Blog posts by Elizabeth

This Is How You Lose the Time War (and Win at Book Publicity)

Elizabeth,

It all started with a Tweet. Twitter user @maskofbun posted a picture of This Is How You Lose the Time War, a 2019 novel by Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone. The tweet said:    read this. DO NOT look up anything about it. just read it. it's only like 200 pages u can download it on audible it's only like four hours. do it right now i'm very extremely serious. pic.twitter.com/Pzb2FWvFlg — bigolas dickolas woIfwood (@maskofbun) May 7, 2023   And the Internet paid attention. A book that got reasonable critical acclaim when it was first published has now rocketed up sales…

Remembering Charlie Watts: a Stones Primer

Elizabeth, ; Shea Betts

By Poiseon Bild CC BY 2.0,
Now that we've entered music awards season, we realize we're still thinking about Charlie Watts and the greater legacy of the Rolling Stones to music history. Librarians Shea Betts and Elizabeth Willse came together to share some memories as well as a booklist of key works dealing with the musical legacy of Charlie Watts and the Rolling Stones. Elizabeth: I remember being three or four years old and dancing in the living room to the celebratory chords of “Start Me Up.” Dad had been a fan from the band’s early days…

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day

Elizabeth,

By Leah Golubchick, Hasina Islam, and Elizabeth Willse Indigenous Peoples Day is a celebration of the original inhabitants of America, and of New York. It is a day to acknowledge their history, to celebrate their customs and contributions to culture. And it is a day to learn more about indigenous people, and to carry that process of learning forward into a more ongoing project of discovering and honoring their contributions.  Indigenous People in New York The original inhabitants of New York and its surrounding areas were the Lenape. Lenape territory extended from what is now…

Library Card Sign Up Month!

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

September is National Library Card Sign Up Month!  While this year may look pretty different from past years, and your library experience may look different as well, there are still ways to celebrate all the wonderful resources you and your family can access with a library card. If you live here in New York, you can get a Brooklyn Public Library eCard that works for electronic resources. With a library card, you can access digital materials like e-books and e-audiobooks for the whole family.  You can also access databases to help with remote learning activities, or even answer a…

Kids Explore: Magical Adventures with Fairies

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

BACKYARD FAIRIES. Copyright © 2018 by Phoebe Wahl. 
  The theme for Summer Reading 2020 is Imagine Your Story. It’s a way to celebrate reading whatever fun stories spark your imagination. And it’s also a way to celebrate the creatures of folklore and myth, of fantasy and wonder. We’re bringing a little magical sparkle to your summer with this celebration of fairies. Some of them may be small, but each one has a lot of magic to bring into the world, by sharing their talents. (Does that sound like any young kiddos you know?)  These books,…

Quarantine with the DeKalb Library Staff

Elizabeth,

These past few months have been very strange, indeed, as we’ve adapted to staying apart but working together on library projects virtually. One of the ways the staff of DeKalb Library has been able to feel connected is through having virtual meetings with our colleagues on Zoom and nurturing the friendships that are very strong in the branch. In between talking about important library matters, we’ve found ways to talk about what we’re reading, watching and listening to, and the other ways we’ve been trying to take care of ourselves and feel "normal". Some of us find that we’re reading…

Kids Explore: Flag Day

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

Wikimedia Commons
June 14th is the celebration of Flag Day, which was established as an official holiday in 1916. It marks the day in 1777, when the men writing the Articles of Confederation (a precursor to the Constitution) passed a resolution that “the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white,” and that “the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” As new states came into the United States, the flag gained new stars. And here’s an interesting story: In 1958, a high school student from Ohio named…

National Loving Day

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

Mildred and Richard Loving in 1967. Image from Wikipedia
On June 12, join us in commemorating the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, and in celebrating diverse families. In June of 1967, Richard Perry Loving and his wife, Mildred Delores Jeter made United States history for being brave enough to love, and to marry one another. In order to have the freedom to be together and be married, the two of them had to take a civil rights battle all the way to the United States Supreme Court.  You see, Richard was white, and his beloved wife, Delores, was black…

Library Lab: Paper Engineering

Kathy ; Elizabeth

What kinds of tools do you use at home?  We use tools everyday when we brush our teeth, open canned food, even eat dinner with a knife and fork. These tools make our lives easier. Can you imagine eating a baked potato without utensils? They don’t call them hot potatoes for nothing. Ouch!  Engineers are people whose job it is to help design products that help people. They design roads, buildings, electrical systems and so much more. You can explore the engineering design process at home by creating a simple household tool out of paper.  We did this during Library Lab recently…

Kids Create: Ramadan Crafts

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset. Muslims follow a lunar calendar, a calendar that follows the phases of the moon.  Every year Ramadan’s dates change. Ramadan may be 29 or 30 days and the dates change every year, moving ahead by approximately 11 days.  This year Ramadan began on the evening of April 8, 2022and will end on Monday, May 2.  These easy Ramadan crafts are a fun way for children to decorate their home or learn about Ramadan. Ramadan Crafts Ramadan Crafts for Kids from KidsWorldCitizen.org   12 Beautiful…

