Summer Reading Now and Then

Kids Summer Reading Books and Authors

By Debra Kirby

With summer fast approaching and news related to educational standards, common core, and the increasing need for students to focus on reading skills to meet the demands of the 21st century, educators and parents will be looking for ways to keep student skill levels high over the long break. A summer reading list is one way to meet that goal. Helping spark a child’s interest in reading and keep them reading through the summer, and hopefully for life, often hinges on finding the right book – one that will draw them in and introduce them to the wider world waiting to be discovered.

With that background, being part of the editorial teams responsible for the Books and Authors and the What Do I Read Next? (print and ebook) series of products has been especially gratifying, but somewhat frustrating too. Editors who work on this series make ample use of these resources to create their own personalized reading lists. For example, last summer, I used the targeted search features of Books and Authors to find what I felt would be the perfect book to take on vacation to Mackinac Island. By searching on “Romantic Suspense,” “Island” and “New England,” I was able to find the perfect light summer reading.

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A Publishing Executive’s Perspective on the Value of Older Titles

Relevancy in older book titles

By Frank Menchaca

Library collections are developed with a keen eye towards selection criteria like quality, currency, and relevancy. These are logical considerations for any budget, but especially in today’s landscape, where libraries of all types and sizes are being tasked to make an increasingly greater impact, often with fewer financial resources.

When consulting with our library partners, we discover that oftentimes, currency implies relevancy and older titles, though tried and true, are quickly dismissed.

In the spirit of the old adage, “make new friends, but keep the old,” we’ve asked Frank Menchaca to share his personal perspective on the value of offering a collection which includes these older, but not outdated, research eBooks. Frank is the Senior Vice President of Global Product Management for the Gale, National Geographic Learning, and Professional groups at Cengage Learning.

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Caregivers in your Community? Help has Arrived!

Caregiver resources and ebooks

Jennifer’s friends often say to her, “I don’t know how you do it.” Most days, Jennifer doesn’t know either. Her mother’s health has been declining, and Jennifer is caring for her by monitoring her health, communicating with doctors and insurance companies, and even providing basic nursing care. This week, she’s trying to find out how to evaluate nursing homes. She tried doing a Google search, but the results are confusing and, in some cases, contradictory.

Jennifer, and many caregivers in your community, are looking for dependable resources to guide them to answers to improve care for their loved ones.

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Reader’s Advisory for Little Ones

Early Childhood Development Public Library

By Rachel G. Payne

Reader’s advisory for kids under five? Yes! Even though they may not be able to communicate what they want verbally, they know what they like! And while they droll on, chew, grab, throw, and scribble on library materials, we need to have books for the very young in our libraries. These books and the language they generate from a parent or caregiver actually builds a baby’s brain. And studies show the literacy foundations of early childhood set the stage for future learning.

So what do you do when sleep-deprived parents ask for books their little ones or a toddler says to you “Want dog book”? How do we match the right book for the right baby at the right time? Here a reader’s advisory guide and a mini child development course rolled into one. Remember, all kids develop at their own pace, so the ages listed below are average approximations.

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Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC)

Testing & Education Reference Center (TERC) is a valuable online tool used by library patrons of all ages for standardized test preparation, researching undergraduate and graduate programs, finding tuition assistance, and exploring careers. Additionally, community members can pursue new career paths with test prep assistance for career certification exams as well as gain advice on resumes, cover letters, interviewing, and networking.

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Engage your library’s young learners

education ebooks for k-12 public library

By Kim Martin
Today’s kids are tech-savvy and they need easy access to high quality, timely content full of images and graphic aids to satisfy their eagerness for learning. Whether looking for homework help or researching a topic, Gale delivers rich content that is indexed, searchable, and supports your elementary curriculum.

kiddoMeet Anthony, or Tony, as his friends call him. He’s in third grade. When a local meteorologist spoke to his class, he learned about wild spring weather. Her storm chaser stories really prompted his interest in weather, especially tornadoes. Do you have resources for kiddos like Tony? He wants more information and awesome pictures!

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Volumes of Catholic History Relevant to Today for 80% Off

Pope Francis New Catholic Encyclopedia

By Carrie Stefanski
With all the modern world-issues and charities driving Pope Francis’s schedule, remembering a great historical event may have fallen off your radar. Fifty years ago, Pope Paul IV made a hugely significant pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This was the first meeting to restore unity between Catholics and the Orthodox Christians in 910 years.

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Truth Be Told: 5 Fast Facts about Juice Fasting

juicing library resources

By Harmony Faust

There are several people in my inner circle who regularly and voluntarily consume nothing but fruit, vegetable and plant juices for days at a time. This. Blows. My. Mind. Juice fasting is a practice I’ve been hearing about for years and I still don’t get it.

If I’m being completely honest, the crux of my problem with juice fasting probably lies at the intersection of my natural skepticism and laziness—I don’t have a great track record with activities related to health and fitness.

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Health resources to support better living!

Healthy lifestyle ebooks

By Carrie Stefanski

Meet Sara. She’s a mom with three young children and has parents who are getting up there in age.  She wants the best for her family, and that includes good health. She needs reliable, up-to-date resources that to turn to, whether seeking new yoga poses for herself, healthy cooking for her family or researching specific health concerns such as heart disease.

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You have to start somewhere, help out your beginners!

Idiot Guides and For Dummies ebooks on GVRL for libraries

Meet Connie, a spunky 72-year-old grandma who just received her first computer. Her grandkids want her online, so online she must go! “I don’t know what took me so long and I want to learn everything I can,” she says, “but I guess I’m a little hesitant because I don’t know quite where to start.” We couldn’t think of a better way than an eBook like  Laptops For Seniors For Dummies, 3rd Edition. Connie can read and follow activities on her screen at the same time, it’s a perfect match.

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