Ancestors? Genealogy?

Who are you related to? Are you ready to spend your life finding out?

Visit the Virginiana Room in the Warrenton library or read an introduction online. "The Virginiana Room, housed in the Warrenton Library, has an extensive collection of materials focusing on state and local history and genealogical research."

Have you ever wondered who is that Uncle Marcus that everyone in your family thinks you look like? There may be pictures and documents out there to research...and even closer to home than you may think! Ask a librarian how to start thinking about a genealogical search. Is now a good time? Will it be too late if you wait? What information can you start gathering at family reunions and/or from old letters before you hit the stacks (browse the book shelves) at the library? You may discover an uncle or second cousin has already begun the search...and would like to join you.

Look at the online Sanborn Digital Maps for Virginia to "learn about the history, growth, and development of cities, towns, and neighborhoods in Virginia. They include information such as the outline of buildings and their size shape and function, street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers." Have you heard that your Granny Lou used to live on Main Street? Did she sit in the rocking chair in the back sun room every day for decades? Was there one window or two? If you can find her part of town in the Sanborn Digital Maps, you might be able to answer those precise questions. Or...how warm did your family stay 80 years ago in a house with one, or was it two, fireplaces? Had you considered wood burning stoves? Was the building next door a school or a residence? And on and on and on...

Need to visit the Local Historical Resources. Link to Afro-American Historical Association, Fauquier Heritage Society, Old Elk Run Church Site Preservation Project, Mosby Museum, Journey Through Hallowed Ground, Old Jail Museum, Teaching With Historic Places, Monroe Park, Goldvein, VA, John Singleton Mosby Heritage Area, Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, Manassas National Battlefield Park, The Museum of Culpeper History, Library of Virginia's online resources, University of Virginia Library Genealogical Resources (Virginia Genealogy), and In the First Person ("an index to English language personal narratives, including letters, diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, and oral histories").

If you're not feeling up for searching newspapers, magazines, military records, or local history sources for such personal information today, how about browsing the records just for fun. You don't need a reason to browse. If you like looking at elegant handwriting, signatures, or dated penmanship, scan through random names for downloadable charts in Ancestry.com or HeritageQuest Online. Then pursue the meaning of all those swirls and dotted i's. Check out library books on handwriting analysis, also known as graphology. It's such a popular topic, The Complete Idiot's Guide has published their own version. Come back to genealogy later and read about forensic identification. Check out Hidden Evidence: 40 true crimes and How Forensic Science Helped Solve Them and Crime Lab 101: Experimenting with Crime Detection. Don't get too lost when you find at least 71 subject results (even more books) for " forensic" in the catalog. You have the tools to discover clues...to your own psychological, historical composition. Good luck.

Rev. Martin Khayav King Jr. (I Have a YouTube Dream)

A technological insight into Black History Month. One man's call for "digital freedom at last!" Presented about YouTube.

Langston Hughes

Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

You may read this Langston Hughes's poem in High School. You may have already. Did you know that the title to Lorraine Hansberry's drama, A Raisin in the Sun, came directly from this very poem, Dream Deferred? The library has the text, film, and even an unpublished original screenplay for A Raisin in the Sun. Check these out early and get ahead on your assignments. Read The Big Sea: An Autobiography by Langston Hughes about the his younger years living in Paris and Harlem in the 1920s. Or check out more Langston Hughes poetry (for all ages) for yourself...even if there is no assignment.

Dream Variations by Langston Hughes

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me, -
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! whirl! whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening. . . .
A tall, slim tree. . . .
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

This book's title, Black Like Me, was taken directly from the above poem, Dream Variations, by Langston Hughes. Read Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, and other world famous black writers for first hand views of being a minority in this country. Then read one unusual story of a white reporter who dyed his skin darker to try and understand what it feels like to be black in America's deep south during the Civil Rights Movement and times of extreme racism. The Cliff's Notes are available as an e-book through the FCPL catalog. Ask a librarian how to access the e-books from home. Also, consider reading Robert Bonazzi's book, Man in the Mirror, for more insight about John Howard Griffin's life before writing Black Like Me. Is this where Michael Jackson got the name for his song, Man in the Mirror in 1988? Research and find other ways that Langston Hughes has influenced modern literature and society. Can we, in modern times, understand what life was like back then? How can we continue to honor strength, perseverance, and creativity as we remember Langston Hughes?

