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Children’s Videotapes For Sale

Filed under: Library News & Events — Gregg - Library Associate at 1:46 pm on Wednesday, July 28, 2010

vhstapesmallBeginning August 1 all VHS videotapes in the Children’s Department will be for sale for $2 each.  That’s right, just $2 each!  No limit!  Just take the video off the shelf and pay for it at the front Check Out desk.  All kids’ videotapes for sale.  (DVDs not included.)  Come early for the best selection.  It’s first come, first served.  All sales final.

The final day to check out VHS videotapes is July 31.  After that date they will be available for purchase only.  Questions?  Call (913) 971-6874.

“Biz Kids” Teaches Teens About Financial Literacy

Filed under: Library News & Events, Library services — Ralph - Librarian at 12:33 pm on Thursday, July 22, 2010

bizkids_logo2Olathe Public Library recently added the first season of Biz Kids to our collection. Biz Kids, created by the same folks who produced Bill Nye, Science Guy, teaches teens about money. Many of the 26 episodes were filmed on location and feature teens and young adults who have built their own businesses. Other episodes explain financial institutions, financial markets, credit versus cash and budgeting. If you have a budding entrepreneur at your house, or want to inspire your youngster to become the next Warren Buffet, this series can help. The website features a number of tools to accompany the DVDs, including a newsletter and blog to provide budding MBAs with the latest information available. Come in, check out the series and inspire your youngsters to leap beyond the summertime lemonade stand.

Web Tool for Editing PDFs

Filed under: Library News & Events — Rosemary - Library Associate at 12:13 pm on Tuesday, July 13, 2010

fillanypdfHere’s a nifty tool you can use the next time you need to edit a PDF form. Fillanypdf.com allows you to upload any PDF, and then edit it through the use of text boxes. Uploaded forms can either be password protected, or made available to the public. No more need to print, edit and then rescan forms!

Found via the Swiss Army Librarian

Julybration Book Sale Coming this Friday and Saturday

Filed under: Library News & Events — Rita - Community Relations at 12:37 pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2010

It’s time again for one of the Friends of the Olathe Public Library used book sales.  Shop the sale from noon to 5 pm on Friday, July 9 and from 10 am - 3 pm on Saturday, July 10.  As usual, it will offer a variety of genres. Choose from romance, mystery, fiction, old books, true crime, children’s, horror, biography, cookbooks, travel, inspiration, CDs, DVDs, videos, audiobooks and more.  Everything is sorted by categories.  Additional items will be added for the Saturday sale.

A special feature of this sale will be new Manga and Anime.  Prices on these items will be slightly higher since they are new, but are still super cheap compared to retail prices.  They will sell for $2 each, 6 for $10 (like getting one free) and 12 for $20 (like getting two free).  This genre will not be included in the bag sale on Saturday.  We appreciate the person in the community that donated these items!

The sale on Saturday will feature the “Five-Bucks-A-Bag” Sale from 1 - 3 pm only.  The doors to the sale will close from 12:30 - 1 pm to prepare for the bag sale.  Beginning at 1 pm, purchase a plastic bag at the door for $5 and fill with materials.  Buy 2 bags, get 1 free! 

Only checks and cash are accepted for payment and all sales are final.  Due to space limitations, no strollers are allowed in the sale.  If sold out or material selection is low, the sale will close early on Saturday. 

Don’t miss out on super prices for your summer reading needs.

Families Reading Together

Filed under: Programs — Gregg - Library Associate at 5:31 pm on Thursday, July 1, 2010

jimkristenbrozina

I just read an interesting New York Times article about a father and daughter who made a pact to read together every night.  Jim regularly read to his older daughter every night at bedtime, but one night, when she was in 4th grade, she told her father she could handle it from there.  And that ended their shared nightly ritual.

Well, Jim continued reading to his younger daughter, Kristen, but when she reached 4th grade, he feared that special time together would once again come to an end.  Determined not to let that happen, he proposed that they try to see if they could read together 100 bedtimes in a row without missing once.  She accepted the challenge, and so they began with a book from one of their favorite series, The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  The “Streak,” as their reading challenge came to be known, ended 100 nights later with a perfect record.  They hadn’t missed a single night. They celebrated with a pancake breakfast where Kristen whispered to her father, “I think we should try for 1000 nights.”  And so the Streak continued.

