S P L A T

Wait! Where are the Updates!!??

2011-02-10T15:33:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know that we're going to be posting all of the updates through our mail list which you can register for here:

http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/egov/docs/1233954738598.htm

Just be sure to click the box for 'Library Young Adult News'

You will get a weekly newsletter with all that's happening with SPLAT and with the Young Adult Department. The format is simpler, and you won't have to worry about checking the blog now and then.

Donate a Gift to SYFS

2010-11-29T16:06:00.002-05:00

SPLAT will be collecting non-violent gifts at the library to donate to Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services. If you are able, bring a gift to the library clearly marked 'SPLAT' so they will get to the right place (these gifts don't go in the Toys for Tots bins). If we get 50 donated gifts before December 10th, a special $50 GameStop giftcard will be added to the gift swap at the upcoming Holiday Party (Dec. 23rd a the library - register now!). Show your support of those in need this holiday season!

Peace,

Dan Barbour

Young Adult Librarian

Youth Trivia Showdown!

2010-11-12T11:52:00.004-05:00

Back by popular demand!

The SPLAT Election!

2010-10-21T11:15:00.003-04:00

The election is coming!

I am pleased to announce that we have three very qualified and exceptional candidates who submitted their forms on time in the race for SPLAT president. As previously announced at the last SPLAT meeting, there will be the first and only debate this FRIDAY at 4PM. Come out and show your support for the candidates, and if you’re undecided, learn from them first hand what they have planned in the important role. I am very pleased and relieved at the caliber of the candidates running. I can say honestly that I would be pleased to see any one of the three win. They are all dedicated and able to do the job, and I am certain whoever wins will make a huge positive impact on the Young Adult Department at the SPL.

Here are the candidates and the schedule for the election events.

SPLAT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES (In alphabetical order):

P________, Anjali – Grade 10 – She describes herself as “organized” and “hardworking.”

R______, Afsha – Grade 9 – She describes herself as “responsible” and “reliable.”

S____, Aditi – Grade 8 – She describes herself as “leader” and “confident.”

SAMPLE BALLOT:

UPCOMING EVENT SCHEDULE:

Friday, October 22^nd at 4PM – SPLAT Debate and ALL GROUPS Meeting

This event will be open to families as well as SPLAT members. The three SPLAT presidential candidates will discuss why they should earn your votes in November. We will also have a brief all groups meeting where we will announce a new volunteer program for SPLAT members. If there was ever a meeting NOT to miss, this would be it!! Again, bring your friends!

Tuesday, November 2^nd – VOTING (Drop in anytime from 2:30PM-6PM)

Anyone in grades 5-12 with a valid Shrewsbury Public Library card will be able to vote for the FIRST EVER SPLAT PRESIDENT! The candidates will be on the ballot along with other state and local races. Ballots will be anonymous, but voters may only cast their ballot one time. And then make sure you come to…

Tuesday, November 2^nd from 6PM-8PM – THE ELECTION RESULTS PARTY!

Gather around to eat snacks and eagerly await the election results. We will have local election results playing on a television and make the announcement of who the SPLAT president is as soon as the votes are tallied. This event is open to all SPLAT members and their families. The winning candidate will also deliver a short acceptance speech.

All right! That’s quite the update – I really hope it gets to everyone this time!!

Any questions? E-mail me at dbarbour@cwmars.org. (Don’t reply to this e-mail, it doesn’t work!)

Peace,

Dan Barbour

Young Adult Librarian

Shrewsbury Public Library

Update!

2010-08-27T11:05:00.004-04:00

Sorry it's been so long for a post. A busy summer is going to be my excuse! I do keep up with the e-mail list though, which you should sign up for to get all the latest "breaking YA news"! Here are the upcoming meetings:

There is a Bird in the Library!

2010-07-26T09:56:00.003-04:00

Took a photo of a bird that is in the library! Oddly enough, it was in the people-watching section.

(Click to enlarge)

2010-06-29T11:31:00.000-04:00

Next Meeting - Focus on New Members!

2010-06-17T07:40:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! After a great story in the Telegram and Gazette, I think we should focus our next meeting (Friday, June 25th at 4PM) on welcoming any new members. The story will most likely attract interest from a different circle of people, and that is awesome! So spread the word - we'll have a normal meeting, but invite any friends who've been asking or might be interested. If you haven't seen the story yet, click here - it's really great and I thank all of you who participated in being interviewed!

Peace,

Dan Barbour

Young Adult Librarian/Volunteer Coordinator

PIZZA TIME!

2010-05-24T15:13:00.002-04:00

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE!!

Hey everyone! Mark your calendars! We're going to have a pizza party! Almost every YA event (or almost every library event for that matter) is free, but this one is a little different! We need you to get your families to eat at Papa Gino's for dinner on Thursday, June 17th. Either pick up a specially marked bookmark at the library, or print out the ENLARGED (click it) picture above, bring it to the WHITE CITY Papa Gino's, and they will donate 20% off all you spend to SPLAT!! It's so cool - you get to eat great pizza, pasta, etc., and we get some of the dough (I know, that's cheesy.....OH, I did it again!!)! If you don't want to eat in, that's fine - this counts towards carryout as well (just not delivery). Even consider buying extra food so you have it for the rest of that week. It's a great way to celebrate only having one day of school left!!

2010-05-18T16:31:00.001-04:00

Take The Survey!

2010-04-26T19:38:00.001-04:00

Hey all! Your parents probably got a survey in the mail, but guess what - you're not left out! If you are in grades 5-12, take this survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VB9RZW6

It will really help with SPLAT - which is quickly evolving from good to great!

Thanks,

Dan Barbour

Young Adult Librarian

Shrewsbury Public Library

Pic of the Week

2010-04-16T11:15:00.002-04:00

Hey all! Not much time for updating - so busy - but I just wanted to post this pic of just some of our hard-working volunteers at the SPLAT table! Peace!

Updates! Updates! Updates!

2010-03-25T11:37:00.002-04:00

National Library Week is Coming!
National Library Week (NLW) is right around the corner - April 11th-17th. For this event week, the Shrewsbury Public Library will be doing quite a few special things - and SPLAT is going to be a part of it. Each day SPLAT will have a table in the lobby featuring giveaways and information on SPLAT. One thing we'll be giving away is "I Love My Library" bumper stickers to patrons of all ages! It will be a blast, but I need help - I need volunteers to sit at the booth each afternoon to help promote SPLAT. It will be fun, and everyone who volunteers will be entered in a raffle to win a great prize! I need at least two people at each slot, and you can sign up for more than one time. Every slot you take will earn you one raffle ticket for the prize.

E-mail dbarbour@cwmars.org to sign up for one of the following slots:

Monday 4PM-6PM
Tuesday 4PM-6PM
Wednesday 4PM-6PM
Thursday 3PM-5PM
Friday 3PM-5PM
Saturday 1PM-3PM

You do not have to be an active SPLAT member to help, but you do need to be in grades 5-12. Basically that means if you are a member and want to invite friends to sit with you, feel free!!

"I Love My Library" Youtube Video Contest
(CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE)

If you're in grades 5-12 and live in Shrewsbury, you can enter the "I Love My Library" video contest. The rules are simple - create a video no longer than three minutes long describing why you love your library. You can use a home video camera, web-cam, or any other recording device you have to put something together. You can be funny, serious, crazy...whatever, just remember library staff will vote on their favorite video. If we get at least ten entries, the winning entry will receive....wait for it.... a $50 giftcard to Regal Cinemas sponsored by Fidelity Investments of Shrewsbury! Again, we must receive at least ten qualifying entries for the contest to be held at all, so spread the word. Once you have made your video, you just have to upload it to YouTube, and e-mail the link to me (dbarbour@cwmars.org) along with your name, grade, and phone number. If you have any other questions, just let me know. Submissions are due no later than Sunday, April 11th at midnight.

Summer Reading Kickoff
The summer reading kickoff event is coming this June, and we're having a carnival of sorts in our large meeting room to get things going! We need SPLAT members who can either face paint or come dressed as clowns to help add to the event! If you can help, e-mail me (dbarbour@cwmars.org). Thanks!

Other Event Reminders:
3-Hour Writing Competition - Thursday, April 22nd from 11AM-2PM (Vacation Week) Slots almost full.
Mario Kart Tournament - Friday, April 23rd at 1:30PM (Vacation Week!)