As you are seeking answers, if the exact book you want is not in the FCPL collection today, ask about Inter-Library Loan (ILL) at the Reference Desk. We will try to find the book and get it to you right away, even if it means the book has to cross state lines to reach you.

Links:

I Hear America Singing featuring Langston Hughes -

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ihas/poet/hughes.html

America's Story featuring Langston Hughes -

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/writers/hughes

My Hero featuring Langston Hughes -

http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=langstonHughes

Biography Website Celebrates Black History -
http://www.biography.com/blackhistory/

Red Hot Jazz and Langston Hughes -
http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html

Black History Month

Black History Month

Sample searches in the catalog:

Title searches:
African American Inventors
Black Pioneers of Science and Invention
Outward Dreams: Black Inventors and Their Inventions
African American Firsts in Science & Technology (Reference books always available)
Inventing Modern America [electronic resource]: From the Microwave to the Mouse
Autobiography of a People: Three Centuries of African American History Told by Those Who Lived It
The Black 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential African-Americans, Past and Present
The African-American Century: How Black Americans Have Shaped Our Country
The Autobiography of Malcolm X

People subject searches:
George Washington Carver (http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/30.html)
Elijah McCoy "The Real McCoy" (http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/elijahmccoy.html)
Nat Turner (http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112391/nat_turner.htm)
Harriet Tubman (http://www.harriettubman.com/)
Sojourner Truth (http://www.sojournertruth.org/)
Rosa Parks (http://www.rosaparks.org/index.html)
Booker T. Washington (http://www.gale.com/free_resources/bhm/bio/washington_b.htm) and in Virgina (http://www.nps.gov/bowa/)
Alvin Ailey (http://www.alvinailey.org/)
Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton (http://www.jazzitude.com/morton.htm)
Marian Anderson (http://www.mariananderson.org/)
Maya Angelou (http://www.mayaangelou.com/)
Zora Neale Hurston (http://www.zoranealehurston.ucf.edu/)
Michael Jordan (http://www.virtualfans.com/)
Alice Walker (http://www.pbs.org/now/arts/walker.html)
Tiger Woods (http://www.tigerwoods.com)
Barack Obama (http://www.barackobama.com/)
Savion Glover (http://www.js-interactive.com/savion/)
African American Artists (http://www.artcyclopedia.com/nationalities/African-American.html) and (http://www.liu.edu/CWIS/CWP/library/aavaahp.htm)
...countless numbers more contributed to the history of this nation.

Topic subject searches:
African American
African American Business
African Americans History
African Americans in Literature
African Americans Medical Care
African Americans Study and Teaching
African Americans World War 1914 1918
Africa
Caribbean
Ghana

Links:
History.com
Blackquest.com
Black History Month in the United Kingdom

Alice's Dream

Another brief view into Alice's world.

Celebrate Lewis Carroll's Birthday!

Lewis Carroll was born Charles Dodgson on January 27, 1832 in England. He made his living as an English Mathematician, but wrote comic verse on the side. In 1856, Dodgson submitted a list of pseudonyms to an editor and "Lewis Carroll" was chosen. Under this name he wrote many stories, poetry, and novels, including Alice in Wonderland. It was originally titled Alice's Adventures Underground. Research his background through the Fauquier County Public Library databases and books to find out more. FCPL owns several different publications of this work, as well as it's sequel, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.

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If you are an artist or aspiring editor, check out these variations of covers, illustrations, and text.

