DHS Library News

September 2022

By Alice N. Johnson, Library Media Specialist | ajohnson@dedham.k12.ma.us

Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm | DHS Library Website

Stowe Rec Path, Stowe, VT, Aug. 2022 | Photo credit: Alice Johnson

My family and I were able to get away for a nice weekend in Vermont, where we enjoyed the beautiful 5.3 mile Stowe Recreation Path. In the distance, you can see Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak, which we hiked last summer.

From the Librarian

Welcome! I am so happy to be back for another year at DHS and am looking forward to working with all of you: assisting you with your school projects and assignments, helping you find great books to read, supporting your technology needs, and providing you with a welcoming space within the school.

Over the summer, I enjoyed spending time with my husband and sons (ages 16 and 18), going to concerts, and enjoying time outside. Something I'm proud of from the summer is that I learned how to bake a lemon meringue pie entirely from scratch, and it came out great, if I do say so myself! ;) Of course, I also spent a lot of time reading. Some of my summer favorites included The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb, The Maid by Nina Prose, I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys, The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn, We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson, and The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I'd love to hear about any great books you've read recently!

This year we will continue to offer and expand our library programming with events like our annual Blind Date with a Book program and bring back some of our makerspace activities during X-Block. Please let me know if you have any new ideas. We are excited to begin using our renovated library space soon, with it's flexible-use, updated design. We are fortunate to continue to have Ms. Fares as our library aide. I can’t wait to see what amazing book displays she sets up this year! I’d like to remind you that the library is open from 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. As a reminder, students are always welcome in the library; if you’re not sure about our sign-in procedures, just ask! I am very excited about this year and hope that you stop by to visit the library soon, if you haven’t done so already.

― Mrs. Johnson

"We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth."

― John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury
(Former Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, banker, politician, philanthropist, scientist and polymath, 1834-1913)

Our "NEW" Library!!

The library renovation has ALMOST been completed and we are so excited to welcome you into our redesigned space sometime in the next few weeks! The majority of the construction has been completed, the new floors have been installed, the walls have been painted, and most of the new furniture has arrived. We can't wait to see DHS students and staff using this updated space! Stay tuned for our move-in date!

For now, the Library is still located in the Back Gym. Please stop by to find a book, get Chromebook support, or just say hello! We are open as always on Monday - Friday from 7:00am - 3:30pm. Hope to see you soon!

BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!

Many NEW BOOKS have just arrived and many additional titles will be added over the next few weeks. Stop by to see what's available. Also, if there's something you're interested in having us purchase for the library, whether it is a topic, series, author, or a specific title, please let us know on this book suggestion form. We may not be able to get all the books that are suggested, but we appreciate your help in maintaining a selection of books that will be of interest to our school community!

eBooks & Audiobooks through Sora

Our ebook & audiobook collection is waiting for you to explore.

-- Available to all DHS students & staff --
You can READ or LISTEN to books on your Chromebook, or on a personal device such as a phone or tablet. Use your school email account to log in to either the website or free app.

This collection is available to you 24/7. Click here to learn more!

“Read widely, and without apology.

Read what you want to read, not what someone tells you you should read.”

― Joyce Carol Oates (American writer, 1938- )

Summer Reading Information

Our schoolwide Summer Reading Book Discussions will take place on Friday, September 23. Check your school email for specific details. We will have 53 discussion groups representing 34 different books! It's exciting to know that the entire school will be talking about books and reading during that time.

Many thanks to all of our group leaders; their support is instrumental in making this program work.

I hope you enjoyed your summer reading book choice! Even though "summer reading" is almost over, I encourage you to try another book on our 2022 summer reading list for your independent reading. There are so many great books to choose from. Get a recommendation from a friend about what they read over the summer. Try something new! Stop by the Library or contact Mrs. Johnson if you're interested in any of these books and/or need a suggestion on what to read next.

Makerspace Activities in the Library

We aim to offer monthly makerspace activities in the library during X-block. Activities may include button-making, robotics, origami, duct-tape projects, knitting, and 3D printing. We are excited to continue offering and expanding these programs this year.

Stay tuned for sign-up information in upcoming newsletters and email.

“If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.”

― Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer (1949- )

National Hispanic Heritage Month - Library Resources

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic American Heritage Month.

"Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. " (U.S. Census Bureau | National Hispanic Heritage Month)

Take a look below at some of the recommended library resources available to you.

Print Books

DHS Library's collection of PRINT BOOKS for Hispanic Heritage Month - As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to direct you to some great books available through the DHS Library. These books are either written by, or about, Hispanic and Latino fictional or real characters. Stop by the library or contact us if you see something you would like to borrow.

eBooks & Audiobooks

MLS Sora eBOOK/AUDIOBOOKS collection for National Hispanic American Heritage Month - Our MLS Sora eBook subscription has a wonderful curated collection of ebooks & audiobooks for National Hispanic American Heritage Month. This list has been greatly expanded since last year and currently contains 514 ebooks & 180 audiobooks for grades PreK-12. Students and staff can borrow any of these resources by logging in with their school email address.

Additional Resources

HispanicHeritageMonth.gov - Explore this collection of resources provided by The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Biography (Gale in Context) Database - Read about some influential Hispanic Americans in our Biography in Context database. From the main screen, click on the light bulb icon to "browse people" and then use the drop-down menu to select "Hispanic Americans."

Vote Now!

Voting is open to all
MA students in Grades 7-12

MA Teen Choice Book Award
Vote Now for Your Favorite Top New Books!

Go online between September 1-23, 2022 to vote for your favorite YA books from the past year! Twenty books have been nominated. Which one will win? Winning titles will be announced in October/November. There is no minimum number of nominated books that must be read - teens can vote even if they have only read one!

The MA Teen Choice Book Award (MTCBA) is a cooperative project between the Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) and the Massachusetts Library Association (MLA), with support from Salem State University.

Follow on social media for voting updates | #MTCBA @MATeenBookAward

Banned Books Week 2022 | September 18-24.

We are celebrating our Freedom to Read!!

This year's theme is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.”

Typically held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week spotlights current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. The week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. Although this is celebrated during one week, this is a topic we can give our attention to at any time.

Read a Banned Book!

Here’s a list of the Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books of the Past Decade and the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021.

How many have you read?

@BannedBooksWeek | @banned_books_week | #BannedBooksWeek

“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

― Ray Bradbury, American Author (1920-2012)

Looking for your input!

We would love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about our library program and/or any suggestions on what we can offer, please let us know by completing the appropriate form.

Tech Support

I forgot my Chromebook . . . My Chromebook isn’t charged . . . Something isn’t working on my Chromebook . . .
I can’t connect to the network / WiFi . . . I forgot my password . . .

Reminder: The library is your first stop for any technical problems.

Please stop by the library to see either Mrs. Johnson or Ms. Fares should you have any questions regarding your Chromebook, email, or other technology issues. If we cannot address the problem, we will contact the Technology Team. We also have Borrowed Chromebooks available should you need one.

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”

—Carl Sagan, American astronomer and science writer (1934-1996 )

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The DHS Library Staff wishes you all the best for the 2022-23 school year!

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