Are you Affected by Dyscalculia?

For me, math is hard.  That’s part of the reason why I’m a librarian (very little math on the job).  It’s not a subject I’ve ever enjoyed, and my mind shuts down when it hears “what percentage of….?”.  However, after reading this article about dyscalculia, as much as I’d like to blame my math deficiencies [...]

Dogs!!!

Today (May 8th) is the anniversary of the first ever Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.  The first one was held in 1877 which makes it the second-longest continually held sporting event in the United States, trailing only the Kentucky Derby.  The first show featured over 1200 dogs and became so popular that it became a [...]

Happy Birthday, Audrey Hepburn—A Tribute to Ballerinas Everywhere

Happy birthday (tomorrow), Audrey Hepburn!   Born on May 4, 1929, she would have been 83 years old.  Although Hepburn died in 1993, she has left an incredible legacy both as an actress and as a humanitarian. While researching her fascinating life as inspiration for this post, I learned that Hepburn trained to become a ballerina, [...]

From Blogs to Books

Around  the library, all my colleagues seem to want to talk about are eBooks.  “Will eBooks replace printed materials?  If so, what will the future of libraries look like?  Are we librarians doomed?!?”  Not so, says I.  The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is currently expanding our collection of popular teen eBooks and making them available [...]

Great Irish Stories for St. Patrick’s Day

  March to me means two things- NCAA March Madness and Saint Patrick’s Day.  I’ve always loved Saint Patrick’s Day and my family always had a huge party to celebrate.  Of course my grandparents last names were Murphy, Mulligan, McGillicuddy, and Carney.  So, yeah we’re pretty Irish!  We still have a while to go until the actual Saint Patrick’s Day, [...]

New Teen Book Club at CLP Main

I love to read and discuss books- that’s why I became a librarian!  Strangely though, I’ve always been reluctant to join a book club.  I find that the hardest part about committing to one is being required to read a specific book- the same one as everyone else!  Maybe I have a problem with authority, [...]

Super Fun New Books

I love to look at new books.  Here is a sample of some super fun new arrivals: How to Fight, Lie and Cry Your Way to Popularity (and a Prom Date):  Lousy Life Lessons From 50 Teen Movies by Nikki Roddy is in essence of brief history of teen films.  Each entry includes a short synopsis of the movie, [...]

Favorite books of 2011 – a reflection

Now that 2012 has just begun, I find myself looking back on the past year: the meals I’ve cooked, the films that touched me, the time I spent with loved ones, and the great books I read. Therefore, I’m embracing this opportunity as a chance to share those titles with you.  So bundle up and [...]

Revenge is a Book Best Served Cold.

                    Please enjoy this booklist featuring characters intent on getting even. Anderson, Jodi Lynn Loser/Queen High school nonentity Cammy Hall lives with her grandparents and has one friend–Gerdi, the Danish foreign exchange student–but when someone starts sending her mysterious text messages with instructions that make her [...]

Shop Responsibly This Season – Buy Local, Buy Handmade!

Thanks to Michael for the post about the history of Black Friday, and the movements that oppose it.  I, myself, practice Buy Nothing Day on Black Friday, however I’m not as radical as some.  For example, take activist Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping.  Reverend Billy’s team of activists battle consumer culture and the [...]