Kids Explore: Wildlife

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

National Wildlife Federation
In celebration of National Wildlife Week, we're sharing some resources to help you explore nature and wildlife right from home. Try a Virtual Zoo Visit Observe animal behavior through the following links. Bronx Zoo’s Instagram Webcams from the National Zoo California zoos and aquariums  These are just a sampling of what is available. Search for "virtual zoo" or "animal webcam" and you'll find many more!   Free Educational Materials Enjoy free access to National Wildlife Federation’s award-winning…

Celebrating Tomie dePaola

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

If you’ve ever read to a tiny kid, or been a tiny kid getting read to, chances are, you’ve encountered a book by Tomie dePaola. He was the author and illustrator of over 270 books, including childhood favorites like the tales of Strega Nona, and his most recent publications, Quiet, Wings, with Cheryl B. Klein, and I Will Talk to You, Little One with Phyllis E. Gann. His career spanned over 50 years of writing and illustration. Toie dePaola passed away on March 30, 2020. To honor and commemorate his memory, we wanted to share these resources:…

BKLYN Kids Presents: National Wildlife Week

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

National Wildlife Week starts today, April 6th. We know that it may not be easy right now to find ways to get outside and explore nature and wildlife. With these crafts, books, and other resources, you will be able to bring the wildlife exploration closer to home! Kids Create  New York Zoos and Aquarium: Build Your Wild Self (Based on an Activity from the Bronx Zoo) You can choose to do this on paper or on the computer.  Start by drawing yourself, and replace some of your features with aspects of different animals: What kind of eyes do you have? Cat eyes that see in the…

[Virtual] Opening Day

Robert, ; Elizabeth

Trudging through the chilly breeze and long, dark evenings of winter, we looked forward to spring: budding of new leaves, sunnier days, and those two magic words: Play Ball! Spring training would have been the first sign of hope for warmer days, evenings spent watching a favorite team on TV, or listening on the radio. Whether you’re a die-hard baseball fan who grew up loving a favorite team, or a more recent fan, it’s clear that this season isn’t going to be what you remembered, and may not be what you hoped to find. Brooklyn has its own deep roots and history with baseball, from the…

BKLYN Kids Presents: National Physicians Week

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

Doctors, nurses, and medical professionals are working tirelessly around the clock to keep us all healthy, especially now.   To celebrate National Physicians Week from March 25-31, 2020 we have come up with a booklist, crafts, and activities to inspire you.   Here is a list of books you can read with your kids, including some they can read independently, to help answer questions about what doctors do, and what a child can expect at a doctor visit. Kids Create Cotton Swab Painting:  Super fun and easy, all you need is cotton swab / cotton balls , paper…

Kids Explore: Virtual Farm Tours

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

To wrap up National Agriculture Week, we're sharing a few ways to explore and enjoy farm life from home!  

photo courtesy of Northern Solstice Farm
Take a virtual walk with Alpacas at the Northern Solstice Farm in Maine. Truffles, Isadora, and Sperry are just a few of the 35 adorable Alpacas you'll meet while virtually touring the farm. We could spend hours watching them graze in the pasture and relax in the barn!  
photo courtesy of Dutch Hollow Farm
Take a dairy farm tour from Dutch Hollow…

Library Lab: Be a Home Botanist

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

In honor of National Agriculture Week, we're showing you how to Grow your Own Green Onions! Depending on who you ask, green onions are called scallions or spring onions. They are sold at various markets with the roots intact. Normally, you use everything but the roots. To save money, save time, reduce waste, upcycle and show off your green thumb you can easily regrow green onions! Here’s a super easy way to regrow spring onions so you can get an almost endless supply. A perfect way to make use of kitchen scraps. All you need are the following materials: a jar (reused a salsa…

Need a Break from Working at Home?

Elizabeth,

You’ve got the hang of working from home: you’re connected, your desk setup is pretty sweet and your projects are chugging along. You’re remembering to eat regularly, stay hydrated and maybe even change out of your pajamas occasionally. You got this. It’s day-number-who-knows-what of working remotely...and you’re starting to really need a break from your own company. Here are some ways to stay connected with friends and family from far away, or get a welcome distraction. Explore some of Brooklyn Public Library’s archives and databases Visit the Digital Collection of…

Book Talk: National Agriculture Week

Hasina, ; Elizabeth

Signs of spring are starting to show: the days are brighter and warmer. Green shoots are popping up in gardens, on sidewalks and windowsills. Take part in National Agriculture week from your own backyard, windowsill or kitchen.   March 22 through 28 marks National Agriculture Week 2020, a time to celebrate the essential role of the farmers and growers of the nation.  Whether you have an expert green thumb, a budding interest in getting started with urban gardening, or you love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, this list of electronic resources will have something for you to…

A Short, Sweet List of Good Short Story Anthologies

Elizabeth,

Short stories are pretty terrific. If you’re short on sustained reading time and focus due to a hectic week, or promising yourself just a few pages before you turn out the lights, a short story can be just right. Short stories can be a great way to discover new authors. Nearly all the authors whose work is collected in these anthologies have full-length novels in our collection. Sampling a story or two is a great way to reset your reading after reading a really big novel or nonfiction tome. Short stories are an excellent way to pull yourself out of a reading slump, where you can’t focus on…