A number of independent and non-profit organizations have emerged in recent years with the goal of helping people (students and adults) educate and express themselves — especially in areas where traditional education (in the U.S.) has left gaps such as coding, problem solving/innovation, and the arts. Public libraries are just the ones to harness the power of these independently funded and administered initiatives and organize access to them in a way that people of all ages can benefit.
Category Archives: Literacy
Math: Good for You, Good for Us
In my optimistic hours, I like to believe that logic is a key component to both ethics and to social policy making, which are critical components to making the human race a more respectable lot. One can argue that math by itself will solve none of these. But, I think that to learn to be logical and to examine all the ifs, ands and buts that go into designing complicated systems and making large scale decisions, one requires practice, and math is a fantastic way to exercise the brain.
An excerpt from “As n Marches,” by David Craft
Illustrating Life One Panel At A Time
Whether they are comic strips, fotonovelas, comic books or graphic novels, the sequential art format possesses a certain universality that transcends language and culture. Their dialogues, everyday situations, adventures and characters provide students ways to enjoy and place themselves in the story, while constructing meaning, learning vocabulary and following ideas through text and images.
By Sujei Lugo
Library as Community Living Room
Libraries today offer something for everyone. Our little library/living room, is in the center of our town; the heart, the hearth. We entered that living room to enjoy the Story Time, but we stayed to become part of the community. We began attending events frequently – some for children, like a puppet show or an arts and crafts afternoon, some for adults – a multicultural night, a poetry workshop. It was a place that fostered a love of books in children, but was also a social setting for adults, offering a “Mac & Cheese Bake-Off” inside, or an Astronomy Night outside under the stars.
By Colleen A. Madden
Texas Libraries Roundup
Texas is known for many things: our State Fair with a seemingly infinite variety of fried foods; famous and infamous politicians; the Alamo; cowboys, rodeos, tumbleweeds, and any other assortment of ideas conjured up by images of the south. Just as in many other states, budget cuts to Texas libraries have also become a well-known reality. Yet, in spite of reduced funds and staffing, libraries and librarians in Texas continue to…
By Claire Sewell
The Library Effect 