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April 2022
By Alice N. Johnson, Library Media Specialist | ajohnson@dedham.k12.ma.us
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm | DHS Library Website
From the Librarian
From the Librarian
Happy Spring! I'm a bit behind on sending out my newsletter, so this one is jam-packed with news. Read on to see what's been happening in the library! Get a sneak peak into library renovation project, help provide input into DHS Summer Reading 2022, and help us celebrate School Library Month. You can also browse some of our new books, get a recap of Blind Date with a Book, learn about the upcoming Dedham Reads Together town-wide reading endeavor, and find some book ideas for National Poetry Month. For those of you who are working on research projects, this is a reminder that you can stop by the library and/or email me for extra help.
Don’t forget to stop by to grab a book (or two or three) for the upcoming April break. You can also borrow ebooks & audiobooks through Sora 24/7.
― Mrs. Johnson
The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.*
― Albert Einstein , theoretical physicist (1879-1955)
*Which is now located in the DHS Back Gym! ― Mrs. Johnson
Come visit us in the Back Gym!
Big Changes!
Big Changes!
If you haven't yet heard, the DHS Library is undergoing a renovation! Demolition of the existing space has now begun and the Library has be relocated to the Back Gym for the remainder of the school year. This renovation will allow for flexible use of the library space in order to accommodate a variety of learning situations and give it a much-needed refresh. Stay tuned for more exciting details . . .
The empty library.
“Here’s to books, the cheapest vacation you can buy.”
“Here’s to books, the cheapest vacation you can buy.”
― Charlaine Harris, American mystery author (1951- )
― Charlaine Harris, American mystery author (1951- )
2022 Summer Reading Input
2022 Summer Reading Input
This is your chance to help develop the 2022 DHS Summer Reading List! We are looking for suggestions that are of interest to YOU!
NEW THIS YEAR -- Suggest a TOPIC! As an alternative to suggesting a specific book, you also now have the option to suggest a topic that you would like to read about.
Please use this form for your suggestions.
ANY STUDENT OR STAFF MEMBER MAY SUGGEST A BOOK and/or TOPIC. You may make more than one suggestion if you wish. We will use this information to develop our summer reading list, from which you will make selections later on.
If you are looking for book ideas, check out these resources:
Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Awards - 2022 Nominees
The Hub: Your Connection to Teen Collections
Teens' Top Ten | Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
We want to give you the freedom to read something you want to read!
We want to give you the freedom to read something you want to read!
"Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities."
― R. David Lankes, Library Professor at several schools including University of Texas at Austin and Syracuse University, and winner of the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature for The Atlas of New Librarianship.
― R. David Lankes, Library Professor at several schools including University of Texas at Austin and Syracuse University, and winner of the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature for The Atlas of New Librarianship.
Help Us Celebrate School Library Month
Help Us Celebrate School Library Month
First celebrated in 1985 as School Library Media Month, and then in 2010 renamed to School Library Month, this event provides an opportunity to celebrate and recognize school libraries. Here are some suggestions about how you can connect with our school library.
What do you love about the DHS Library? Add to this padlet to show your love during School Library Month!
Do you have a favorite book that you would like to recommend to others? Try writing a book review! You can rate a favorite book using a five-star rating system and submit a book review to be added to our library’s catalog. If interested, follow these instructions.
Looking for a new book? Although many of our books are in storage during library renovation, you can still stop by the Back Gym to browse our shelves of new books. You can also check out our collection of eBooks and audiobooks anytime!
Do you have an idea of how to promote our school library? Design a poster or web graphic to advertise why students should use / visit our DHS Library. Send your completed designs to Mrs. Johnson.
Interested in a career in librarianship? Learn more about becoming a school librarian or explore the many other types of library careers.
“That’s why literature is so fascinating. It’s always up for interpretation, and could be a hundred different things to a hundred different people. It’s never the same thing twice.”
“That’s why literature is so fascinating. It’s always up for interpretation, and could be a hundred different things to a hundred different people. It’s never the same thing twice.”
― From the YA novel, Snow Like Ashes, by Sarah Raasch
Dedham Reads Together 2022
A Book Feast in Dedham:
Bridging Culture and Building Community with the Common Language of Food
Dedham Reads Together 2022
A Book Feast in Dedham:
Bridging Culture and Building Community with the Common Language of Food
Dedham Reads Together is an annual town-wide reading initiative to build community, foster learning and love of literature, and provide opportunities to support and celebrate the town’s libraries. Sponsored by DLIT and supported by the public library and all school libraries in Dedham, this program encourages the community to read books on a common theme, participate in supporting activities, and then celebrate at a culminating gala event (details TBD).
