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JUNE 30, 2011
Programs this Week
Wow!  There's a lot going on!  What will you be attending?

Today, Thursday, June 30th:
Rhythmic Drumming at 2:00 at Standley Lake
Dance2Live Break Dancing class at 3:00 at Golden
SELF-Made Summer Crafting at 3:00 at Belmar

Tuesday, July 5th:
Tie Dye Tshirts Teen Time at 4:00 at Golden

Wednesday, July 6th:
Movie Teen Time at 7:00 at Standley Lake, showing Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, popcorn donated by Landmark Theater Olde Town Stadium 14

Thursday, July 7th:
Dance2Live Break Dancing class at 2:00 at Belmar
Teen Time at 3:00 at Columbine
Rhythmic Drumming at 4:00 at Wheat Ridge
Health, Happiness and Chocolate at 4:00 at Evergreen

Friday, July 8th:
Teen Book Swap at Golden from 1-4pm
SELF-Made Summer Crafting at 2:00 at Columbine

Summer reading gaphic

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posted by Jenny, Golden Library

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JUNE 29, 2011
Book Review: A Geek in Japan
Cover of A Geek in JapanOtaku fans! The perfect book has arrived in the library just for you: A Geek in Japan by Hector Garcia. This book is packed full of interesting facts about Japanese culture. Did you know Manga is actually a term first used in 1814 by the master artist Hokusai? Find out about all the subcultures and urban tribes like "Gals," a tribe of girls known for breaking with the system and not caring about school, the future or marriage. Learn about daily life and customs in Japan including music, food and what it takes to become a Geisha.

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posted by Arra, Lakewood Library

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JUNE 28, 2011
Things not to do while reading a book
The Standley Lake Library Teen Advisory Board gathered to discuss our summer reading practices. We put together a list of thing NOT to do while reading a book.
 
Food not to eat while reading:
  • Cheetos and Doritos
  • Spaghetti
  • Chocolate
  • Sloppy joes
  • Cupcakes
  • Soup
  • Anything that makes your fingers sticky or dirty!
 
Don’t:
  • Drive or ride a bike (and be cautious while walking)
  • Take a bath or use the hot tub
  • Go the mall to read (lame!)
  • Ride a horse
  • Use the urinal
 
Take care of your library book! Don’t:
  • Dog ear the pages
  • Tear the pages
  • Tear the cover
  • Use scotch (or duct) tape to fix a tear
  • Let it get crushed in your backpack or locker
  • Eat the book
  • Write in the book
  • Color in the book
  • Annotate in the margins or highlight passages
  • Use the book as scratch paper to write down a quick note
 
Things you can do with a book:
  • Get a tan and appreciate your yard (while reading outside)
  • Listen to music
  • Talk about good books
  • Reread good books
  • Make time pass on a road trip (get audio if you can’t read in the car)
  • Turn them back to the library on time
  • Tell the library if the book is damaged so they can fix it
 
Follow these simple rules while reading for summer and everyone will be safe and happy, including the books!

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posted by The Standley Lake Library Teen Advisory Board

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JUNE 27, 2011
This may be the best commercial ever.

Finnish Library Commercial

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 26, 2011
Book Review: The False Princess
cover of The False PrincessI have just finished a fantastic book that I must share with you.

It's The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal.  It is a different sort of fairy tale and princess story.  When Sinda is 16 she is informed that she was a stand-in princess because the oracle foresaw the real princess dying as a child.  Sinda is sent off to live with an aunt who didn't even know she was still alive while the real princess is returned from where she had been carefully and quietly brought up.  Now both girls are horribly confused and life is very complicated.  But there is more going on than even the king and queen know and it is up to Sinda to figure it out and save the whole kingdom!

When I started this book, I was sure I knew how it would end.  I was completely wrong!  I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot and also the budding romance between Sinda and her best friend.  I also enjoyed how the former princess learns about the difference between royal life and real life.

This book is highly recommended if you like fairy tales, princess books, mysteries, or good adventures with good characters.  It is probably meant for middle schoolers but an interested high schooler would enjoy it too.  It reminded me of Shannon Hale's Princess Academy and Gail Carson Levine's The Two Princesses of Bamarre.

Have you read it?  What did you think?

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 25, 2011
Science Saturday - Mercury's Mysteries Revealed

Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

The planet Mercury, closest to the sun, has been orbited for the first time by the space craft Messenger.  This is the first time since 1975 that a space craft has even been to Mercury.  Messenger has returned some surprising results that turn over some of the long held ideas about this small dense planet.  Here are just some of the findings:

Mercury has a high level of potassium and thorium, elements that should have evaporated as the planet formed so close to the sun.

