Summer Fun Activities

by Hope Loman Rowan Public Library

            Now that summer is here, the days are longer, hotter, and lazier.  They can also run the risk of being boring, with extra hours of daylight to burn and no idea of what to do with them.  Here’s a list of things you can do this summer that are cheap (or free!), family-friendly and fun, with related book suggestions that can all be found in our library’s catalog:

·         Learn how to knit/sew –  Once you master some of the basics, you can continuously improve your technique, and make a variety of items for yourself, your home, or your friends. Knitting basics : all you need to know to take up your needles and get knitting by Betty Barnden is an excellent beginner book that gives step by step instructions on a variety of items. Sewing Basics by Wendy Gardiner guides the reader through sewing by hand and with a machine.   

·         Take pictures – Use your digital camera, buy a disposable one, or find an older model at a thrift shop. You can take photos around the house, walk around town, or find inspiration in nature. Tom Ang’s Digital photography masterclass shows how to see the world through a photographer’s eyes. Understanding exposure : how to shoot great photographs with a film or digital camera by Bryan Peterson shows you techniques to make pictures stand out.     

·         Learn to cook – Summertime means that there are more fresh fruits and vegetables available at the local supermarket or farmer’s market, which gives you a range of meal options to choose from.  Kitchen on fire! : mastering the art of cooking in 12 weeks (or less) by Oliver Said promises to make it easy for anyone to cook like a chef while Heidi Swanson’s Super natural cooking : five ways to incorporate whole and natural foods into your cooking focuses on remaking traditional recipes with a healthy twist.  

·         Learn to paint – Whether you’re an amateur or an expert, painting is a way to pass the time, get creative, and relax.  You can use something as simple as watercolors or fingerpaints, and paint subjects as simple as still lifes.  Painting for the absolute and utter beginner by Claire Watson Garcia promises to show you basic skills and techniques to help you find “what works.” Creative Kid’s Murals You Can Paint by Suzanne Whitaker can give you ideas for larger projects for the whole family to tackle.

·         Write poems/stories – You can get started on the great American novel, or think smaller and write shorter works in a notebook, or a free word processor online.  If you need inspiration, look for Alice LaPlante’s The making of a story : a Norton guide to creative writing, which will guide you through getting ideas, techniques you can use, and other sources to read from.

These are just a handful of ideas to get you started and make sure your summer is a productive one--a quick Internet search can provide you with other methods, and this is only a very small sample of the books the library offers on these topics.  Pick one--or all--of these and be able to look back on a productive summer full of memories once fall rolls around.

Summer and College Preparation

by Jennifer Nicholson Rowan Public Library

The summer temperature has now reached record high; and the beach and lakes are calling. Yet, this is the perfect time of year for raising juniors and seniors to start reflecting on what they would like to do after high school; to start planning to take the dreaded, and yes, the dreaded SAT or ACT test, and which schools they would like apply for admission to.  While the beach may be more fun, the Rowan Public Library can help students with these big summer tasks.

Many students may not realize that the library offers free online test prep through NCLive.org via Learning Express Library and also through the Gale Courses.  The Learning Express Library offers students free test prep and tutorials, easy to access from any location with any Internet connection.   The Learning Express Library also, offers homework help on various subjects including, math, English, and history. Students and parents who are interested in accessing the Learning Express Library through NCLive.org can access the database simply with their library card or can call the library for the direct password.  Learning Express Library does require students to create a username and password, but to access the database is completely free to students. 

The Gale Courses offer students the opportunity to access free online classes that students can take, class topics range from creative writing, math, to personal development, to even SAT and ACT test prep.  These courses run 6 weeks, and provide students with helpful tips and techniques to help them preform better on the SAT and ACT; however, hurry classes start on July 15^th and August 12^th.  Again, these classes are completely free and are done completely online.  No running to school or location for classes, just simply logon to the computer.  For more information or to access the library’s free online resources visit our website at rowanpubliclibrary.org, and click on the online tools link, located on the left hand side.

            While preparing for the SAT and ACT test is vital for students, selecting and applying to college can be just has daunting, one great resource is the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC.org).  This website, while it also offers test prep, allows students to explore and apply to all the colleges and universities of North Carolina, find financial aid and assistances, and there is even helpful articles for moms and dads.  Students can apply to multiple schools at the same time through this website, saving you time for more summer fun! 