Basket Raffle Update: $205 (raised since 3/11 - $995 to go!)

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian
Shrewsbury Public Library

Follow Us on Facebook

2010-03-16T16:22:00.001-04:00

Hi there! SPLAT is now on Facebook - be sure to find us. We're a group - you can find us most easily by searching: "Shrewsbury Public Library: SPLAT" I wish it were easier, but I cannot figure out how to link it up. If you know, pass along the tip!

Updates!

2010-03-02T11:50:00.002-05:00

So I wanted to let all of you know that we have to postpone next week's session of the Teen Book Club for 8-12th graders. Our first selection will still be "In the Path of Falling Objects" by Andrew Smith. It was originally scheduled for March 9th at 4:30PM, but has to be delayed because of an issue with our newsletter. Originally, our newsletter (with info on the book group) was to go out two weeks ago, giving people plenty of time to read the book. Due to a printing delay, the newsletter won't be to homes until next week, so the better part of the Shrewsbury population would have no idea about the group even happening, let alone have time to read the book in time. I will e-mail you all with the new date once it's scheduled.

Here is the upcoming meeting schedule for SPLAT (grades 5-12) - hope to see you all there - whether it is your first time or a repeat visit - and remember, all meetings are 45-minutes or less unless otherwise posted:

Monday, March 8th at 4PM - Ordering Team
Attend this meeting if you have suggestions for items to add to the YA collection.

Thursday, March 11th at 4PM - Fund-raising Team
Attend this meeting if you want to help develop strategies for raising money for SPLAT. If you're not familiar, SPLAT has NO BUDGET, but instead raises all of the money for programs and prizes through various fund-raising approaches.

Friday, March 12th, at 4PM - Events Team
At all of the group meetings, we talk about events. The Events Team is there to actually execute the ideas and develop new ones.

Friday, March 19th, at 4PM - All Groups/New Members
This is our regularly schedule monthly session. There will be a game and a prize, as well as updates from all of the teams. Great for new members and/or people looking to get volunteer hours!

If you're not already signed up for our e-mail newsletter, follow these instructions:

1. Visit this link: http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/library

2. On the right side of the page, a little ways down, you will see a box with the words "E-Mail List" - click on it.

3. Now, enter your e-mail address and your name, and BE SURE TO CHECK OFF THE "Library Young Adult News" BOX about half way down the page! If you don't check off this little box, you won't get the e-mails!

4. Click the "Sign-Up" tab at the bottom and you'll be all set once you confirm your e-mail address. (You'll get an e-mail from lib-ya)

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian/Volunteer Coordinator
Shrewsbury Public Library

Exciting Event Notice

2010-02-01T16:16:00.001-05:00

As stated previously, checking this blog gives you the most up to date information on events. That being said, click the link below to be one of the first to find out about an exciting week of events coming up this Spring....and maybe you'll even get something free out of it!!

http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/egov/docs/1265055797_530944.pdf

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

You're Invited!

2010-01-25T11:11:00.003-05:00

We're now taking registrations for the second Youth Trivia Showdown. Whether you know the lyrics to every Taylor Swift song, can name all of President Obama's staff, or can list off the starting lineup for the Boston Red Sox, chances are you'll get to show off what you're best at during this event!

Like last time, we will be providing free pizza courtesy of Dunkin Donuts of Shrewsbury, and everyone in attendance will get a prize of some sort - with the winner taking home another really great mystery item!

The event will be held on Friday, February 19th, at 6:30PM. Registering in advance is required as we are hoping to know how much pizza to buy. You can call 508-842-0081 ext 5 to register. If you get my voicemail, just leave your NAME, GRADE, PHONE NUMBER (in case of bad weather) and TOWN (This is an open event - meaning even if you don't live in Shrewsbury you can attend!).

Look forward to seeing you all then!

Scavenger Hunt Event!

2010-01-05T12:18:00.002-05:00

In celebration of the release of film adaptation of "The Lightning Thief", the Shrewsbury Public Library will be holding a mythology themed scavenger hunt event for teams comprised of parents and children. Grades 3 and up are invited to compete for prizes including movie passes and books from the bestselling series by Rick Riordan. The event is sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts of Shrewsbury, and registration is required.

Event Date: Friday, February 5th
Event Time: 6:30PM-8:00PM
Register: Visit or call the Children's Room - space is extremely limited. 508-842-0081 x. 4

Writing Competition Winners

2010-01-04T15:37:00.002-05:00

All right folks - here it is - the announcement of the 2009 Teen Writing Competition results. We were waiting to post the winners until they were notified, and now that we've let the lucky/talented writers know, here they are:

FIRST place (OUT OF 75 ENTRIES):
The Flaming City
by Jack McShane

Second place:
The Book Without a Title
by Nicholas Esposito

Third Place:
The Mysterious Library
by Jackie Sullivan

If you are one of the three people above, e-mail dbarbour@cwmars.org your story so I can post it on the blog!! Thank you to the judges and to all that entered. Important note for next year: FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS. Many entries had to be disqualified for not following the rules as explained on the entry form. If you're planning on submitting a story next year, follow the rules or your work will not even get in the hands of the judges!! That being said, we still received a huge amount of qualified entries, and are thoroughly impressed with the talent that young writers of Shrewsbury have!

Best Chef a Success....AGAIN!!

2009-12-30T12:54:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all of the participants and judges who came out and made last night's event such a fun time! Below is a collage - more pictures will be posted soon! You can click on the collage to enlarge.

And the Finalists Are...

2009-12-10T10:08:00.002-05:00

Again, the Shrewsbury Public Library received an overwhelmingly large amount of stories to read and judge for this year's competition. Of the over 70 entries, below are the top eight in no order whatsoever. As the judges are still working on selecting the top three, we are only going to list the titles, not the names at this point.

The Top Eight Stories (in no order):

Being Known
The Flaming City
Marki, The Tiger, and the Snitch
The Adventures of Bluelow
The Brain Vs. The Bully
Sarah's Adventure
The Book Without a Title
The Mysterious Library

The winners will be notified within the next few weeks, as well as posted here on this blog as soon as the news break. Remember, while we try to list things as fast as possible, the judges are trying to choose the best three stories which takes some time due to the length of each submission. Good luck to all, and to those who didn't make the finalist list, thank you so much for trying. It's always tough to eliminate stories, but it's important to know that if you didn't win this go around, that doesn't mean you aren't a great writer. Stephenie Meyer, author of the "Twilight Saga", was rejected by at least 15 publishers before getting her break - so keep writing!!

Holiday Party Update!

2009-12-07T14:11:00.003-05:00

Thank you all for coming out to the fun holiday party! Below is the group photo that we took. Over 25 people attended the event and ended up with a t-shirt, gift, and pizza! Thanks to everyone who brought desserts to share!

Have a great and safe holiday season!

Dan, Young Adult Librarian

Exciting Raffle Basket News!

2009-11-24T16:18:00.003-05:00

The winners have been notified and the money has been tallied! SPLAT would like to thank everyone who bought tickets into the annual Fall basket raffle, and to those who helped put the baskets together through various donations. 100% of the money raised goes to teen programs and teen materials in the library.

The total raised, drum roll please.....
$1,031.00

Way to go! That money will go a long way in helping the teen department at the SPL!
Look for more baskets to be unveiled this coming spring! If you have any ideas or would like to donate a basket, please e-mail me, Dan Barbour, at dbarbour@cwmars.org.

Peace!

Holiday Party

2009-11-13T15:20:00.003-05:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE.

Hope to see you at this great event! Click the image and print as many as you can to pass out and hang up around town. This will help get the word out! Thanks for your help!

Best Teen Chef is BACK!!!

2009-11-10T12:18:00.003-05:00

COME TO THE LIBRARY TO REGISTER BEFORE SPACE RUNS OUT!!!

This event was a huge hit last year, so we're doing it again! The next installment of the popular event will feature the same rules, but new ingredients! Teams of two people - one of which must be a Shrewsbury resident, and both of which must be in grades 5-12, must register for their chance at taking home the mystery grand prize. PLEASE NOTE: Due to limited space, not all teams of two will get the chance to participate. We will do a random drawing at the beginning of the night to determine which teams will compete. Only teams that are preregistered will get the opportunity to be in this drawing. Everyone else will get to watch in the audience, as well as try and win a small prize in our food trivia game. Adults, friends, and family members are encouraged to be in the audience.

