From the Mid-Winter Exhibit Hall

School Librarians remember a resource for librarians and teachers called Marco Polo? It has been redesigned and is now called thinkfinity.org. It is a free resource for librarians, teachers, students, and parents. You will find lesson plans, websites, activities, games and more. Check it out.

I saw a new book on the Holocaust titled Hidden Letters. It is a book of 86 letters and postcards that a young Jewish Man wrote in 1942 in the Netherlands. There are extensive annotations, many photographs, maps and other documents. This book is not just about Flip Slier but a history of the Holocaust in Holland. It is a large book and each letter is reproduced and translated. From Star Bright Books the cost is $35. Visit the Hidden Letters website for a peek inside the book.

The book that almost didn’t get publishes. The Lexicon: An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction and Related Materials by Steve Vander Ark. From RDR Books The Lexicon is now available. The authors were at ALA selling and signing the book.

Do you have readers who need print in a font size larger than that found in regular large print books? Check out the Company Read How You Want. They call themselves a customized book source. If you are looking for alternative formats of books for your visually challenged patrons. This is a company to investigate.

ALA Mid Winter Conference

Having never gone to this conference it was a learning experience. I attended several committee meetings and spent time in the exhibits visiting with new and old vendors. The most exciting part of the conference for me was the press conference where all the Youth Media Awards were announced. As books were announced there was clapping from the crowd and for some awards whoops and hollers. You can view all the award winners at ALA

I now have a long list of books to read and to purchase for my granddaughter.

Over the next week, I will post information about my other activities at the conference and news from the exhibit hall.

I stayed at a bed & breakfast Inn while in Denver, the Castle Marne . I was spoiled by their hospitality!!

Welcome to my blog

Hi, this is new venture for me. This blog will not replace the Director's Desk post on the RPLSweb page. This blog will be used to post interesting information I find, to talk about books I have read, and updates on attendance at conferences, OCLC meetings, etc.

I will be attending ALA Mid-winterConference to be held in Denver, Co at the end of January. I am looking forward to the conference as I have not been to a mid-winter confernece before. I am not however, looking forward to the flight: Bloomington to Detroit to Minneapolis to Denver and this in January.

OK keeping this short for my first post.