CFNC.org is also has great resources and database for even elementary and middle schools students.   Helping students explore different career options, planning which high school courses they should study, giving students an extra advantage when they start attending high school and preparing for college.  CFNC.org also provides helpful resources and articles for parents, students in the military considering college, to even transfer students and students with disabilities.  For more information please, visit CFNC.org.

For students who are looking for more helpful books on college planning and test prep, here are a few that might help:

Kaplan SAT Premier 2015-2016

Kaplan ACT 2016

1,460 ACT practice questions by Melissa Hendrix

The college application essay by Sarah Myers McGinty

Admissions essay boot camp : how to write your way into the elite college of your  dreams by Ashley Wellington

Smart strategies for paying for college by G.S. Prentzas

Fiske guide to colleges 2014 by Edward B. Fiske

To access these books students can visit the library at any of our three branches or access our online catalog.  Students are also encouraged to contact their local high school and school guidance counselors. 

Applying and preparing to go to college, can be scary for any student; accessing these free tools and resources can help make this next journey in life a little easier.

Jennifer Nicholson

YA Coordinator/Librarian

Summer Reading is in Full Swing

by Melissa J. Oleen, Youth Services Supervisor Rowan Public Library

            By the time this goes to press, Rowan Public Library will be heading into its third week of summer reading programing.   It’s never too late to join in and here are my top ten reasons why your child or grandchild should participate.

1) There is a program for everyone at every age.  The library offers 21 different programs each week for seven weeks and that does not include movie night or adult programming.

2) The theme this year is “Every Hero Has a Story”.  Who doesn’t love a good hero story? And not just Marvel Comics, the Library has plenty of hero stories from different backgrounds including biblical, mythological, cultural, political, and even four legged friends.

3) This is not school!  Summer reading is fun reading and all about self-selection.  The advantages of free, voluntary reading include better spelling, writing style and grammatical development without the tests!!

Remember, what your child considers “fun” may be drastically different from your own perception of fun reading.  Accept this.  One of the easiest ways to deter a child from reading is to criticize their reading selection.  No book is too silly, too juvenile, too “wordy”, too big, too picture filled, too old, too popular or too thin.  If a book holds your child’s attention and gets them to read on their own then it’s a good start.

4) Have a tight summer budget?  Summer budget non-existent? Library programs are FREE.

5) Library programs provide an easy way to include quality reading activities in your child’s summer vacation.  Programs developed by our Children’s Staff include activities that encourage some of the best techniques identified by research as being important to the reading process.

6) Library programs strive to meet the social needs of youth and make them feel safe, cared for, useful and valued.

7) Coming to the Library provides children with immediate access to an extensive collection of reading materials in a variety of formats.

8)  Summer is a great time to do things you may not have time to due the rest of the year.  At the library, you and your young reader can experiment with alternate formats such as online magazines, digital and recorded audio books, graphic novels, and electronic books. Finding the right format for your young reader can be just as important as finding the right subject or genre.

9) Studies show that reading for pleasure can reduce stress.  What family doesn’t experience summer stress with everybody home and the temperatures rising?

10) It’s not just for the kids!  Summer Reading is a family activity.  Parents can participate in the library’s Adult Summer Reading Program and, like the kids; track time spent reading and possibly win a prize of their own.

Information about our Summer Reading Program is available on our website or email info@rowancountync.gov and ask to be put on our email list.

Rowan Public Library’s Catalog in Action

by Dara L. Cain Rowan Public Library


If you haven’t had an opportunity to explore Rowan Public Library’s catalog, now is the time! The catalog has some useful features you many not be aware of, including some recently added ones that are sure to be a big hit with teachers and kids. 

The first thing you will want to do is visit http://rowanpubliclibrary.org and select the Find Books link on the library’s homepage.  This link will direct you to the catalog where you will be able to search from thousands of books.  Once you have arrived at the catalog sign in using your library card number and four digit pin number by finding the Login link at the top right hand side of the page.  Don’t worry if you don’t remember your pin number or have not signed up for one yet, the library will be happy to set you up with a new one.  Once you are signed in to your account you will have access to a list of the items you currently have checked out as well as a friendly reminder letting you know when your items are due back.  If your due date is approaching you have the option to renew your books online up to an additional two times on most items.  Also, right from the comfort of your home you can place holds on items you are interested in and the library will notify you when they become available.

