Author: Mr. X

from parts unknown, weight, unknown

Burns Nights

The beloved Scottish poet Robert Burns, or “Rabbie Burns,” was born on this day in 1759. From Scotland to all parts of the world where you will find people with Scottish roots, Burns Night is not just a celebration of the man, and his poetry, but also of Scottish heritage.

Also called a Burns Supper, Burns Night is: “a celebration of the life and works of the poet Robert Burns; Scottish by birth and held in fond regard by Scots all over the world, his life and poetry speak to the struggles common to all people. It is an evening of food, drink, entertainment, and friendship.  It is an event that transcends time, geographical borders, political, and religious beliefs to bring people together in celebration of the everyman.” (From burnsnight.net)

For more information on Robbie Burns and “Burns Night”:

RobertBurns.org

Burns Night at Scotland.org

Robbie Burns Tribute

Free Delivery

Do you know that you can have FREE school library books delivered to you FOR FREE in your classroom, all at no cost, in other words, FREE?!? 

Source: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0

Here’s how you do it:

1. Search for Tweedsmuir Library or use this URL : tweedsmuirlibrary.wordpress.com

2. Click on Catalog

3. Sign in with your School District username and password

4. Use the Catalog (Destiny Classic or Destiny Discover) to search for books

5. When you find a book, click on the title or on the “Details” button

6. Click the “Hold It” button

7. Expect an email to your Surrey Schools email address when the book is ready.

8. IF you don’t use your Surrey Schools email, you will need to use your regular email to contact tweedsmuirlibrary@gmail.com

9. When the book is ready, you can pick it up at the School Library OR you can have it delivered to your morning class.

Go here for a more detailed TEXT step-by-step guide.
Go here for an even more detailed ILLUSTRATED step-by-step guide.

Songs of Peace: War

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, uhh

Written by Barrett Strong / Norman Whitfield

Originally written for The Temptations, “War” was eventually released as a single by Edwin Starr. Although the song has been covered by many artists, including Bruce Springsteen, the preeminent version remains that of Edwin Starr. Originally written as part of the protests against the Vietnam War, Edwin Starr’s peformance of “War” has stood the test of time and remains one of the most famous anti-war anthems to this day.

Join us in your school library this month as we explore and celebrate November’s themes: Peace, non-violence, and alternatives to war.

Other “Songs of Peace” in this series:

We Have Games

We have board games. We have board games, party games, table games, card games, dice games, role playing games, cooperative games, one player games, classic games, social games, strategy games, award winning games, word games, family games, trivia games, negotiation games, Euro games, guessing games, pop culture games, deduction games, chance games, storytelling games, simulation games, abstract games, tile games, bluffing games. We have games!

Come down to your School Library to check out our selection of games, and join with us as we celebrate International Games Month.

Library Hall of Fame

October is Canadian Library Month and International School Library Month. Today we are highlighting a few noteworthy librarians who are the first inductees into our “Library Hall of Fame.”

Zoia Horn

source: Peter Brantley from El Cerrito, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Zoia Horn (1918-2014) was a librarian who went to jail rather than abandon her professional integrity and steadfast commitment to intellectual freedom. Horn was pressured by authorities to testify against anti-war activists charged with conspiracy during the Vietnam War. Horn refused, and was jailed for three weeks for contempt, the first time that has happened to a librarian in the United States. The California Library Association presents an annual Zoia Horn Intellectual Freedom Award in honour of her legacy.

Brian Deer

source: The Eastern Door

Brian Deer (1945–2019), a Mohawk from the First Nations Territory of Kahnawake in Quebec, was one of the first Indigenous librarians in Canada. Deer developed an original library classification system that expresses Indigenous knowledge structures. The Brian Deer Classification System has been adapted for use in libraries across Canada, including the indigenous library at UBC,  the Xwi7xwa Library.

Nancy Pearl

source: Seattle City Council from Seattle, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Probably the most famous living librarian in the world. Nancy Pearl rose to fame in Seattle while working for the Seattle Public Library. Her fame grew rapidly with the success of her books. Today is she is well known around the continent, and even the world, for her presence on public radio, podcasts, public appearances and more. She has won numerous awards, including Library Journal‘s Librarian of the Year Award in 2011. Her crowning achievement, however, may be the phenomenal success of the Nancy Pearl Librarian Action Figure.

Find Out More

Zoia Horn:

Brian Deer:

Nancy Pearl:

Check back here in upcoming posts for more additions to the “Library Hall of Fame.”