This year's theme is centered around food and all libraries in town, including school libraries, will be offering supporting activities. The DHS Library will be developing a school-wide digital cookbook (more details to follow).
"Read it and Eat!"
"Read it and Eat!"
Dedham Reads Together has selected supporting books for all reading levels: Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books. The complete list of titles is available here.
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Click on each of the books pictured here to learn more about the recommended YA titles.
Young Adult Fiction
Young Adult Nonfiction
Young Adult Graphic Novel
Available in both eBook and audiobook formats through
Sora / MA Commonwealth eBook Collections.
Use your school email address to login.
April's "Big Library Read" Available through Sora / MA Commonwealth eBook Collections -- Music Is History by Questlove
April's "Big Library Read" Available through Sora / MA Commonwealth eBook Collections -- Music Is History by Questlove
Borrow the eBook or Audiobook!
Borrow the eBook or Audiobook!
Big Library Read connects readers around the world with the same book (eBook/audiobook) at the same time. This worldwide digital version of a book club is available for free through your school and/or local library. From now through April 18 the nonfiction book Music is History by Questlove is available through Sora / MA Commonwealth eBook Collections without any waitlists or holds.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
New York Times bestselling Music Is History combines Questlove's deep musical expertise with his curiosity about history, examining America over the past fifty years.
Focusing on the years 1971 to the present, Questlove finds the hidden connections in the American tapestry, whether investigating how the blaxploitation era reshaped Black identity or considering the way disco took an assembly-line approach to Black genius. And these critical inquiries are complemented by his own memories as a music fan and the way his appetite for pop culture taught him about America.
A history of the last half-century and an intimate conversation with one of music's most influential and original voices, Music Is History is a singular look at contemporary America.
Thanks to all who participated! We hope you had fun!
💘💘💘
Although Blind Date with a Book 2022 is over, we still have many great books you can borrow.
Stop by to see us if you would like some recommendations on what to read next!
Recap - Blind Date with a Book 2022
Recap - Blind Date with a Book 2022
Don't judge a book by its cover!
Don't judge a book by its cover!
This past February, students and staff browsed our virtual selection of 80+ books, and/or stopped by the Library to see our display, and then made their selection for a "Blind Date." After borrowing a gift-wrapped book and then (hopefully) reading the book, students and staff were encouraged to complete the digital “Rate My Date” card to let us know what they thought of the "date" (book). Here are some excerpts from the comments readers shared about their books:
"Very cute and I love the graphics"
"It was kind of boring at first, but the ending was really sweet"
"Was surprisingly good and the perfect read for vacation!"
"The narration and onslaught of worldbuilding all at once immediately turned me off. :("
"I actually have been wanting to read this book so I was very excited when I got it. I really enjoyed it!"
"I chose this book because I like romance, and I was not disappointed!"
"Extremely cute and wholesome. I recommend to anyone struggling to fit in, or struggling to be nice while also standing up for themselves."
“Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy—where information is free and equally available to everyone. People tend to take that for granted, and they don’t realize what is at stake when that is put at risk. ”
“Libraries are a cornerstone of democracy—where information is free and equally available to everyone. People tend to take that for granted, and they don’t realize what is at stake when that is put at risk. ”
― Carla Hayden, American librarian and the 14th Librarian of Congress (1952- )
New Reference Books*
New Reference Books*
*a book intended to be consulted for information on specific matters rather than read from beginning to end. (Definition from Oxford Languages via Google)
A sampling of some of our new Reference books are highlighted below. Click on the link below each title to learn more about that book. If you see something that you would like to look at, please stop by the library to browse our New Books section.
Mosaic Posters
Mosaic Posters
Students have been enjoying working together to complete mosaic sticker posters. The image is unknown until enough stickers have been added to reveal the design. Check out some of our in-progress and completed posters. Stop by and give one a try!
"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."
― Robert Frost, American poet (1874-1963)
― Robert Frost, American poet (1874-1963)
April is National Poetry Month - Try Reading a Novel In Verse
April is National Poetry Month - Try Reading a Novel In Verse
To help celebrate National Poetry Month, I would encourage you to take a look at one of the many YA books that are written in novel in verse format, a story that has been written with poetry rather than traditional prose. The majority of these titles are accessible as ebooks and/or audiobooks through Sora (use your school email address to login). Try searching by title or author.
Here are a few suggestions:
Here are a few suggestions:
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Solo by Kwame Alexander
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Ordinary Hazards, a memoir by Nikki Grimes
Bull, a novel by David Elliott
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
White Rose by Kip Wilson
The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist by Margarita Engle
Home of the Brave by Kristine Applegate
Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins
"If you cannot be a poet, be the poem"
― David Carradine, American actor (1936-2009)
― David Carradine, American actor (1936-2009)
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