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Poem:

The poem The Jabberwocky is taught in most school districts across the country. Read it below and try out your acting skills with this activity:

Divide into three groups + one narrator:
#1 group will act out the proud father
#2 group will act out the brave son
#3 group will be a wild beast, the Jabberwock
+ narrator who will read the poem dramatically

Substitute the narrator with the CD track from Poetry Speaks to Children (J 811.008 POE). This version includes melodramatic music in the background to set the scene. Consider costumes. How few changes can you make to your appearance to suggest each character? A bold stance, a growling sound, a sword... Try large groups for a ridiculous effect and fun. Or check out more humorous poetry to transform into plays by Ogden Nash, Edward Lear, or Shel Silverstein.

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll
(from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872)

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Related Links:

The Lewis Carroll Society of North America (http://www.lewiscarroll.org/)

Looking for Lewis Carroll (http://www.lookingforlewiscarroll.com/)

Britain Express (http://www.britainexpress.com/History/bio/carroll.htm)

Wikipedia's encyclopedia article on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Wonderland)

A Newscast based on Of Mice and Men

A creative look at Steinbeck.

Scottish Heritage and Of Mice and Men?

Today is the birthday of Scotland's famous bard

Robert Burns

My Heart's in the Highlands by Robert Burns

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe,
My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go.

Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birthplace of valour, the country of worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands forever I love.

Farewell to the mountains high covered with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe,
My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go!

My Love is Like a Red, Red, Rose by Robert Burns

O, my luve's like a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June
O, my luve's like the melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune

As fair art thou, my bonie lass
So deep in luve am I
And I will luve thee still, my Dear
Till a' the seas gang dry

Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear
And the rocks melt wi' the sun!
O I will luve thee still, my Dear
While the sands o' life shall run

And fare thee weel, my only Luve
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my Luve
Tho' it were ten thousand mile

Links:

Visit Ellisland Farm (http://www.ellislandfarm.co.uk/), the home of Robert Burns. Take a virtual tour of the grounds where he pondered and wrote, read a little history, poems, and follow links to more resources about the man and his country.

Robert Burns.org (http://www.robertburns.org/) Encyclopedia search capabilities, poems and writings, discussion board

Need help analyzing some of Robert Burns poems? Try this link to Robert Burns Plus (http://www.robertburns.plus.com/Analysis.htm).

Are you reading John Steinbeck's book Of Mice and Men for school? Ever wonder where the title came from? Follow this link (http://www.robertburns.plus.com/mouse.htm) to the poem written by Robert Burns about a "wee beastie" (mouse).

Books:

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns: with a Memoir (written in 1856)

Poems in Scots and English by Robert Burns

Robert Burns: An Illustrated Biography by Ian Grimble

Life of Robert Burns by J. G. Lockhart

Robert Burns and Cultural Authority [electronic resource] edited by Robert Crawford
Read about the solitary voice of love, meter within the verses, how politics relates to Robert Burns poetry, and more. Many authors contribute to the contents in this electronic book (e-book).

E-books:

Read online from any computer with an Internet connection; anywhere in the world. All you need is the 10-digit number on the back of your FREE FCPL library card. Follow the link to the FCPL home page and click on e-books in the blue side column. Follow instructions and begin browsing. If you like this service, call or visit the library to set up a FREE netLibrary account to access these resources more thoroughly.

Are you addicted to the Internet? Quiz link

You Are 43% Addicted to the Internet

You're somewhat addicted to the internet - but who isn't? You can keep it under check, and you're by no means a hermit.

Are You Addicted to the Internet?

Architecture with a twist!

There Goes the Neighborhood: Ten Buildings People Loved to Hate by Susan Goldman Rubin