After they successfully reached 1000 nights, they thought, “How can we stop now?”  The father and daughter continued reading together nightly.  As Kristen grew older and became involved in various activities, sometimes special arrangements had to be made.  For instance, when she was involved with late night rehearsals at a local community theater, Jim would show up at the theater and read to her between scenes.  Once when Jim traveled to Washington, D.C. Kristen called her dad at night so he could read to her over the phone.  Even nights when she was out late with her teenage friends, she made them stop by her house before her dad went to bed so they could read together, and then she headed back out with her friends.  Through the years they read everything from James Marshall’s “George and Martha” books to Harry Potter, Charles Dickens to Agatha Christie, even Shakespeare.  They read all fourteen titles in their favorite series, L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, four times each.  Jim has built a collection of over 700 of the best books they’ve read together over the years.

During the first year of the Streak, Kristen’s two remaining grandparents died, her older sister left home to attend Yale, and her mother left her father.  Through these difficult changes, and many others through the years, one thing remained constant:  the nightly shared reading ritual.  The joy of father and daughter reading together was one thing that provided stability.

3,218 nights later, the Streak finally came to an end.  Kristen moved away to attend university, and they both knew it was time to end their nightly ritual.  After Jim had helped his daughter move all of her things into her dorm room, they read together one last time.  They ended where they started, by reading the first chapter of their beloved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

This moving, and true, story of Jim Brozina and his daughter Kristen displays the power of families reading together.  Parents often cease reading to their children once they start reading on their own, but the Olathe Public Library believes it is important for families to continue sharing the joy of a good book together.  The Children’s Department offers a Family Read-Aloud Club where families can earn free books by reading together.  Parents, for every six books (at least 80 pages in length) you read to your elementary-aged children, you can receive a free book.  Click here to learn more about it.  Sign up for the Family Read-Aloud Club at the Children’s Services Desk, and get started on your own personal ”Streak!”

New Book Drop at Indian Creek

Filed under: Library News & Events — Kathleen - Indian Creek Branch Manager at 11:29 am on Friday, June 25, 2010

bookdrop1

For the past month ICB experienced a number of service mishaps that were something out of Lemony Snicket’s “Series of Unfortunate Events.” A portion of Blackbob road was closed to complete work on 127th street intersection. As a result of this construction, a fiber optic cable was cut and we lost computer connectivity for 2 weeks. Our library staff worked heroically to provide service and some connectivity for that time. Over the Memorial Day weekend our outside book drop broke again. This was the third time in 10 years. So much wear and tear meant installing a whole new model designed for wall mounted drive-up drops.

This new book drop will get its first big workout over the upcoming July 4th weekend. The library will be closed on Sunday, July 4 and Monday, July 5. The book drop fills up pretty fast during these closures despite staff volunteer efforts to unload them daily. Here are a few suggestions to keep new book drop in working order:

When you return materials, place them individually and completely through the slot. Stuffing too many materials in at a time or not far enough back into the slot causes the book drop to malfunction or materials to be damaged.

If you return materials when the library is closed and the book drop is too full, please do not leave materials outside the building or on top of the book drop where they can be damaged or stolen. You are responsible for materials checked out on your card. Do one of the following: Return home and renew the materials by phone 971-6851 or 495-2431 or online. The Olathe Library also has other book drop locations you can use at Crossroads Shopping Center, Santa Fe & Mur-Len; Price Chopper, 151st & Mur-Len; behind main library, 201 East Park and Price Chopper, 125 N. Parker.

We appreciate your patience and patronage during these hectic times. Hopefully our “Series of Unfortunate Events” has come to a conclusion.

Why should kids have all the summer fun at the library?

Filed under: Library News & Events, Programs — Sara - Librarian at 3:25 pm on Thursday, June 10, 2010

Summer reading programs aren’t just for kids anymore. Did you know the Olathe Public Library has a summer reading program for grown-ups too? We do! If you are an adult who loves to read you might as well get some credit and a chance to win prizes for that reading. It’s very easy to participate. Simply stop by the adult services desk at either Olathe library location, pick up your folder and start keeping track of the books you read. For each book you read, fill out a slip with the title and your name, bring it back to the library and drop it in the drawing box. That’s it! Some of the prizes include Olathe pool passes, movie tickets, gift cards and other surprises. The program ends August 20 and prizes will be drawn the week of August 23. Winners will be notified by phone or email. So have fun reading everybody and good luck!