Great News!

2009-11-09T15:22:00.002-05:00

I have some great news! The Shrewsbury Public Library was recently awarded a grant from the Central Massachusetts Regional Library System!! With the funds that they are providing, we will be able to get some gaming equipment for trivia competitions, as well as a new video camera to film the events! Thank you so much CMRLS!

An Event That Won't Suck!!

2009-10-01T15:37:00.004-04:00

Book Giveaway - Friday, October 30th, 4PM-5PM

In celebration of “The Vampire’s Assistant”, the SPL will be giving away copies of the the book the film is based on - from the Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan. To get a book, teens (grades 5-12) must come dressed as the ‘Freak’iest monster they can be. Everyone who is registered and in costume will get a free copy of the book. The person with the best costume as voted by the group and library staff will win a four-pack of movie passes! There will be snacks and a ghoulish game in addition to the contest, so be sure to register before it’s too late!

To register, stop by the library or call 508-842-0081 ext. 5. Note, if you leave a voice message, it is not guaranteed that you are registered! The event is limited to 15 teens only.

Did you see our pumpkin?

2009-09-28T14:43:00.003-04:00

The Library displayed our Big Read 2009 pumpkin this past Sunday - did you see it? If you missed the lineup, here's a picture of the carved out creation we put together. What do you think? You can blow the picture up just by clicking on it:

Meet the Baskets (Click to Enlarge)

2009-09-23T10:46:00.011-04:00

Stop in the library before Nov. 20th to purchase your tickets. 100% of the proceeds go to sponsoring teen events and materials at the library! Click on any picture to enlarge and see what's inside each basket!

Ticket prices:
1 for $1
6 for $5
15 for $10

Teen Trivia Showdown Pictures

2009-09-17T09:26:00.018-04:00

Last night, about 22 teens from Central Mass gathered at the Shrewsbury Public Library to take part in the first ever "Youth Trivia Showdown!" We also had a great group of other teens, parents, and siblings cheering on from the crowd! A special thanks to ULTRA, teens from Upton, as well as Sutton, for joining in on the fun! Also, I want to say a very special thanks to Dunkin' Donuts of Shrewsbury who sponsored the event!! Here are some pictures from last night - no specific names will be used in this post:

The Runner-Up (left or top, depending on monitor size) & The Winner (right or bottom)

Interesting Survey Facts from the Competition:

Out of 23 responses, teens prefer ("neither" was also an option - so if the numbers don't add up to 23, that means more selected "neither"!) ....

Facebook (12) to Myspace (0)
Harry Potter (12) to Bella Swan (4)
Transformers (15) to G.I. Joe (2)
Moe's (11) to Qdoba (3)
(tie) Papa Ginos (10) to Dominos (10)
Chocolate Ice Cream (12) to Vanilla Ice Cream (11)
Coke (13) to Pepsi (6)
Fall (15) to Winter (5)
Dogs (12) to Cats (7)
Survivor (10) to American Idol (3)
Hannah Montana (3) to Jonas Brothers (1) (yes, neither received 19 votes!)
Math (11) to History (10)
Rock Band (10) to Guitar Hero (8)
(tie) XBOX 360 (10) to Wii (10)
Democrats (13) to Republicans (2)
Dunkin Donuts (18) to Starbucks (3)

WRITING COMPETITION IS ON!!

2009-09-07T00:00:00.002-04:00

CLICK THE GRAPHIC BELOW TO PRINT THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM, OR PICK ONE UP AT THE LIBRARY. READ ALL THE RULES - LAST YEAR WE HAD TO WEED OUT A FEW ENTRIES FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES. LAST YEAR WE HAD 82 ENTRIES, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN BEAT THAT THIS YEAR!! HAPPY WRITING!

EXCITING UPCOMING EVENT!

2009-08-27T10:33:00.001-04:00

EXCITING UPCOMING EVENT:
Youth Trivia Showdown

Wednesday, September 16th, 6:30PM

If you're a trivia buff, or just seem to know a lot of useless information, it's time to put your skills to good use! Teens and 'tweens from any central Massachusetts town are invited to the SPLAT "Youth Trivia Showdown!" Covering topics like movies, music, history, science, local interest, and some surprises, this event is something not to miss! Register by calling the Shrewsbury Public Library at 508-842-0081 ext. 5. If you leave a voicemail message, be sure to include your age, town, and phone number. FREE OF CHARGE until slots are filled. Teams will be comprised of members from each community, so we'll see which Central Mass town has the smartest (or luckiest!) teens and 'tweens! There will be free pizza and plenty of prizes!

CAREER WORKSHOP NOTICE

2009-08-10T16:35:00.000-04:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE

New Things!!

2009-07-31T15:16:00.002-04:00

Stop by the Loft to see a great new addition - artwork from Shrewsbury teen Angela Zhou. I am no art critic, but I think the work is great! Also, be sure to check out great France posters in the YA Book Room.

In other news...

The library is now circulating "The Way Cool Game of Science" - a series of DVD games that feature Bill Nye the Science Guy. You can check out two at a time - they are shelved behind the DS games.

All right, that's all I've got for now!

Seen Harry Potter Yet?

2009-07-15T09:41:00.003-04:00

If you've seen the new Harry Potter movie, e-mail me your review along with a star rating (one star to four stars, four being the best) and I'll post it on this blog! dbarbour@cwmars.org

New Poll

2009-06-30T15:05:00.002-04:00

It's the battle of the ages!!!

Well, maybe not, but still - vote in this month's poll to support two of the most popular book series of our time. Do you prefer Harry Potter or Bella Swan? Do you like wizards or vampires? Check back often to see how the voting goes!

Also, welcome Marlboro readers - last month we actually had more readers from Marlboro than Shrewsbury!

2009-06-23T12:48:00.001-04:00

www.readsinma.org/shrewsbury

Area 609 is now open!!

This is the 2009 Summer Reading Program for Teens and 'Tweens in grades 5-12. Register at the link above (you will have to select the Area 609 tab) to begin entering your books and following clues to win prizes!

Updates!

2009-06-15T11:02:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone! Here are some updates...

*The Shrewsbury Public Library is now on reduced hours due to budget cuts. The biggest differences you will see it that we are no longer open on Thursday nights, and every day we open at 10AM as opposed to before where we opened at 9AM on certain days. Also, Saturday, June 27th, will be the final Saturday we are open until the fall.

*The Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union made a generous donation to the library by sponsoring Optimal Resume - an online resume creator that is state of the art. It's never too early to start learning how to write a resume, and it will impress anyone you might be looking to get a job with for the summer. You need a valid library card to log-on (which you can do from home!), but it's free thanks to the Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union! For more information, click here.

*We are now taking sign-ups for the Heritage Night. For the event to go off, we need to have people sign up to take different country booths. Find out more information in the previous post (below).

*I am looking for ideas for educational DVDs to purchase - preferably career skills titles. If you have any ideas, e-mail them to me: dbarbour@cwmars.org

*A bunch of new manga is on the way. Thanks to the SHS Manga Club for all of the great suggestions.

Peace!
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Heritage Night - NEW DATE SET

2009-06-09T14:48:00.003-04:00

Due to a poor date selection, the previous Heritage Night event was postponed from this past May. The new date is Monday, July 13th, from 6:30PM-8:30PM - if you are running a booth, the room will be open from 4:00PM-6:30PM for you to put things together.

If you don't remember or were too busy to notice what the event is, it's a cultural event run by students in grades 5-12. What you need to do is select a country and prepare a booth in our large meeting room to show off that culture. You do not have to be from that country - you just need to research it. Japan, China, and India have been taken so far, but there are plenty more countries to go around!

Prepare things like snacks, music, outfits, and other items to educate visitors on your chosen country. The country team that puts together the best booth as determined by judges will walk away with a great mystery prize valued at $100 thanks to Dunkin Donuts in Shrewsbury.

Like before, we need at least five booths or the event will be canceled. E-mail me to register or stop by the library. If you had signed up before, you have your country reserved - please just confirm with me that you still want to do the event.

**HELP** Below is a poster I designed to promote the event in town. Please print off as many as you can and put them up everywhere!! If you see a spot with ads, ask if this can be put up too! I really would appreciate your help with this, even if you cannot come to the event! Thanks!

