Happy Superhero Day!
Luna2020-04-28T21:37:18-06:00April 28 is National Superhero Day! Marvel marked the day by celebrating the heroes on all our minds and thoughts these days - nurses, doctors, EMT's, first responders, medical researchers, grocery store workers, restaurant workers offering curb-side and delivered meals, long-haulers and delivery drivers, production workers, and all the thousands of others who risk their lives daily by going to work so that the rest of us can shelter in place. So why don't we celebrate our favorite superheroes on their day? To learn about some of the more famous classic superheroes, we can take a look at their biographies at Superhero [...]
Aloha from Thelma Parker Memorial Public and School Library!
admin2020-04-27T09:46:36-06:00As we hunker down in Waimea (aka Kamuela) on the island of Hawaii, I hope this finds you doing well. I recently heard from our friends and NASA@My Library partners at the Maunakea Observatories, who recently launched an online series of STEM videos for K-12 students and families. I wanted to share this resource with you and take a moment to acknowledge the wonderful support we’ve received from Maunakea Observatories. It’s fun learning about black holes from Carolyn Kaichi, education/outreach specialist at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy! Maunakea Observatories at Home (MKO@Home) features scientists, engineers, astronomers, and educators from the Maunakea [...]
World Book Day and GISH Scavenger Hunt for Covid-19 Relief
Luna2020-04-23T16:53:15-06:00Happy World Book Day, everyone! Also known as World Book and Copyright Day and International Day of the Book, this celebration that is more well-known in the U.K. than in the U. S. was first held in 1995. Organized by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization to promote reading, publishing, and copyright, World Book Day takes place on April 23 each year. This particular date was chosen because it is the anniversary of the deaths of several famous authors: Miguel do Cervantes, William Shakespeare, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega/La Inca, as well as others. This date is the [...]
Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival, Dolly Parton, and More Available Online
Luna2020-04-04T22:16:22-06:00Hey, everyone! I hope everyone is staying at home and healthy. I wanted to share some exciting news! Instead of canceling the Sounds of the Mountains Storytelling Festival this year, the organizers and storytellers have opted to offer it virtually, free, and forever!! In fact, I am listening to a great story as I write this blog! Please check it out. There is little in life that can beat a great storyteller. www.SoundsoftheMountains.org Dolly Parton has also joined the ranks of those offering activities for children during our time of shelter in place. She is reading stories on Thursday evenings for [...]
Online Resources for Home-bound #3
Luna2020-03-29T00:07:17-06:00Hello again! I hope this post finds everyone staying at home and safe. It's amazing how much can be found on the internet to keep a person entertained and learning while we're hanging out at home. I'm taking classes on all kinds of subjects from several different sites myself these days. I'm almost finished with all the courses on Code.org. That site is like playing a game all day! I'm reviewing my math skills on Alison (Alison.com). I've started coding on FreeCodeCamp (https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/), and I am excited to say that I am finally working on earning NASA Badges (https://www.txstate-epdc.net/). I'm not [...]
Online Resources for Homebound Families #2
Luna2020-03-26T00:58:44-06:00Here is my next list of resources for folks staying home for health and safety In this list I have collected some virtual tours of museums and zoos, and sites that offer collections of books that are free to read. (I'll be searching for graphic novels and comic books next.) If you find a broken link, please let me know so that I can correct it. If there is a subject or resource that you'd like me to look for, please let me know. I want to do whatever I can to help folks. Virtual Trips to the Zoo Atlanta Zoo [...]
On-line Resources for Homebound Families #1
Luna2020-03-22T17:21:41-06:00I, like the rest of the country, am at home these days. Fortunately for me, I have always been good at keeping myself entertained. Today though, many kids aren't as good at that as in generations past. Anyone in my childhood household who said the word 'bored' would get such a long list of chores to do from my mother that the word would never pass through those lips again. In an attempt to help out families everywhere who are in a situation they never imagined could happen, I have been scouring the internet. I have several goals in mind. The [...]
February is Feed the Birds Month!
Luna2020-02-18T19:52:37-07:00On February 23, 1994, February was declared 'National Bird Feeding Month' by Congress. If you want to narrow things down to one day, February 3 is 'Feed the Birds Day.' February is one of the hardest months of the year for many animals in North America, especially those who depend on seeds and plants for food. That would make it the perfect time to start a new hobby - bird watching! According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, over 45 million people in the country participate in bird watching at home and at work. It doesn't require special skills [...]
Citizen Science Month: Resources for Libraries
admin2020-02-04T08:58:28-07:00What is Citizen Science? As we face global challenges, we may want to find local ways to make a difference in protecting endangered species, safeguarding water sources, preventing disease, or accelerating medical research. Science needs more eyes, ears and perspectives than any scientist possesses. Enter citizen science: a collaboration between scientists and those of us who are just curious or concerned and motivated to make a difference. For researchers, citizen science provides expanded opportunities for engaging with the public and vice versa. Citizen science is an invitation to everyone to participate in real science--on topics they care about--typically by following protocols [...]