With all of the construction going on in our county, do you catch yourself analyzing the new buildings? Not everyone likes what they see. And, of course, some do. This is not unique to 2007 in Fauquier county. Architectural criticism has been going on a long, long time. This library book, There Goes the Neighborhood: Ten Buildings People Loved to Hate, will give you a taste of strong opinions from the past. You know these extremely famous buildings already. So what do you think about the Eiffel Tower, the torqued Guggenheim Museum in New York City, or Washington D.C.'s very own Washington Monument? Mark Twain has an individual view. Once a newspaper man, Mark Twain described the Washington Monument as a "memorial chimney" with "cowsheds about its base, and contented sheep nibbling pebbles...in the holy calm of its projecting shadow"? Not exactly what politicians would say today. And then there is New York City. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright hated cities and viewed this grand place as "a forest of skyscrapers." But then there was a swirling museum thrown in it's midst. The poor Guggenheim Museum has been called, "Screwy." Someone even asked, "What is it?" "A toilet bowl?" Read more about these places and make up your own mind what you think about the buildings and their critics. Check out the stories behind "ten unique and now-famous buildings that initially generated negative public response."

Mother Earth

One young woman's tribute to our earth in performance poetry.

What is Poetry Slam?

Listen to one cartoon man's introduction to a Poetry Slam. Our library coffee houses can run the same way...or be mellow. You decide. Let the librarians know since summer 2007 planning is already in the works and there will be poetry. Keep a journal on paper, online, in your head, wherever. There are plenty of poetry books in the stacks. And Teen Ink magazine on paper plus extra features at the website http://www.teenink.com/. Watch the FCPL calendar (link on the sidebar)for upcoming poetry events.

Featuring Tyler Perry

Author, playwright, comedian, and one mad Madea. Check out Tyler Perry's website (http://www.tylerperry.com/). Read Tyler Perry's biography, find out about the new TV show (House of Payne), movies, and stage plays. Are you interested in real advice? Read the book Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life. Three copies are in the county libraries; one at each FCPL branch. The catalog summary says, "The author's alter ego, the outspoken, worldly wise grandmother Madea, shares her thoughts on life, love, and everyone around her, reflecting on marriage, child-rearing, etiquette, the Bible and the church, beauty advice, and gun care." Topics range from gospel sung prayer to prison. Nothing will slip past the watchful eye of the matriarch. Find out why all ages are following the career and creations of this man (and Madea).

Songbook by Nick Hornby

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Book and CD

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"A collection of essays on 31 of the author's favorite songs and songwriters. CD includes songs by: Teenage Fanclub, The Bible, Aimee Mann, Rufus Wainwright, Rod Stewart, Badly Drawn Boy, Ben Folds Five, Mark Mulcahy, Ani DiFranco, and Paul Westerberg."

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There are two copies of this book in the FCPL collection. One at Warrenton and one at Bealeton. If the copy at your library branch is checked out, ask a staff member to reserve the other for you. Have your library card or a picture i.d. ready and the book will be yours within days. Or try the "Place a Hold" service on the FCPL home page for similar results. Use a "Subject" search for other musicians and critics that are in the FCPL collection.

Related Link:
(http://www.nicksbooks.com/index.php/archives/category/news)

Prangstgrup Library Musical - Reading on a Dream PRANK!!

Oh, dear. The silence is broken at the library.

Are you ready for the Battle of the Books

Addicted to reading? Do your nightmares include restrictions of only 1 book per week? Do you spend hours reading books for no reason? Join this year's Battle of the Books team at your school. Across the highway from the Bealeton Library, Cedar Lee Middle School students are preparing for the March 30th competition. Only 20 books to read! All books are available at the Fauquier County Public Libraries (ask for a list) and at your middle school. Come to the Bealeton Library Teen Book Club meetings on the first Monday of February and March to talk and quiz each other on this year’s selection. There will also be a Battle of the Books Mock Competition at the end of February (held elsewhere) to ensure you are prepared. At the final Battle, each member of the top 3 winning teams will get to pick a free DVD. The grand prize is a shiny trophy and good memories to commemorate your achievement.



Below, Cedar Lee Middle School students have highlighted some favorite quotes from the books and add their own thoughts:

The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander

"Lucian is on the run from a pair of murderous soothsayers." The Arkadians is a mythical, mysterious book filled with mythical creatures, magic, and kings that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Midnight Magic by Avi

"On a stormy night in the Kingdom of Pergamontio, an insistent knocking brings Fabrizio, the servant boy, to the door." Midnight Magic is a medieval mystery.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (http://www.choldenko.com/)

Moose's first impressions of his new home on Alcatraz. "Today I moved to a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water."

