plant and seed swap gardeners bring their extra seeds, seedlings or plant divisions and trade them with other gardeners. It’s a great way to share plants and gardening experiences, and it’s free!
Whether you’re an experienced or beginner gardener you want to make the most of your garden. At CCPL we have an extensive collection of gardening books and magazines, but if you’re looking for the latest, most up-to-date information you might want to check out our collection of on-line magazines available through Zinio where you can download home and garden magazines like Birds and Blooms, Country Gardens and Organic Life. In addition, our Gardening, Landscape and Horticulture database contains magazine and journal articles for everyone from the novice gardener to the professional.

For more hands-on instruction you can find home and garden programs throughout the Cecil County Public Library system. Check online through our calendar or look in The Link, our library newsletter; available in branches, online or have it emailed to you for a first look at upcoming events.

On Thursday, May 12 from 6-8 pm the Elkton Library will hold its 4th Annual Plant Swap. And if you can’t make it to Elkton, the Perryville Library will be holding their 2nd Annual Plant and Seed Swap on Wednesday, May 25 from 6-8. We hope you can make it! This will be a wonderful opportunity to swap plants, seeds and experiences with other gardeners. Don’t miss the chance to try something new in your garden!

What’s your favorite perennial to share?

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Teen Film Fest http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5150 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5150#respond Mon, 02 May 2016 14:00:52 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5150 Awards ceremonyAre you looking for something fun to do this week? Are you sad that awards season is over? Then come to Cecil County’s own version of the Academy Awards! On Thursday, May 5th from 6:30-7:30 at the Elkton Central Library, Cecil County teens will showcase their original films created for CCPL’s 7th annual Teen Film Fest! These teens have spent months perfecting their films and are excited to share them with the community. Want to see some of the resources they used to create their films? Try this book list.

What is Film Fest? It is an annual filmmaking competition for local students ages 11-17. Each year, these aspiring filmmakers work with a designated theme to create a unique film. Each teen creates a storyboard for their piece, shoots their footage, and uses editing software to add music and other effects. Film styles vary and include live action and animation. This year’s theme is book trailers, so you will not only have the chance to view great films, but you will also learn about the teens favorite books in the process.

At the screening, you will have the chance to view these amazing films, meet the actors and directors, and see the selection of winners. Nerves will be on edge as we wait to see who will take home the prizes. Special thanks to our judges from Cecil College, Elkton Arts & Entertainment District, Boys & Girls Club, Cecil County Council and the Cecil Whig! The awards include First Prize, Second Prize, and Third Prize as well as an Editor’s Choice Award presented by the Cecil Whig. So come support our teens, get your clapping hands ready, and be prepared for a great night of films!

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Spring Cleaning http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5143 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5143#respond Mon, 25 Apr 2016 14:00:24 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5143 putz-bucket-1290951_640Spring is finally here and my house is a mess! I’ll share a secret – I have a love/hate relationship with spring cleaning — the warm weather inspires me to clean, but the lovely long afternoons of sun highlight the dust all over my house. Exasperated, I’ll go outdoors and save cleaning for another day.

Thankfully, the library has many resources for organizing and cleaning that can help you get on track before the warm weather officially hits. One of my new favorites is The Complete Book of Home Organization by Toni Hammersley. If you were one of the many people who loved the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, you will be happy to know she recently released another! It is called Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up. I can’t wait to give that one a try. If you like Pinterest, CCPL has a great page with many boards of helpful resources – even one specifically about paper clutter.

As far as helpful cleaning tips, I will share my go-to strategy: don’t do it all at once. When I try to deep clean everything, I end up distracted and never finish! When I do a room at a time, over the course of a week or two, I find that everything is cleaner and I enjoy it so much more. I also listen to audiobooks while I clean and that makes the time fly by! The library has many audiobooks that you could checkout either in a branch, or online, that will make your spring cleaning seem like less of a chore and more fun! If you haven’t tried downloading from Hoopla (a digital service available through our website), give it a try – everything is available immediately, with no wait times. Good luck cleaning!

What’s your best spring cleaning tip?

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SAT Resources http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5138 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5138#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2016 14:00:40 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5138 SAT prep booksAfter seeing my son’s PSAT scores, I realize he needs to do some studying before taking the SAT in the fall. I knew the library had traditional study guides in paper form, but I was surprised and excited by the depth of digital options now available.

With your library card already (if you don’t have one it’s free for Maryland residents), fire up the laptop or tablet right now and access our online practice tests. With a choice of two different products (Learning Express Library and Testing and Education Reference Center), try both to see which fits your student’s learning style best. Once you have created a login, choose to take part of the practice test or power through from math to reading. Full text study guides are also available as part of these products if things just aren’t going well.

With months to go before the fall SAT, sign up for a free SAT/ACT Prep Course from Gale Courses. This two part, instructor led online course provides lessons, interaction and content quizzes and would be perfect to keep skills fresh over summer break. Maybe while you are there, check out out all the career introduction courses on offer, if you are still undecided about a direction after high school.

