WHO KILLED FRANKSY THE SUPER POPE?

By Sheila-Hill District

You’ve heard of Banksy, right? He’s the anonymous graffiti artist known around the world for his edgy street art. Here is one of his most famous images that you may have seen:

Banksy started in England, making sarcastic and sometimes political statements on buildings without a tag. People became really interested in what they thought his images might be trying to say. They also wondered who the heck he was and why he wanted to remain nameless. Bansky got pretty famous, famous enough to have a movie made about him while nobody (officially) knew who he was! The movie is called Exit Through the Gift Shop. The Carnegie Library owns 27 copies of it, so if you want to see it, check it out for free. Well—somebody out there has taken a hint from Banksy and has created an image appearing all over the place in Vatican City called—you guessed it—Franksy. Franksy is a super hero version of Pope Francis created by artist Mauro Pallotta. Pope Francis is the 226^th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. OrigInally Argentinian, the Pope’s birth name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He is one of the most popular Popes ever, even appearing on the cover of rock-n-roll magazine Rolling Stone. Artist Pallotta created the image of Pope Francis as a kind of religious Superman, carrying a suitcase with the word, “Values” on it in Spanish.

The bad news? Like many of Banksy’s art, the authorities have begun to paint over the images. Pallotta has vowed to create an anti-hero image of Vatican City Mayor Ignazio Marino and post it all over the city in revenge. What do you think about somebody making the Pope into a grafitti superhero? Is it hilarious and cool or disrespectful? What do you think about street art in general? Remember Pittsburgh’s famous “Mook?” Do you think street art is a legitimate art form or defacement of public property? Are there examples of street art in Pittsburgh you like? Post the images!

Here are some links if you want to read more:

Banksy news:

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/banksy-works-defaced-near-site-of-sundance-festival/

Franksy news:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/30/superpope-street-art_n_4697283.html?utm_hp_ref=pope-francis

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/01/pope-francis-gladly-blesses-parrot-belonging-to-male-stripper/

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/pope-francis-gentle-revolution-inside-rolling-stones-new-issue-20140128

Mook news:

http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20011005graffiti1005p3.asp

Movember is here!

November is one of my favorite months since we are in the middle of football season, hockey and basketball are starting and my favorite holiday (Thanksgiving) takes place this month.  The last few years has seen a new November tradition and that is Movember.  If you are unfamiliar with Movember you can get a short history of it here.  Basically it started with a small group of men in an Australian pub who decided to grow mustaches to raise money to fight prostate cancer.  Since those humble beginnings, the Movember Foundation has raised over $175 million to fight cancer.

Besides being a great way to raise money to fight prostate cancer, Movember is also responsible for some EPIC ‘staches!  Here are a few of my favorites:

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers

Pro Wrestler Hulk Hogan

Singer Lionel Richie

Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec

CLP Teen Specialist Simon (the alive one)

Why is there a school desk at my library?

photo by flickr user spirobolos

 

The unassuming all in one school desk/chair. Symbol of classrooms, the regularity of rows, and minutes of class either rushing or trickling by.

Why would you ever expect to see one sitting in the teen space of your public library?

You will see one soon at CLP – East Liberty and possibly in other spaces that provide services for the 18 & under demographic. It’s part of United Way’s Be There campaign. According to United Way president Bob Nelkin, it’s a campaign aimed at teens who miss a lot of school – a way to positively talk about the benefits of going to school instead of negatively punish kids who don’t want to go to school.

corporal punishment is exactly the opposite of motivation to go to school. photo by flickr user theirhistory

What do you think of the campaign? What motivates you to attend classes? What makes you not want to go to school? How could that be fixed or made better? These are some of the questions we’ll be asking at East Liberty as we decorate our desk. Feel free to add your answers in the comments.

great motivation: baby animals at school. photo by flickr user theirhistory

Here at East Liberty we’ll get to decorate the chair however we want, and then display it in the Teen Section. Not only will it be a fun chance for sanctioned furniture “vandalism”, we will get more space for sitting and doing homework, or writing a note, or working on a personal creative project. Stop by and see it!

 

 

-Tessa, CLP – East Liberty

Three Cheers for Cassidy Campbell!

This past Friday, Cassidy Lynn Campbell, a senior at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, CA, was voted homecoming queen by her peers.  You might be thinking: So? That’s happened at every school, every fall in, like, the entire history of forever.  Yes, this is true; however, this particular time is slightly more important than most… Cassidy is a transgender teen.  

To me, it’s definitely telling that young people like Cassidy and all the Marina High students who voted for her are making such huge and historic statements like this.

One of the many things I enjoy about my job at the Library is that I get to hang out with an awesome bunch of talented and thoughtful teens.  As a result, I often find myself thinking back to when I was a teenager and comparing how my peers and I differed from the young adults I see everyday at the Library.  While I suppose there might be some truth to the saying that some things never change, one noticeable distinction that stands out to me is how open and more accepting of individual differences most young people I meet are, as opposed to those I was surrounded by way back when – and, at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, this is definitely one thing that gives me hope for the future of this country.