Another great feature of signing in to your account is having the ability to create your own personal customized lists for summer reading, book clubs, etc.  When you find a title you would like to add to a list select Add To List, a grey button found below the title and it will give you the option to create a new list or add to an existing one. Teachers especially will find this tool helpful because now they will be able to create lists organized by topics, favorites, etc.  You also have the option to place tags on items in the catalog.  For instance, lets say you want to be able to do a search for all Caldecott or Newbery books but they don’t come up if you enter it in the search box.  Well now you can create a tag for Caldecott or Newbery books by pulling up a title and selecting the link Tag.  A box will appear and you can enter Caldecott or Newbery books to identify the tag you would like to create. All you would have to do now is enter Caldecott or Newbery books in the search box and all of the titles you tagged will come up as a list.  In addition to creating lists and tags you can also save your searches to refer back to later. 

For students that are participating in Accelerator Reader (AR) and Lexile Framework for Reading you are now able to find the Accelerator Reading level and Lexile reading level for titles that come up in your catalog search. You can also do a reading level search by accessing the Reading Levels link at the top right side of the homepage.  It is here that you are able to put in your reading range or a single reading number and a list of titles that meet your criteria will display that you can scroll through and browse.  For those using AR you are also able to narrow your search by AR Interest Level which includes LG (Grades K-3), MG (Grades 4-8), MG+ (Grades 6 and up), and UG (Grades 9-12). You do not have to be logged in to your account to use either of these fantastic features.

You are on your way to using Rowan Public Library’s catalog like a pro.  Happy Catalog Searching!

The Curious Mind

by Pam Everhardt Bloom  Rowan Public Library

Curiosity, a desire to know, is a trait quite prevalent at Rowan Public Library.  Browse the “New Book” area next time you visit the library or use the “New Book” link on our on-line catalog. If you’re curious about people and their motivations, the following selections might trigger your curiosity.

A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life by Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman describes and gives accounts of Grazer’s “curiosity conversations” and his philosophy of living a creative life. You might recognize Grazer if you saw his photo and his trademark wild hair even if you don’t recognize the name. Listed as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2007, he is the producer of movies such as A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 and Splash. Grazer describes curiosity “as the state of having an open mind…. a kind of receptivity.” The main chapters make a fascinating read; however take time to check out the addendums. I particularly liked the notes chapter and referred to it constantly while reading the book.

The new book shelves at the library also hold new copies of older editions. Published in 2001, Socrates Café:  A Fresh Taste of Philosophy, is a title possibly familiar. Author Christopher Phillips is also curious and on a mission to bring philosophical inquiry to the masses. With chapters ranging from “What is the Question?” to “Whom Do You Need” to “Why Ask Why,” the book concludes with notes on how to start your own Socrates Café.

Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer by Heather Lende, provides entertaining stories and insight to the question, “How do you live a more meaningful life?”  Lende has written obituaries in a small town in Alaska for almost twenty years. She compares writing obituaries to living a life - “…we are all writing our own obituary every day by how we live. The best news is that there’s still time for additions and revisions before it goes to press.” This short book is honest, funny and revealing about the life we choose to live.

Totally different from the three somewhat philosophical books above, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo is located in the 648 Housekeeping Section according to Mr. Dewey. I found this book so culturally different from my American mindset that it made me curious in a way that I didn’t expect and I left the book asking myself somewhat philosophical questions about the things I own. Are the objects in my home achieving a purpose and if not, how do I let go? Kondo lists specific ways to do this and even if I haven’t committed to her method of tidying, I did find some very practical and useful hints to accompany my many questions.

            The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere by Pico Iyer is a companion to Iyer’s 14-minute talk at TED.com. Short in length, deep in depth, this book explores the pleasure of stillness and concentrated attention. More than a book about meditation, Iyer’s storytelling demonstrates the luxury and necessity of being still in our hectic world.

            I left these books asking questions about my life and my motivations. As Brian Grazer writes, “…ask one good question a day, and listen to the answer.” Your listening might begin with a good book from the Rowan Public library, a place where questions abound.