CLICK GRAPHIC TO EXPAND

Further information below:

Register your country at the library now. There will be only one booth allowed per country, but no limit to the number of people helping at that booth. The first person to sign up for each country will be in charge of that specific booth, but must provide contact information if others want to help them with that country. Participants have to be in grades 5-12, but do not have to be from the country they are representing. Instead, everyone involved in running a booth must be educated about their chosen country. There is no charge for this event, but people running a booth must provide all of the items and materials.

Thanks,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian
Shrewsbury Public Library

Dan in Japan

2009-06-08T09:24:00.002-04:00

Hello friends!

So I can now tell you a little bit of information about "my adventure" as referred to in previous posts. Some of you know that I was cast on the reality program "I Survived a Japanese Gameshow." If you've seen "Hell's Kitchen", it's sort of like that show, but replace cooking with crazy, off-the-wall, colorful games, and a yelling head chef with a comical Japanese host. I cannot legally say any more, other than you can watch the show on ABC beginning on June 17th (a date that has changed recently - the original date was in July) at 9PM.

I hope you watch, cheer me on, and stop by the library to tell me what you thought!

Here are some neat links with more info - please note that I did not write ANY of this information as I am not allowed to give away info until I either win or am eliminated from the show:

Cast Picture and Information
I Survived A Japanese Game Show - Home - ABC.com

Peace!

A Memorial Day Poem

2009-05-26T14:11:00.002-04:00

Thank you to Sahil Suresh for sending us this poem! Leave your comments below.

Stop and Think
A Memorial Day Poem by Sahil Suresh

Imagine you were outside playing with your friends on May 25,
Take a moment to stop and think on those who helped to make America what it is now,
Memorial Day is the time of the year when we recognize the superior deeds the U.S. Army did for our country,
It’s the time of the year when we realize who were the people that fought for our country,
The people that risk their lives,
Just to protect our country,
The U.S. Army defends our country no matter what,
They are the true audacious and fearless heroes in our life,
Memorial Day is a day not only dedicated to those war heroes,
Such as Grant or Washington,
But to those soldiers whose names are unheard of,
Memorial Day is the day when we identify those soldiers who died,
And let them know that there death wasn’t in vain,
Because these soldiers died for our country,
They molded America into what it is now,
Memorial Day is the day we acknowledge the people that serve our country,
To those who are currently serving our country,
Or to those served our country at one point,
Memorial Day is when we recognize these people,
We acknowledge them not only for the excellent deeds they have done for our country,
But for their Bravery and Courage,
So next time it’s Memorial Day,
Stop and think,
On those that helped to make America what it is now.

And the winner is....

2009-05-18T09:32:00.002-04:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE

This is a pretty cool video....

2009-05-14T11:38:00.002-04:00

Now, keep in mind, the following e-video is from a book publishing company, but the statistics are a good thing to show parents who may not totally be sold on the idea of graphic novels. What do you think?

Making of a Graphic Novel from Capstone Publishers on Vimeo.

WOW!!

2009-05-04T14:24:00.001-04:00

Keep voting and telling your friends to watch the show - but great job in already voting over 35 times in a matter of days!

Peace,
Dan

Shrewsbury Teens on TV!!

2009-04-29T10:53:00.001-04:00

WATCH THE SHOW AND VOTE ABOVE!!!

The show will begin by May 5th, and air for at least two weeks.

SPLAT Teen Writing Competition can be seen on SETV channel 29.

Mondays at 8:30pm & 11pm

Tuesdays at 5:20pm

Wednesdays a t 5:52am

Thursdays a t 4:30pm

Fridays at 6:30pm & 10:30pm

Saturdays at 7pm

This show can be seen at these times until May 17th - when voting closes. The show may air after that, but votes will not be accepted. The contestant who gets the most votes will win a $50 Borders gift card. The voting results will not be revealed until the end of the competition, and the winner will be posted here on or around May 20th.

Feel free to forward this to as many people you know in town! Remember, one vote per computer, so it's up to you to get the word out about voting!

I cannot wait to see how it all turns out, so spread the word and happy voting!!

Sincerely,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian
Shrewsbury Public Library

2009-04-27T14:30:00.002-04:00

TEEN WRITING COMPETITION

HITS THE SMALL SCREEN

AND ONLINE VOTING BEGINS SOON!

Back in March, 13 students from grades 5-12 entered a unique writing contest at the Shrewsbury Public Library. They had three hours to write a story that would take only three minutes to read and present to what they thought would be a small crowd.

There were a couple of surprises though, and one of them is that they would not only be reading their stories for the other participants, but also for the entire Shrewsbury community.

Thanks to SETV Channel 29 and Library Trustee Laurie Hogan, the presentations will soon be airing for a two-to-three week period in which online voting will be conducted. The 40 minute program will let the public decide who they think did the best job. The student who receives the most votes will win a special prize!

So tune in and catch the presentations, and then come back here to vote.

Voting will begin soon and run for about two weeks.

We Need Volunteers!

2009-04-22T09:44:00.002-04:00

HERITAGE NIGHT

THURSDAY, MAY 28th - 6:00-8:00PM

We are looking for teenagers who can set up booths in our large meeting room to represent different countries.

These participants should:

... come dressed in clothing from their chosen country.
... bring games and toys from their chosen country.
... teach other participants words from the language of their chosen country.
...bring candy and appetizers from their chosen country.
...provide detailed information for participants to take home with them.

Judges will vote on their favorite country booth, and the winners will take home a great prize!

Register your country at the library now. There will be only one booth allowed per country, but no limit to the number of people helping at that booth. The first person to sign up for each country will be in charge of that specific booth, but must provide contact information if others want to help them with that country. So far India and China have been taken.

Participants have to be in grades 5-12, but do not have to be from the country they are representing. Instead, everyone involved in running a booth must be educated about their chosen country. There is no charge for this event, but people running a booth must provide all of the items and materials.

Back!

2009-04-17T16:48:00.003-04:00

I cannot say much, but many of you were here when you (and I!) found out about the "adventure" I was embarking on for a little while, thus why this blog has not been updated since the middle of March. I can let you know that I am back safely (if not bruised and exhausted), and look forward to updating you with all sorts of great upcoming events and the status of my "adventure"....I will post more next week. Until then, have a great holiday on Monday, and a great vacation week!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Blog Update

2009-03-20T15:25:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all of the loyal readers of this blog. This blog is going to be "on vacation" until the end of April, so be sure to check back then for exciting updates on spring and summer events at the library. Be sure to read the posts below too though to make sure that you haven't missed anything!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian
Shrewsbury Public Library

2009-03-19T09:39:00.000-04:00

CLICK TO ENLARGE. THIS IS A GREAT NEW EVENT!!

Easy Reads

2009-03-13T09:26:00.003-04:00

New Section in the Teen Room:

The new "Easy" section in the Young Adult Room is intended for anyone who doesn't have the time to read a longer story, may have trouble reading, or just enjoys a simpler storyline. They may at first glance look like children's books, but they are geared towards grades 5 and 6. They are great transitional books - a good first step from the Children's room into the Young Adult Room. You can find this section above the fireplace for now, and you can tell which books are "Easy" by the bright orange sticker on the side. Let us know what you think!

FULL

2009-03-11T11:35:00.004-04:00

The 3-Hour Writing Showdown is full! Sorry if you were hoping to attend, but look forward to more great events in the future!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Thanks!

2009-03-07T12:55:00.002-05:00

Thank you everyone for coming to the event yesterday with ice cream and surveys and that extra little exciting moment! It was awesome to see so many of you!

The themes that got the most votes were horror/crime scene and space/aliens, so we'll be developing a combo of those elements to form the program. We announced that the grand prize is going to be a Nintendo DSi system - the brand new gaming device that comes out this spring!

FREE ICE CREAM FRIDAY!!!

2009-03-04T10:19:00.003-05:00

Like ice cream?

Like winning stuff?

Get to the library this Friday at 4PM and get a free ice cream sundae when you help us choose a theme for this year's summer reading program! Every teen or 'tween who attends will get some free ice cream and a raffle ticket to win a DVD! The winner can choose either Wall*E or Twilight (which will be held for them when it releases later this month!).

Tell your friends, because we need as much input as possible!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Halo Book Chat THIS WEDNESDAY

2009-03-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone!

