Posted on October 22, 2015 by Amy Martin

Coming soon: OPL's 2015 Holiday Gift Guide

On November 12, we're releasing a list of books we recommend and independent bookstores where you can buy them! Which books do you recommend?

So, we at the library love letting you borrow books for free. It's kind of our thing. But we know that when you give a book as a gift, you don't want to have to whisper "bring it back in three weeks" while receiving your thank you hug, do you? Sometimes, you really need to buy a book.

And boy, do we have thoughts about which books you should buy, and where you should buy them. That's why on November 12, OPL will release our first Holiday Gift Guide. We'll include recommended titles for the children, teens, and adults in your lives, AND a handy-dandy list of independent bookstores in Oakland! What more could you ask for?

While we're making our list and checking it twice,* chime in with your suggestions here. What books have you loved this year? Which are you planning to give as gifts? I'll go first and say that multiple people on my list will be getting Kate Beaton's two 2015 books:

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Posted on October 15, 2015 by Erica Siskind

Q&A: Patrons Ask; Librarians Answer. Where do you keep your Level K books?

Children’s Librarians talk with parents, caregivers, and children all day, every day. In October, many parents find out their children's reading level from tests given at school. Their children's teachers may encourage them to find books at that level at the library. So where do we keep them?

Q: Where do you keep your Level K books?cover of a reading primer called I Know a Secret

A: The short answer is that Oakland Library doesn't label books with reading levels using any of systems associated with proprietary testing...

...however, we do have areas of the library that gather a range of reading levels together. This allows readers to browse an area that encompasses their reading level and includes choices of subjects, visual presentations, genres, and writing styles. Our hope is that (without too much effort) readers will find books that appeal to them and are close enough to their reading level. 

So, when you ask us for leveled books, let us show you to the section that includes the level you need. At that point, many readers decide to get any books that look interesting and seem close enough

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Posted on October 9, 2015 by Amy Martin

Kids' magazines for your smartphone or tablet!

If you've got little magazine readers, you'll want to download popular children's magazines like American Girl and Highlights--free with your library card!

Zinio is the Oakland Public Library's digital magazine provider, and your library card gives you access to hundreds of titles on your iPad, Kindle Fire, smartphone or other digital device. The New Yorker, Vogue, National Geographic, Forbes and many others are available... and now, so are over a dozen popular children's magazines. 

Do your kids love Highlights, Cricket, or American Girl Magazine? Zinio lets you download them for free, and you can keep them on your device forever.

To use Zinio, you'll need to add the app on your

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Posted on October 6, 2015 by Laurie Willhalm

Make Zines with Author Cathy Camper

Join us for zine fun!

Book Cover Lowriders in SpaceCathy Camper, the author of Low Riders in Space, comes to Oakland to present a series of zine-making workshops at five braches. Join us as she shares her process in writing Lowriders in Space and shows how to create zines. These workshops are designed for ages 10 to 14, but all are welcome. 

Saturday, October 10, 2015 - 1:00pm 81st Avenue

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Posted on October 1, 2015 by Nichole Brown

Q&A: Patrons Ask; Librarians Answer: Will you really let my kid read whatever they want?

Librarians fight for your freedom to read. Read this to learn why.

Summary of a conversation I had this week: 

Parent: My kid said you will let him read whatever he wants! Is that true? 

Me: The short answer?  Yeah.  Anything available to the public he is allowed to borrow. 

Parent reply: He's only 9 years old! The library is full of subjects he is not mature enough for yet! You are going to let him borrow anything!?!?!

Me: As long as he checks it out with his library card... yeah, pretty much. 

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Posted on September 24, 2015 by Amy Martin

Literacy Week: Spongebob, Olaf, and Letting Them Pick

Why do we have so many Spongebob and Dora books? So kids can choose.

