=> from the SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER ... January 28, 2008

BATTLE OF THE BOOKS The 14th annual Battle of the Books event will take place on Saturday, February 2nd at the Schoolcraft Community High School PAC from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Students in grades 4-6 from Schoolcraft, Vicksburg, Parchment and one Homeschool team will be "battling" against one another in 4 Preliminary Battles and then 2 Semi Final Battles and then the Grand Battle will be held Thursday, February 7th at the PAC at 7 P.M. For more details or if you want to know which teams are "battling" at what time, you can call the library at 269-679-5959 or view the schedule online. So, come the join the fun and be amazed at how much these children have learned!!!

It is very important that when coaches and battlers arrive at the PAC, (hopefully between 9:00-9:15 A.M.), that they do 3 things ASAP in the order assigned. Student greeters will be at the door to help direct teams. Signs will be posted. Staff, wearing BROWN Shirts with GOLD imprint, will be available to help you.

* 1.   GO TO REGISTRATION TABLE AND REGISTER TEAM (will receive Reminders for Coaches and TEAM PHOTO CARD--IMPORTANT!!!) * 2.   GO TO VOTING TABLE AND VOTE FOR TOP 3 FAVORITE BATTLE BOOKS * 3.   GO BACK TO AREA WHERE TEAM PHOTO'S ARE BEING TAKEN (by the cafeteria) ----Must give TEAM PHOTO CARD to photographers to be checked in and have your Team Photo taken. If your sign can not be read clearly thru the lens, they will ask you to hold your TEAM PHOTO CARD in the picture. We are taking photos by Battle so all of the teams from Battle 1 need to be taken first so those pictures can be taken to the Tech People to be loaded on to the computer. Then the photographers will begin on the teams from Battle 2 etc. Battle 1 pictures need to be to the Tech People by 9:35 A.M., so please plan your arrival time so that you can accomplish these 3 tasks by that time, remembering that there are 7 other teams having to do the same thing.

CLARIFICATIONs concerning RULEs of PLAY
THE QUESTIONs: "If asked to provide 2 things in a two-part question, can you provide 3 or 4 things instead? What if some of those things listed are wrong and some are right?"

THE ANSWER: When 2 things are asked for, you may only list 2 things. FURTHERMORE, if a team insists on giving more than 2 things, and any of those answers are incorrect, then the whole answer will be rejected.

REMINDER
All "Battle" books belonging to the Schoolcraft Community Library must be returned by Friday, February 1st, before 5 P.M. They are needed for challenges during the Preliminary and Semi Final battles. Your cooperation is appreciated!

FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!
The concession stand will be open from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. The menu includes pizza, sweet/salty type snacks, cookies, coffee, tea and hot cocoa. Vending machine beverage offerings include water, diet soda and V-8 fusion drinks.

BROWN BAG STORYHOUR --- For students in Young Fives and Kindergarten, Brown Bag Storyhour will resume on Wednesday February 13th. Due to schedule conflicts at the library, there will be no Brown Bag Storyhour in January. Also, the storyhour dates for the remainder of the school year are as follows: March 12th, April 16th and May 14th. So mark your calendars and come the join the fun. There is no pre-registration required and you need not have attended before. Just pack a lunch, bring a smile and listening ears and join us whenever you are able.

TOT TIME --- The Schoolcraft Community Library is offering their Spring Tot Time program to children ages 18 to 36 months. Each toddler that attends must be accompanied by one adult. Our spring offering will be from February 20th thru March 12th running from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. The first 20 minutes or so are spent in a lapsit storytime with fingerplays, songs and flannelgraph activities. The last 40 minutes are spent with the parents and children interacting with toys, blocks, books, flannelgraph pieces, puzzles etc. Pre-registration is required and the space is limited and fills quickly, so call the library today at 679-5959 and reserve a spot for you and your toddler.

PRESCHOOL STORYHOUR - The Schoolcraft Community Library will begin it's Spring Preschool Storyhour for children ages 3-5 years on Wednesday, March 19th and run each consecutive Wednesday thru April 30th. Storyhour will be held from 10 -10:45 A.M. and is filled with stories, activities, fingerplays, songs, crafts and snacks all revolving around the theme of the day. Pre-registration is required and can be done by calling the library at 679-5959. Space is limited so call today and join the fun.