Remember, the book chat for the Halo book "Ghosts of Onyx" is this Wednesday (March 4th) at 7PM. If ten or more people come, everyone will be entered in a raffle to win a $50 Gamestop giftcard! So tell your friends to come! If you haven't read the book yet, you still have a couple of days (it's a quick read) and we have a bunch of copies kept aside at the library. You don't need to finish the entire book to enter the raffle, you just need to know something to contribute to the conversation!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian
Shrewsbury Public Library

Get Your Mystery Movie Tickets!

2009-02-26T11:51:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone!

Sorry I haven't updated in a little while - I was on vacation but now am back to it!

The tickets to our mystery movie are going already, and if you want to have some free pizza and see a smash hit movie on our library big screen, get your tickets soon! The movie is rated PG-13, so those 13 and under will have to have the permission of their parents to attend. When you pick up your tickets, you can find out what the movie is!

The event will be held Thursday, April 23, at 11AM. It's 100% free, but limited to 30 participants!

And tell your parents that registration for the adult cooking competition is now open!!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Rivalry Race THIS FRIDAY!!!

2009-02-10T19:34:00.002-05:00

There are still a few spots to be a contestant on the Shrewsbury Public Library original game show/hunt event "Rivarly Race." There will be some awesome prizes and those in grades 3-12 are welcome to team up (at least two people per team) and enter. There are two sessions Friday night - one at 6:00PM and another at 7:30PM. There are two team openings for the 6:00PM and four for the 7:30PM at this point, but the spots will fill in quick. Call the library at 508-842-0081 and dial extension 5 to begin the registration process! Seeya there!

How Much Do You Save By Using the Library?

2009-02-06T15:55:00.001-05:00

Hi there! I found this really fascinating calculator that estimates how much you spend per visit at the library. You can plug in the various items you get per visit, and then see how much you are saving by having your library card!

Check out how much you spend, and then post a comment with the amount in the comments section (you can do this without posting your name or joining blogger!)

http://www.masslib.org/value-new/calculator.html

Funny Comic Strip

2009-02-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

I think this comic strip is hilarious and totally relevant!

And people think we're just about shoooooshes and books!

(Depending on your monitor size, you may have to click the strip to see it fully.)

Volunteers Needed!

2009-01-26T11:01:00.003-05:00

Hi friends!

Due to a great event suggestion from an anonymous blog commenter, we are going to go ahead with a special Heritage Night event. The event will be a celebration of the diverse community we live in, all run by teens and 'tweens from Shrewsbury. Here's what I need now though:

*I need between 5-10 volunteers to help organize the event. I put together the basic rules and so forth so we could get the information in our next newsletter. I need people to help make more concrete plans. Volunteers would be expected to meet a few times prior to the event to help get things in line for a successful Heritage Night.

I think this event has HUGE potential, but it will require the help of a small team of you guys and gals. Ask your friends if they can help out, because this is YOUR event. I enjoy putting things together - it's my job - but I also want you to enjoy it!! So contact me at dbarbour@cwmars.org as soon as you can with the best days and times you could meet, and we will work on scheduling our first session.

Peace!
Dan

E-mail from the author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

2009-01-23T09:39:00.001-05:00

Hi guys and gals! I just wanted to thank everyone for coming out to the launch party last week for the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, and as I said I would do, I sent the picture that is in the previous post to the author of the books, Jeff Kinney. He managed to take time out of his crazy schedule to send us a brief e-mail message back, and I thought I would post it here for you to read! Totally cool!!

Thank you so much for having a Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 launch party! It was so gratifying to see the picture of the kids holding books. I put a lot of work into the kit and am so glad that it was well received!

Jeff

'Wimpy' Event Super Cool

2009-01-15T18:37:00.003-05:00

Thank you to Dunkin Donuts, Fidelity Investments, and Amulet Books for sponsoring this great event!
If you're visiting the blog for the first time, WELCOME!! This is the place to get the first notice of events for grades 5-12, and sometimes younger ages for our scavenger hunt events. Bookmark this site and check back often, and be sure to vote in our polls.....they sometimes help shape different events we have!!

Peace,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Program Ideas!

2009-01-05T12:13:00.003-05:00

Hey there! So I just wanted to seek out some program ideas from you guys and gals. We're going to be doing more video game nights and cooking competitions as those have been quite successful.

What other types of events do you all think would be good to have in the library?

I've received a couple of good suggestions, but am always looking for more ideas to enhance the programming here at the SPL. It's your area - make it your own! Post a comment or e-mail me (dbarbour@cwmars.org) and we can work something out around your idea. Whether it be another or more specific type of game night, or having someone come to the library to teach you some skill, or a competition of some sort, let me know what you think would attract a lot of people!

Peace!
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

The Search for Atlantis is on....ALL MONTH

2009-01-02T11:39:00.002-05:00

Drop in ANYTIME during the month of January to make your way through a maze in hopes of finding the lost city of Atlantis....right here in the library!! Here is the first part of the adventure:

The following is fiction:

Welcome library visitors! You are about to embark on a unique adventure right here
in the library. If you are “in-the-know” on the topic of Greek history, you are well
aware of who Eratosthenes was. For those of you who may not know him, he is the
guy who theorized about many things, including the lost city of Atlantis. A lot of
historians have had ideas about where this ancient city is located - or whether or not it
even exists. Eratothenes however had a team of investigators who thought they discovered the whereabouts of this mythological land. When they unveiled their findings at a “press release” type of event, they concluded the city was located in the Strait of Sicily. There was very little evidence to conclude this though, and the team became the laughing stock of the entire community. What many people didn’t know however is the person doing the talking at the “press release” was Oopsithenes, a philosopher who made many mistakes (this is where the English word “oops” is derived from.) Instead of saying the lost city of Atlantis was in the “Straight of Sicily”, he should have said the city was located in a “Street in Shrewsbury.” The library has compiled a lot of evidence and theories about these findings, and if you choose to continue on we must warn you: There are some evil people hunting for the information that you will seek. Make your decisions wisely along the way, or risk falling into a treacherous trap! So, want to continue on?

Look under the YA Fireplace to make your next move.....

Best Chef a Success!

2008-12-30T09:21:00.017-05:00

Thanks to everyone who came out last night for one of the most successful events we've hosted for teens and 'tweens. The library had over 60 people either competing or in the audience for what was a fun night of cooking, competition, and a whole lot of laughs. Here are some pictures from the event.

The teams gather as they wait notice of which four lucky teams will get a chance to cook.

The teams get ready and wonder what is in their mystery boxes.

The trio of culinary experts watch the creations come into fruition.

The RED TEAM - the winners, prepare their dishes.

The BLUE TEAM puts together a tasty cake creation called "Chocolate Wonderland"

The YELLOW TEAM puts their tough ingredients to good use!

The WHITE TEAM earned some very high marks for their plating and creativity!

Thanks again to Fidelity Investments for sponsoring this great event!

Read the Winning Story!

2008-12-20T13:29:00.003-05:00

I started a new blog called SPLATsterpieces to feature the writings of the teens and tweens in Shrewsbury. I thought it fitting to kick off the first post with a winning story - and that story would be "Blood Cabin" by Matthew Romano. On a personal note, I loved the story. I wasn't a judge in the competition, but as the scores reflected, the judges loved the story too! Read the story at the new blog, and post your review below the post.

Bookmark the new blog: http://splatsterpieces.blogspot.com/

Again, congratulations to all of the finalists and I cannot wait for the next competition to read even more great stories!!

Peace!

AND THE WINNER IS....

2008-12-19T10:34:00.002-05:00

Sorry about the delay - please note that both prize winners may claim their prizes next Monday after 12PM. If you were one of the eight finalists but not a winner below, there will also be a small prize waiting for you at this time as well. Congratulations!

In second place, with a score of 335 out of a possible 400:
Tatiana Karadimitriou for the story "The Girl Named Eustronia"

And our grand prize winner, with a score of 355 out of a possible 400:
Matthew Romano for the story "Blood Cabin"

Thank you to all who participated - the scores were very close!! We will be holding another contest in the New Year - and hope you enter then. Also, a special thank you to our four hard working judges who managed to read through so many of your stories and pick the winners above.