The warden's daughter returns her friends' shirts and they wail. "'No blood spatters. No bullet holes. Nothing?' another kid asks. 'I didn't pay a nickel to have my shirt washed,' says another girl who had made Piper promise her blouse wouldn't come back with one single drop of blood on it."

Annie, Between the States by L.M. Elliott (http://www.lmelliott.com/)

"As Murdock was pushed out the door, Thomas straightened himself up. ‘God help me, Annie. My orders are to arrest you, for spying, shooting at our pickets, and harboring Mosby rangers. I can’t not do it. If I don’t, they’ll simply send someone else...’"

The Maze by Will Hobbs

"Just fourteen, Rick Walker is alone, on the run, and desperate." The Maze is a heart-stopping story, a story of friendship, personal growth, and one boy’s dream to fly.

The Outcasts of 19 Shuyler Place by E.L. Konigsburg

Uncle Alex –"Time is not money. Time wasted is often time spent. Money wasted is merely redistributed."
Mrs. Kaplan – "We have procedures Mr. Rose."
Uncle Alex – "Start the procedures."
Mrs. Kaplan – "There are forms to be signed."
Uncle Alex –"Bring them to me. I will sign them."

Left for Dead by Pete Nelson

...will keep you guessing to the very end. "Just after midnight on July 30, 1945, the U.S.S. Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine." Left for Dead is a thrilling story about a handful of men that survived the horrid bombing of the U.S.S. Indianapolis. After having to listen to the screaming of their dismembered shipmates, the survivors had to deal with hunger, thirst, and swarms upon swarms of sharks.

The author of Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan (http://www.pammunozryan.com/), wrote Becoming Naomi Leon.

"I always thought the biggest problem in my life was my name, Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw, but little did I know that it was the least of my troubles, or that someday I would live up to it."

The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Read this famous Bavarian author’s (poet, translator, editor...) new name for prime numbers. They are personified as prima donnas. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002, pronounciation and definition of prima donna: (pree-muh, prim-uh DON-uh) A vain and overly sensitive person who is temperamental and difficult to work with: "That Jenkins girl is a good gymnast, but she certainly is a prima donna." In opera, prima donna is the principal female soloist. From Italian, meaning "first lady." Did this author write the book to confuse and make people hate math? One reader said she would "read a whole page and think, ‘wait, what just happened?’" Try this book and decipher this unusual topic and writing style.

Cryptid Hunters by Roland Smith

"It grabs Wolfe by the leg and flings him back and forth." Cryptid Hunters is an adventurous book with nonstop action. It’s filled with death-defying stunts, humans hunting humans, and a mysterious creature that can’t seem to be caught.

Welcome to the Ark by Stephanie Toland

Do you believe in telepathy or is it all just "parapsychological mumbo jumbo"? At Laurel Mountain Center for Research and Rehabilitation, a medling, power-hungry adult, Harlan Turnbull, wrote this report to his superior. It said, "Miranda Ellenby is my patient, and I do not believe that a group home placement with its intense interaction is appropriate for a fragile and fragmented personality such as hers. Furthermore, one of the other 'family' members is a violent and unstable teenage boy. The implications are obvious." Young Elijah, Taryn, and older Miranda and Doug share one dream that may be dreamed by unacknowledged kids all over the world. One night, "The sound of her running feet against the floor does not shut out the sounds behind her, the rhythmic thumps, the thunderous growl..." Find out what and where is the Ark.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 15th

MLK Day - http://www.mlkday.org/ "On January 15, 2007, as we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country will remember and memorialize Dr. King by participating in service projects in their communities. Together, they will honor King’s legacy of tolerance, peace, and equality by meeting community needs and making the holiday... 'A day ON, not a day OFF.'"

