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From: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults & Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

To: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults & Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 00:01:14 CDT

Subject: PUBYAC digest 127

PUBYAC Digest 127

Topics covered in this issue include:

1) RE: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

by "Ruhama J. Kordatzky" <rkordatz@burlington.lib.wi.us>

2) Stumpers in general

by edwarc@mx.pon.net

3) Re: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

by Tom Stuart <tstuart@wls.lib.ny.us>

4) RE: Graphic Novels

by "Beatrice S. Wright" <wrightb@cel.co.chatham.ga.us>

5) A new kind of search on our Web Catalog

by Lu Benke <lubenke@libsys.ci.fort-collins.co.us>

6) Re: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

by Helen McConnell <hmcconne@albuq.rgv.lib.nm.us>

7) Pacific Northwest Puppeteers

by THOMPSON Barbara <bthompson@ci.springfield.or.us>

8) Time travel Stumper Answered

by "Connie Charron" <Conniec@gwmail.plano.gov>

9) donkey stumper solved

by Kathleen Ahern <kahern@selco.lib.mn.us>

10) Stumper: Mayflower story

by "Diane Adams" <diane@ccrls.org>

11) Karen Ackerman info

by "Karen Sonderman" <sonderka@oplin.lib.oh.us>

12) Pig stumper...

by yrefsl <yrefsl@fortbend.lib.tx.us>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Ruhama J. Kordatzky" <rkordatz@burlington.lib.wi.us>

To: "'pubyac@prairienet.org'" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: RE: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:35:51 CDT

Just to let everyone know--it's also on the FOTF website:

http://www.family.org/pplace/pi/genl/A0008833.html

:) Ruhama

Ruhama Kordatzky

Youth Services Librarian

Burlington Public Library

Burlington, WI

rkordatz@burlington.lib.wi.us

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Andrew Finkbeiner [SMTP:ANDREW@rockford.lib.il.us]

Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 2:21 PM

To: 'pubyac@prairienet.org'

Subject: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

In the spirit of the recent PLA presentation "Intellectual Freedom and the

Fundamentalist Christian," I would direct your attention to the following

essay: "Exploring Harry Potter's World" by Lindy Beam, Focus On The Family

magazine, May 2000 issue, pages 14-15.

------------------------------

From: edwarc@mx.pon.net

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: Stumpers in general

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:41:10 CDT

 

I'd like to make a suggestion to the folks who are letting us know the stumper they sent in previously is solved. If at all possible, could you include the original message with the clues?

I have a brain like a seive, and can never remember all the clues. There are enough stumpers that they sort of blend in my mind. If I have the whole message, I can file them in my stumpers file, and I don't have to repeat the request-- ever. Thanks so much. Carol

Carol Edwards

Sonoma County Library

Santa Rosa, CA

------------------------------

From: Tom Stuart <tstuart@wls.lib.ny.us>

To: pubyac@prairienet.org

Subject: Re: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

Mime-Version: 1.0

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:42:21 CDT

>essay: "Exploring Harry Potter's World" by Lindy Beam, Focus On The Family

>magazine, May 2000 issue, pages 14-15.

btw, the text of the essay is also available online at their internet

site < www.family.org >. It is a nice summary of a viewpoint.

The most sit-up-and-take-notice line of reasoning I found in the

essay is the suggestion that perhaps the real threat with Rowling's

books is not that they are about "dark supernatural powers".... "but

that she doesn't acknowledge any supernatural powers at all." Makes

for an interesting challenge -- filter out all that fails to

acknowledge a supernatural power. Hmm.

Tom Stuart < tstuart@wls.lib.ny.us >

------------------------------

From: "Beatrice S. Wright" <wrightb@cel.co.chatham.ga.us>

To: "'pubyac@prairienet.org'" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: RE: Graphic Novels

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:43:30 CDT

Robin:

We have the same problems at our library. We have a YA room designated for

Fiction, Biographies, Videos, and Audio only. Due to the limited space,

all of our nonfiction YA collection are embedded with the adult nonfiction.

With our graphic collection, we've treated them as regular nonfiction. We

have a separate area in the library we call YA DISPLAY, where we display

new fiction and nonfiction books. Due to the nature of the graphic

collection, we've decided to categorized the location as YA display, and

keep them on display in the YA Room; though they're nonfiction. Staff is

informed of the whereabouts. We wanted our teens to have an eyes view of

the collection and keeping them hidden with the other nonfiction wouldn't

serve its purpose. Hope this helps in your decision making.

Beatrice Wright

YA Librarian

CEL Regional Library

Savannah, GA

------------------------------

From: Lu Benke <lubenke@libsys.ci.fort-collins.co.us>

To: PUBYAC <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: A new kind of search on our Web Catalog

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:44:47 CDT

 

We are coming up with our new automated system (III) late this summer

complete with the KidsOnline kid's version. As we contemplate creating the

right look and feel and user-friendly searches for kids on our Web Pac

pages, we keep coming back to the problem that many of our young customers

just want to get to the shelf where the informational books on frogs

(football, rainforest, dog care, drawing...) are. They are not needing a

complex search. Yet, getting to the simple Dewey number via a subject

search requires going through several screens and even then usually

produces too many choices as to which Dewey number to go with (For

example, the 398's showing up several times on the first screen for a

keyword search on frogs easily throws off the quest for informational

books on frogs.).

We would like to create a fast, upfront, separate Dewey index by subject

on the first children's web screen. Sort of an expanded, automated Dewey

numbers poster, if you will. I can just see this little animated critter

graphic jumping up and down on our Web page saying "Just get me to the

shelf!" next to the box where you type in your broad subject.

