Wednesday, May 6, 2015

There’s MUCH to celebrate in May!



The month of May is the celebration month for Asian-Pacific American Heritage, Jewish American Heritage, and Older Americans Month.  That’s a lot to recognize!  Here is some information about each of these (in alphabetical order).
Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month is a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian-Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).  The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.  Click here to go to the official government website for Asian-Pacific Heritage Month, and don’t forget to go to our homepage for a brief list of suggested reading titles.  

Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) is a national month of recognition of the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture.  The JAHM website is a resource for school and community leaders who may wish to use the celebration corridor as a teaching opportunity. JAHM acknowledges the achievements of American Jews in fields ranging from sports and arts and entertainment to medicine, business, science, government, and military service.  Click here to go to the official government page for Jewish American Heritage Month, here for even more resources and information, and go to our homepage for a link to an article about the Jewish contribution to the history of Decatur, AL!

Older Americans Month celebrates older adults as a vital part of our society. Since 1963, communities across the country have shown their gratitude by celebrating Older Americans Month each May. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Get into the Act,” to focus on how older adults are taking charge of their health, getting engaged in their communities, and making a positive impact in the lives of others. The theme also reflects on the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act into law in July 1965. Since that time, the Act has provided a nationwide aging services network and funding that helps older adults live with dignity in the communities of their choice for as long as possible. These services include home-delivered and congregate meals, caregiver support, community-based assistance, preventive health services, elder abuse prevention, and much more. Click here to discover Older Americans Month and go to our homepage for a list of books about sassy senior citizens of the world! You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging office by visiting www.eldercare.gov or calling 1-800- 677-1116 to find ongoing opportunities to celebrate and support older Americans.  Find out about senior services in our area by clicking here.

Friday, May 1, 2015

May's Adult Reading Challenge "Clues"



May Clues and explanations:

Maya Angelou: (April 4, 1928-May 28, 2014) This month marks one year since the death of this iconic and influential woman. She produced numerous books including memoirs, poetry, and cookbooks. Check out http://www.mayaangelou.com/caged-bird-songs/ to hear some of her poetry set to a hip-hop beat. For the Challenge, read any book by or about Ms. Angelou.

Horses: Read any book that has the word horse in the title, has a horse on the cover of the book, or is about horses. And don’t forget to watch the race for the roses on Saturday, May 2, 2015 to get you in the mood.

Other Religion: Read any book that is about a religion that is not one you were born into or practice today. 

May Author: Read a book by any author born in the month of May. Some choices to get you started are Jodi Picoult, Jeffrey Deaver, Martha Grimes, or Tony Hillerman.

And the two new clues for this month are:

Color-The title of the book you read for this clue must contain a color.

Mystery - The second additional clue for May will come from the map of the library you received when you signed up for the challenge. We have put up graphics on the shelves to match the map and make it easier for you to find these areas in the library.

The area you are looking for is #8 on the map-Mystery Cay. You must read a book that comes from this section of the library. One way to know a book works for the challenge is if it has a Mystery sticker on the spine. These clues will be added to the Suggested Reading Guide on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.
Remember you are looking for these decals; (1) will be on the end caps of the shelves and (2) will be on the spines of the book.
(1)                                                                                          (2)

                            
 Happy Hunting!