Summer Reading Clubs for Kids & Teens

The 2005 Summer Reading Club begins Tuesday, May 31. For kids, the theme is Dragons, Dreams, & Daring Deeds. For teens, the theme is Joust Read. Check out the details and print out your reading logs today.

School is out; students are gone...it's teachers' time to read

OK, teachers: your grades are submitted, graduation is over, and you are so ready to relax. Sit next to the swimming pool and relax with a good book. Enjoy your summer break by reading for fun and participating in the Teachers’ Time to Read summer reading program. It’s easy. Read six or more books, either children's or adult books, and record the titles on the reading log. Return your log to the Youth Services desk at any Johnson County Library location to receive a completion packet. When you return to school in August, display your certificate proudly to show your students that not only do you encourage them to read for fun, you love to read for fun, too.
You know, the whole…do what I say AND what I do…thing…

Author visit: Libby Fischer Hellmann and Patricia Sprinkle

A lively presentation by two award-winning mystery authors about their books, the act of murder, and why they do it (on the page)...Sisters in Crime members Libby Fischer Hellmann and Patricia Sprinkle will be here to discuss mysteries and much more. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Co-sponsored by Johnson County Library and I Love A Mystery Bookstore.

Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at 7 p.m. at Lackman Library.

Do you love a mystery? Join a mystery discussion group or check out the staff’s selections for great mysteries.

What if everyone in Kansas City read the same book? Discuss.

That’s the idea behind United We Read, coordinated by the Kansas City Metropolitan Library & Information Network. This is the fourth year of the event, and our goal is to have as many people as possible throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan Community read the same book. Everyone is encouraged to participate. This year, the committee chose two books: one fiction, one nonfiction.

Fiction
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
An epic tale of fathers and sons, of friendship and betrayal, that takes us from the final days of Afghanistan’s monarchy to the atrocities of the present.
“A wonderful work...This is one of those unforgettable stories that stay with you for years. All the great themes of literature and of life are the fabric of this extraordinary novel: love, honor, guilt, fear redemption…It is so powerful that for a long time everything I read after seemed bland.” -Isabel Allende, author



Nonfiction
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
In this fascinating, ennobling account, Mary Roach visits the good deeds of cadavers over the centuries—from the anatomy labs and human-sourced pharmacies of medieval and nineteenth-century Europe to a human decay research facility in Tennessee, to a plastic surgery practice lab, to a Scandinavian funeral directors' conference on human composting. In her droll, inimitable voice, Roach tells the engrossing story of our bodies when we are no longer with them.

From the United We Read Web page, you can find library copies of either book or take a survey to tell us what you think about the two selections this year.

Project InSECT online: Missed the broadcast? Check out the program via the archive

Today we were happy to present an all-online program on Project InSECT via OPAL (Online Programming for All Libraries). James Reitinger, Jessa’s husband, joined us to discuss Jessa’s work as an artist, why she paints insects and other crawling things, and how other libraries can develop artists-in-residence programs. OPAL uses Talking Communities software which combines voice-over-IP, co-browsing, and text-chat to facilitate online programs and meetings.

Listen to and view the online program at: http://www.opal-online.org/ProjectInsect.htm
This archive almost exactly replicates the online program as it was presented, but you won't be able to interact with text chat or voice-over-IP or view the online chat as it occurred.

Stay tuned for more online programs and let us know what kinds of programs you might like to attend through an online format.

For more information about Project InSECT, check out http://www.jocolibrary.org/projectinsect.

Preview Night is coming…have your Friends membership ready…

Ready to buy terrific books at terrific prices and support your library at the same time? The annual Friends of the Library Sizzlin’ Summer Book Sale is just around the corner, and Friends members get to shop for the best selection of book bargains at the Friends Only Preview Night Wednesday, June 8, 6-9 p.m. Most hardcover books are only $1; most paperbacks are only $.50.

Memberships will be sold on preview night, but you can get a jump on it and either apply for or renew your Friends of the Library membership now.
The book sale is open to the public Thursday-Friday, June 9-10, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday, June 11, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Location: Mission Center Mall, 4801 Johnson Drive, Mission, Kan.