Then, once you ace the SAT, come back and explore the college and scholarship information the library offers to take your next step. With so many free options, we hope all students can find the help they need to take their first steps toward achieving college and a successful career.

Late registration for the May 7 test closes April 26. For the June 4 test, regular registration ends May 5 and late registration closes May 25. Fall test dates have not yet been announced.

Where’s your favorite place to study?

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Why Read? http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5131 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5131#respond Mon, 11 Apr 2016 14:00:58 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5131 Read a book           Read an ebook!

It’s National Library Week, April 10-16! To celebrate, I challenged a friend and her family to read more. When asked why, I pulled together a quick list of the many benefits of reading for adults and children:

1. Exercise your mind by reading – your brain is a muscle and it needs exercise.

2. Discover new things; educate yourself; expose yourself to other people’s opinions and travel anywhere in this or another world.

3. Develop imagination and creativity by thinking about what you read and seeing perspectives and lives different from yours.

4. Improve spelling and verbal proficiency by reading higher level vocabulary used in different contexts.

5. Prevent Summer Learning Loss – continued reading over summer months helps prevent learning loss when students are out of school.

6. Research: interpretation of ideas can create collaboration and change.

7. Find and keep a well-paying job. Reading and writing are vital to effective communication, which is so critical in business and relationships.

8. Enjoy the arts and volunteer. A study by the National Education Association revealed people who read for pleasure are more likely to visit museums and attend concerts, they are three times more likely to volunteer and perform charity work than non-readers.

9. Read for your health. Reading for just six minutes slows down your heart rate and eases tension in your muscles according to a study by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex.

10. Socialize – “what are you reading” is a great conversation starter!

For reading recommendations and suggestions, visit the staff recommendations section or favorites lists of our website or join one of our book discussions. Not sure what to read next? fill out a Book Mate survey and we’ll give you personalized recommendations.

What’s your favorite thing to read?

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Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of Flight http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5119 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5119#respond Mon, 04 Apr 2016 14:00:49 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5119 Amelia Earhart biography      Amelia Earthart biography      adult2          adult3

There has always been a bit of a mystery around Amelia, due to the fact that she disappeared along with her navigator during an attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world. There are many theories about their fate, but Amelia is foremost remembered for her courage and groundbreaking achievements, both in aviation and for women.

If we go back to when Amelia was a young girl in the 1900’s, she always fought the occasional disapproval of being a bit of a tomboy. She loved to climb trees, ‘belly slam’ her sled downhill and she hunted rats with a .22 rifle. Even at a young age, she felt defiant about what was expected of her and kept a scrapbook of clippings about successful women in predominantly male-oriented fields.

Amelia first felt the pull of the sky in her teens, when she attended a stunt-flying exhibition with a friend. A pilot spotted them and thought he’d give them a thrill…diving his plane down at them on the ground. Earhart stood her ground and she said later, “I did not understand it at the time, but I believe that little red airplane said something to me as it swished by.” On December 28, 1920, pilot Frank Hawks gave her a ride on a flight and that forever changed her life and she knew she had to fly.

She finally took her first flying lesson on January 3, 1921 and in only six months’ time she managed to buy her first airplane…a second-hand Kinner Airster. It was a bright yellow two-seater biplane and she named it ‘The Canary.’ She set her first women’s flying record in it by flying at an altitude of 14,000 feet.

In April of 1928, a group including book publisher George P. Putnam asked Amelia if she’d like to be the first woman to fly the Atlantic and she immediately jumped into the project. Her team included pilot Wilmer ‘Bill’ Stultz and co-pilot/mechanic Louis E. ‘Slim’ Gordon. They left Newfoundland, Canada in a Fokker F7 on June 17, 1928 and arrived in Wales about 21 hours later. Their success was hugely celebrated with a ticker-tape parade in New York and a reception by President Coolidge.

Amelia went on in May of 1932…five years to the day after Lindbergh took his historic flight…to become the first woman and the second person to fly solo across the Atlantic. Earhart felt the flight proved that men and women were equal in “jobs requiring intelligence, coordination, speed, coolness, and willpower.”

As Earhart neared her 40th birthday, she was ready for her biggest challenge: she wanted to be the first woman to fly around the world. On June 1, 1937, Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, left from Miami and began the 29,000 mile journey. By June 29th, when they landed in New Guinea, they had completed all but 7,000 miles of the trip. Their next hop to Howland Island was the most challenging and it was during that flight that contact was lost with them. The rescue attempt was the most extensive air and sea search in naval history at that time.

In a final quote in a letter to her husband before her final flight she wrote, “Please know I am quite aware of the hazards. I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.”

If you are intrigued to learn more about this pioneering tom-boy, join us for “History Alive – Flying High with Amelia Earhart” at the Chesapeake City Branch Library, Wednesday, April 20 at 6 PM. Mary Ann Jung, will bring to life the fascinating story of Amelia Earhart in this special, after-hours event. Call 410-996-1134 to register.

Have you dreamed of flying solo?

