Teentober - October 2024

 

 

This year’s TeenTober theme is all about the thrilling question: “What will you discover at the library?” That’s right, folks! October is the month where libraries throw a big, teen-tastic bash just for you! Out with Teen Read and in with TeenTober, where we’re all about celebrating teen library services and the awesome ways they help you dive into new skills and ignite your passions—both in the library and beyond! 

We’re rolling out the red carpet for all reading fans: from books to magazines, eBooks to comics, and even audiobooks! Plus, we’ve got a treasure trove of programs just for teens. TeenTober is your ticket to discovering these programs, reveling in the joy of YA lit, and showing the world how much our libraries cherish their teen patrons!

Hey parents! Did you know that reading for fun can boost those test scores? It’s also super important to chat about reading with your fam and friends. So, spark some conversations by asking your kids what they’re reading, swing by the library together, and make reading a daily adventure! We’re cheering on teens, kiddos, and adults alike to read and get involved with their library and community. Search for something new to enjoy, explore our resources, or sign up for a program today!

This October, your libraries are bursting with programs celebrating all our fabulous teens. Some branches might host in-person craft sessions, while others offer take-and-make kits—how cool is that? We’re also dishing out drawing and sewing lessons, plus game nights galore! Don’t miss out—check with your local library or hop over to our Calendar of Events page at Central Mississippi Regional Library System Events (https://cmrls.trumba.com/) for all the juicy details! 

The Top 5 Most Circulated Books are:

1.    Crown of Midnight: A Throne of Glass Novel by Sarah J Maas – As the royal assassin to an evil king, eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien must decide what she will fight for--survival, love, or the future of a kingdom.

2.    Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas – After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

3.    Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross - Two weeks after returning home from the front, Iris and Attie seize another chance to report on Dacre's movements. Roman, who has lost his memory and is stuck in Dacre's realm, becomes entangled in a mysterious pen pal correspondence, leading to a pivotal decision that could impact the course of the war and his relationship with Iris.

4.    Divergent by Veronica Roth - In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

5.    Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - Scarlet Benoit and Wolf, a street fighter who may have information about her missing grandmother, join forces with Cinder as they try to stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana in this story inspired by Little Red Riding Hood.

Calendar of Events Central Mississippi Regional Library System Events (trumba.com)

COMICSPLUS https://login.comicsplus.app/

Flipster https://web.a.ebscohost.com/eon/search/basic?vid=0&sid=afe05d3c-75e2-49e2-a54f-8c4e2ca9786f%40sdc-v-sessmgr02

Freegal Music https://cmrls.freegalmusic.com/home

Hoopla  https://www.hoopladigital.com/

Freeding https://cmrls.freading.com/index

CloudLibrary https://www.yourcloudlibrary.com/

Magnolia https://search.ebscohost.com

Library Catalog  https://cmissrls.ent.sirsi.net

Meet Our Team - Ethan Wilson (Brandon Public Library)

 

Ethan Wilson | Circulation Clerk | Brandon Public Library

Ethan recently joined the CMRLS team and we are so happy to have him at our Brandon branch!  

Here's more from Ethan:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

Reading, from the shelving cart, what everyone else is reading.

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

We have so many great e-resources, it's too hard to choose just one. Check out all of them in our Virtual Reference Collection at cmrls.lib.ms.us.

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

Take naps and fold origami.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Waking up late, eating a big breakfast, reading, eating lunch, reading, and then eating dinner.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas

Meet Our Team - LeAnne Wilhelm (Brandon Public Library)

 

LeAnne Wilhelm | Circulation Clerk | Brandon Public Library

LeAnne recently joined the CMRLS team and we are so happy to have her at our Brandon branch!  

Here's more from LeAnne:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

I love meeting all the people and seeing the excitement that the little ones have when they get their first library card!

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
My mother worked in an elementary school library and she brought this book home for me to read. I loved all of the Beverly Cleary books, but Ramona was my favorite!