The judges were:

Anne Wentzell, Assistant Principal, Gr. 7, Oak Middle School - Shrewsbury
George Brown, Assistant Library Director, Shrewsbury Public Library
Sarah Sogigian, Trainer/Consultant for Youth Services, Metrowest Regional Library System
Dennis Holtgrefe, Electronic Resources Librarian, Shrewsbury Public Library

Why So Serious?

2008-12-18T14:00:00.005-05:00

I have not forgotten about announcing the writing competition winners - we're just waiting on the final scores to come in!!

I need to address an unfortunate situation that has occurred in The Loft.

SPLAT purchased some new posters for the room - one of them a "Batman: The Dark Knight" poster with the Joker on it. It fit the room well, and was suggested by a teen. Unfortunately though, the poster has been stolen.
One could argue that it's just a $10 poster and we shouldn't worry about it, but on the other hand, it's more than just a $10 poster. It's a part of the new Loft which I for one am very excited about. Every detail, including the $10 posters help add something to the room which makes it more inviting. I will not replace the poster for a good long time, and I am not looking for anyone to donate another in the time being. I don't think anyone should have to spend money on something we already own.

If anyone has seen the poster or knows who may have taken it, feel free to e-mail me: dbarbour@cwmars.org with details. If by chance the poster-napper is reading this post, if you could just please hang it up on the wall or leave it in The Loft, I will not seek any sort of action against you - I just want the poster back.

I would hate to have to close the room if this type of theft continues - but it is a possibility.

I know that this post doesn't apply to most of you - so many of you use the room and help make it great - this message is only intended to inform and talk to one person - you know who you are.

'New Moon' Movie Gets a Release Date

2008-12-16T18:32:00.002-05:00

Whether you love or hate the Twilight saga, I will inform you that according to Yahoo! news and the Associated Press, the next film, "New Moon", has been given a release date of Nov. 20, 2009.

Did you see "Twilight" yet? Write your reviews under this post. I have heard incredibly mixed things but haven't seen it yet.

Peace!

The Last Straw

2008-12-15T14:34:00.000-05:00

Thank you all for your patience in the announcement of the winner of the first writing competition! We received over 80 entries, so the process has taken a little bit longer than originally anticipated. Please know though that this time is being spent carefully choosing the two prize winners, so if you are a finalist, just be comforted in knowing the judges are thoughtfully considering each title for the top honor!

I thought you might all like to know about a new upcoming event we'll be having - "The Last Straw" launch party. If you are a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, you'll want to come to our event on Thursday, January 15th, from 5:00PM-6:15PM. The event is for students in grades 4-9, and each student must bring a parent or guardian to enter a special mystery competition. I will say though that every attendee will receive a FREE hardcover copy of the new book, a tattoo, and an official bookmark featuring Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The event is sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts, and space is limited to only 30 students and their parents/guardians. Sign up begins today - at the circulation counter of the library!

Weather Notice

2008-12-12T09:54:00.003-05:00

Due to the weather conditions, the
SPLAT Meeting for this afternoon will be postponed.

The library is currently without power (10AM), so I feel it's better to push the meeting back. I will post the new date on this blog when I can check the schedule.

Peace and Be Safe,
Dan Barbour
Young Adult Librarian

Winners Coming Soon

2008-12-11T10:49:00.004-05:00

Due to the overwhelming amount of stories received in the Teen Writing Competition, the judges are still hard at work selecting the winners from the finalists listed below. Unfortunately, individual comments and/or criticism is not available as so many stories (80!) were entered into the competition.

A reminder to all entrants:

Stories that did not follow the formatting rules (font, spacing, length) or submit their story with the form attached as the rules state, were not considered for judging.
Stories that were received late were not considered for judging.
The judges have mentioned how hard it was to narrow the field down to the eight finalists, and how much harder it will be to narrow those down to two. At least two judges stated how pleased they were with many of the submissions!
Due to the success of this competition, we hope to offer further writing competitions in the future. If you weren't selected as a finalist, don't despair - more chances to win and show your work in this arena are to come!

The winners will be posted here as soon as I get the word!

Hopefully very very soon!!

Congrats to the Finalists!

2008-12-04T19:02:00.000-05:00

Teen Writing Competition Finalists

(Listed in Random Order)

Once in a Blue Moon

By Eliza Mendoza

The Dark Side of Life

By Jack McShane

The Girl Named Eustronia

By Tatiana Karadimitriou

A Different Kind of Friend

By Emma Aulenback

The Lamp on Freedom Way

By Abby Joseph

The Weirdest Birthday Present Ever

By Joelle Jura

The Dark Rose

By Dhanya Kumar

Blood Cabin

By Matthew Romano

Winners will be posted here when the judges finish scoring - hopefully by the end of next week - if not sooner!

Today! (If you're reading this on Thursday!)

2008-12-04T11:58:00.002-05:00

The Loft is opening today!

Stop by anytime from 4PM-7PM, eat some cake, try to win a prize (one raffled off every 15 minutes, and now a chance to win the new Prince Caspian DVD!) and see the new space which is totally for you! Also, we will be announcing the top eight finalists in the writing competition, and unveiling a few other ways to win prizes in the coming months!

See you later!!

Find Out First!

2008-12-01T15:31:00.003-05:00

I have written numerous times that there are advantages to reading the blog. Sometimes you learn about new events before they hit the newsletter. Sometimes you see pictures from library events. Now, I am going to post a list of prizes we'll be giving away at the Loft grand opening. Remember, the counter above is dwindling (almost exactly three days to go!). Be here on Thursday from 4-7.

Here is what you can win:

DVDs:

Spider-Man (Widescreen Special Edition)
Spider-Man 2 (Widescreen Special Edition)
Rush Hour 2 (Infinifilm Edition)

Games:

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (For Wii)
Scene It? TV Travel DVD Game
Spiderman DVD Blast!
VG Pocket Tablet

Books:
Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)
Disney High School Musical: All Access (High School Musical)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book
Select Naruto Titles

Movie Stuff:
Twilight Soundtrack
Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Figurines

A couple of the posters are no longer going to be prizes - one was damaged, and one was actually used in the room itself. We did replace these prizes with two others - both donations worth more than the posters!!

Each person can win one time - prizes that aren't claimed by the end of the evening will be used in other events. You must be present to win! You must be in grades 5-12 to be eligible to win.

Welcome Newsletter Readers!

2008-11-25T14:28:00.002-05:00

If you don't normally read the blog, and decided to check it out due to the mention in the recent library newsletter, welcome! This blog, having recently gone through an upgrade, is here to provide you with the most up to date information on library services, items, and other random bits of interest. One of the many benefits to this blog is that event details are often posted here first. If you've ever tried to attend a library teen event and the registration was full, this blog will help eliminate that problem if you check it often. We hope you peruse the recent posts, add a comment or two, and check by often. Again, welcome!

LOFT GRAND OPENING!!

2008-11-20T11:43:00.002-05:00

Cooking Competition Coming Soon!

2008-10-31T16:15:00.002-04:00

MONDAY, DECEMBER 29th, 5:30-7:00PM

Get a team of two people in grades 5-12 together.
Call the library to register your team of two. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Come to the event and your team will make up part of the audience.
At the beginning of the night, we’ll draw the names of four teams to
compete in the challenge. The remaining teams will stay as part of
the audience to cheer on the other teams and sample their
creations after the competition has concluded. There will be a
great mystery prize to the winning team, and a special
“twist” ending. If you are not a teenager, you are
welcome to come and be a part of the audience.
You’ll be invited to sample the creations as well!! No
need to register for this - first come, first served.

Costume Contest

2008-10-29T14:15:00.002-04:00

Get your scare on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH by volunteering to be a monster in the Haunted Library program.

Here's the deal -

You know you want to wear your costumes more than one night, and this gives you the perfect chance to show off all the guts one last time. You'll be stationed at a part of the library, and at the appointed time, scare groups of "tourists" on a haunted library expedition. It's going to be a blast. And it gets better. If I can get TEN volunteers or more, I will give one volunteer a $50 Borders gift card. The people who attend the event will vote on which monster they think is the scariest. The person who gets the most votes wins! Tell your friends, and let me know. You need to register your monster in advance with me - this way I know if I need to get the gift card or not!

E-mail me: dbarbour@cwmars.org

Peace!

Local Chef Visits (and Works!!) at the SPL!!