The Library is Good for Business

If your business is growing, it may be time to think about recruiting and hiring new staff. Many small businesses, however, do not have the budget to hire a human resources manager or outsource personnel functions. To support small business owners, the library offers books and electronic resources on a variety of human resources topics. Library staff can recommend resources that will provide guidance in writing job descriptions and an employee handbook, determining a competitive salary and benefits package, and locating compliance information relating to state and federal employment laws and regulations.

The library has a subscription to the Bureau of National Affairs’ Human Resource Library online database. This database provides information on topics and trends in the Human Resources field, such as benefits, compensation, labor relations, termination, recordkeeping, nondiscrimination, payroll, safety and security. Although the database is only available at the Central Resource Library, library staff use this resource to answer your reference questions. Remember, library staff is available to answer questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through e-mail reference (jclref@jocolibrary.org) and online chat via Answers Anytime. Or, simply call (913-495-9100) or visit the library at your convenience.

Don’t forget that the library has books on human resources for check out as well as in the business reference section at the Central Resource Library. When you search the Johnson County Library catalog for human resources books, try doing a subject search using the phrase “personnel management;” this search will produce relevant results. Members of the library staff look forward to assisting you in your human resources and business needs. More information on our business collection and services is available at: http://www.jocobusiness.net.
Click, call or visit soon.

10 Most Important Web Design Strategies

Want to know how to improve your business’s Web site? Do you have a professional Web site, but you don’t feel that it’s effective? Join us Tuesday, May 17, 1-2 p.m., for this presentation by Joe Lieberman of SPIDERtel. Mr. Lieberman’s presentation is part of the monthly Empowering You! Technology for Your Business and Life series. The workshops are held at the Central Resource Library and offer tips and ideas on different technology-related issues to use in your business or home office. Cosponsored by Integral Computer Consultants. Registration is requested; call (913) 495-7514.

To find more business programs and resources, visit our JoCoBusiness page at: http://www.jocobusiness.net.

Can't make it to the library? Join us online on Friday, May 20...

Join us on Friday, May 20 for an online discussion about Project InSECT. James Reitinger will discuss Jessa’s work, why she paints really big bugs, and the business of being an artist, as well as tips for establishing an artist-in-residence program at other libraries.

To learn more about Project InSECT and to track the daily progress of Jessa’s work at the Johnson County Library, check out our Web site at: http://www.jocolibrary.org/projectinsect
Hope to see you online!

Directions for accessing the program online:
1. The day of the program, go to: http://www.opal-online.org
2. Click on “meeting rooms”
3. Click on “OPAL auditorium”
4. You will be asked to sign in. Use your first name and last initial or some other unique identifier.
5. A small (and safe) applet will download onto your computer, and it might take a couple minutes.

Once you’re in the online meeting room, you can interact using Voice-over-IP or using the text-chat option. To speak, press and hold the Control key on your keyboard.

Honeybee progress and programs

Tomorrow, May 13, Jessa and James will present two programs for children at the Central Resource Library. These programs (one for ages 4-9 and one for ages 10-13) teach children about the work of painting and the bugs Jessa paints. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and see Jessa in action.

Project Insect for Young Children (ages 4 - 9) 1:00 p.m.
Project Insect for Older Children (ages 10 - 13) 2:00 p.m.
Central Resource Library Large Meeting Room
These programs have been specifically created for home schoolers, although all children are welcome. Learn more about Project InSECT at: http://www.jocolibrary.org/projectinsect

Although Jessa’s only been painting for a week, the honeybee painting is well on its way. Each day we take pictures of the painting to chart her progress, and the honeybee is really starting to take shape. Check out the daily progress of the honeybee via our Web site.

Pre-Business Plan Basics

Denise Upah, professional entrepreneur, will be at the Central Resource Library, Wednesday May 11, 6:30–9 p.m., to talk about business plan writing and suggest key questions to ask yourself if you are thinking about starting a business. Cosponsored by K-State Research and Extension. Registration requested; call (913) 495-7514 or (913) 764-6300.

Find more business classes and resources at our JoCoBusiness Web page http://www.jocobusiness.net.