So a big congrats to Cassidy and all the teens who voted for her!  Just think, one day something like this won’t make the national news circuit – just like every other homecoming in the entire history of forever.

Jon : Carrick

Drivin’ Around Town

Most of my friends and I looked forward to getting our driver’s licenses when we turned 16.  It was a rite of passage, and in a city with less-than-stellar public transportation, it seemed like it was absolutely necessary to be able to drive a car.  More than that, though, was the underlying expectation that this-is-what-you-do-when-you-turn-16.

While the decision to get a driver’s license depends on many factors, it appears that teens are now waiting or deciding not to get their driver’s licenses.  For example, according to AAA, two-thirds of twenty year olds had their license 20 years ago; now, half do.  One important factor cited by teens is cost, of cars, insurance, and gas, but also the feeling of not needing a driver’s license to feel independent.  What do you think?  Do you plan to get a driver’s license when you turn 16?  Did you get one when you turned 16?  How do you get around town?

Check out these books that, mostly, rely on cars to happen!  Many CLP locations have free PA Driver’s Manuals available, so contact your local branch for more information.

Happy reading!

Amy, CLP-Lawrenceville

Teen Media Awards

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, Library staff and community members gathered to honor the creative works of Pittsburgh teens at the 3rd annual Teen Media Awards! Winners of the Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest and TheLabs “Labsy” Awards shared their writing and creative arts with a packed theater!

Teen Media Awards 2013 @ Carnegie Museum of Art Theater

Keynote speaker Shioban Vivian started off the evening with an inspiring (and comical) talk about following your dreams and always striving to be creative and hard working. See below for winners and photos from this very special night in Pittsburgh!

Keynote Speaker: Siobhan Vivian

Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest

Poetry
1st Place: “A or a” by Rose Swanson
2nd Place: “Hospitalia” by Agatha Monasterios – Ramirez

Short Prose
1st Place: “Bishop and Wash” by Lana Meyer
2nd Place: “Veteran Advice” by Kristen Grom

Screen Writing
1st Place: “cHaos before hArmony” by Justen Turner-Thorne
2nd Place: “On the End of Every Fork” by Tyler Hudson

Labsy Awards

Photography
1st Place: “Tanzania” by Olivia Muse
Honorable Mentions: “Flagpole” by Morgan Wable-Keene, “Downtown” by Raven

Design
1st Place: “Chronology Poster” by Morgan Wable-Keene
Honorable Mentions: “Submission 2” by Sarah Watkins, “Drawing 1” by Lexi Hall

Music/Audio
1st Place: “Short Jam” by David Watkins
Honorable Mentions: “Midas Theme” by Morgan Wable-Keene

Maker’s Studio
1st Place: “Space Intruder” by Morgan Wable-Keene
Honorable Mentions: “Speaker” by Ceu Gomez Faulk, “Glam-o-Tron” by Joshalyn and Cassidy

Video
1st Place: “Hat Chasers” by Simone Traub, Julian Edwards, Ashae Shaw, Umoja Shaw, Trayvon Ramsey, Jayla Ramsey, and Caliyha Hogan
Honorable Mentions: “Midas” by Cody, Morgan, Sarah, Philppa, Pascal, Kayla, and Pei Pei, “Electric Twist” by Kate Philipps, Hannah Philipps, Tessa Twyman, and Mae Twyman

For more photos from the Teen Media Awards click here or here or here.

The 2014 Teen Media Awards are just around the corner. If you are a budding writer, photographer, filmmaker, designer, creative-extraordinaire in Pittsburgh or Allegheny County, get started on your work today!

Looks for details on the Ralph Munn Creative Writing Contest in spring 2014 and visit The Labs at Main, East Liberty, Southside, and Allegheny to start working on your designs, photography, and more!

Everyone’s Favorite Sob-Inducing Teen Romance Set to Film in Pgh

Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters are two terminally ill teenagers who meet and fall in love.  If you think that sounds like a melodramatic Afterschool Special (teens, do you understand this reference?), I don’t disagree with you.

Despite my initial meh feeling toward it, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green had me sobbing.  Noisily.  Embarrassingly.  I was crying.  I was driving.  It was raining.  The world was a bit blurry.  I admit, I should have pulled over as my tears were a danger to my driving abilities.  However, I continued driving and kept telling myself, I’ll stop crying soon.  It can’t get any sadder.  

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported The Fault in Our Stars will shoot in Pittsburgh beginning August 26.  I can’t wait to see how the script writers interpret the sadness, the excitement and scariness of first love, and the other jumbled emotions that make up this intense book.

Fans have been debating for months since the bestseller’s publication which actors should portray the book’s main characters.  It seems official decisions have finally been made with Shailene Woodley playing Hazel and Ansel Elgort portraying Augustus!  These casting choices and the script writers’ past successes are getting people hyped.  Shailene and Ansel are also acting in Divergent!

