Blog Entries

Its time to vote for the Sequoyah Book Awards!

Did you know that Oklahoma is home to one of the oldest book awards in the nation?

The Sequoyah Book Awards recognize the unique and creative achievements of American authors, and the best part is, it’s selected by the youth who read their titles!

Students who have read three or more titles on the 2019 Sequoyah Masterlist are qualified to cast a vote for this year’s winners.

The deadline to vote is March 15, 2019.

Age groups are as follows (click age group to read the PDF masterlist): Children’s (Grades 3-5)

Vote Now 

Check Out an Award Winning Title: Youth Media Award Winners Announced

Every year, the American Library Association awards special recognition to excellent new books for children and teens. The most recognizable of these awards are the Randolph Caldecott Medal, for the most distinguished picture book; the John Newbery Medal, for excellent in children’s literature; the Michael L. Printz Award, for excellence in young adult literature; and the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, for books that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.

This year’s awards were announced at a library conference in Seattle on January 2...

Socks, Soup, Hot Drinks, and Hygge

Snow days are the best days. When work and school are closed, and you’ve already made your obligatory milk and bread run to the store, you’ve got nowhere to be and are in no hurry to get there. Everything is covered in a sparkling blanket of white, sounds are muted, and the world slows down. It’s easy to appreciate the beauty of winter on these days, when you’re snuggled up in your cozy home, possibly with a good book courtesy of your local library!

But the next day or the day after, when the beautiful pure snow has turned to gray slush, and you’ve got to trudge through it back to...

This Includes Everyone: Picture Books that Encourage Inclusivity

One of my heroes, Mister Fred Rogers, once said, “The world needs a sense of worth, and it will achieve it only by its people feeling that they are worthwhile.”  Below are some picture books families can read together that prompt conversation about inclusion and recognizing worth in all of our neighbors.  

 

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev

It’s Pet Club day, but not all pets are welcome, especially elephants. Through beautiful illustrations and a lyrical story, families are able to discuss how it feels to be left out a...

Best of 2018

What did you read this year?

See if your favorite reads of the year made our best of 2018 list.

 

Adult Titles

I’ll be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

 

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

 

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Eric Idle

 

Ask a Manager by Allison Green

 

Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston

 

Boom Town by Sam Anderson...

Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All

As I begin writing this blog post, we’ve just had our first snow of winter. On November 12. And despite the fact that I am staunchly Team No-Christmas-decorations-before-Thanksgiving, the weather has me thinking of the winter holidays. 

When you’re born six days before Christmas, you usually either embrace it wholeheartedly or go full Grinch. I went the first route, and I absolutely love the holidays. But it can be a really difficult time of year, too. Those who can’t afford extravagant gift-giving, those who have no family or are estranged from ...

Winter Blues

In the words of The King, Elvis Presley himself, “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you.” The holidays can be a hard time for many people. We feel so much pressure to be thankful, make merry, and attend or host a score of events while looking flawlessly festive and creating magazine-worthy spreads for meals and parties. It can be a lot to handle for anyone, but for those who may be suffering the loss of a loved one, going through a divorce or break-up, or dealing with mental health challenges, the holidays can be especially trying.

We have probably all experienced one or more of ...

Check Out Our Progress on the Bethany Library

View more photos here.

...

Chill Out and Read this Winter!

Winter break will be here soon! It's important that students continue reading even when they are out of school to prevent the "Winter Brain Freeze." One fun way to keep reading is to participate in the Winter Reading Challenge hosted by Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Students who read for 20 minutes a day during winter break (380 total minutes) can log their time to be eligible for prizes and recognition. To learn more about the Winter Reading Challenge, visit the OKC Public Schools website.

The Winter Brain Freeze is a period of time in which students...

Check out some of these Holiday Favorites on Hoopla

Stuck at home this winter? Don't let that stop you from enjoying yourself this winter. The library has a variety of resources you can access from home 24/7. Hoopa launched their Winter Wonderland this month and there is something for everyone including eBooks, movies, music and eAudiobooks. Never tried Hoopla before? Learn more about it HERE.

Music

Hoopla has holiday music albums available 24/7 online or through the app with your library card. Other popular artists include Michael Buble, Sia, Frank Sinatra, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Idina Mensel, ...

Simple Holiday Crafts to Try this Winter

If winter weather has you stuck inside, check out the library's Hobbies and Crafts eResource available from the comfort of your home! Here are some simple holiday crafts to get you started.

Holiday Garland

What you will need:

Raffia ribbon Wooden spoons Red and green cookie cutters Wooden beads

Craft Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments

What you will need:

Craft sticks Glue Burlap ribbon Twine

Contemporary Pine Tree Decor

What you will need:

Foam cones Sil...

Check out our Online Hub for Hobbies & Crafts this Holiday Season

Did you know?

The library has an online hub for hobbies and crafts that you can access 24/7 from home.

The Hobbies & Crafts eResource allows you to explore a variety of topics from knitting, sewing and cooking to ham radio, bookmaking, coin collecting and even hang gliding among others. Hobbies & Crafts is brimming with fun ideas and intriguing articles for just about any hobbyist to keep your family entertained all winter long. This resource includes project templates, magazine articles, informational articles covering the b...