My gut tells me that kids and teachers and parents would all really

appreciate this kind of search and, given it on the first search screen,

would use it a lot. What do your "guts" say? Has anyone tried such a

simple Dewey number search connected to or at least posted on an automated

system initial search screen? Would it work only with informational

queries or should we also have a response for the queries such as "chapter

books."

We are thinking of keeping it to the most common Dewey numbers for the

most common topics with a caveat logically inserted that if you don't find

what you're looking for, try a keyword search or ask for help at the desk.

Does anyone know what kind of options there are to install/create/place

a simple search like this on our search Web page? (III said this is

outside what they do for us.) Has anyone else tried this? Is it a simple

matter of borrowing some HTML from another site, or what?

We'd love to hear feedback on this idea or what other libraries are doing

to solve the problem of the long automated trek just to get a Dewey for a

common topic. Our kids want to use the computers to find books on the

shelves, but we find ourselves saying "Yes, you can find the information

on the computer (if you go through a lot of steps), or I can tell you the

number that will get you to the right shelf (quickly)." We love directing

them to the shelves, but shouldn't they also be able to get a quick,

simple answer from a computer search?

 

Thanks for taking the time to consider this, and double-thanks for any

ideas or feedback.

Lu Benke

Children's Services

Fort Collins Public Library

201 Peterson Street phone: 970-221-6678

Fort Collins, CO 80524 fax: 970-221-6398

lubenke@libsys.ci.fort-collins.co.us

------------------------------

From: Helen McConnell <hmcconne@albuq.rgv.lib.nm.us>

To: pubyac@prairienet.org

Subject: Re: Harry Potter--Christian Viewpoint

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:45:58 CDT

Charles Colson, a conservative Christian author, also wrote a commentary about

Harry Potter for his BreakPoint broadcast November 2, 1999. He does not

condemn the Harry Potter books and gives specific reasons as to why he does

not. It can be accessed by www.breakpoint.org then clicking transcripts, then

archives, and searching for Harry Potter.

------------------------------

From: THOMPSON Barbara <bthompson@ci.springfield.or.us>

To: PUByac@prairienet.org

Subject: Pacific Northwest Puppeteers

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:47:09 CDT

We're looking for puppeteers from the Pacific Northwest for our annual

Springfield Puppet Festival. Our regular performers include Tears of Joy,

Celeste Rose's Oregon Fantasy Theatre, Carter Family Marionettes, Greg

Harris's Indonesian Shadow Puppetry, the Oregon Shadow Puppet Theatre, and

Mark Levenson's Punch and Judy. These are all great puppeteers but we would

like to increase our possibilities. If you have suggestions and contact

information, please send them to me.

Thanks,

Barbara Thompson

Springfield Public Library

bthompson@ci.springfield.or.us

------------------------------

From: "Connie Charron" <Conniec@gwmail.plano.gov>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: Time travel Stumper Answered

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:48:23 CDT

Thanks to so many of you who responded to my query about the girl in the boarding school who traveled through time on her bed.

The answer was overwhelmingly Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer. I'm going to have to read this gem that had previously escaped my attention. With gratitude from both me and my colleague!

------------------------------

From: Kathleen Ahern <kahern@selco.lib.mn.us>

To: PUBYAC <PUBYAC@prairienet.org>

Subject: donkey stumper solved

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:49:46 CDT

Thanks to all who responded to the "cumulative donkey stumper". Turns

out the title my patron was looking for was Goat's Trail by Brian

Wildsmith! Thanks to Beth C for the title and all others who helped

with great suggestions!

------------------------------

From: "Diane Adams" <diane@ccrls.org>

To: pubyac@prairienet.org

Subject: Stumper: Mayflower story

Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:50:57 CDT

Dear collective brain,

I have a patron whose cousin called and said she had to come to

the library and find the book that had a story about their relative.

Of course the cousin couldn't remember the name of the story, but

her sone brought it home from school so the library should have it.

I can't find anything that fits. We're not sure if this is a separate

book or part of a larger book or what.

The story is about John Blanchard, the patron believes he was an

adult, who traveled to America on the Mayflower. The story tells

about his falling overboard.

Please respond to me at the address below. Thank you.

Diane

 

Diane Adams Youth Services Librarian

Monmouth Public Library (503) 838-1932

P.O. Box 10 fax: (503) 838-3899

168 Ecols St. S. diane@ccrls.org

Monmouth, OR 97361

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From: "Karen Sonderman" <sonderka@oplin.lib.oh.us>

To: "PUBYAC" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: Karen Ackerman info

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:52:33 CDT

I have to pick the PUBYAC mind....I have a patron who needs info on Karen

Ackerman of "Song and Dance Man" etc. fame. We have been unable to locate

any biographical or even much general information (other than lists of her

works) in the traditional places-such as SATA, web, etc. We have found a

smattering of info on the dust jackets of her books (born 1951, lives in

Cinncinnati). I have heard she is very private. If anyone out there knows

of a place to get information, please email me privately and I will pass it

on to my patron (who is working on her MLS-good girl!). Her project is due

at the end of next week. TIA.

Karen Sonderman

sonderka@oplin.lib.oh.us

Taylor Memorial Public Library

Cuyahoga Falls, OHio

------------------------------

From: yrefsl <yrefsl@fortbend.lib.tx.us>

To: "'pubyac@prairienet.org'" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Subject: Pig stumper...

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Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 17:53:43 CDT

We have a patron who is looking for a series of chapter books that she used to read in the sixties. The main character was a pig and the setting was a farm. The animals would have all sorts of adventures, sometimes leaving the farm. The patron thinks one adventure may have been to the North Pole. Can anyone help us out?

Sherrie Soland

Fort Bend County Libraries

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End of PUBYAC Digest 127

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