Yearly Archives: 2009

Testing & Education Reference Center

November 9, 2009
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Sonoma County Library has several online databases you can access from home with your library card number.  Many of these databases will help you with research papers.  However, if you are planning on taking the SATs or ACTs  the Testing & Education Reference Center can help you prepare for the exam.

 

The Testing & Education Reference Center has a wealth of information for all Sonoma County Library patrons.  You can read online study guides and take practice tests for the following exams:

GED – AP – ASVAB – HSPT – CAHSEE – CLEP – ACT – PSAT – SAT – SAT Subject Tests – GRE – MCAT – LSAT – GMAT – TOEFL

You can also find:

 

  • College and University Information
  • Distance Education Programs
  • Undergraduate Scholarships

 

You can access all of this from your home computer with a valid Sonoma County Library card.  

 

Book Spotlight: Seize the Story

November 3, 2009
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seize.jpg Seize the Story by Victoria Hanley
Do you like to write?  Do you want to write your own book?  You might want to check out this handy guide geared towards teens who enjoy writing.  This book gives you 14 chapters of tips, facts and information to get you started.

Chapter One:  Freeing Your Imagination
Chapter Two:  Creating Characters
Chapter Three:  Beginnings
Chapter Four:  Setting
Chapter Five:  The Heart of a Writer
Chapter Six:  Writing Dialogue
Chapter Seven:  Showing and Telling
Chapter Eight:  Plotting and Scheming
Chapter Nine:  Conflicts, Middles and Ends
Chapter Ten:  Polishing Your Writing
Chapter Eleven:  Point of View
Chapter Twelve:  Into the Future
Chapter Thirteen:  Interviews with Authors
Chapter Fourteen:  Questions and Answers

NaNoWriMo

October 30, 2009
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j0397490.jpg What is NaNoWriMo?!?

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and its happening this November!  Every November there is a challenge to write a whole novel during the 30 days of November.  Do you like to write?  Have you always wanted to write a novel?  Here’s your chance!

j0397500.jpg This challenge is for all ages!  Not just adults.  The adult website challenges you to write 50,000 words which is roughly the size of The Great Gatsby.  The young writer’s website challenges you to make your own writing goal.  If you are over the age of 13 you can join the adult challenge if you wish.  You can do the young writer’s challenge if you are under the age of 17.  Which one will you go for?

boy.jpg NaNoWriMo doesn’t care about quality writing, they care about quantity.  To get the words and ideas down on paper.  Its all about output.  This allows you to write without worry, to write with no risks, to just write.

To reach the 50,000 word challenge visit http://www.nanowrimo.org/.

To reach the Young Writer’s challenge visit http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/.

In 2008, 119,000 adults participated in the NaNoWriMo challenge and 22,000 participated in the Young Writer’s challenge.

Are you up to the challenge?!?

Book Spot Light: A Teen’s Guide to Creating Web Pages and Blogs

October 29, 2009
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web.jpg A Teen’s Guide to Creating Web Pages and Blogs
By:  Benjamin Selfridge, Peter Selfridge and Jennifer Osburn

Do you want to create your own web page or blog?  Do you want to create an unique myspace or facebook profile?  This book will help you get started.  It has everything from the very basics of HTML to Cybersafety to Blogging and Social Networking Sites.  It even explains terms that may be foreign to you.  Here is what this book has to offer you:

1.  Getting Started:  Your First HTML Page
2.  Fun with Fonts:  Creating an Online Journal
3.  Interesting Images:  Creating a Web Photo Album
4.  Likeable Lists and Terrific Tables:  Making Your Page Look Really Cool
5.  The Really Fun Stuff:  Using Links to Design a Complete Web Site
6.  Publishing Your Work on the Web:  Showing the World what You Can Do
7.  A Little Bit of JavaScript:  The Power of Programming
8.  What’s Next?
9.  Meeting and Greeting on the Web:  Building Great Pages on Social Networking Sites (SNS)
10.  Spilling Your Guts:  Blogging and the Creating of Weblogs
11.  Watching Your Back:  Cybersafety

Pumpkin Carving Contest @ Petaluma, Healdsburg & Rincon Valley

October 28, 2009
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Teens at the Petaluma, Central, Rincon Valley and Healdsburg branch carved pumpkins last week and yesterday.  The librarians took pictures of the pumpkins and the public are voting on their favorite pumpkin.  The teens were creative in their designs and pumpkin names.  In Petaluma teens named their pumpkins all sort of things like Jacka, A Trip to the Dentist and Cat got Mouse.  Below are a sampling of the pumpkins carved at the branches.  This event was a lot of fun but messy!  Stop by Petaluma, Central, Rincon Valley or Healdsburg to vote for your favorite pumpkin!

dscn2559.JPG Petaluma Branch

peta1a.JPG Petaluma Branch

peta2a.JPG Petaluma

peta3a.JPG Petaluma Branch

batunknown2.JPG Healdsburg Branch

teen-pumpkin-contest-oct-09-014.jpg Healdsburg Branch

teen-pumpkin-contest-oct-09-015.jpg Healdsburg Branch

teen-pumpkin-contest-oct-09-019.jpg Healdsburg Branch

cent3.jpg Central Branch

cent4.jpg Central Branch

central1.jpg Central Branch

rinc2.JPG Rincon Valley Branch

rinc4.JPG Rincon Valley Branch

rinc5.JPG Rincon Valley

Book Spotlight: Bewitching Season

October 26, 2009
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bewitching.jpg Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle
Review by Kathy, Children Services Coordinator, Central Branch
In the 1800s, what most wealthy and well-bred young ladies looked forward to most was their debut at the social Season – beautiful dresses, an audience with the Queen, and a whirlwind of parties, dinners, and dances where they would meet all the most eligible men in London.  Twins Persephone and Penelope (Persy and Pen) actually delayed their debut for a year, because they are being taught magic by their beloved governess!  When it is time for them to go to London for the start of the Season, they learn that Ally has been kidnapped—but that no one else even realizes she is missing.  It’s up to Persy and Pen to find her before bad dudes are able to use Ally’s magic to plot against the crown—all while juggling parties, dances, and handsome men who may want to marry them!  This book mixes a fun historical upper-class setting like in Anna Godbersen’s The Luxe books with a bit of the magic and court intrigue of Tamora Pierce’s Alanna books, to create a very fun read.  Bewitching Season shares more of Persy’s perspective;  coming soon is book 2, Betraying Season, which will share more of Pen’s perspective—and I, for one, am looking forward to it!