Just in case you hadn’t noticed, bitmojis are popping up everywhere! Perhaps some of your teachers have a bitmoji classroom? These virtual spaces are becoming a more fun way to link to different activities and information sources.
Our last post, written by Ms. Elizabeth,
featured the virtual version of our Makerspace– starring Miss Katie. There are so many interesting and cool activities on the shelves for you to explore (my favorite is the xylophone). If you haven’t seen or tried it yet, give it a whirl!
So, since we are trying to stay connected in different ways with you, Ms. Liz has created a Virtual Staff Picks Bookshelf for our staff fall picks! We still have our display in the library, but by clicking on the different books in the room below, you can find them online…cool, right?
Our Youth Services librarians here at the New Lenox Public Library have been working hard to find ways to provide services to our patrons during these unprecedented times. If you’ve visited the library recently, you may have noticed that things are, well… different.
While you’re still able to look for books, DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks, and computers are available for kids to use for up to one hour per day, things like tables, chairs, the Makerspace, and toys are currently unavailable. We’re doing our best to continue to offer library services while keeping our patrons and community safe. We’ve had to make some tough decisions on which services we can offer and how to offer them in a safe and responsible way.
That being said, we are so excited to debut our Virtual Library with our Virtual Makerspace! Although physical Makerspace games and toys will not be available for the foreseeable future, we’ve searched far and wide to find digital alternatives that closely replicate them!
We intend to continue to work our way through the library in order to create even more digital offerings. If there is anything you would like to see, please let us know! This is a new service, and your honest feedback is welcome and encouraged!
We hope you enjoy exploring our Virtual Makerspace!
Have you visited our graphic novel section lately? This growing format can be nearly any genre: mystery, science fiction, fantasy, memoir, or even history! You’ll find original comics like Snoopy, Garfield, or Superman…classics like Tom Sawyer, Anne of Green Gables, Hansel & Gretel… or older series like The Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, or The Babysitters’ Club… along with many exciting new titles.
Besides being a different format to read, graphic novels help with reading skills like critical thinking, making inferences, sequencing, imagination, storytelling, and creativity.
An article in the NY Times states: “For years, graphic novels were not considered “real” books. Many parents and educators still hold to this outdated notion. Yet there is definitive research showing that reading books that combine images and text is as cognitively challenging as text-only reading. Every child’s brain is wired differently, and some kids are more “visual readers,” who struggle with large chunks of text but can more easily access information and storytelling through a balance of words and illustration.”
Here is a very handy list of tips for making the most out of reading a graphic novel from Toon Books:
Scholastic also has several interesting articles about how graphic novels are a good choice for all types of readers along with resource lists:
If you’d like a place to start looking for titles, Common Sense Media has a parent and kid’s guide & rating system that is helpful for choosing an appropriate book.
We would be more than happy to show you around our collection and put the right book in your hands. And, remember, you can find them online as well on the library’s website!
