Summer Events June 17-22, 2013

Register for the summer reading club and keep track of your reading at elpasolibrarysr.evanced.info. Children, teens and adults can register with their library card number. Adults that register online will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad or a Kindle.

Here are the events for the week of June 17th:

Tuesday, June 18 from 4:30-6:30 pm
Tune in Tuesdays is part of the Teen Summer Reading Club. Listen to a half hour audiobook teaser while enjoying snacks. Play board and video games afterwards. This week's featured audiobook is Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross.

Wednesday, June 19 @ 4 pm
Our summer reading club children's programs are on Wednesdays at 4 pm. This week, the West Texas Regional Poison Center will teach us about the venomous critters of El Paso. All ages are welcome.

Thursday, June 20 @ 4:30 pm
Thursday Things is part of the teen summer reading club. Make a craft, play board or video games and enjoy snacks. This week we're making hexagon explosion boxes. Feel free to bring photos or other items you would like to decorate the box with.




Saturday, June 22 @ 2 pm
Don't forget to sign up before Friday for the Cook the Book Club potluck! Choose a recipe to make from this month's selection,The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, make it and bring it to Saturday's potluck.

Saturday, June 22 @ 3 pm
We'll be showing movies that were adapted from books as part of our adult summer reading club. All ages are welcome (movies are rated PG or PG-13). This week's movie is based on the novel One Shot by Lee Child.

Summer Events June 11-15, 2013

Summer Reading Club 2013 has begun! This year is especially exciting with the addition of the adult summer reading club and our new online registration. Visit elpasolibrarysr.evanced.info to register and keep track of your reading. Children, teens and adults can register with their library card number. Adults that register online will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad or a Kindle.

Here are the events for the week of June 10th:

Tuesday, June 11 from 4:30-6:30 pm
Tune in Tuesdays is part of the Teen Summer Reading Club. Listen to a half hour audiobook teaser while enjoying snacks. Play board and video games afterwards. This week's featured audiobook is John Green's The Fault in Our Stars.

Wednesday, June 12 @ 4 pm
Our summer reading club children's programs will be on Wednesdays at 4 pm. This week, the Asombro Institute will visit us and teach us about desert plants. All ages are welcome.

Thursday, June 13 @ 4:30 pm
Thursday Things is part of the teen summer reading club. Make a craft, play board or video games and enjoy snacks. This week we'll be making seed bombs.

Saturday, June 15 @ 3 pm
We'll be showing movies that were adapted from books as part of our adult summer reading club. All ages are welcome (movies are rated PG or PG-13). This week's movie is based on the novel by Isaac Marion.

Cook the Book Club returns this month! Don't forget to sign up for the potluck on Saturday, June 22 at 2 pm. This month's featured cookbook is The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.

BookMyne App Review

App: BookMyne

Platform: Android, iPhone & iPod touch

Cost: free
Key features: Access your library account, renew items, search catalog, request/place holds on items. Available in English, French, German, and Spanish languages. 

More info: http://www.sirsidynix.com/bookmyne

Last year, the El Paso Public Library System upgraded the software that handles our inventory, checking in/out materials, catalog, etc. With that upgrade came this handy app, BookMyne. Like any other app, it has its pros and cons, but has proven quite useful when you need to renew or request items on the go. Best of all, you'll only have to enter your library card and pin number once.

Pros: Search the catalog, renew (even if overdue) and request items. Under settings, you can change the number of days you want to be notified before your books are due. Suggested reading lists include award winners, popular best sellers (NY Times) and the ability to log into your Goodreads account (social).

Cons: Only available for Apple and Android. Some screens aren't very intuitive. I kept forgetting to use the arrow button at the top. Barcode scan search didn't work for me. I tried scanning the barcode of a book and nothing happened.

Introductory and library info screenshots. 

View your account and see what items are checked out and when they're due. Renew them all or check only the ones that you want renewed by tapping the arrow at the top.

Search the catalog by keyword, title, subject or barcode. Tap the "availability" area to see which branches own a copy and if it's available (checked in).

Request items (place holds) by checking an item in the results list or tapping a title, and then tapping the arrow at the top. You'll be able to place a hold, email the item info to yourself or save to a list. When placing a hold you can change the location you want the item sent to.

View award lists and New York Times best selling lists under the Suggested Reading tab. You can also log into your Goodreads account. The Spin button will randomly choose a list for you. My Bookshelf will show the ebooks you currently have checked out through Overdrive. 

Dia De Los Ninos 2013

Back in 1996, El Paso-born author Pat Mora, proposed to create a Children's Day event celebrating children, literacy and bilingualism. A year later, with the assistance of REFORMA (National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos & the Spanish-Speaking), a new holiday was created: El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Day of the children/Day of the books). El Paso, along with Austin, Sante Fe and Tucson, were the first American cities to host celebrations. Now, over 300 libraries across the nation are planning activities that promote literacy and diversity.

El Paso's 17th annual celebration of literacy and health, to be held this Saturday, is changing its venue from Washington Park to three locations. The Main Library, Esperanza Moreno Branch and Dorris Van Doren Branch will have their own Dia festivals where children can receive a free book and enjoy games, activities and live entertainment.

Each year, we hope to encourage children and parents to become more physically active and to read more. Studies show that reading is one of the most important activities in which a child can take part and is one of the primary variables in the academic and career success of young people.

Children will have the opportunity to sign up for Club Rec and library cards. All events will be free and open to the public. In addition, all bus rides for kids will be free to and from the event all day courtesy of Sun Metro. For more information visit call 543-5480.

