So Long

Many of the followers of this blog already know this, but I'll be leaving Fredricksen for a different job in a few days. This had been my dream job, and I got to work with some of the finest co-workers one could wish for, as well as some incredibly cool teens. A gigantic thank you to the Teen Advisory Group here, who made me look like I had a clue, as well as the front line staff here at the Reference and Circulation Desks who always made every single teen who walked through these doors feel welcome. You all made my job much easier. Hopefully my successor will have the time to keep up this blog. Thanks to this blog I was in contact with teen authors, librarians from as far away as Australia, and, again, some of the coolest teens on the planet. It's been one heck of a ride!

What Mrs. N's Been Reading - For the Win

Just finished Cory Doctorow's For the Win. I'm a big fan of Doctorow's Little Brother, so I snagged this one when it came in. Although there are some similarities, this one is a bit different. If you're about to take a course in macroeconomics, or any history that covers the rise of unions, I'd suggest that you check out For the Win. Now, if you aren't, don't let that last sentence frighten you away from this one either. It starts out a little slow, and follows about half a dozen people in alternating chapters. Although you're getting several people's stories at once, you can see where Doctorow is heading to bring them all together later in the book. He does an incredibly good job of explaining basic economics, and labor relations, both of which can be incredibly dry, but does it by introducing them in a futuristic world based on gaming. In Doctorow's world, some online games have taken on a life of their own to such an extent, that the economies of the most popular games are larger than the economies of most actual countries. Kids are being used as almost slave labor in third world countries and the Pacific rim, to prop up those economies, and keep American kids pouring money into the games. Corporations and unscrupulous bosses are getting rich, while the main labor force struggles to eke out an existence. A movement starts, to unionize the gaming workers, but they need the backing of other unions to have a chance. The rich bosses use force, sometimes deadly, to try to keep their workers in line. A violent confrontation and uprising is almost guaranteed, given the circumstances. Highly recommended!

Another One Down!

Well, we wrapped up our summer program today with the final movie and weekly prize drawing. We also held the prize drawing for the 4 additional $25 iTunes gift cards. Each book review submitted got you a chance in that drawing. A big thank you to Good Hope Middle School librarian, Susie Breaux for sponsoring that drawing, and to all of the local businesses that donated other cool prizes for the regular weekly drawings. Thanks also to the Friends of Fredricksen for sponsoring all of our individual programs again this year. We couldn't do this without their enthusiastic support. And another big thank you to Meaghan, my faithful, incredibly efficient, summer assistant. It was a great summer! Seemed to fly by awfully quick this year. Not sure why. Before you know it we'll be planning for next summer. Remember, there are lots of cool programs during the school year as well, so I hope to see lots of you in the coming months. Watch this space for details. One last thank you to the members of my Teen Advisory Group (TAG) that helped me plan all of those great programs. If you'd like to join them, just shoot me an email and I'll get info to you. New faces are always welcome. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and have a great school year!

Sudoku Tournament Update

Congrats to Nick T for winning our sudoku tournament yesterday. (Yes, we can manage to make something like Sudokus competitive!) Matthew B was a very close second. Nick had been our second place winner a few years ago, when we last did this one. This is his last year of eligibility for the summer program, so it was nice to see him finally win it.

Aquapalooza Lost and Found

A few abandoned items have already been claimed, but we still have a broken book and a water gun. If either are yours, they're now at the lost and found behind the Reference Desk. Come and get 'em, please!

Aquapalooza II

Just wrapped up our second annual Aquapalooza. What a fabulous day for it! Couldn't have asked for better weather, and it was a great group of kids. We supplied the giant inflatable slip-n-slide, kiddie pools, 1000 water balloons, and beach balls. Lots of folks brought water guns. The music was much better this year since we took the big outdoor speakers out. Much better than the little boom box we used last year. If you missed, what can I say except "You missed a really good one!" Pics below.

Last Prize Drawing Reminder

Believe it or not, the summer program is rapidly coming to an end. This Thursday, July 29 is the last prize drawing so get any book reviews in by about 3:30 pm. Remember, we have the additional ITunes gift cards drawing with one chance for each book review submitted.

Aquapalooza Reminder

Remember you need a signed permission slip to get into Aquapalooza tomorrow. Link to a downloadable version is to the right. Looks like fabulous weather, so I'll see you tomorrow!

Murder Mystery

Always enjoy the interactive murder mysteries. This year's was Rock and Roll Over Dead, with a dead librarian case to solve. We ran 2 sessions to get everyone in without it being too crowded. It seemed like more of this year's participants solved the case correctly than some other years, so it came down to justifying your solution. Congrats to winners. Pics below. We do one every year, so look for a different one next year.

Video Game Day

The video game days are always a lot of fun. Call of Duty and Nerf ping-pong were the most popular games of the day, but there was also plenty of board game activity, as well as a variety of Wii games, and some Guitar Hero. A big thank you to the guys who helped with cleanup. Look for tournaments in the fall.