Elmer, the elephant ambassador

David McKee's Elmer books are popular with both staff and students.
If you're not familiar with Elmer, he's a patchwork coloured elephant who lives in the jungle. The Elmer stories are fun and well written.

We've just reordered some titles which were missing, and one of them seems especially relevant to us here in Thailand as it touches on the issue of elephant hunting. Even though it's something we might not think about a lot, it does happen here.

The story is called Elmer on stilts.
The elephant hunters are coming!
Elmer has an idea - they can hide on stilts. Nobody expects to see elephants above them.
When their plan goes wrong, the elephants land on the frightened hunters.
Scared by the falling elephants, the bad guys decide to run away.

It's a nice story, and funny in parts. It also provides a good starting point for everyone who reads it to think about animals and how they can be affected by problems like poaching.

There are some organisations working to help elephants. You can read more about why poaching happens on the eleaid website.

Goodnight moon, er... I mean Ipad

Goodnight moon is considered a classic picture book by many people.
So it's interesting to see it in a new form... that essential internet gem - the YouTube parody.

Goodnight Ipad pokes fun at our use and love of technology. It was released by Penguin and comes complete with plenty of sound effects and a soothing voice reading the story to us. Nice.

Hidden gems

Do you ever get excited about the random references you find in books?
Like when the main character mentions a song you like or eats a kind of chocolate you love? It's something which makes me very happy and somehow makes me feel more connected to the story.

It seems to be something which makes other people happy too, because now there's a site which is dedicated to mapping and tracking these references in books.

The site is called Small Demons (they call it a Story Verse!)
To become a member you just sign up (it's free!)

It's more than just a place to track references, though.
You can look at a book that you love and how it links with other books. You can use the references in linked books to find new music and movies. You can even use it to help you find new books you might be interested in reading. (In conjunction with Literature Map, you will be set for life!)

This concept really appeals to me. Once you've become a member you get to see all of the book covers, quotes and information about each book. You can search by category to find books which are related to something you're interested in too. For example, if you're going to a new country and would like to read books which might mention it. You can also look for references to your own country or city. I spent ages looking in the food section - it can even tell you which food is mentioned most in books!

In addition to all the information there are great pictures.
The site is attractive and easy to use, and even better there is so much great stuff that you could get lost on it for hours. Books are missing, but it is being added to. (It's only new!) It's going to be fun seeing how this one works out.

Book reviews from Primary Book Club

Looking for something new to read? Our Primary Book Club recommends these titles.

Basic
Y3E
Owly
Andy Runton
Owly book is very fun! Because it’s funny. It kind of doesn’t have any words.
I can teach you how to draw Owly.


Gigi Y5C
Title: Thea Stilton Big Trouble in the Big Apple
Author: Geronimo Stilton
I like this book because it’s fun and I like the mouse. They went to the Big Apple to help Pamela’s family, they had a really big problem. And Nicky had to practice running for the race. Her friends will take care of her anyway. I can’t tell you the story – why not read it for yourself!

Michael Y3M
Title: The Official Manchester United Annual 1999
It teaches us how to be good at football. It has good pictures.

Hill Y3E
Secret Agent Jack Stalwart – The search for the sunken treasure : Australia
Author: Elizabeth Singer-Hunt
You should read this because its very fun.
The book takes place in Australia, in the sea.

Tita Y5G
Diary of a Wimpy Kid the ugly truth
Jeff Kinney
I love this series!! What an amazing series. First was Wimpy Kid.
I started reading this book because I saw Pike read it and I thought it was very, very funny. I have read two books in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series – Dog Days and The Ugly Truth.

Dallas
Y4J
K-Zone
Awesome comics! Cool info about cool stuff! Video games names and what they’re about!
Awesome games. Ninja who tells cheats! Info about movies. Puzzles, pranks!

Origami genius

Do you like Origami? Maybe you're one of the many students who comes into the library to borrow the books on this Japanese paper art phenomenon.

Today is very special for you, then! 14 March was the birthday of Akira Yoshizawa, the man credited with completely changing and reinvigorating the craft of Origami. He's the one who truly transformed it into the art form that it is today.

So whatever your favourite folded animal may be, make one today!

If you're not sure how to make Origami, and can't get to the library to borrow a book, here are some sites to help you out.
Origami fun
Folding for you

You Tube also has some great clips for making the most traditional pieces like Origami Cranes. Very handy if you like to see someone actually folding the paper.

School play props

One of our student librarians just bought in the most amazing stuffed toy dog that she has made for the school production. (She made the whole thing herself, and it looks real!)

Well done Ton Aor, and good luck for A midsummer night's dream!

Greatest library rapper who ever lived

Does Melvil Dewey sound familiar? That's because he was the creator of a system now used to organise the non-fiction sections of countless libraries.
And he's also a rapper.

Recently, I stumbled across an article entitled 'Greatest library rapper who ever lived'. It was all about a guy by the name of Scott Hayes (aka Melvil Dewey) making up songs and music about libraries. According to the newspaper one song (Super duper library dance party) has even made its way to becoming something of a You Tube hit.

And if we want libraries to exist in the future, it's important to think of alternative ways of promoting them. Libraries need to evolve in order to stay relevant.Maybe an irreverent, slightly wacky rapper from Illonois is exactly the person to keep libraries in the public eye.

You can read all about Melvil Dewey on his wonderfully named website www.storyyeller.com

Harrow's best books... the results

In honour of World Book Day we decided to ask people to tell us about their favourite books.
After a week of voting we had just over 300 votes!

At the end of the week, we made a list of the most popular books.

