Cauli Le Chat

Cauli Le Chat
Cauli Le Chat, MPL Feline Roving Reporter

Monday, September 30, 2013

Scary Reading, To Be Sure

Programma Mama has a new display featuring young adult scary reading. I'm too scared moiself to read them, but, hey, people readers should enjoy them plenty.  Humans love to be frightened!


 Click Images to Bigify

October is a fun month, what with all the Autumn colors, falling leaves, Halloween, and pumpkins.  I like the little ones that we kitties enjoy rolling around and pouncing upon.

Our patrons may check-out these (and many other) spooky items using their Evergreen Indiana library cards. Search our online E.I. catalog to find more scary subjects to peruse. We've got plenty of supernatural stuff (in both fiction and nonfiction).  Just take a look at our supernatural book trailer playlists.  You're bound to find something that will make your hair stand up on end.



Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat


We Get Those Sometimes

Technigal reports that today (September 30) is Ask a Stupid Question Day.  We get those sometimes at my Library.  Scowl-Face, front-and-center!  We need your assistance, either in asking or answering.

 Click Images to Bigify

You Obviously Haven't Talked To Scowl-Face
(Re: Green Comment Above)

What's your favorite stupid question?  I'll accept those asked of you or by you.  Comments, please and thanks.

Technigal has a point about no questions being stupid.  How is anybody supposed to learn anything unless s/he asks questions?  Just asking.

We felines are not particularly tolerant of stupid questioning.  Fortunately, kitties never pose any stupid queries, and we know all the answers.  That means we run the show.  Yep.  Pretty much.

Seriously, drop by your favorite library today and ask the reference staff anything.  They will find the information you seek.  That's a pretty cool job, I'd venture.



Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  "Question," by the Moody Blues, appeared on the LP A Question of Balance (1970). Here the band performs the song on television, just a few weeks before it was released as a single (1970).

Adopt-a-Shelter-Slobberdog Today!

October is Adopt-a-Shelter-Slobberdog Month.  Of course, we have a book display all about slobberdogs.

 Click Images to Bigify



Contrary to popular misconceptions (promoted in many critter cartoon movies), canines and felines are fast friends.  Some of my greatest pals are, and have been, slobberdogs. Slobberdogs are best friends to many millions of humans, and you should include yourselves among them. Why let everybody else enjoy the company of slobberdogs? That's happiness you could certainly use in your lives.

Adopting a shelter slobberdog earns you even greater love and devotion. Shelter critters make wonderful companions.  Humans also earn good karma by improving the lives of many slobberdogs and kitties who deserve forever homes (like yours).

I've heard all the excuses about why pets are impractical for some people. Talk to the paw, because the cat's not listening!  Love is about sharing your lives with special sentient beings. You can't get more apperceptive than felines and canines, although humans come close.

Visit your nearby animal shelter or humane society this month to discover your new slobberdog compatriot.  You will be rewarded with a lifetime of joy and affection.



Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  "Gonna Buy Me a Dog," by the Monkees, appeared in their self-titled TV series (1966-1968), as well as on the group's self-titled debut album (1966). The song was composed by producers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.  It appeared in season one, episode 12, "I've Got a Little Song Here," first broadcast on November 28, 1966.  Naturally, we have borrowed a YouTube video clip from this episode showcasing the tune.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Banned Book Displays Are Back

Our banned book displays are back!  Programma Mama has a really cool young adult display of challenged or banned books wrapped in caution tape.  Patrons can check them out, but you can't tell what you've got until you take it home (or wherever you read).  All we know for sure is that it's "forbidden fruit," which piqued my interest right away.

 Click Images to Bigify



Yep.  What Mark Twain Said, Pretty Much

Scowl-Face opted for a more traditional display, like he does every year.





In September, 2010, ol' Scowlly did a fancier display, but that was before my time.  We have photos from a readers' advisory blog, however.  I guess I could include them here.  No reason to subject you to ol' Scowlly's blogging.



Last year, Savvy and Programma Mama used the "rounder" display to showcase their selections of banned or challenged books, about which I naturally blogged.  I'll reprise some pictures.






Stop by the Library to check-out a challenged or banned book.  We have them in audio formats, too.  Hey, check-out a bunch.  You never know when they might disappear from the shelves.