National Civil Rights Museum - http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/ "The National Civil Rights Museum, located at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination, chronicles key episodes of the American civil rights movement and the legacy of this movement to inspire participation in civil and human rights efforts globally, through our collections, exhibitions, and educational programs. "

The King Center - http://www.thekingcenter.org/ "Established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, The King Center is the official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of America’s greatest nonviolent movement for justice, equality and peace...In these web pages, you will find invaluable resources to become informed about Dr. King and the ongoing efforts to fulfill his great dream of the Beloved Community for America and the world."

I've Seen The Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Walter Dean Myers

Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman

Are you a good reader?

What kind of reader are you?

http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_kind_of_reader_are_you

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Try this test and see if you agree about these constraints.

What else might define a good reader?

Make your own quiz at this website to fit your own opinions.

Then test your parents, teachers, friends...

Accent quiz

Follow the link in this result box

and find out what accent you and your friends have.

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What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
Philadelphia
The South
The Inland North
The West
The Northeast
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Poetry Online

Bartleby: Poetry Anthologies and Thousands of Poems -http://www.bartleby.com/verse/

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One of many online resources for the aspiring young (and old) poet. Pick up your quill and visit the library for our books on the shelves or sign on to a computer. Teen Poetry Coffee House at the Bealeton Library once a month. Pick up a calendar of events from any of the 3 library branches and join the readers, writers, and quiet listeners. Hot chocolate provided.

Happy New Year poem

New Year’s Reality Check

by Joanna Fuchs

Another year, another chance

To start our lives anew;

This time we’ll leap old barriers

To have a real breakthrough.
We’ll take one little step

And then we’ll take one more,

Our unlimited potential

We’ll totally explore.
We’ll show off all our talents

Everyone will be inspired;

(Hmm…while I’m writing this,

I’m getting very tired.)
We’ll give up all bad habits;

We’ll read and learn a lot,

All our goals will be accomplished,

Sigh...or maybe not.
Oh well, Happy New Year anyway!

Research with Find It Virginia!

Homework assignments slowing you down? Need legitimate articles from magazines, newspapers, radio or T.V. transcripts? You have found the books, now what about support materials that exist only on the Internet and that your teachers will accept? What about compiling bibliographic citations from the sources you are researching? All of these things are at your fingertips with the use of your FREE Fauquier County Public Library (FCPL) library card.

Visit the library branch nearest you and pick up an "Info to Go 24/7" bookmark at the Reference desk. Follow the instructions on the back or try this... same result.

Start from the library homepage - http://library.fauquiercounty.gov. Look in the blue bar on the left side of the page under Electronic Resources. Click on Databases and Links. Now click on the text Periodical Indexes or click on the Find It Virginia icon:

Next select Fauquier County Public Library from the drop-down menu. Type in the 10 digit number on back of your FCPL library card. There are about 20 databases to choose from as you search Find It Virginia!

Public Domain and Copyright

Tales from the Public Domain:BOUND BY LAW? - http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/

Read a comic book that explains public domain in relation to making documentary films. This website sponsored by Duke University includes FREE downloadable versions of these Tales. Commentary, analysis, links. The art is in black and white, well-drawn, and supports the story. Musical tunes are hidden all over New York City. Even the most casual recordings on a street corner of coffee house can get a filmmaker into a lawsuit for thousands of dollars. Are your videos at risk? Read opinions from artists and lawyers. Can capturing a film on a cell phone send you to jail? Will a mistake like this ruin your future career in Hollywood?

How to find legitimate sources, general homework help, bibliographic citation formatting online

HOW TO TELL LEGITIMATE SOURCES

Evaluating Internet Resources - http://www.library.georgetown.edu/internet/eval.htm
Article on Scholarly Journals vs. Popular Magazines - http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/scholarlyguide.html