Learn, explore, enjoy, create, and connect through summer activities at the library

Enhance your summer by participating in classes for adults, teens, or kids at the library. Want to know more about gardening, genealogy or starting a business? Would your teenage cousin like to compete in a Magic: The Gathering showdown? Does your toddler love storytime and fingerplays?

The Johnson County Library Summer 2005 Activities catalog (PDF) lists programs in June, July, and August. Library classes and programs are always free and open to the public. Pick up a schedule of events at any library location, or you can always find information about library activities from our Classes and Events Web page.

Survey on classes and events at the library: let us know what you want

Do you enjoy poetry readings and author visits? Do you wish the library offered more classes on new technologies, like blogs, RSS, and podcasting? Maybe you’d be more interested in taking free cooking or gardening classes at the library? The library provides hundreds of free programs a year, but we want to make sure we’re offering the classes and programs that fit your interests and schedule.

Let us know what kinds of programs you’re interested in by filling out the online Adult Programming Survey. The survey will be available online from Monday, May 9 through Sunday, May 15, 2005.

Find more information about classes and events at the library via our Web page.

Bee trivia just in time for Project InSECT: Jessa begins painting today

To celebrate the honeybee, the subject of Jessa Huebing-Reitinger’s work as Johnson County Library artist in residence, we’re featuring daily bee trivia on the library’s Web site, http://www.jocolibrary.org.

How much honey does a bee produce in its lifetime? How much honey does the average American consume annually? How do bees communicate with each other? Learn more about the state insect of Kansas throughout the month of May.

Jessa started painting today, so drop by the Central Resource Library to enjoy her work. As she paints, you’re welcome to ask questions about insects or how Jessa has made a career out of painting really big paintings of bugs. She’ll be painting from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, May 5 through June 4, 2005.

To learn more about Jessa’s work and associated library events for families, teachers, artists, and kids, check out the library’s Project InSECT Web site at http://www.jocolibrary.org/projectinsect.

Brown Bag Lunch and Learn: Online Marketing

Bring a lunch to the Central Resource Library Monday, May 9, 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m., and take home an idea for improving your business. This month's workshop is "Local Online Marketing: How to Promote Your Local Business on the Internet," presented by John Jantsch, Jantsch Communications, of Duct Tape Marketing fame. Cosponsored by Entouch Networking Group. Registration requested; please call (913) 495-7514. Print a Brown Bag Lunch and Learn flier (PDF).

Kansas Screen Saver Contest: Vote online for your favorite artwork from artists in grades K-6

Beginning Monday, May 2, and continuing through Friday, May 13, Kansas citizens are encouraged to go to http://www.accessKansas.org to vote for their favorite artwork. Artists include students from kindergarten through sixth grade. The artists receiving the most votes per grade will have their artwork included in a downloadable Kansas Pride screensaver. These students will also win a trip to Topeka to meet and receive an award from the Governor.

The finalists were selected from more than 425 entries by a panel of judges from the Governor’s Office, Kansas Department of Education, Kansas Highway Patrol, Information Network of Kansas and accessKansas. The free Kansas Pride screensaver will be available from May 23, 2005 until May 2006.

Don’t know where to turn? JoCoFamily.net is here to help

Need to talk to someone about family conflicts, depression, or substance abuse? JoCoFamily.net provides a listing of local crisis hotlines. Is your son or daughter involved with the juvenile justice system, and you’re confused by the legal mumbo-jumbo? Consult the legal glossary of terms. Looking for anger management or family counseling services? Find community agencies that can help in the JoCoFamily.net directory of community resources.

JoCoFamily.net provides local resources, services, and materials for families through a partnership among non-profit organizations, county agencies, and local school districts. The Web site (http://www.jocofamily.net) provides 24-hour access to community resources and legal information for Johnson County families of at-risk youth. We are now expanding JoCoFamily.net to include topics such as child development, family law, and family-friendly community activities, and serve as a resource for all families.

Update: Check out the new JoCoFamily.net site. The Web address and content have stayed the same, but we've moved the site to a new server which will enhance our ability to maintain and develop the content. The new site, which is officially live today, includes an improved community calendar and database of local resources.