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Dinner or Supper? http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5112 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5112#respond Mon, 28 Mar 2016 14:00:56 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5112 dinner-table-663435_640Growing up, I thought supper and dinner were synonymous, and that the difference between the two was based on social class. Actually, the difference between supper and dinner was based on social class and the time of day that the meal is eaten. They both can refer to the last meal of the day. In colonial days, farmers were too busy to eat three meals a day so they only ate breakfast and dinner. On the contrary, the wealthy people who occupied urban occupations had more time for eating. Therefore; they ate breakfast, dinner, and supper. As a result of this class difference, dinner has become the formal evening meal. Supper describes a less formal meal eaten with family.

Today, meal times vary. Some people have dinner at seven while others have supper at five. In medieval England, meal times were fairly standard. They ate breakfast first thing in the morning, dinner in the middle of the day, and supper around sundown. It made sense to have dinner, the biggest meal, around midday because the lighting was sufficient. Oil lamps and candles were very expensive to use. The last meal, at sundown, was a quick snack before dark so they could retire to bed. The Industrial Revolution brought artificial light into homes and this invention allowed families to have their meals later in the evening.

Whatever term you use to denote your mealtime, the Cecil County Public Library can help you plan your dinners or suppers. The seven branches offer a wide variety of cookbooks and diet cookbooks to make mealtimes easy, nutritious, and delicious. Are you a magazine reader? Visit the library’s website to view and register for our Zinio service. It is a free service that allows you to read your favorite magazines on your smartphone, computer, or tablet. For mealtime solutions, Zinio offers magazines such as “EatingWell”, “Food Network Magazine”, and “Saveur” just to name a few.

Are you overwhelmed with mealtime preparation? Why not sign up for a free cooking class! Cecil County Public Library offers free six-week courses from Gale Courses. Visit the library’s website to sign up for “Luscious, Low-fat Lightning-Quick Meals”. This course is taught by a Certified Health Coach whose expertise includes weight management, diabetes nutrition care, and cardiac rehabilitation management. The instructor will teach you how to make casseroles, crock-pot dishes, vegan dishes, and many other meals that are nutritious and delicious. Also, you can benefit from tips regarding grocery shopping, meal planning, and food preparation.

Join the Friends of the Cecil County Public Library at the Granary Restaurant for a “A Feast of Words” fundraising dinner – Saturday, April 30 at 6:30 pm.

Which term do you prefer, dinner or supper?

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Pysanky Eggs http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5104 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5104#respond Tue, 22 Mar 2016 14:00:33 +0000 http://www.cecil.ebranch.info/blog/?p=5104 PysankyEggsIf you live in the Chesapeake City area of Cecil County, you may already be familiar with the fascinating Ukrainian folk art of pysanky eggs. The Chesapeake City Branch Library will host a program about this amazing folk art on March 22 at 6:30pm with the artists that created the eggs in the display case sharing the rich history of the art and how they are made.

A pysanka egg is…in simple terms…an egg decorated using a wax resist (aka batik) method. The term comes from the Ukrainian verb “pysaty”, which means “to write”. “Pysanka” is the singular form and “pysanky” is the plural. The pysanka egg is so much more than that though. Ukrainians have been decorating eggs and creating these beautiful and intricate works of art for many generations.

In many cultures, ancient people developed myths about the egg…seeing it as an example of creation and the source of life. The intricately colored eggs were used for various social and religious occasions and at times were seen to be a talisman, a protector against evil, as well as a bringer of good and health. Over time, the pysanka tradition was incorporated within the Christian church and they became a form of Ukrainian Easter eggs.

In the past, there was at times a long and involved ritual regarding the decorating of the pysanky eggs. The eggs were made at night after the children were asleep and only the women in the family would work together. Special songs could be sung and the eggs were dyed with special family formulas. The process could take several evenings to finish the beautiful, intricate eggs and within a larger family, 60 eggs could be completed.

There are many different traditional symbols that are used in decorating the eggs. Geometric motifs are popular, as well as some animal and plant elements. You will find a lot of stylized symbols of the sun, which can be seen as a broken cross, triangle and eight-pointed rosette or a star. You can also find flowers, leaves, the tree of life, stags, horses and birds. The Christian influence brought the cross, the church and fish symbols. As pysanka decoration has been passed on through the years, you start to see much more modern decorations and symbols being used.

A specialized instrument called the kistka or ryl’tse is used during the wax resist method to write the design onto the egg with hot beeswax. Wherever the wax is applied, the dye will not penetrate. In the past, artisans prepared their own dyes using natural products such as bark, twigs and leaves of various trees. Today, chemical dyes are mainly used. The dye colors also held meanings at times, such as yellow standing for wealth and fertility and green being the symbol of spring and plant life. Of course, this is a simplified version of the process and there is so much more information about how to create these artful eggs.

I mentioned Chesapeake City earlier, because the Ukrainian people began arriving in Chesapeake City from the Ukraine in 1910. The first bishop in the US for the Ukrainian Byzantine Rite purchased 700 acres of land near Chesapeake City to help the Ukrainian people to settle as farmers and build a Ukrainian community. Traditions such as the pysanka egg were brought with them and every year we have many beautiful eggs on display in the case at the Chesapeake City library.

What is your favorite way to decorate eggs?

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