Mercury may have more water ice on it's poles than that on our moon.

It also has asymmetrical magnetic equator rings, making it 20 percent north of the geographical equator.

Just last week Messenger survived it's closest distance to the sun since being in orbit for 3 Earth years, equivalent to one Mercury year, and has also flown as close as 120 miles to the surface of the planet.

Want to know more?  Check out these websites:

Nasa Messenger
Denver Post Article
Library Database: Science in Context

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posted by Arra, Lakewood Library

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JUNE 24, 2011
Free (Audio)Book Friday!
Sync logoRemember last year when Sync offered free YA audiobook downloads along with a complementary classic title? Well prepare to be psyched, because they're doing it again!

Now through Wednesday, June 29th, you can listen to Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater for free! While you're at it (and since it's free anyway) download Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and tell us which you think is the most tragical tragedy!

You will need to download the OverDrive Media Console to your computer, but only the first time. Once you have that, get your free audiobooks!

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posted by Jenny, Golden Library

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JUNE 23, 2011
Programs this week
Summer Reading graphic

Thursday, June 23:
Dance2Live: Break Dancing Class at Wheat Ridge at 4:00

Friday, June 24:
Health, Happiness, and Chocolate at Edgewater at 4:00

Saturday, June 25:
Dance2Live: Break Dancing Class at Arvada at 2:00

Sunday, June 26: 
Kaplan ACT/SAT Combo Test at Golden at 12:30pm
(bring a pencil and a calculator, plan on staying for four hours)

Wednesday, June 29:
Health, Happiness, and Chocolate at Arvada at 2:00
Rhythmic Drumming at Conifer at 4:00

Thursday, June 30:
Rhythmic Drumming at Standley Lake at 2:00
Dance2Live: Break Dancing Class at Golden at 3:00
SELF-Made Summer Crafts at Belmar at 3:00

This is the Break Dance instructor showing a dance move at the Evergreen Library.

Breakdancing Class Demo

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posted by Jenny, Golden Library

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JUNE 22, 2011
Fun with Paper!
Do you have any scrap paper to use up? Here is a “how to” on how to make a flip book out of recycled paper. Check out the example featuring Sonic the Hedgehog!

Also, to take a look at more cool stuff done with paper check out this Paper Parkour by independent designer and illustrator Serene Teh.

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posted by Rene, Evergreen Library

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JUNE 21, 2011
Eragon, I Am Your Brother!
Eragon book coverAlmost everyone knows about the popular series of Eragon, Eldest, and Brisingr. The boy, who grew up with his aunt and uncle, discovers that he is to inherit a legacy of the peacekeepers of the land. Then his uncle dies. To survive, he needs to make a journey to rescue a princess with an old man who is more than he seems. I could go on, but I won’t. This story sounds AWFULLY familiar to me, and not because I was talking about Eragon. No, my friends, I am saying that it sounds very similar to – drum roll please – the fourth, fifth, and sixth Star Wars movies! Think about it for a minute.

My comparison will start with the characters. First, Eragon. He is obviously the counterpart of Luke Skywalker, hero of the Star Wars movies. Then comes Brom, the old storyteller. His Star Wars counterpart:  Obi-Wan Kenobi. And, of course, Oromis is the Yoda of Eragon. Then things get a little messy, and I had to try harder to make comparisons. Arya has a bit of Princess Leia in her, for though she is not Eragon’s long-lost twin sister, she has to put up with torture at the hands of the Empire (coincidence? I think not!) before Eragon rescues her.

Next I will take the comparison to the plot, picking up where I left off. Eragon is searching for his uncle’s killers, but he also seeks the woman of his dreams – literally. She is held hostage and tortured for information, but does not give in. This, of course is Arya/Princess Leia. They (as in Eragon, Brom, and Saphira) travel together, Brom teaching Eragon the ways of the Jedi – excuse me, the ways of the Riders – and how to use magic, by *ahem* harnessing the power of nature. Sound familiar? It goes farther when Brom is killed in saving Eragon, and when the four – Eragon, Saphira, Arya, and Murtagh – take refuge with the Varden (or the Rebellion). Thus ends Book 1 of the Inheritance Cycle, and with it ends Star Wars: A New Hope. I’ll admit, in Eldest, the plot strays a little from the path beaten by The Empire Strikes Back. However, the key points are still the same. Eragon goes to learn from an old Rider who no one knows anything about. Then he leaves his master, Oromis, to go save his friends from disaster. Unfortunately, he learns an awful truth during the battle. He fights another Rider, unmasks him, and it turns out to be Murtagh, who he thought was dead (long story). As they fight, Murtagh tells him that they are brothers, and that their father, Morzan, was one of the “Emperor’s” closest followers. Darth Vader/Murtagh:  Eragon, I am your brother! Luke/Eragon:  NOOOOOOO!!! In the third book, Paolini, the author, decides to mix it up a bit by making Obi-Wan Luke’s father, actually. Of course, Yoda/Oromis dies at the end, making it Return of the Riders, Part One.

