Simplicity

Listening to Cleo Laine perform "Thieving Boy" (disc 2, track 5) with her husband, John Dankworth, reminds me that beauty and perfection do not require complexity.

A good lesson to carry over into work life as well as at home.

Currently Reading: Google News
Currently Listening To: "The Very Best of Cleo Laine"

First kids' book laureate -- Jon Scieszka

The Children's Book Council and the Library of Congress's Center for the Book have selected Jon Scieszka, author of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (Viking, 1992) as the U.S.'s first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.

According to the Library of Congress press release, "The position was created to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people."

Scieszka has some specific goals, but they are all related to showing parents, educators, librarians and others how to involve kids in reading.

He wants to reach reluctant readers and reassure their parents that it's not all about test results. He wants kids to enjoy reading, regardless of type of book. He sees a place for nonfiction, graphic novels, science fiction, humor or whatever interests them.

He intends to get out in the public eye via talk shows, speeches, web sites or whatever. In the February 2008 issue of School Library Journal, he says, "I'm excited about being able to present the world of kids' books to the public at large in a way that might make them stop and go, Wow! There's more to this than I thought. "

Scieszka is a former second and third grade teacher, the creator of Guys Read (which helps boys find books they like to read) as well as the new Jon Scieszka's Trucktown, which will consist of over 50 books and videos for preschoolers.

The financial sponsor of the program is Cheerios, which puts books into the hands of children via its "Spoonfuls of Stories" program - which has distributed more than 30 million free books by putting them inside cereal boxes.

Currently Reading: "The Stinky Cheese Man" by Jon Scieszka
Currently Listening to: "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns N' Roses
(yes, I listen to a lot of metal -- comes from having a teen son)

Today I Am . . . meeting with librarians

After six years on the board of the Eastern (Nebraska) Library System, it's time for me to move on and make room for someone new. It's been a terrific experience.

There's a tendency to bond with librarians who are working in libraries that are similar to the one you're in, and that's basically a good thing. I've made some wonderful friends in the military librarianship field who have mentored me and whom I've mentored - or we've just worked together or hung out together. It's very comforting to know that they really understand what I go through.

Being on the ELS board, though, has not always been comforting - and that's also a good thing.

The Eastern Library System is one of six systems in Nebraska that were "established to provide access to improved library services through the cooperation of all types of libraries and media centers . . ." This means that I've been hanging out for six years with librarians from public schools, colleges and universities, medical libraries, city libraries (big and small), specialty libraries, as well as with tech people, library trustees, specialists, generalists, and library patrons. Truly a broad cross-section of people concerned with and for libraries.

I've been so impressed by what these people are doing. They're innovative in programming, acquiring funding (selling old books on eBay!), designing new libraries (with a drive-up window) and more. There is such an atmosphere of giving - everyone is willing to share their expertise and "lessons learned." They, the Eastern Library System and the Nebraska Library Commission have made it possible for me to provide quality training to my staff at very little cost - which has paid off in quality services for Offutt Library patrons.

These people have all challenged me to think outside of military librarianship, to be part of the local community, to share what I've learned and what I know with Nebraska libraries. It's not always comforting to be with them because they don't always know what I've been going through - yet they always have thoughts to offer that spark ideas.

Hmm. Maybe that is comforting.

Currently Reading: "Peanuts: The Art of Charles Schulz" by Charles Schulz

Currently Listening to: "Romeo & Juliet" by Prokofiev

Consumer Health information

Since I was out several days last week with the flu, I thought it appropriate to post something about finding health information in Nebraska.

A great place to start is to visit the CHIRS website. It's the Consumer Health Information Resource Service from the McGoogan Library of Medicine (University of Nebraska Medical Center). The information on the website is available to everyone, and their research services are available to Nebraska residents (including all who hold a Nebraska drivers license) free of charge. One of their Health Sciences Librarians will research your medical condition and provide information that could include books, articles, pamphlets and web resources.

MedlinePlus, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, is a terrific resource. It directs you to authoritative information from the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, and other government agencies and health-related organizations. Preformulated searches provide easy access to medical journal articles, and the site also has extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and the latest health news.

Go Local Nebraska is part of the Medline/NLM system, and provides information about health related services, organizations and providers related to the state of Nebraska. You can search for providers, services & facilities by city or county.

NOAH, the New York Online Access to Health website, also has a lot of very good "quality-filtered" consumer information on health topics.

Healthfinder.gov is provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and along with consumer health information, includes a drug interaction checker as well as over 50 online screening tests to help you determine if you need to see a doctor about conditions such as depression, diabetes, skin cancer, anemia, substance abuse, etc.

For a broader selection of services available in Nebraska, check on the Nebraska Resource and Referral System (NRRS), which contains information about community agencies and organizations that provide services to Nebraskans.

Photo from the Air Force Link photo library: First sergeant gives teddy bears to Iraqi children An Iraqi child embraces the bears given to him during his recovery at the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Master Sgt. Dave Dunn started "Project Poppa Bear" to help the children in the hospital. Sergeant Dunn is the 332nd Medical Group first sergeant. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Travis Edwards)

Currently Reading: AFIs
Currently Listening to: The Star-Spangled Banner & The U.S. Air Force Song official versions (downloadable)
Yes, it's an Air Force day . . .