"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Here's a story worth sharing: How often do we complain about how hard our lives are? We feel overworked, under-appreciated, and tired. I know I easily fall into this way of thinking as I try to balance work, school, and raising a toddler. Well, imagine having to walk 21 miles a day just to get to and from work. Imagine doing this 5 days a week for 10 years. In all weather. That's life for Detroit native James Robertson, who lives in Detroit and works at a factory in Rochester Hills. The Detroit Free Press recently reported on Robertson's remarkable commute. After publication of the article, Wayne State University student Evan Leedy, moved by Robertson's plight, started a GoFundMe site with the intention of raising enough money to buy Robertson a car. The response exceeded his wildest dreams. Over $250,000 has been raised for Robertson thus far. I'm so glad Robertson's story has a happy ending, and I'll try to keep his situation and the many others like it in mind next time I'm tempted to complain (which is probably a lot, I'll admit). I also love seeing someone using social media to help those in need instead of tear others down. It reminds me of a quote often attributed to Ghandi:
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Congratulations to the winners of the Literary Fictional Character Contest! 1st place: Emily Binns as Elphaba from Wicked won a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card 2nd place: Megan Newlin as Mary Poppins won a $15 B&N gift card 3rd place: Nathaniel Milner as Tom Sawyer won a $10 B&N gift card Check out the slideshow below to see all the fantastic contest entries. It was a tough job picking the winners! A big thank you to everyone who participated - I hope you all had as much fun as I did! Big news in the literary/publishing world: a new Harper Lee novel is set to be released on July 14, 2015! Why is this such a big deal, you might ask? Well, you've all been required as freshmen to read Lee's first and, up to this point, only published work, To Kill a Mockingbird, widely considered one of the best books in American literature. A second novel from the notoriously private, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, who previously never intended to publish anything further, is like literary gold. The new novel, entitled Go Set a Watchman, is about an adult Scout returning to her childhood home and trying to gain a better understanding of her father and his outlook on the racially charged society of 1950s Alabama. Interestingly enough, Lee said that she wrote Go Set a Watchman before writing To Kill a Mockingbird, but her publisher was more interested in the childhood Scout glimpsed through flashbacks, and convinced Lee to write what became To Kill a Mockingbird. This is all great news, right? Actually, the announcement of the impending release of Go Set a Watchman has caused quite a controversial stir. At 88 years old, Lee lives in an assisted living facility and there are questions surrounding her mental state and decision making abilities. The book release also comes closely after, some may say suspiciously so, the death of Lee's sister and lawyer Alice. You can read more about the impending book release and controversy via the Associated Press or on Book Riot, which are the sources I used for the information in this post. Will you read Go Set a Watchman when it's released? Do you think Harper Lee really gave informed consent for the release of the book? Do you think it should be published? Weigh in on the controversy in the comments below! Penguin Signet Classics is hosting their 19th Annual Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest. This year's book is Pygmalion/My Fair Lady by George Bernard Shaw, and there are 6 topics students can choose from to write their 2-3 page essays on. 5 winners will each receive a $1,000 scholarship! Juniors and Seniors planning on attending an institution of higher education are eligible to enter. Entries must be postmarked by April 14, 2015. This is an excellent classic, and many of you may be familiar with the movie version that stars Audrey Hepburn. For full contest information and rules, click here. Good luck! Fictional Character Day, coming up on Thursday, February 5th as part of spirit week, is the perfect time to unleash your inner book nerd! How many times have you fantasized longingly of stepping into the shoes of Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, Sherlock Holmes, Tris, or a myriad of other amazing literary characters? Well, now you can finally break out that deerstalker, polish off your wand, or pretend to be caught up in an epic love triangle without everyone questioning your sanity! Need inspiration? Read It Forward has compiled a Top 10 Literary Halloween Costumes list that is perfect for this occasion (with the exception of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho...no weapons in school, thank you very much). In fact, if someone goes for #8 and dresses as a giant wire-and-mesh ham a la Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, I'm pretty sure my life's work will be complete! Did I mention there will be prizes? If your fictional character is also a literary character, stop by the Media Center and enter to win the Best Literary Character Costume Contest! Our esteemed English Department plus Ms. Doutsas (the perks of being an almost-librarian - boundless!) will judge contestants based on accuracy and creativity to crown the ultimate literary doppelganger and two runners up, who will win Barnes & Noble gift cards! So...start planning those costumes!
Could you handle an extra $100 (gift card) in your pocket? Then enter the 2015 All-County Bookmark Contest, sponsored by the Lenawee District Library, for your chance to win! Design a bookmark on the theme "Every hero has a story!" and submit your entry to the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library by Saturday, March 21st. The library will choose two winners in each grade category who will be invited to a Special Awards Program, and entered into a drawing to win the grand prize $100 gift card. Local winners will also have their bookmarks displayed in the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library, on their Facebook page, scrapbook, and newsletter. Submission forms are available in the Media Center, the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library, or via online download. See the form for further instructions, and start designing that winning entry!
I've been experiencing some major literary wanderlust lately. Recently, I read CNN's compilations of the "World's coolest bookstores," and "7 of the world's most beautiful libraries." Both lists feature photos and descriptions of swoon-worthy reading spaces from around the globe. Then I stumbled across the blog Books, the Universe, and Everything in a Shelf Awareness newsletter and discovered that the blog's author, Emily Wilson, has been putting such lists to good use. In her post "Bookshops and Libraries Around the World," Emily details her global travels in search of the world's coolest, quirkiest, most beautiful libraries and bookstores. Talk about a dream vacation! I highly recommend you check out the lists and Emily's travels for some envy-inducing armchair traveling, and, who knows, maybe some ideas for your own future travels... One of the bookstores that CNN has dubbed among the coolest in the world is well within your reach! John K. King Used & Rare Books, located in Detroit, has over a million books in stock! This is Michigan's largest used and rare bookstore, and one of the largest in the country. I for one will definitely be adding a visit to this magnificent edifice to my 2015 "to do" list. Do you make New Year's resolutions? Well, the Media Center has a resolution for you: read more! If you need some motivation, consider that studies have shown a positive correlation between reading comprehension and scholastic achievement. Plus, reading is just plain fun! There's a quote by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin that sums up the power and pleasure of reading pretty well: "A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." To get you started this year, pick up or download a copy of the Media Center's "2015 Reading Challenge." This checklist is a fun way to keep you reading all year long, and to challenge yourself to read a broad range of interesting new books. Start tracking your reading goals today! |
Media Center mattersThis is the place for updates on all matters relating to the BHS Media Center: new books, programs, meetings, exciting happenings in the literary world, etc. This is also the place to discover why the Media Center MATTERS: it is your gateway to the free access of information, research assistance, and wonderful wonderful BOOKS! Archives
April 2015
Categories"I cannot live without books." |