GREAT MICHIGAN READ --- BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP --- NICK ADAMS STORIES -
The Schoolcraft Community Library will be one of more than 100 communities across the state of Michigan who are participating in the Michigan Humanities Council new statewide literature and literacy initiative, The Great Michigan Read. On Wednesday, March 19th, 2008, the library will offer 2 times for Book Discussion Groups for Ernest Hemingway's The Nick Adams Stories. These times are 2 P.M. and 6 P.M. and will be held at the Schoolcraft Community Library. Copies of the books as well as the CD version are available at the library. Also, the day of the book discussion group, the discussion leader will be showing a short video of Hemingways' Life in Michigan. I hope many of you can join us on that day to discuss this great book and to learn more about one of the foremost writers of the 20th century who spent his first 22 summers in Northern Michigan. Call today and reserve a copy of the book and join us on March 19th for a lively discussion. Some other ways you may want to participate in The Great Michigan Read are as follows:
* Visit the website www.greatmichiganread.org
* Listen to Great Michigan Read radio programs on Michigan Talk Network
* Watch Great Michigan Read programs on Michigan PBS television stations
* Read the book or listen to the audio version of The Nick Adams Stories and attend a program

Hope to see you there.

RELATED RESOURCES
* Reader's Guide to The Nick Adams Stories (.pdf format)
* Ernest Hemingway, American writer (1899 - 1961) ... http://en.wikipedia.org
* The Nick Adams Stories ... Taken as a whole, they chronicle a young man's coming of age in a series of linked episodes. The character - Nick Adams - is partly inspired by Hemingway's experiences, from his summers in Northern Michigan to his service in the Red Cross ambulance corps in World War I. The stories are grouped according to major themes in Nick's life. ... http://en.wikipedia.org
* Short summaries ... http://www.cliffsnotes.com

=> NEW ADULT BOOKS ... January 28, 2008
* The Appeal by John Grisham
* Duma Key by Stephen King
* Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice
* The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky
* Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz
* The Vitamin D Cure by James E. Dowd, M.D.

=> NEW ADULT BOOKS ... January 21, 2008
* Most Likely to Die by Lisa Jackson,
* The Out of Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz,
* The Out of Sync Child Has Fun: activities for kids with Sensory Processing Disorder by Carol Stock Kranowitz,
* The Enzyme Factor by Hiromi Shinya, MD.
* Dream of Life by Michael Phillips
* T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
* Cesar's Way; the natural, everyday guide to understanding and correcting common dog problems by Cesar Millan
* The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall
* Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
* When Invisible Children Sing by Dr. Chi Huang

=> from the SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER ... January 14, 2008

KALAMAZOO AIR ZOO CONTRACT RENEWED AT THE SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY thru December 31st, 2008 ... The Schoolcraft Community Library and the Air Zoo have renewed their agreement which means that all cardholders at the Schoolcraft Community Library will receive a 50% discount off the regular admission price to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo through December 31st, 2008. This discount is available no matter how many times a cardholder visits the Air Zoo. It is available to each cardholder only, not the entire party and is applicable on regular admission rates and not special programs or events. Also, a photo ID must be presented with all adult cards. If you need additional information feel free to call the library at 679-5959 or the Kalamazoo Air Zoo at 382-6555.

=> NEW ADULT BOOKS ... January 14, 2008
* Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie
* Get the Sugar Out; 501 simple ways to cut the sugar out of any diet by Ann Louise Guttleman
* Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
* Beverly Hills Dead by Stuart Woods
* Memo to the President Elect; how we can restore America's reputation and leadership by Madeleine Albright
* Fodor's California -2008

=> from the SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY NEWSLETTER ... January 07, 2008

INTER-LIBRARY LOAN AT THE SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY --- For those patrons who enjoy the services of Inter-Library loan, this service will be reinstated at the Schoolcraft Community Library beginning January 7, 2008. However, this service will be greatly reduced for the next few months as the library prepares to migrate to the statewide ILL system of MeLCat. The staff at the Schoolcraft Community Library is hopeful that this process will be complete sometime in April, making it possible to borrow materials all over the state. Yet in the meantime the library will offer reduced services of Inter Library loan to its patrons working to fill as many requests as possible in the next few months.

=> NEW ADULT BOOKS ... January 07, 2008
* When Your Child Struggles; the myths of 20/20 vision by Dr. David Cook
* Medications and Surgeries for Weight Loss; when dieting isn't enough by William Hunter

=> NEW ADULT AUDIOS ... January 07, 2008
* Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich
* T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
* Dead Heat by Dick Francis

=> ongoing ...

