At the end of the year, I published on my blog the complete list of books I’d read during 2008 (it totaled 149 books).

It’s a good feeling to finish that list off and begin a new list. So far, I’ve added three books to the “Books Read in 2009″ list, the most recent of which was “It’s Like This, Cat” by Emily Neville.

I picked that book based solely on the Newbery sticker on the spine of the book at the library. One of my goals this year is to read ten Newbery books I’ve never read before (this is an attempt to make progress on one of my lifetime goals of reading all the Newbery-winning books). “It’s Like This, Cat” makes for one down, nine to go this year. Not bad for twelve days into the year!

In addition to the Newbery goal, I have a few other reading goals, including reading all of the Printz-winning books and reading ten adult books. I tend to spend most of my reading time on young adult and middle grade books, so I’m trying to force myself to act like the adult my drivers license says I am.

I like reading goals because it stretches my reading comfort zones a little – it helps me find books I might not have picked up otherwise and makes me – I think – a more literate and well-read person (and it’s a lot more fun than trying to lose weight, which I hear is the number one most popular New Year’s resolution, to no one’s surprise).

What are your reading goals for 2009? Do you have some?

The other day a few friends and I did a little “higher” math and decided that winter in Chicago is twice as long as summer. Based on our calculations, we figured that we endure six months of winter, 3 of summer, 1 of spring, and 2 of fall.

To get through the six relentless months of snow, sleet, and ice, I’ve observed that Chicagoans do a few key things. First, we discuss it. Be it predicting, complaining, hoping, surmising, or simply chatting, we talk about the weather. I think this gives a sense of community. Like, I may freeze to death, but at least I won’t be alone. Second, as soon as winter is over, we unanimously decide that that was the worst winter in years. No way it could be that bad again. Third, and most obvious, we dress for it. In coats that look like sleeping bags, in gloves that reduce us to just apposable thumbs, in hats that appear as if a small woodland creature has alighted on our head, in boots that look as if we’re wearing said woodland creatures as footwear, there is no end to the bundling and wrapping and layering and zipping and buttoning and donning that goes on. In fact, with the only skin exposed being the two-inch slit across the eye/upper nose area, you can easily walk down the street and not recognize your friend, roommate, or colleague.  

But weather isn’t the only way to disguise yourself! I recently got a peek at these fantastic READ posters made by Harry Coffill, Media Center Specialist, at East Grand Rapids Middle School. His 6th grade class did a reading project that incorporated the READ CD, and each student came dressed in the theme of his/her book. They then got to suggest backgrounds and themes for their individual READ poster, and I think the results are fabulous!

Do you have ways you’ve also disguised your students in a READ poster? Or other creative ways you’ve integrated READ posters into your curriculum or library programming? If so, drop us a line at graphicsmarketing@ala.org, we’d love to hear about them! 

Ok, maybe it’s not entirely new, but it is newly optimized and includes new file formats! The newest version of the READ® CD Box Set became available last November, and it offers a variety of new features for READ CD users.

First, a new file type has been added (.png). What does this mean for you? Well, it’s a file type that’s smaller than a .gif file and has more color capabilities. It also works well with web applications without any loss of image quality. That means that you can use these file types for posting your READ® images on the web, and they’ll look just as good as the versions you print.

Next, the content on the four CDs has been reorganized to make it easier to use. Now, you’ll find all of the READ Me files on disc one with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements and the video tutorials. Disc one also contains 8 type treatments in the four available file types. The second disc contains the remaining 26 type treatments, four layered READ poster files, four layered READ bookmark files and nine READ poster files. Disc three contains the four more layered READ poster and bookmark and eight READ poster files. Finally, the fourth disc contains the remaining layered READ poster and bookmark files, three READ poster files and twelve background files. The updated organization of the discs will prevent you from having to switch discs constantly to find what you need among the various discs.

The final change to the READ CD Box Set is the updated Getting Started booklet. Many users have commented that the Getting Started Guide was difficult to understand and navigate. We’ve used that feedback to update the Guide so it’s more user-friendly.

So what has really changed in the READ DC Box Set? The type treatments, background files and layered poster and bookmark files are the same. All we’ve done is enhanced what was already a great product and made it even easier to use! For those of you who are interested in the READ CD and want to learn more about it, visit the READ CD Info Page at the new ALA Store!

Last week I returned from the Mile-High City, where ALA’s Midwinter Conference was held. Having never visited Denver before, I mistakenly assumed the city’s moniker was a result of its inhabitants navigating frigid, snow-covered streets nestled away in the mountains. As our plane touched down and the pilot greeted us with a cheery, “Welcome to Denver. Local time is 1:30p.m. and temperature is 63F,” I was proven quite wrong. Having just left the Windy City and temperatures of -20F wind chill, I’d never been happier to be wrong!

In addition to the beautiful weather, I had a great time visiting with members and customers in the ALA Store. Over the weekend, I did two READ CD demos, and, as is usually the case when teaching, I think I learned more than I taught! The READ CD is being used in great and inventive ways in libraries and schools, and upcoming posts will relate those and other fabulous ideas from our very creative READ CD users! In the meantime, here’s a PDF of the READ CD handout I used during the demos. It details both a “quick” and more involved way to make a READ poster, two methods of extracting the background from your reader’s photo, and some quick tips.

And I feel I can’t mention the conference without also mentioning what I found to be a very amusing coincidence. Denver’s giant convention center was holding not only the ALA conference but also the Sportsmen’s conference. This led to quite a mix of interests wandering the large halls. One ALA attendee phrased it quite well when she said, “It’s the buns and guns show!”