When I was in library school, I had a WONDERFUL children's literature professor who one day went on a rant about not buying what I will refer to as "junk" for our libraries (she used a more colorful four-letter word). "I don't want to see any [junk] on your shelves!" she told us. "There are too many good books out there for you to be buying [junk]."

By [junk] she meant books like these:

    

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Posted on September 22, 2015 by Amy Martin

Literacy Week: Bringing the World of Words to Families

When parents – especially mothers – have trouble reading, their children often do too. We can help!

By Ann Daniels, Families for Literacy Coordinator

If you have children, you’re surrounded by a world of words: On forms and flyers from school, instructions on toys, medicines and equipment, party invitations, homework your children want you to help with … But what if you struggle to read?

When parents – especially mothers – have trouble reading, their children often do too. According to the National Coalition for Literacy, studies show that a mom’s reading ability is the single best predictor of her kids’ success in school — more than race, ethnicity and family income. It’s also true that children from higher income homes hear 30 million more words by age 4 than children from lower income homes. Thirty million!

Families for Literacy, a program of Second Start at Oakland Library, works with low-literacy adults who have children to help close the 30-million-word-gap and make reading a

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Posted on September 17, 2015 by Erica Siskind

Q&A: Patron's Ask; Librarians Answer: I'm out of time, can we do this later?

My hands are full, my meter just ran out, my kids are knocking things off shelves, I can't remember if we read that already, I have to take the little one to the bathroom...but I need your librarian skills - HELP!

Q: I love coming in to my local library to get one-on-one help from a children's librarian, but I only have a few minutes! A clock - meant to show time is running out.How can I get your expert help faster?  My middle-school-age daughter is dyslexic, her younger brother is an avid reader of comic books - exclusively, and my toddler has just figured out how to undo her seat belt on the stroller. I need book recommendations for all three of them, and I have to get to the market before dinner. Actually, forget it, I have to take this call from the pediatrician. We'll come back next week!

A: We love it when you come in person to the library, because speaking with you one-on-one allows us to be our most effective. Getting to know you helps us figure out which materials will be right for you. First of all, thanks for making time to bring your 

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Posted on September 10, 2015 by Amy Martin

How hot was it? Too hot for these joke books!

Joke books might just be the coolest thing around.

How hot is it in Oakland right now? Well, this morning I saw two trees fighting over a dog!* LOL

If that joke made you want to punch me in the face, chances are you're a lil' cranky over this heat wave we're having. And if that is the case, for the love of pickles, do NOT let your child anywhere NEAR this number:

793.735

That is the Dewey Decimal number for joke books. Your local OPL branch has a treasure trove of irritating, groanworthy jokes that are sure to make your kids howl with laughter, while you howl in pain. Whatever you do, keep your child away from 793.735, or risk getting pummeled with awesome jokes like these:

Q. Why don't cookies go to the library when it's hot out?
A. Because they feel too crummy.*

Q. Why did the lady leave her purse open when she went outside?
A. Because the newscaster said there would be some change in the weather.*

Q. Why do we

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Posted on September 3, 2015 by Nichole Brown

Q&A Patrons Ask: Do I have to read to my baby?

Is reading to your baby becoming a chore instead a fun activity? Here are some tips to consider to bring the joy back into reading with your baby.

Q: I'ma keep it 100%.  I love my baby, but I really don't want to read to her every night at bedtime. And I don't want to feel pressured and called a bad parent! 

A:  I'm a momma too, so I got you. I'd never call anyone a bad parent. I understand all the well-meaning advice about what you "should be" doing with your children and how to "do it right" is unwelcome and unnecessary.  That's why I'm not gonna add to it – much. 

Reading to your baby is very important, we all know that. So as a professional I can't say “don’t read to your child."  But I will say, reading is supposed to be a fun way to bond with your child. In short, your baby needs words, not a nightly ritual you dread. So if you don't want to read tonight don't stress about it; sing to her. If you don't want to sing, play with her. If you don't want to play, talk to her.

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