The top five were:

1. Geronimo Stilton
2. Harry Potter
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4. Dork Diaries
5. Garfield

Last Friday during our library book week, we shared the results at lunchtime.
We also held a lucky voter draw for everyone who took part.
Congratulations to Khow Poon (3H), Mac (3H) and Klara (5C), who won a prize pack made up of one book from each series, and two movie tickets.

Thank you to everyone who voted!

We also had two other competitions during library book week.
Congratulations to Kaopod (5C) who won our quiz and Melody (1S), winner of the book quote matching competition.

An early morning visitor

It's not just people who like reading! This is what one of our parents spotted in the book returns box this morning...

February 7th

What's more important? The Beatles first day in America, or Charles Dickens' birth? Who changed the world more? Who will still be important, or relevant in another 100 years - either of them, or neither of them?

The first untethered astronaut walked in space on this day in 1984. Swiss women got the vote on this day in 1971. Modern New Zealand was one day old on February 7th, 1840.

I read Dickens, occasionally. I sing Revolution in the shower. I don't vote, but love being able to; I don't walk in space, but I love the stars. When I visit New Zealand I stand on the beach at night and look up, and I swear there are satellites and meteors and shooting stars, bright Venus and dull, red Mars.

Meaning - celebrate Dickens' birthday by reading. Not Great Expectations, if it is too old fashioned for you; or Oliver Twist, if it reminds you cruelly of the third form. But Dickens if you want to. Or Austen, or the Alex Rider books, or Tintin, or Mr Gum or Mr Stink, or the Hemingway you haven't read for twenty years - if you want to.

Or like me, Bud, Not Buddy: a YA classic, celebrated, minor, new to me, but part of the fibre and weave that begins with Dickens and what came before him, and the amazing path that followed, a shared history of rock music and new frontiers, space and democracy, and millions of wonderful words.

Harrow's favourite books

What is your favourite book? We want to know!
We're making a list of Harrow Bangkok's most popular books.
Just like Santa Claus, we'll be checking it twice to make sure you can borrow them from the library.

You can vote for any kind of book you want - children's, Thai, adult... whatever you like.

Vote now for your favourite.
The results will be announced during Book week 2012.

If you don't have time to vote now, we will put up a QR code in the library so you can complete the survey on your mobile device.

Book Amnesty

The amnesty for books damaged or lost in the floods of late 2011 will expire at the end of this half term. Until then, anyone who has a damaged book can see a librarian and the book will be deleted from their record. There is no charge for these books.

However, anyone who still has long term overdue books at the beginning of the next half term will be sent a bill. So, please either return your books as soon as possible, or see a librarian today!

Google tips and search help

For an interesting take on how to search Google, check out Hack College's Get more out of Google post.

This entry also includes other helpful tips like keyboard shortcuts especially for Mac users. You can even find out how to use Google as a calculator.

Future Shock!

When I became a librarian, I wasn't particularly scared about the arrival of e-technologies: libraries would survive, they had a point of difference (paper, relaxation) and the exisiting digital competitors were cumbersome and the antithesis of what a library could offer.

But now everyone has an iPhone, iPad, Kindle or other portable device. Books can be downloaded in less than a minute, and you can carry hundereds (thousands!) of them away with you on holiday.

A whole generation is growing up portable and on the move. Downloading is the first step, not the last resort.

Is there a role for libraries in this new paradigm, which has altered terrifically since the release of the first iPad and the saturation achieved by Amazon and its Kindle?
Perhaps - as giant, one stop, legal store houses for e-books and other digital information. Libraries with authorized music downloads; libraries with legitimate access to streaming sports; libraries with huge e-book stocks; libraries as Flickr. Places you plug into, and pull information out of.

But places you go and sit quietly and read a paperback? Tick tick tick...

Kitty chan!

Ok, we don't actually have this book... yet!
But we are so going to get it for the library.

What is this amazing and wonderful book called?
Hello Kitty's guide to Japan in English and Japanese.

You can use it to practice your English!
You can use it to practice your Japanese!
You can learn all about Japanese culture in English or Japanese!
This book sounds like it would be a useful (and popular) addition to our collection. Especially given the addition of Sanrio's well known and loved Kitty-Chan!

The English does look a little clunky, but it's still technically correct. And although it's not super elegant, the text makes sense.
We have many students here whose first language is Japanese, and lots who are studying Japanese.
And as if we needed another reason to buy it, it's Hello Kitty.

This morning I was trying to decide whether or not my own love of cuteness was stopping me from being objective. Then I found this review.

My reaction to this book was interesting. It showed me how much advertising can suck us in.
Even when you think that it doesn't. My instant reaction was 'Let's buy it, we need it now!' It was really tricky to take a deep breath and look to see if it is actually a good book to add to our collection.

When I get a class where all the kids only want Princess books (of the sparkly, Disney variety) or dinosaur books, I think about how marketing may have had a role. Let's face it, beautiful, interesting and carefully packaged things are much more intersting than the generic version.
There has been much discussion of 'the cult of cute' - just do a quick google search, you'll find heaps of stuff.

One of the articles talked about a company in Japan which offered Miffy bank cards to their customers. For adults as well as kids. Sounds pretty good to me. And with a Miffy ATM card, you can feel like you have a link with literature... or something.

When the maximum level of cuteness has been reached it all gets a bit overwhelming. Like you've eaten far too much candy floss. And then it's time to go for the grown up options.

Has Sanrio managed to suck me in? Maybe. So far I've resisted the Hello Kitty toaster. It is awfully cute though...