Ansel & Shailene

Nerdfighters, don’t forget that CLP-Main will host a screening of A Film to Decrease Worldsuck: The Nerdfighters Documentary on Sunday, August 18!  We’ll be in the Carnegie Museum of Art Theatre (lower level) from 5-9 with TFIOS-themed art activities and musical performances by Lauren Fairweather & Matt Maggiacomo and Tonks and the Aurors.

Looking for something to satisfy your TFIOS itch?  Stay-tuned for more TFIOS programming and try this:

Kelly – CLP – Main, Teen

WOW, Seattle

Mad props to the Seattle Public Library for putting on one of the most righteously creative Summer Reading kick-off events EVAH!  With the help of 27 volunteers, the Library nailed the world record for Longest Book Domino Chain with an epic 2,131 book display.  You have to check this out:
  
Seriously.  Was that not ridiculous?  The chain just kept going and going!  In case you were wondering, the Library notes that no books were harmed during the record slaying.  All of the books used had either been withdrawn from the Library’s collection or donated, and they’re now being sold to help fund cool programs for teens and kids.
 
 
The record-collecting site RecordSetter.com certified Seattle Public’s new world record status.  Record Setter is one of those sturdy, go-to sites when you’re looking to waste time and procrastinate online instead of say:  doing school stuff or… writing a blog post <cough><cough>.  They’re all about letting everyday people create their own world records to show that everyone can be the world’s best at something and, as such, they present a healthy hodgepodge of odd and entertaining feats (e.g. Most Phone Books Ripped in Half in Front of a Superman Statue, Most Playing Cards Fit in Mouth, Most Golf Pencils Stuffed in a Beard).  Yeah, there are some freakishly talented people out there.
 
 
Record Setter recently bestowed professional party starter Andrew W.K. with the world record for Longest Drum Session Inside a Retail Store – he played the drums for 24 hours straight!  Apart from breathing, I can’t imagine doing any one thing for an entire day. 

So… I’m thinking we should all collectively tip our hats to the Seattle Public Library and set the world record for Largest Group of People Collectively Tipping Their Hats at One Time.  Yes?

Pizza + Books = Magic (or grease stains):

                

Jon : Carrick

Update: The One Good Thing Project

Last October, I wrote about The One Good Thing Project.

The One Good Thing Project is a participatory art project that helps us find the good that happens each day. Getting involved is easy! Take a booklet. Fill it with good things. Keep it or return it to the collection.

Desk with return slot!

Since showing the project at CLP Hazelwood, the next step was to bring the project out into the community. Emily Sciulli and I launched the program with middle school students at Pittsburgh Mifflin and St. Rosalia Academy. The results have been stellar! Check out some photos from the schools!

One Good Thing Project @ Pittsburgh Mifflin

8th Grade @ Pittsburgh Mifflin!

8th Grade @ Pittsburgh Mifflin!

8th Grade @ Pittsburgh Mifflin!

Paying it forward: We got ice cream at Dell’s for Mifflin students who returned booklets!

Special thanks to everyone who has participated so far. Now we want YOU to take part!

We will be featuring the project at CLP Hazelwood this summer. To participate, drop by the library starting in July. Take a booklet. Fill it with good things (photos/words/anything good). Return it to the collection or keep it as a gift.

The One Good Thing Project returns to CLP Hazelwood soon!

Can’t get here, no problem! Grab a notebook and start record one good thing every day.

Happy Summer. Fill it with good things!

Michael (CLP Hazelwood)

Make Pittsburgh Beautiful.

Bittercress (Credit: Doug Oster/Post-Gazette)

It has officially been spring for nearly one month and it’s finally starting to feel like it. Now that the gloom of winter is over, it’s time to get busy beautifying our city again. Spring is a time for renewal. Flowers are blooming. Trees are being planted. Litter is being removed. And, yes, you can help!

Last week, volunteers from the Explorers Club of Pittsburgh scaled Mt. Washington to clean up the mountainside! They removed 60 bags of trash, 25 bags of recyclables, a shopping cart, and even a baby stroller! Amazing!

Mt. Washington Clean Up (Credit: KDKA)

There are so many volunteer opportunities celebrating Earth Day on and Arbor Day over the next few weeks. The Great PA Cleanup is a good place to start. There are still a few community cleanup’s scheduled all over Pittsburgh – Hazelwood (4/20), Homewood (5/2), Highland Park 5/11).

Tree Pittsburgh is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the City’s vitality by restoring and protecting City trees. There are opportunities to help at tree planting events and learn to prune the urban forest. Check out Tree Pittsburgh’s calendar.

At CLP-Hazelwood we will be celebrating Arbor Day with the finale of Teen Reading Lounge. Stop by to help clean up around the library, pull weeds, spread mulch, and hang colorful birdhouses on trees along Second Avenue! Thursday, April 25th at 5:00pm.

Sneak Preview: Birdhouses @ CLP-Hazelwood!

Can’t make it to a clean-up event? No Problem! Start small. Clean up litter around your house, street, or school! Water dry flowers, grass, and trees. Keeping and making Pittsburgh beautiful is something everyone can do!

(Michael @ CLP-Hazelwood)