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

I think cloudLibrary is a wonderful e-resource! Find out all about it at https://www.yourcloudlibrary.com/, and all you need is your library card! 

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I enjoy spending time with my family.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Time at the BEACH!!

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Thanksgiving

Meet Our Team - Jennifer Ellzy (Mendenhall Public Library)

 Jennifer Ellzy | Circulation Clerk | Mendenhall Public Library

Jennifer recently joined the CMRLS team and we are so happy to have her at our Mendenhall branch! 

Here's more from Jennifer:

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library so far?

Helping people and reading

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

Not anything particular. I've always loved to read!

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

I'm not familiar with all of our e-resources just yet, but I know you can find more about it at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/digital-library/virtual-reference-collection. 

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I enjoy working in my flower beds and just being outside.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

My idea of a perfect vacation is being at the beach and having no worries!

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween

Library Card Sign-Up Month - September 2024

Library Card Sign-Up Month

 

Do you love to read? If you do, then you already know that the library is the place for you! But maybe you aren’t crazy about reading…and that’s okay too, because I have news for you! Your local library has SO much more to offer you than just physical books. Over the last few years, not only have we acquired all the latest releases of your favorite books, but we have gained access to so many other resources just for our card holders.

 

Here’s what some of our librarians have to say about how their patrons use their CMRLS library cards:

 

"Our patrons use their library cards often to access our computers, which can be used for a lot of different purposes. Since it has Microsoft Suite, our patrons can use them to write resumés, letters, and work on school projects." – Tori Sharp @ FW

 

"We have a family that comes in to check out DVDs. They use the library to get DVDs because they do not have internet at their home and cable is so expensive, so they use the library for their entertainment needs. We also have a patron who attends USM online and she uses her card to login to our computers to do her classes because she doesn’t have internet at home." – Kathie Ward @ HA & ME

 

"Our patrons love to use their Acorn Cards to check out their books so they can fill out our food coupons to get free meals. They also like to work on the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program. It is so fun to see the different books they choose. Sometimes patrons will make up stories about the covers of the book to tell me what it is about before I check it out to them. Homeschool families check out our books to use them as enhancements in their curriculum. They also use library time as their fun time in the day. 

Moms with new infants will come and get a card to check out board books and will sit and excitedly read to them in the children’s section to expose them to new colors, shapes, and ideas."  – Claire Hoffman @ BR

 

No matter if you choose to use your card inside the library or online, we have something for everyone. Check out Amy’s blog from last month to find out all the ways your card can help you online (hint: it’s not just for reading). https://cmrlslibrarynews.blogspot.com/2024/07/back-to-school-back-to-library.html.

 

This all sounds great, so how do you get your CMRLS library card?

Check out everything you need to know at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/services/get-a-library-card/.

 

We are excited about Library Card Sign-Up Month this September and you might find lots of fun activities happening at your local branch. Visit our online calendar to see how you can get plugged in to our awesome events! https://cmrls.trumba.com/.

 

Happy September and have fun with your CMRLS library card!

Meet Our Team - Mary Farrar (G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library - Flowood)

 

Mary Farrar | Youth Specialist Librarian | Flowood Public Library

Mary is fairly new to CMRLS and we are excited to learn more about her. 

Here is what Mary had to say: 

1. What is your favorite part of working in the library?

Getting to choose books for the displays!

2. Was there a book that made you love reading?

I got back into reading last year with the Locked Tomb series. It's very irreverent and fun and made me give reading as a hobby another shot.

3. Tell us one e-resource you wish more people knew about.

CloudLibrary is great for ebooks and audiobooks. You can find more about it at https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/digital-library/virtual-reference-collection. 

4. What do you like to do when you're not at the library?

I like to crochet and play with my 4 cats.

5. What is your idea of the perfect vacation?

Renting a cabin in the mountains, and getting to read and watch scary movies all day.

6. What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween

Back to School = Back to the Library!

Back to School = Back to the Library! 