2008-10-10T10:07:00.011-04:00

Many of you know Miss Priya as the kind, soft-spoken, uber-friendly Children's Librarian. Did you know when she takes off her library name tag to go home for the night, she often swaps it for an apron?!! One of Priya's passions is cooking. Last night, she shared some easy to make recipes with a crowd of hungry onlookers. The theme was Indian cooking, and she introduced many traditional Indian ingredients and dishes that received RAVE reviews! Here are some pictures from the event:Chopping onions before the big event!

"There is no such thing as too much spice." - Priya's apron

Passing out samples!!

Miss Priya is incredibly strong!!!!

Mango lassi doesn't last long when people keep refilling!!!

Other pics of the food cooking.....

Shuttle anyone?

2008-10-09T15:40:00.004-04:00

If you aren't aware, if you go to either the Shrewsbury Public High School, Oak Middle School, or Sherwood Middle School, you can ride to the library for FREE on Mondays and Wednesdays once classes get out. You NEED to register at the library first, but once you do (a parent must register with you) you are good to go for the rest of the year. This is a special service sponsored by The Institute of Museum and Library Services and Dunkin Donuts.

Film Screening

2008-10-07T14:19:00.003-04:00

Here is the film trailer to the movie we're showing this Friday at the library. Tickets are 100% free! Be sure to stop by and see the summer blockbuster presented on the big screen! 2PM - the film is rated PG-13. For grades 5-12.

Cookie Day - A Tasty Success

2008-10-06T09:01:00.002-04:00

About a dozen of you showed up to free cookie day this past Friday! Here is a collage from the event (click on the picture to blow it up for easier viewing!) Thanks for coming all! And a special thanks to the Wicked Good Cookie Company for their awesome designs on the cookies!

Mitali Perkins Workshop Posts

2008-10-03T09:30:00.001-04:00

ATTENTION -
All of the posts submitted to me are now online. If you attended the event, but took your work home, it will obviously not appear below. Feel free to email me (dbarbour@cwmars.org) with your creation and I will add it to the stories below!

If you attended the writing workshop with praised author Mitali Perkins this past weekend, then you know how much fun it was! If you missed it, here are some of the creations that came from the writing workshop and Mitali Perkins great direction.

The participants were asked to choose a place, a character, and an emotion for their paragraphs. I'll let you figure out which was which in the following pieces.

The writing creations are going to be typed as they were written unless my spell checker caught something obvious, and I apologize for any typos in advance. Any possibly offensive language has been omitted.

From Anonymous

Alex sighed, slumping down in her seat she closed her eyes and let the music and the screaming children fill her ears. All her stress melted away and relaxation washed over her. It was another rough day at school and she had tried not getting in trouble but those 11th grade girls made her blood boil and it seemed to be getting worse and worse every day. Many aromas filled the air and she could almost see the golden, buttery popcorn through her closed eyelids and taste the big fluffy pink cotton candy melting in her mouth. The Ferris wheel came to a halt, and Alex climbed out and disappeared into the darkness.

From Anonymous

I hear the waves crashing against back. Everything's normal and calm. The salty air tickles my nose. I grow a big smile on my face. I feel damp, cold. "Oh, sorry let me introduce myself. I'm Meg, 11 years old. I'm an average girl that has a ton of friends." I spread my arms out to feel the nice cool breeze filling my body with joy. The blue sparkling ocean catches my eye as I look out at it for miles. And just then, out of the blue, a humongo wave hits me like a rain storm crashing down on me "Blech! Puh! Eeew!" I make these horrible noises as salty water pours out of my mouth.

From Sahil S.

Paul stared down at the bustling streets of New York through a window of a huge towering apartment. It was a gloomy and stormy night. There was a knock on the door. Paul's guardian walked in and started towards Paul with dinner. Her name was Sara. She knew at first glance Paul was a handsome teenage American. He had brown silky hair with eyes filled with sorrow. She knew those eyes. They were eyes that had seen too much. She didn't blame him, for his uncle had been shot. It was unexpected. Paul could see a gang smoking on the sidewalk from his window. Paul sniffed at the thick foggy gray smoke reaching his window on the 12th floor. Paul had never known his parents. Their death was unexpected as well. He started to eat the steaming pancake with a thick juicy cover of maple syrup that Sara had prepared for him for dinner. He poked the tender pancake. Sara is Paul's only relative that is alive that is. He heard a knock on the wooden door. The knock was so loud that another one like that would break the door. Sara opened it. Slam! Sara was hit and slumped to the ground. Two men in tuxedos walked in with a wide grin which had slowly formed on their faces. Paul stood and realized his fate had been sealed.....

From Kevin S.

The towering oaks dappled shadows over my body with the full moon shining over my head. Leaves crunch and crackle under my feet as I kick pebbles along the path trying to relieve myself from the pressure on me.... With the icy mist sending shivers up my spine, I survey this dark, icy land that I placed myself in and think, "How fit this place does." Running down the path, trying to run away from what happened...I am powerless.

From Olivia A.

I watched as my younger sister happily scurried down the stairs and towards the Christmas tree. I followed behind much more tired, looking out the window to find that the sun was barely over the horizon line. It was too early. From the other side of the room my mother pushed a knob on the stereo and Christmas Carols filled the entire room. My sister wasted no time getting to her gifts, and was surrounded by a flurry of wrapping paper. The scent of freshly baked Italian Christmas cookies lingered in the air, as it had for me past week. My father entered the room with a green box with holes in it, and placed it on white carpet in front of me. I let out a yawn as I opened the box in one swift motion. Inside was a small, brown, fuzzy creature...a dog.

From Nidhee K.

I sat in the waiting room of the doctor's office, watching the dozens of mothers comfort crying babies, or read them stories or flip through magazines that were months old. As I inhaled deeply trying to calm my nerves, a great amount of antibacterial sanitizers assaulted my nose. It did nothing but hatch more butterflies in my stomach. It seemed as an eternity had passed until I heard "Lauren, the doctor will see you now!" A strong sense of foreboding washed over me as I followed the overly happy nurse, with the fake smile plastered on herself, into the examination room. I tried not to take this as a bad omen.

From Hannah B.

I ran into my seat loosing my shoe to the floor of the school bus. Once again I was too late and the big yellow monstrosity that I call a bus almost left without me. The small of turkey sandwiches engulfed me as I slid into the pleather seat next to Ellen. I voices yelling all around me blocked out what Ellen was saying. "Hey, did you finish the science paper? It took me about 2 hours to finish only 3 pages." Ellen stated. I looked at her as if she had three heads. "What science paper?" I asked, my voice rising. "That 5 page paper we had to write for Mrs. O..." Ellen trailed off, "You didn't do it, did you?" I had five minutes to write a five page paper on a subject that I was failing in. Good job Miss Forgetful.

From Rohit S.

Fear coursed down my spine as I walked slowly through the forest. I hadn't realized how dark it was until now, with the trees swallowing up any sliver of light the moon cast. Dead leaves, twigs, and the smell of dirt surrounded me. The slow rhythm of footsteps behind me suddenly began to get quicker as well as loud. My pace picked up to a slow trot. My heart was now pounding as if it wanted out. Crunch. Crunch. The sound of dead leaves being stepped on was getting louder and louder. Now, I was sprinting. My mouth was as dry as sand paper and my breath, a wheezing. The world began to sway as I ran on, my eyes stinging from the sweat and tears pouring into and out. And then--

From Anonymous

Finally! How long does it take Mommy to eat her stupid lunch, anyway? I darted into the car and told my mom to hurry up. When we arrived at the fair, my sister (who, by the way thinks that she's all that just because she's twelve and I'm "only" 6) told me to shut up or else. I can't believe that we had to wait FOREVER just to get our tickets, I mean who needs those things, anyways? Anna says that I was running around like some Maniac, I don't even know what that is but it sure sounds like a good thing, I hope! That pizza smelled so good, I almost hit my mom when she said no. My mom said that I already had that fluffy, warm cotton candy, but I just think that she doesn't have enough money!

From Anonymous

I tiptoed toward the giant white door at the end of the long hallway. It seemed to glow like a star as I continued my way down. Finally, I approached the majestic door. This was it...the moment of truth...I grasped the door knob tightly, slowly turned, and then pushed the door forward. And there in front of me laid the most beautiful place I had ever seen. Delicate pink flowers seemed to pop out of the wallpaper and bring their sweet fragrance with them. As I made my way across the room, I noticed a faint noise coming from a musical box. The ballet music made me want to dance and run...and even fly. I was in such a trance that I fell over onto the enormous bed. The soft, warm blanket made me want to fall asleep--and sleep for all eternity.