Here's what the Dorris Van Doren Branch will have scheduled Saturday, April 27, from 12-4 pm:

• Free book distribution
• Games and crafts for kids throughout the day
• A Teen Hangout area
• Jumping balloon 
• Booths represented by various organizations featuring family history, a bubble station, face painting and more.

Entertainment:

• 12:00 pm FM Junkies Band
• 12:30 pm Western Hills Chinese Cultural Program
• 2:00 pm Combo #5 Band
• 3:00 pm Movie Matinee
• 3:00 pm Theatrical Performance – Excerpt from Midsummer Night’s Dream

...and while you're here, check out our spring and poetry month decorations!

Our intern, Lizzie painting the Poetree onto the window.

The Poetree

Winner, Winner, Candy Dinner?

The Dorris Van Doren Library is definitely the place to be this month. It's already feeling like spring in El Paso, and our patios provide the perfect setting for perusing a magazine or having a picnic. One of our patios has a great view of the hills and mountains.

Here's a rundown of what's going on this month:

We now have storytime everyday!
Monday @ 11 am
Baby Lapsit, for ages 24 months and under
Tuesday @ 11 am
Toddlers Ready to Read
Wednesday @ 11 am
Preschool Ready to Read
Thursday @ 11 am
Preschool
Friday @ 4 pm
"Just One" for grades 2 and up
Saturday @ 11 am
Family Ready to Read, all ages

• Genealogy Workshop with Danny from the Main Library's Border Heritage Center. Family Search and Heritage Quest sites will be discussed on Wednesday, March 20 at 5 pm.
• Representatives from the offices of Congressman Beto O'Rourke will be available to answer any questions on Thursday, March 28 from 10 am-1 pm. 
• Cook the Book Club had to cancel last month, but returns this month for its monthly meeting and potluck. The potluck is on Saturday, March 30 at 2 pm. Be sure to sign up by Wednesday, March 27. The featured book is The Chinese Takeout Cookbook.
• Also on the same day (March 30), is our monthly Saturday Movie Matinee at 3 pm. Call for movie title.

Enter our Candy Jar contest!
Rules:

• Check out 10 books for each chance to enter a guess at how many candies are in the jar.
• Present your receipt at the circulation desk for your entry.
• Entry submission = receipt date. We will only issue an entry if the receipt date matches the current day. No past receipts.
• Open to all. No age or entry limit.
• Last day for entries is March 30.
• Winner will be announced March 30. Good luck! 

Food for Fines

Each year, on the third Monday of January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is observed in America. Congress designated it as a federal holiday and national day of service – a "day on, not a day off." Also known as MLK Day of Service, this holiday's purpose is to empower individuals, strengthen communities, bridge barriers, create solutions to social problems, and move us closer to Dr. King's vision of a "Beloved Community."

Public libraries embody this dream every day as a place that equalizes and empowers everyone. In celebration of MLK Day of Service, we are hosting our annual canned food drive. You'll be able to drop off non-perishable food items at any of our locations from January 4-21, but you might want to wait until January 12.

"When you are growing up, there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully-the church, which belongs to God, and the public library, which belongs to you. The public library is a great equalizer." Musician Keith Richards

From January 12-19, you'll be able to pay down your library fines. One canned or non-perishable food donation will equal $1 worth of fines. Please remember that you are donating food to other people. Don't donate something that's expired or that you wouldn't eat. The food donated will be sorted and distributed to local shelters.

Food for Fines overview:

• Effective January 12-19, 2013
• 1 canned or non-perishable food item = $1 worth of fines
• $5 limit per account
• All public library locations are participating

Here are the top food items requested by the West Texas Food Bank:

• Canned Meat (ham, tuna, meat spread)
• Peanut Butter
• Chunky Soups & Beef Stew
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Pastas
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Dry Cereal & Oatmeal
• Rice, and Dry & Canned Beans
• Canned Vegetables & Fruits
• 100% Fruit Juice (Cans or plastic bottles)
• “Sugar Free,” “Low Sodium,” & “No Salt” Items

Check out some books about Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Holidays!

The Dorris Van Doren staff wishes you the happiest of holidays! Come take pictures with our decorations and don't forget to visit  the beautiful family room, which has a fireplace. 

This year has gone way too fast, but we are excited to start a new year with the many changes that have already been taking place within our library system. We recently upgraded our system and are still trying to adapt to all of the changes. We really appreciate how patient you have been with us as we learn and deal with the glitches. If you haven't already, check out our shiny new website and online catalog. Be sure to update your bookmarked links, as they have changed with the upgrade.

Santa visited our library this past week, but you can still catch him at other locations. He'll be at the Westside Branch on 125 Belvidere on Tuesday, December 18 at 5:30 pm. To see the complete list of locations that Santa will be at, visit this page.

All libraries, including this branch, will be taking a holiday break from our Ready to Read programs (storytimes) beginning December 17 and ending January 7. Storytimes will resume on Tuesday, January 8, 2013. The Teen Hangout program on Thursday, December 27 will also take a break due to our holiday hours.

Holiday Hours:
December 24-25: Closed
December 26-29: 9 am-5 pm
December 30-31: Closed
January 1: Closed
January 2-5: 9 am-5 pm

Our storytime break and holiday hours don't mean you have to stop bringing your children to the library! We posted Ruben Castaneda's holiday literacy tips last year, and we liked them so much, we're re-posting them here.

Literacy Tips for the Holidays:

• Set aside a special reading time.

• While cooking for the holidays, let your child read the recipe and measure the ingredients.

• Read a book while the food is baking.

• Let your child write the gift tags.

• Have your child read to others.

• Give books as gifts to the children in your life.

Our branch manager made this cute little book tree.