By Amy Lee, Brandon Public Library Branch Manager 

It seems like the time to head back to school gets here earlier and earlier each year. That also means back to homework, projects, and tests. Guess what? You are prepared! Yes, YOU! You are prepared because you’ve got a CMRLS Library Card! Your library card (and local library branch) gives you 100% access to the best books and resources. With your library card in your back pocket, you are sure to be a star student!   

From learning the ABCs to research databases to tracing family history, CMRLS has everything you need for test prep, homework help, and more!  Under our “Digital Library” and “Virtual Reference Collection” pages, you can access our “extensive digital library” (Central Mississippi Regional Library System 2015). Thanks to our local and federal legislative and government agencies (Central Mississippi Regional Library System, 2015), many FREE resources are available at your fingertips!   

Here are several examples of the academic resources provided by your local library. These are only a few programs, which you can take advantage of with your CMRLS card: 

• 
  Magnolia- This is a collection of online databases, as well as different journal articles, newspapers, scholarly papers, and more (Central Mississippi Regional Library System, 2015). A unique feature that helps put parents at ease is the “under 18” and “over 18” passcodes that can be given to a student and/or parent/guardian from a librarian.  This resource is ideal for papers and research projects that require multiple sources! Other great reference and research-based resources offered through CMRLS include Gale Virtual Reference Collection, Explora, and Mississippi Encyclopedia.
• 
  
  
• Rocket Languages- True to the name, this resource offers a unique, interactive way to learn new languages.  There are foreign languages, as well and English (ESL) and sign language tutorials. There are audio and visual prompts, as well as easy-to-navigate lessons.  Users also have opportunities to practice with the flashcards and “listening,” “writing,” and “speaking” features. There are also short video clips in the sign-language lessons, demonstrating the proper way to sign each word/phrase. Learning a new language has never been easier!   
• 
• Worldbook Online- You’ve heard of the Worldbook Encyclopedia’s. Now, you can access “Worldbook Online” through our virtual reference database.  Worldbook offers reliable information for ages elementary through high school.  Interactive and colorful grade-level articles, timelines, videos, photographs, games, and other activities really make this fun database stand out. It’s especially the top pick of many patrons that are students, parents, and teachers at our library branch, and it’s easy to see why! It is very user-friendly and engaging. 
•  
  
• Free online tutorials, such as Learning Express Library and GCF Learn Global offer a variety of age-levels and subject areas for extra practice and review.  Not only is it user-friendly, but I am amazed at the wide selection of topics, as well as the fact that the youngest child to an adult can learn something new!  Need help prepping for the ACT?  We have help for that too!  
• 
  
  
• Free Ebook and Audiobook Downloads – Apps such as Hoopla and cloudLibrary give you full access to awesome digital reads, for school or for fun! 

ComicsPlus is our newest resource recently offered by CMRLS! ComicsPlus is perfect for all readers at “any age, any stage.” What I love about this app is that it not only offers something for every reader, but it reaches those “reluctant readers.” Let’s be honest - it’s hard to motivate some kids to get excited about reading. Fortunately, that’s where Graphic Novels come in.   Graphic Novels offer a real novel, with a beginning, middle, and end, with enhanced reading features such as comic-style panels, colorful illustrations, and dialogue boxes. It’s the perfect way to introduce your young readers to the magic of reading and learning. The best part?  ComicsPlus offers the full reading experience for any CMRLS card member for FREE, just like our other amazing resources. After logging into the “Comics Plus,” user-friendly platform, all you have to do is hit the play button (no waiting, no reservations or holds) and POW! You are transported into a magical land of endless reading! What could be better? 

The above list of resources is just a fraction of what your local library (and library card) has to offer you. No back-to-school worries here! Your library “has your back”! New school year? Bring it on!  

The full list of available resources through the Central Mississippi Regional Library System are available here:  https://cmrls.lib.ms.us/digital-library/virtual-reference-collection 

Of course, if you need additional help or have any other questions, feel free to ask a librarian for help! After all, that’s what we’re here for! Happy school year! Go, CMRLS!