World Book Wants Your Thoughts

We have so many great resources here at the library that we sometimes forget to tell people about them. One that I've always liked and suggested to kids is the World Book Encyclopedia. We have the hard copy version on the shelf and we also offer World Book Online for free through our Power Libraries Databases. All you need is a library card!

Right now, World Book is also asking for your opinions. As librarians we always have opinions on the types of things we buy for library use, but this time World Book wants to hear from the kids and parents who use the materials. Go ahead and email them at worldbookadvisors@worldbook.com . Tell them what you think!

Cool Website Tool

While looking for information on Bushbabys for a patron I came across this very cool website. This just struck me as a possible tool for homeschooling families, as well as further fun/education for everyone.

Backyard Jungle is a PBS kids based website. It was created by a group of people "who like to explore the outdoors, to see what beautiful and scary things live there, and see cool stuff from others all around the world." Backyard Jungle was created and is produced by staff at Forum One Communications. Backyard Jungle was funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Check out some other cool sites that CPB funded, too!


Below is the "about us" information on their webstie.

Backyard jungle is a sophisticated, free, kid-friendly website where users around the world can load photos, drawings, and descriptions about the natural surroundings where they live, their "backyard." Users manage and map their own information, share it with other people who visit the website, and visit and comment on the backyards of other users as well. With other people worldwide users can explore and answer the question, "What's out there?" All the content (information, photos, and drawings) on the website is loaded by users themselves.

Backyard Jungle is organized around three types of information that users load into the website: "Members", "Backyards", and "Discoveries." Anyone can view this information. Only people who join as Members can load in information, map their Backyard, and put Discoveries into the website. Members also get to vote on each others materials, earn points, and get featured on the home page and other parts of the website when they load in something super cool or beautiful. Members leave their computer, explore their surroundings (yards, neighborhoods, parks, wildlands), and return to load descriptions and photos and drawings into the website.

Word of the Week Defined

Onomastics, our word of the week, is the actual study of names, name history, and naming things.

If you can find an interesting or unique word that you think we should define for others, or have one you need defined, let us know, and it may just become part of the blog.

Word of the Week

Another new feature on this blog, a word of the week. Definition for this one comes on Monday, but before that, can you figure out what it is?

Word of the Week: Onomastics