Summer Book Sales at Indian Creek Branch

Filed under: Library News & Events — Rita - Community Relations at 9:36 am on Monday, June 7, 2010

Summer fun for all you readers!  Shop the Celebrate Reading Book Sale from noon - 5 pm on Friday, June 11 and from 10 am - 3 pm on Saturday, June 12 at the Indian Creek Branch.    The Saturday sale will feature the “Five-Bucks-A-Bag” Sale from 1 - 3 pm only.  Purchase a plastic bag at the door for $5 and fill with materials.  Buy 2 bags, get 1 free!

Choose from paperbacks, hardbacks, CDs, DVDs, videos, cassettes and children’s books.  Everything is sorted by categories…mystery, fiction, romance, etc. 

The second summer sale will be from noon - 5 pm on Friday, July 9 and/or from 10 am - 3 pm on Saturday, July 10.  The sale in August will begin with the Ella Mae Memorial Friends Preview Sale from 5 - 8 pm on Friday, August 6 and be open to the public from 10 am - 3 pm on Saturday, August 7. 

Additional materials will be added for the Saturday sales, so material selection will be great both days.  Due to space limitations, no strollers are allowed in the sale.  The Saturday sales will close early if sold out or material selection is low.  Questions?  Call Rita Patterson at 913-971-6879 or e-mail @ rpatterson@olatheks.org

Rock n’ Roll Lullabies

Filed under: Books & More — Gregg - Library Associate at 9:24 am on Tuesday, June 1, 2010

When you hear the word ”lullabye,” rock n’ roll music is probably not the first thing to pop into your head.  But what if U2 or the Rolling Stones recorded lullabies for babies?  If you think that would be cool, then you should check out the Rockabye Baby! CD series of lullabies featuring the music of various rock bands.  The Olathe Public Library owns Rockabye Baby! CDs featuring lullabye renditions of songs by the Beatles, the beatles-onesieRolling Stones, U2 and Nirvana.  You can also request other CDs in this series from the Johnson County Library featuring the music of such groups as Radiohead, Metallica, Led Zepplin, AC/DC, Tool, Nine Inch Nails, the Pixies, and more.  If you would like to expand your baby’s musical horizons beyond “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” check out these unique Rockabye Baby! CDs.

To find out more about other materials and events in the Children’s Department, check out our kids’ blog:  Around the Corner.  It’s a great place to find out the latest news for kids at the library.

Child & Parent Book Discussions

Filed under: Programs — Gregg - Library Associate at 11:48 am on Friday, May 28, 2010

childparentreadingAre you looking for something fun and different to do with your child this summer?  Why not consider participating in one of our child & parent book discussion groups?  These book discussions are designed to encourage children and adults to read books together.  Both the child and the adult should read the book and come prepared to discuss it.  The library will provide one copy of the book to each child registered.  Sorry, mom or dad, you’ll have to share the copy with your child.

There will be three book discussions this summer for children going into 3rd & 4th grade and their adults.  The 3rd & 4th grade book discussions are held at the Indian Creek Branch Library.  Here is the list of dates, times and titles being discussed this summer:

Wednesday, June 16 - 7:00 p.m. @ Indian Creek Branch
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr

Wednesday, June 30 - 7:00 p.m. @ Indian Creek Branch
Abel’s Island by William Steig

Wednesday, July 21 - 7:00 p.m. @ Indian Creek Branch
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry

There will also be three book discussions for children going into 5th grade and their adults.  The 5th grade book discussions are held at the Main Library.  Here is the list of dates, times and titles being discussed in the 5th grade sessions:

Tuesday, June 15 - 7:00 p.m. @ Main Library
The Eyes of the Amaryllis by Natalie Babbitt

Tuesday, July 6 - 7:00 p.m @ Main Library
Island of the Aunts by Eve Ibbotson

Tuesday, July 27 - 7:00 p.m. @ Main Library
Flush by Carl Hiaasen

Registration is required.  We are currently registering for the June 15 and June 16 book discussions.  You may register at either Olathe library or call (913) 971-6874.  Books for the 3rd & 4th grade sessions must be picked up at the Indian Creek Branch while books for the 5th grade sessions must be picked up at the Main Library.

This is a great way to share the joy of reading with your child.  We hope you’ll consider joining us this summer for one (or more) of these fun programs.