Who knows what will happen next? Me, I’m betting on Murtagh eventually saving Eragon by killing the Emperor, Galbatorix, at the cost of his own life of course. Beyond that, I can’t really tell. Maybe Eragon will always stay single, as Jedi must. Maybe not. My conclusion:  put together Star Wars, add dragons, and throw in some Lord of the Rings (including the elves) and you get Eragon. What’s yours?

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posted by Elizabeth, Dream Team Member, Belmar Library

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JUNE 20, 2011
Aliens and Earth People playing music together?

Flute Duet

That would be WAY interesting, but no. Try two earth people playing a duet, but one is in space and one is on earth! You’ve never heard the flute like this!

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 18, 2011
Science Saturday - Flood!

Did you know that floods were the natural disaster that caused the highest number of deaths and most costly property damage in the 20th century? We all need water to survive but sometimes it can be deadly.   CNN reported the current flood along the Mississippi River could cause $5 billion in losses. There are many different kinds of floods. The most common is regional, for example, floods related to ice melt or hurricanes.  Other types of floods include flash floods, ice-jam floods, storm-surge floods, dam-failure floods,  debris and landslide floods, and mudflows.
 
Here is a list of some of the most deadly floods in 2010:
            July - Pakistan – 1,600 to 2,000 dead
            May – Southern China – 1,072 dead
            April – Rio de Janeiro – 201 dead
            November – Columbia 138 dead
            May – Tennessee – 31 dead
 
Want to know more? Try our Science in Context database.

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posted by Arra, Lakewood Library

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JUNE 17, 2011
Books We’d Like to See Made into Movies

The Golden Teen Advisory Board is getting excited for the final Harry Potter movie. We’ve also been following the pre-production of the Hunger Games movie with great interest. So we were thinking of other really great books we think would also make good movies. Gone cover

 

Death by Bikini (and Latte and Denim) by Linda C. Gerber
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Princess Ben: being a wholly truthful account of her various discoveries and misadventures, recounted to the best of her recollection, in four parts by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Gone (and Hunger and Lies and Plague) by Michael Grant

Do you agree? What's a book you've read that would make a sweet film?

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posted by Golden Library Teen Advisory Board

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JUNE 16, 2011
Programs coming up this week
Friday, June 17th:
Rhythmic Drumming at Columbine at 2:00
SELF-Made Summer Crafting at Edgewater at 2:00

Wednesday, June 22nd:
SELF-Made Summer Crafting at Evergreen at 3:00
Dance2live Break Dancing Class at Columbine at 4:00
Health, Happiness, and Chocolate at Belmar at 4:00
Accepted: Getting into your first-choice school at Golden at 6:00

Thursday, June 23rd:
Dance2live Break Dancing Class at Wheat Ridge at 2:00
 

Summer Reading graphic

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posted by Jenny, Golden Library

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JUNE 15, 2011
Book Review: Shine by Lauren Myracle

Shine coverI recently finished this book by this well-known, popular author. The main character in Shine is a 16 year old girl named Cat. When a good friend of hers is a victim of a hate crime, Cat is convinced it had to be someone in her small North Carolina town who committed the heinous crime she intends to find out. Cat is a strong, female character with a lot of gumption. She goes places and talks to people that would make lesser characters afraid. She does all this to find out what really happened the night her friend was attacked, but at the same time she learns some truths about herself and people close to her.

Lauren Myracle builds a strong main character in this book while dealing with a tough topic. This is a good read for Myracle fans and for anyone concerned about hate crimes and the treatment of fellow human beings.

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posted by Rene, Evergreen Library

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JUNE 14, 2011
Standley Lake Library's Teen Time is tomorrow!
Teen Time Logo

Standley Lake Library's Teen Time happens tomorrow, Wednesday, June 15, at 7:00pm.  This month is

Craft Roulette: Bracelets and Bowls

Come learn how to make bowls from magazines or shredded paper and bracelets from pop can tabs or paper clips. Talk about stylish recycling!