Your Roving Reporter On The Go,


Cauli Le Chat




P.S.  In case you missed them in last week's blog posts, here are our promo trailers for 2013 banned books week.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sharing Our Superpowers Since 1912

Librarians are super-heroes.  I know they look like mild-mannered alter egos, such as Barbara (Batgirl) Gordon and Clark (Superman) Kent, who was originally a newspaper reporter way back in the day, but he was pretty mild-mannered, to be sure.  Barbara Gordon was a librarian, though.

Anyway, our super library staffers, such as Casey at the Bat, Crafty Gal, and, to a lesser extent, Scowl-Face, have donned their super-hero garb to present a workshop at this year's Indiana Library Federation (ILF) annual conference bigbash.

Our Terrific Trio's workshop is entitled "Share Your Superpowers With the World!" and is slated for Tuesday, October 22, 2013, from 5:00-5:50 p.m.  That's the dinner time slot, so they'll really need to show some superpowers to draw a big crowd.  That should be pretty easy for Casey at the Bat and Crafty Gal.

What are their secret identities, you may well wonder?  Let's have a look.

 The Streak and the Youthinator
(Click Images to Bigify)

Crafty Gal (alias The Streak) and Casey at the Bat (alias the Youthinator) are true super-heroines.  Casey isn't totally sold yet on her superhero name, so that may change before the conference.  But The Streak sounds like it'll stick.

What are these ladies' superpowers?  Well, they can simultaneously conduct several youth programs while corralling hundreds (hey, maybe thousands) of stampeding youngsters and their caregivers.  They can locate obscure, microscopically thin children's books faster than a speeding bullet.  They can educate and entertain their charges with almost super-hypnotic concentration.  And that's just a partial list.

Then there's Scowl-Face's alter ego.  Brace yourselves.

Captain Video
Nice Boots, C.V. (Eye-Roll)
 
Scowl-Face is secretly Captain Video because (this is a gimme) he makes all those videos for my Library.  His superpower is talking the ears off evil-doers and boring them into confessing their crimes and voluntarily going to prison, just to get out of earshot.

Librarians should flock in enormous quantities to see this workshop at the ILF bigbash.  They will learn about making videos (and hosting programs) that will draw loyal audiences to their libraries' youth services departments.  I'd tell you more about it, but that's all I actually know moiself.  Watch for a future posting, if Casey at the Bat gives me her Google Presentation.

We're no strangers to superheroes at my Library, as you may recall from this blog posting.

Hey, Casey at the Bat, Crafty Gal, and Scowl-Face!  Are you going to wear costumes like the MARCinator?  Just asking.




Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  "The Adventures of Super Librarian" (2006) is a hoot.
 
P.P.S.  Scowl-Face's superhero is not to be confused with Captain Video (and His Video Rangers) (1949-1955), one of the earliest American science fiction television series.  The show appeared on the DuMont Television Network until the network's demise in 1956.  Some of the top sci-fi writers of the day, including Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, James Blish, Damon Knight, Jack Vance, and many others, scripted the program.
 

Friday, September 20, 2013

Mystery Dinners Return

The fifth annual MPL mystery dinners have been scheduled for October 18-19, 2013 (7:00-9:30 p.m.).  Registration is required, so visit our website to access our online calendar; or you could call (317) 831-7323.  There is a nonrefundable $10 fee per person to reserve your place in the fun. Appetizers and beverages will be served.

MPL Promo Trailer for Mystery Dinners



Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum!

September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.  We've blogged about this holiday before (and before that, even), and I've embedded some great videos in those blog posts.  We made some other videos after last year's blogging, which I'll include here.

 MPL Early Literacy Vlog Puppet Interview #3
Crafty Gal Interviews Cap'n Arrrrrgyle

Sammygrams
Sammy the Toucan Interviews Cap'n Arrrrrgyle

Sadly, I have been forbidden to include a recent video that's spot-on for this whole pirate theme.  Ask moi in about a month or so.

Now for one of my favorite book trailers.

Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
(MPL Book Trailer #49)


Hoist the Jolly Roger!  Shiver moi timbers!




Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat

Happy Trails, Hamburglar

One of our crack circulation teamsters, whom I call the Hamburglar or Fancy Nancy, will be leaving soon.  We are all quite sad.  Hamburglar brought a warmth to our patron services that will be sorely missed.  She is a caring, capable staffer who has cheerfully assisted patrons, whether trouble-shooting technology issues, checking-in and -out items, or all the other myriad duties she has performed while working here.

Why She's the Hamburglar


You may remember her as Fancy Nancy in our "Librarians Do Taio Cruz" music parody video.

 
 Librarians Do Taio Cruz (2010), by Broadway Gal
(Watch for Fancy Nancy at the 1:55 to 1:57 marks)


Best wishes in your future ventures, Hamburglar.  Come back to visit whenever you're in the neighborhood.



Your Roving Reporter On The Go,
Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  Here's a McDonald's television commercial from the late 1980s, "How Hamburglar Got His Stripes."  We can tell the video is 1985 or later, because that was the year McDonalds' advertising introduced the "new" Hamburglar, who was a red-headed "Dennis the Menace" type, rather than the previous old, troll-like character.  Hamburglar first appeared in McDonalds commerials in 1971.  For a complete list of characters from McDonaldland, click that link earlier in this sentence.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Discover What You're Missing

The American Library Association (ALA) celebrates your right to choose what you want to read year-round, but especially next week during Banned Books Week (September 22-28, 2013).  Discover what you're missing at your favorite library.  Read or listen to banned books (or audiobooks or playaways or whatever).  Our promo trailers explain.


You Know Where to Click

Defend your right to read what you want.  If you don't, who will? Remember, there are loads of people out there who would gladly "protect" you from "bad" reading.  Don't let them.




Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  During the ALA national conference in Chicago this past summer, author Khaled Hosseini discussed banned books (including his own, The Kite Runner).

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Name Those Slobberpups!

A couple of years ago, Fifi and Scruffy, literacy slobberdogs at Greenwood (Indiana) Public Library (GPL), tied the knot.  Now the happy couple have had slobberpuppies!  Well, that's not what GPL calls them, but I call all canines slobberdogs.

Yesterday (September 14, 2013), GPL held a "name the (slobber)puppies" children's program.  Lots of excited youngsters and their caregivers arrived to play fun games, suggest names, and hang out with this famous library slobberdog family.  Naturally, my minions and I have scooped the other news media outlets and offer an exclusive.  As always, click the images to bigify.


 Slobberpuppy Naming Table

 Fifi & Scruffy (the Proud Parents)

 Mighty Cute, I Must Say

 Suggested Names Go Into the Cups

 Looks Like Mama, For Sure

 A Chip Off the Ol' Slobberblock, I'd Venture



 Lots of Fun Activities For Everyone

 Slobberdog Horseshoes
(Pitch the Slobberpup Biscuit Into the Bowl to Win!)

Slobberpup Hop-Scotch 


 Pooch Table Favors

 Tasty Treats for the Kiddies

 A Slobberdog Variation of
Pin the Tail on the Donkey

Kids & Caregivers Brought Donations to Local Animal Shelters

What a wonderful program!  Everybody had great fun, and I made some new slobberdog pals.

Great job, GPL youth services team!





Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  "The Puppy Song," by Harry Nilsson, was included on the LP Harry (1969).  Nilsson wrote the song at Paul McCartney's request to be covered by Mary Hopkin, whose cover appeared on the album Postcard (1969).  David Cassidy's cover topped the UK pop singles charts in 1973.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Ask "Bone-ita" Marley

Our librarian, "Bone-ita" Marley, recommends these suspense novels by Tess Gerritsen, whom we blogged about yesterday, and who will be visiting MPL on October 8, 2013.

Click Images to Bigify



You can tell she's library staff, so she must know her stuff.


She's using her left hand to point to one book.  Her other hand is recommending another.


There's an inside joke here that's explained in a previous blog posting.

Thanks, Mrs. Marley, for being part of our program promotion.  You can blame the Decorinator.  She came up with the pun.

Mrs. Marley may haunt our library, by the way.   I certainly don't want to get on her bad side.  After all, we've had poltergeist activity here.  Could've been Mrs. Marley.  Better safe than sorry, I'll venture.



Your Roving Reporter On The Go,

Cauli Le Chat


P.S.  "The Skeleton Dance" (2009) is pretty cute.