WI-FI at the Schoolcraft Community Library!!!! --- Wireless internet service has come to the Schoolcraft Community Library. So whether you are traveling through town, needing to quick check your email or an important website for a research paper for school, you can bring your laptop to the library and hook up.

HARDING'S eScrip COMMUNITY CARD FOR THE SCHOOLCRAFT COMMUNITY LIBRARY -- The Schoolcraft Community Library is partnering with Harding's Market in the Harding's eScrip Community Card to help raise funds for the Schoolcraft Community Library and you can help! It is easy and is a great way to help the library. Here's how you can help. Just go to a Harding's Market and ask for the Harding's eScrip Community Card. Then you can activate your card by one of two easy methods. You can call 1-800-931-6258 and register your name with our library or if you prefer you can register online at www.escrip.com/hardings.jsp and follow the instructions there. Then each time you make a purchase at any Harding's Market you give them your Harding's eScrip Community Card to scan and presto you have helped the library with up to 4% of your purchases. No having to remember to keep receipts and then bring them to the library anymore! Just a quick phone call and a swipe of a card and you have given your help to the Schoolcraft Community Library. So, join today and start those savings coming in to the library. Many thanks to all who have helped in the past with their Harding's receipts and many thanks in advance to all who will help us in the future. Call the library at 679-5959 if you have any questions or go to our website schoolcraftlibrary.org.

* TumbleBook - You can now access TumbleBook Library for kids from the library's web page by clicking on the TumbleBook link. TumbleBook is a collection of animated, talking picture books and TumblePuzzles and Tumble Games. These are created from existing picture books which have been licensed from children's book publishers and converted into the TumbleBook format. You can play TumbleBook at the library, from home, or even while on vacation!!! This is an exciting new offering at the Schoolcraft Community Library and we hope parents and kids will take advantage of it. ENJOY!!

Friends of the Library
The "Friends of the Library" believe in the importance of the library and encourage the use of the facility. The purpose of "Friends" is to enhance library services by providing invaluable voluntary assistance and supplemental income through charitable donations and fundraisers.

The "Friends" meet on a regular basis at the library. If you believe in the importance of the library, consider joining us.

QSAC: Quality Service Audit Checklist -SCHOOLCRAFT LIBRARY ATTAINS "ESSENTIAL LEVEL" OF QUALITY SERVICES FROM LIBRARY OF MICHIGAN - The Schoolcraft Community Library is proud to announce that it is one of 10 Class II libraries in Michigan who have qualified for the Essential Level requirements from the Quality Services audit checklist known as QSAC. There are seven categories of achievement which include human resources, governance/administration, services, collections development, technology, facilities and equipment and public relations/marketing. By focusing on these key areas the Schoolcraft Library has demonstrated a strong commitment to customer service. There are 78 class libraries in the State of Michigan and so the Schoolcraft Community Library is proud to have been one of the first 10 to have achieved this goal.

NOTE: LASER JET CARTRIDGE RECYCLING PROGRAM ... The Schoolcraft Community Library regrets to inform its patrons that the Laser Jet Recycling Program has once again been discontinued. You can still recycle your ink jet cartridges and any old cell phones as well in the bags provided at the library, but laser jet cartridges will no longer be accepted. You may be able to dispose of them through Office Max or there is a recycling center near the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds. Many thanks for your support of this program while it lasted.

previously ...

=> NEW ADULT BOOKS ... December 31, 2007
* Morning Light by Catherine Anderson
* The Mist by Stephen King
* Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich
* French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano
* Falling for You Again by Catherine Palmer and Gary Chapman
* Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco
* A Long Way Gone; Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
* From My Heart to Yours: life lessons on faith, family and friendship by Robin McGraw
* Louder than Words: a mother's journey in healing Autism by Jenny McCarthy
* Last Call by James Grippando
* The Woods by Harlan Coben
* Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
* Quiet Strength: the principles, practices and priorities of a winning life by Tony Dungy
* Dragon Harper by Anne and Todd McCaffrey
* The Morcai Battalion by Diana Palmer

=> NEW ADULT BOOKS ... December 10, 2007
* Darkest Evening of the Year by Dean Koontz
* Hokus Pokus by Fern Michaels
* Whole New Light by Sandra Brown