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posted by Jenna

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JUNE 13, 2011
The Future of the Book

Mike Matas

Introducing the interactive book. Do you want your books to be like this?

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(5 comments)
posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 11, 2011
Science Saturday - Forest Fires

 

The Wallow Fire in Arizona is still burning across the state and threatening New Mexico as well.  While forest fires are not always good, sometimes they can have a positive impact on the environment. Prescribed, or planned, fires can help minimize the risk of a more severe wildfire by clearing out dead brush or thick undergrowth.   What has made the Arizona fire so hard to fight?  There are a few factors, high winds, rough and steep terrain and drought conditions in the area.

How does one go about fighting forest fires?  For a fire to spread it needs three elements: heat, fuel and oxygen.  This is known as the fire triangle.  Fires are stopped by removing one of these key elements.  Fire lines are created by removing fuel (brush and grasses). Another method can be to drop things on the fire like water bombs (water collected by large planes) or through the application of foam.  Foam is used to cool the fire and to coat the fuel, preventing its contact with oxygen.  The foams lower the surface tension of the water which assists in the wetting and saturation of fuels with water.

Want to know more?

Check out these interesting websites:

United States Forest Service

Smokey the Bear

Ontario Forest Fire Emergency Services

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posted by Arra, Lakewood Library

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JUNE 10, 2011
Top ten most frequently challenged books of 2010
These books were some of the most challenged in 2010: 

cover of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time IndianThe Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is racist, sexually explicit, violent, and uses offenive language.
 
Crank by Ellen Hopkins involves drugs, offensive language, and is sexually explicit.
 
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is violent and sexually explicit.
 
Lush by Natasha Friend has drugs, offensive language, and is sexually explicit.
 
What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones has sexism and is sexually explicit.
 
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer has a religious viewpoint and is violent.
 

Check out the whole list!

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 9, 2011
Programs This Week
Here's what's going on at your library this week:

 

Today, Thursday, June 9th
Break Dancing Class at Standley Lake at 2:00
Health, Happiness and Chocolate at Wheat Ridge at 4:00

Wednesday, June 15th
Break Dancing Class at Edgewater at 2:00
Rhythmic Drumming at Arvada at 2:00
Rhythmic Drumming at Golden at 5:30
Teen Time: Craft Roulette at Standley Lake at 7:00

Thursday, June 16th
Break Dancing Class at Evergreen at 4:00

Get the whole schedule on the Summer Reading website

Summer Reading graphic

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posted by Jenna

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JUNE 8, 2011
Four Seasons by Jane Breskin Zalben
Four Seasons coverFour Seasons is a remarkable gem among music-themed young adult novels. Zalben delves deep into the heart and mind of a young music student, Ally, who studies piano at The Juilliard School in New York City.  The novel follows Ally for one year through a heartwrenching journey of self-discovery, trials, and triumphs.   Although unsophisticated in writing style, the author is able to offer powerful perspective into the lives, and hearts, of musicians.  Zalben uses the themes of Vivaldi's poetry and music as an outline for the story and the parallels work together perfectly.

As a musician, I embarked simultaneously on the journey that Ally takes to discover her true self through music.  Of all the novels about music I have read, this is the only one that recognizes the dangers, along with the joys, that intensive musical study presents to students.  Since reading this book, I have identified with the crises that Ally undergoes in the novel and have observed the same breakdowns among fellow music students.  The questions Zalben explores in this novel are profound and entirely applicable to any music student.  The novel is continually thought provoking, even after its completion, begging of its reader the questions that Ally faced in her life. 

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posted by Emily, Dream Team member, Belmar Library

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JUNE 7, 2011
Reasons to Read for Fun
A study conducted by the University of Oxford in England shows that teens who read for pleasure are more likely to get better jobs when they’re grown up. They compared the teen reading habits of thousands of people born in 1970 to their jobs as adults and found that 39% o girls and 58% o boys who read for pleasure as teens were in professional positions as adults.

One American school librarian suggests that “being used to dropping into other lives and worlds in fiction definitely makes for a more creative thinker!"

"According to our results, there is something special about reading for pleasure," says researcher Mark Taylor. "The positive associations of reading for pleasure aren't replicated in any other extracurricular activity, regardless of our expectations."