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HOMEWORK
Dictionary.com - http://dictionary.reference.com/
Ask for Kids - http://www.askforkids.com/
KidsClick! Web Search for Kids by Librarians - http://sunsite3.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/
Homeworkspot- http://homeworkspot.com/
Homework Center at the Multnomah County Library - http://www.multcolib.org/homework/index.html
BJ Pinchbeck Homework Helper - http://school.discovery.com/homeworkhelp/bjpinchbeck/index.html
Fact Monster Homework Center - http://www.factmonster.com/homework/
High School Ace - http://highschoolace.com/ace/ace.cfm
Spark Notes - http://www.sparknotes.com/
Quizhub - http://quizhub.com/quiz/quizhub.cfm

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BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION HELP
Citation Machine - http://citationmachine.net/
The free automatic bibliography composer - http://www.easybib.com/

Noodle Tools - http://www.noodletools.com/login.php

Internet Safety

Websites that help you protect yourself when you are online:

NetSmartz - http://www.netsmartz.org/
Safe Teens - http://www.safeteens.com/
Internet Safety Awareness - http://www.internet-safety.org/

Books to check out from the library:

Cybersafety: Surfing Safely Online by Joan Vos MacDonald
“Provides tips and advice for teens for avoiding common Internet dangers, such as sexual predators, with cyber rules that can be applied to enhance safer surfing.”

MySpace Unraveled: A Parent's Guide to Teen Social Networking from the Directors of BlogSafety.com by Larry Magid and Anne Collier; published 2007
“To help you understand MySpace, the authors step you through how to set up and personalize a MySpace account and how to manage an online social life. Then they look at how young people are changing the Internet and how to guide them as they navigate the social Web.” -- from back cover

(no book cover image available)

Everything you need to know about staying safe in cyberspace [e-book] by Jennifer Croft; published 1999
“Examines some of the dangers that might be encountered while using the internet, and gives advice about how to avoid them.”

Summer in December?

Explore this Wildflower Color Chart to identify flowers; click on a color and see pictures and information about the plant - http://www.wildflowerinformation.org/ColorListing.asp

I Meant To Do My Work To-Day

(poem by Richard Le Gallienne b.1866)

I meant to do my work today
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling to me.

And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grasses to and fro,
And a rainbow held out its shining hand
So what could I do but laugh and go?

Who says you can't play games

Ultimate Camp Resource - http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/

Do you remember what's the secret to the game "Crossed/Uncrossed"? Is there really a right way to pass around two sticks in a circle? The explanations and solutions to hundreds of games are here in a comprehensive list on this website. Did you ever figure out "A What...?" or "Assassin"? Trick your friends into thinking. Or just play "Dead Fish" to see who can act like one the longest. Try these logic challenges at home, school, outdoors, wherever. And join the Liberty High School's National Honor Society and other local kids (ages 11 to 18) at Bealeton library's monthly Teen Game Night. Bring your own snacks, listen to music, dance, and play brain games of all sorts. Charades, Clue, Sorry!, Mastermind, pick-up sticks, checkers, chess, scrabble ... Bring your own games, friends, and ideas, too. No parents allowed!

Check out these books at the library:

Great Games to Play with Groups: A Leader's Guide by Frank W. Harris

“Mostly for 10 or more players...for indoor or outdoors, for action or not, plus several to be played until the others arrive.” Family fun if you have siblings or friends who may always be young at heart.

The Wrecking Yard of Games and Activities by Alanna Jones

Have you ever hear of games called "Beware Aware" or "The Bump Sneak" that help with anger management? Afraid of public speaking and want to develop your communication skills? Try "Blind Man Walk", "Tactile Telephone", or "Missing Words." "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Basketball" can help with self-esteem. Or if you just want to exercise without being bored to death on a stationary bike for hours, then try "Flying Saucer", "Spider Ball", "Dynamite Disk Golf", and "Pin Soccer." An odd, informative book.

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Play It!: Over 400 Great Games for Groups by Wayne Rice and Mike Yaconelli

Find out what is "Human Football". "Pyramid Play-Offs" will be a balancing act. You'll need balloons and rolled up newspaper to play "Run the Gauntlet". And grrroowwwllll at friends to play "Gorilla-Man-Gun". A bizarre collection of games for small or large groups, indoors and outdoors, wild and calm. Ignore the faded cover and jump in.