From Anonymous

As I was riding my horse in the gloomy forest I knew something was chasing me but I couldn't look back. I grabbed the leather reigns harder the horse neighed. It was catching on so I whipped the reigns and the hoofs of my horse grew louder. The birds in the sky screeched and flew away. It was catch on so I whipped the reigns again and I knew my horse was galloping faster. The sun was peaking down in to the mountains as the evening sky looked like fire. I knew I couldn't keep doing this but the nearest allied encampment army group is still far away. I kept whipping the reigns telling my horse to speed up.

From Himansu D.

It was my first day in this school. All the kids looked at me like I was different. I had to go to my class, but I was too nervous to ask anyone. I just kept wandering the school until I found my classroom, when I got in I heard a warm welcome song that my new classmates sang me. Then I tasted the sweet m and m cookies my new teacher had got. I thought this new school was going to be hard and scary but it turned out good. I even made a new friend he was 2x as tall as me but really nice. I really like this school.

Thanks for all the great works!!!

Extreme Makeover: YA Edition!

2008-10-02T12:21:00.010-04:00

Hey there all! There have been some pretty cool changes in the YA collection room at the SPL in the past couple of days. Here are some pictures to show you some of the new things as well as the new look of the YA room.

When you enter...

You'll notice that the wooden shelving is no longer front and center. We have our new shelving unit which now holds all the paperbacks.

Look to your left....
This used to be where the Manga was stored. We decided to get rid of the Manga collection - the format (reading backwards) just went against everything we're used to reading. Now we have an expanded comics section. Note the new item addition on the right side, second shelf down. We have DVD-ROM comic book series - you can read complete comic book series on your computer! They are awesome. They check out for three weeks each.

Turn Around And Look to Your Right....

Of course I was just kidding about the Manga! We now have more room for Manga, and I am going to need your help updating the different series. They are no longer squashed together like they used to be!

Look a Little Bit More to Your Right....

The non-fiction now begins in the room itself - which is good. If you have seen the shelves lately, they have looked awful. Now there is a lot more room to browse. There are some great new titles too - not all awesome stuff is fiction!!

Other Pics...

Our fireplace looks a little different now that the Playaways moved over and the Manga were shifted.

Our new paperback shelving unit!

And here is the worst video I have ever made (It was made on a low-quality digital camera. It's better than nothing....barely.)

FREE COOKIE PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY!!!

2008-09-24T15:47:00.004-04:00

Wicked Good Cookie Company is bringing their "Create-A-Cookie Clubhouse" to the library! On Friday, October 3rd starting at 4PM, the first 50 tweens and teens (grades 5-12 only!) to come into the library will receive their very own gourmet sugar cookie to decorate after one of a selection of popular young adult titles. The program is 100% free, and there will be a raffle prize YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS (it has a really high value!!) Remember, YOU MUST BE IN THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE TO ARRIVE to get a cookie and enter the raffle. There is no registration, it is all first come first served! Invite friends, neighbors, whoever, just don't be late or you might miss out!!

This program is sponsored in part by:

Mitali Perkins = Incredible Workshop

2008-09-22T10:40:00.004-04:00

This past Saturday, the brilliant Mitali Perkins came to the Shrewsbury public library and presented two very moving and inspiring workshops! If you attended the event, please post a comment on this post to give your thoughts and reactions. I am working diligently on getting the submissions of the participants on this blog (my goal is by Wednesday) so those of you that could not make it can read what was created. I must say I was impressed by the works of everyone. Mitali Perkins is a grand storyteller, and her training will be a valuable asset to the next group of young writers that is sure to be well represented from Shrewsbury. Here is a pic from the event - you can see more pictures at the children's room blog: http://www.splkidsnews.blogspot.com/

Camp Rock Screening Scheduled!

2008-08-22T15:58:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to let any and all interested people know that we're going to be showing "Camp Rock" in the library on Sep. 4th at 4PM. Tickets are required and you can pick them up this coming Monday in the children's room. The movie is rated G and is 90 minutes long.

Twilight fans - have you seen this yet?

2008-08-14T11:54:00.001-04:00

Comment on the casting of the characters - good? bad? Are you excited about the movie, or should they just have left it alone?

Teen Writing Competition

2008-08-08T12:12:00.006-04:00

Hey there!

Due to the great "Breaking Dawn" event, the library will be hosting a writing competition centering around vampires. Could you be the next Meyer? Do you have characters that could rival Bella, Edward, and Jacob? If you have a story already written, that can be submitted, or you have plenty of time to start working on a new one now. Get the application and more details by clicking this going to this site:
http://www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/pdffiles/library/teenwritingcompetition.pdf

((Note: Something is not working on the blog - it won't let me insert a hyperlink for some reason. Double click on the address, copy it, and paste it into the browser, or just go to the Library website, and then to the young adult page to get all the info.))

More pics from Breaking Dawn

2008-08-05T12:45:00.011-04:00

Breaking Dawn

2008-08-04T10:31:00.002-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Breaking Dawn release party! Here's a pic from the event.

New CD's Are Here!

2008-07-23T10:49:00.004-04:00

Breakout - Miley Cyrus
Delta - Delta Goodrem
Indestructible - Disturbed
We Started Nothing - The Ting Tings
One of the Boys - Katy Perry
Robyn - Robyn
19 - Adele
Viva la Vida - Coldplay
Rockferry - Duffy
We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things - Jason Mraz
Spirit - Leona Lewis
Narrow Stairs - Death Cab for Cutie
Tha Carter III - Lil' Wayne

And soundtracks from:

Batman: The Dark Knight
Camp Rock
Iron Man
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

If you have any other suggestions, post them!

Under Construction

2008-07-23T10:22:00.001-04:00

We're redoing the blog, so if you have any ideas, post them in the comments below. Peace!

(And if you say "delete the blog" it's not funny...well, not that funny.)

Spirit of Shrewsbury

2007-09-24T09:43:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again! The Spirit of Shrewsbury will be celebrated on September 29th and 30th. On Saturday, the 29th, the library will have a booth at the Oak Street Expo and we need volunteers in the afternoon, from 12:30 - 4 PM. You would be selling raffle tickets for the YA basket and help with kids' crafts. Do join in the parade on the 30th and represent the library. Volunteers will meet at Wesleyan Terrace (next to the Post Office) in the Pink Division at 12:30. The parade will last for about 30 minutes and end at Oak Middle School. Hope to see you there.

Concert on the Common

2007-08-17T12:23:00.000-04:00

Exciting event on Friday, August 24th, at 2:00 pm on the Shrewsbury Common. The concert will feature Shrewsbury's own Midway and others. Rain date is Saturday, August 25th. Come and enjoy!

Blogger's Choice Awards

2007-08-09T10:54:00.000-04:00

Check out http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com. You can vote for your favorite blogs and there are categories like Best Education Blog, Best Geek Blog, Best blog design, Best Photography Blog, Best gossip Blog etc.

Christmas in July!

2007-07-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

Yeah, we are celebrating Christmas in July, July 25th, to be more specific! Apparently, it's not that unusual. According to Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_July, it's mostly for commercial reasons that the US celebrates Christmas in July. But in places like Australia, New Zealand and the Antartica, where July is the coldest month, the celebration is as official as Christmas in December.
Come to the library and have cookies with us!

Police and Wiis!

2007-07-03T09:12:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't heard, I finally got my hands on a Nintendo Wii! It's the grand prize in our summer reading raffle, so if you haven't signed up, I think you should NOW!!!

So where do the police fit in? No, I didn't get arrested in my quest, but Det. AJ Saball from the Shrewsbury Police will be here next Monday, July 9 to present a program on how police collect evidence and use it to solve crimes. No registration necessary, and this program is for students entering grades 5-12.

KAPOW comes to SPL!

2007-06-29T15:47:00.000-04:00

Virgin Comics author and Shrewsbury resident Saurav Mohapatra is leading a comics workshop here at the library for students entering grades 6-8. The sessions are almost completely full, so if you're interested in joining us, call the library NOW!

Saurav has put together a blog where we'll be posting info about the group, and maybe some of their work. Check it out here.

For more info on Saurav and his work, visit his website.