So since you'll be reading for fun this summer, why not join the Summer Reading Club and get a free book as a reward?

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 6, 2011
Portraits from a storm

Portraits from a Storm

 

The YouTube description of this powerful video: "On April 27, 2011, dozens of tornadoes touched down in the Southern United States. Debris, documents and photos were scattered for hundreds of miles. A woman created a Facebook Page to reunite storm survivors with their memories."

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 5, 2011
More Movie News...
Donald Sutherland, picture from MTVDonald Sutherland is slated to play the part of Professor Snow in The Hunger Games.

 
However, The Hunger Games isn’t the only book scheduled to be produced as a movie. Rick Riordan’s The 39 Clues will be a movie directed by Brett Ratner and produced by Stephen Spielberg. For more movie news, check out this post from the Early Word Blog.

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posted by Rene, Evergreen Library

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JUNE 4, 2011
Science Saturday: The Baby Duck Edition
We had some excitement around lunch time today at the Standley Lake Library.  Library staff found baby ducks that had fallen down the storm drain in our parking lot!

Mama duck looking at babies down the drain

Arvada Fire District House 5 and Arvada Animal Control arrived to rescue the ducks.  They were able to remove the grate and rescued 8 of the babies right away.

Fireman rescuing the baby ducks

Three of the babies had run down the sewer tunnels and they lowered the mama duck down to call for them.  It took a few minutes and all eleven babies were rescued.

Arvada Firemen

Today is the first career day for the fireman on the right (sorry, we didn't get names).  They pointed out that most firemen don't get even one rescue in their careers and here he was rescuing 11 on his first day.

Mama and babies swim away

We believe these babies were only about a day old.  We have ducks nesting in our front yard and we think this mama was taking her brand new babies across the yard to the canal that runs behind the library.  Their first swim was successful!

Thank you to the Arvada Fire Department and Arvada Animal Control for your help! 

 

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 3, 2011
Gotta love those pets!
Shelly, the Teen Librarian at the Arvada Library, has three cats and a dog. Aren’t they cute? 

Cocoa the catCocoa is black but has a lovely chocolate-colored undercoat. She is the Mama cat. She has never had kittens of her own but she raised Thomas and Mina. 

 

 

 

Thomas the catThomas was adopted when he was only seven weeks old. He was badly injured and covered with maggots when he was rescued so the veterinary staff named him Maggot. When he was adopted they said he had to have a more respectable name. He was born on July 4th so he became little Thomas Jefferson – Thomas, for short. 

 

Mina the catMina was a feral kitten when she was rescued. It was January and she was trapped in a neighbor’s garage. The wind chill was supposed to be 30 degrees below zero that night so we said if they caught her we’d take her. When they caught her she went after the lady’s hand like she was the Tazmanian Devil cartoon character so she was named Tazmina – Mina for short. 

 

Amber the dogAmber is our new puppy. She looks a lot like a fox at times so she was named for a fox-character in a book who was named Amber. Amber is about 9 months old in this picture.

 

Happy birthday Shelly!

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posted by Shelly, Arvada Library

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JUNE 3, 2011
An Evening with Kent Haruf at the Standley Lake Library

Eventide coverDid you read Plainsong or Eventide in school? Come meet the author! National Book Award finalist Kent Haruf will be giving a presentation at the Standley Lake Library on Tuesday, June 7, at 7:00pm. It's technically for adults but teens are welcome to attend too.

 

You can stop by to sign up for summer reading while you're here.

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posted by Jenna, Standley Lake Library

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JUNE 2, 2011
June Lakewood Teen Time (To be held at Golden Library)
Tie Dye Tees

sample tye dye shirts4 p.m. Tuesday, June 7th at Golden Library
 
What’s old can be new again! Bring in an old white t-shirt and transform it into something new using tie dye.
 
Discussion topic: What is your favorite summer read?
 
Lakewood Teen Times are held the monthly on the first Tuesday of each month. Reservations are not required. All supplies will be provided except the white shirts.

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posted by Arra, Lakewood Library

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JUNE 1, 2011
Summer Reading Starts Today!
... but you don't have to come in.  The library will be really busy so you can wait a bit to get signed up.  Start keeping track of how much time you spend reading (any sustained reading!) from today on and then write it down when you get your bookmark.

Watch our Summer Reading website for news and events.  Programs start up next week!  One of the crafts at the SELF-Made Summer Crafting program is a dream catcher.  Rupert is trying to learn how to do it...

Rupert and a dreamcatcher

 

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posted by Jenna and Amy

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