June books of the Month Celebrating Pride month "Redwood and Ponytail" by K.A Holt

June's book of the month is Redwood and Ponytail by K.A. Holt. Published in 2019 in the queer middle-grade fiction genre.  K.A Holt has written 13 books, a picture book, and helped with a few Adult anthologies. She has dedicated her career to making sure children and adults know that anyone can be a main character in a book.  She has written many award-winning middle-grade novels that show readers that they are not alone in their struggles. 

This book is a little hard to read at first as it is in text or column format. So the first couple of pages are a bit difficult. Redwood and Ponytails is about two girls who are opposite in every way but they find themselves drawn to each other.  We get to meet Kate and Tam. Tam is a tall athletic tom-boy type of girl. While Kate is the peppy cheerleader. They meet at the start of their 7th-grade year. While their friendship is a Surprise to both of them they find they want to spend more and more time with each other. The book goes Over relatable topics like when Tam starts to ignore her other friends to spend more time with Kate all the while Kate is struggling to keep up with her busy schedule. 

Filled with drama and balance Redwood and Ponytail is a good read filled with confidence and unconditionally queer-positive love. I loved that Tam was comfortable with queerness before realizing her feelings for girls and that even if she is often mistaken for a boy she is confident in who she is and is still learning. 

To read this book and learn more about other Books Written by K.A Holt and K. A her self visit https://kaholt.com

Do you know about the Explore MORE 2024 Passport Program for your family? You Should!

Start your adventure now till August 31st, 2024. Visit multiple participating libraries in the MORE system of Libraries to collect passport stamps and get the chance to win prizes! Explore beautiful communities with unique local businesses, parks, and museums. Wherever your adventure takes you, bring the library with you! There are three grand prize bundles and nine other prizes to reward your adventurous travels! A travel bundle, a backyard bundle, and a campfire bundle. One of these could be your for participating. 

This program is perfect for families looking for something to do over the summer. The MORE system has over 40+ locations in Wisconsin counties. If you don't see a book you want you can have it sent to your local library! The MORE system of libraries can send books to other Libraries in the system. So even if you can travel you can still get the book you want. 

How to become an explorer?

Stop by any participating MORE library to pick up your passport or visit https://iflsweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/passportfordownload.pdf  To download your passport. 

Rules and Regulations:

• Visit any MORE library to get a passport stamp.
• Only one stamp or code per patron per library except for: Bruce Area Library, Hawkins Area Library, Rusk County Community Library in Ladysmith, Ogema Public Library, Park Falls Public Library, and Phillips Public Library (Rusk and Price counties). Visiting one of those libraries in person gets you two stamps!
• Visit up to five libraries outside of the MORE library system and get credit for one stamp per library!
• For every ten stamps you collect, go to a MORE library and get an entry form for a chance to win prizes. You may enter up to five times. The drawing will be on September 16, 2024. Winners will be notified using the contact information on their entry form. The staff of the IFLS Library System and MORE libraries are not eligible to win.

Questions?

Contact any MORE library or email Rebecca Kilde at kilde@ifls.lib.wi.us

Visit the link below to get more information about Prizes and the MORE passport system. Below is also a Directory of participating libraries. 

https://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/exploremore2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0P4fuuvjKLHEbhFmW1Ht0IrwdyWj6HUzpobbLBt5iek_XzBancnH4fVhY_aem_AdmBC_QeOGzFYsJxViR_Rmk15hlP0NlGjKQtA6BUnInyaqhV66iy-WTRaIenMtf16rsx8vlvGbYx1jKEMUT448hk

Go Directly to a Library Website

links open in a new tab.

Barron County Libraries

Barron Public Library

Cameron Public Library

Chetek – Calhoun Memorial Public Library

Cumberland – Thomas St. Angelo Public Library

Rice Lake Public Library

Turtle Lake Public Library

Chippewa County Libraries

Bloomer – G.E. Bleskacek Family Memorial Library

Cadott Community Library

Chippewa Falls Public Library

Cornell Public Library 

Stanley – D.R. Moon Memorial Library

Dunn County Libraries

Boyceville Public Library

Colfax Public Library

Elk Mound Community Library

Menomonie Public Library

Sand Creek – Clarella Hackett Johnson Public Library

Eau Claire County Libraries

Altoona Public Library

Augusta Memorial Public Library

Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) Academic Library Open to the public! CVTC joined MORE last year, and is the only academic library in the MORE system.  They serve students, faculty and staff. Community members are welcome as well. 

Eau Claire – L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library

Fairchild Public Library

Fall Creek Public Library

Pepin County Libraries

Durand Community Library

Pepin Public Library

Pierce County Libraries

Ellsworth Public Library

Elmwood Public Library

Plum City Public Library

Prescott Public Library

River Falls Public Library

Spring Valley Public Library

Polk County Libraries

Amery Area Public Library

Balsam Lake Public Library

Centuria Public Library

Clear Lake Public Library

Dresser – Geraldine E. Anderson Village Library

Frederic Public Library

Luck Public Library

Milltown Public Library

Osceola – Wilberg Memorial Public Library

St. Croix Falls Public Library

Price County Libraries

Ogema Public Library

Park Falls Public Library

Phillips Public Library

Rusk County Libraries

Bruce Area Library

National Banned Books Week, October 1-7

 

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read, while also drawing attention to current and historical censorship within schools and libraries.  Although typically taking place during September, Banned Books Week 2023 will be held October 1-7, 2023. The theme of this year’s event is “Let Freedom Read.”

Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.  Banning and censorship of materials leads to the loss of voices, perspectives, and ideas that are often marginalized already. 2022 marks the largest number of attempted bans since the American Library Association (ALA) started gathering data about materials censorship. 

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. The Top 13 (due to several ties) Challenged Books of 2022 are:

1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Number of challenges: 151

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

2. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson

Number of challenges: 86

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Number of challenges: 73

Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, EDI content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

4. Flamer by Mike Curato

Number of challenges: 62

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

5. (tie) Looking for Alaska by John Green

Number of challenges: 55

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

5. (tie) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Number of challenges: 55

Challenged for: depiction of sexual abuse, LGBTQIA+ content, drug use, profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Number of challenges: 54

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Number of challenges: 52

Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Number of challenges: 50

Challenged for: depictions of abuse, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: drug use, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: profanity, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

10. (tie) This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson

Number of challenges: 48

Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, providing sexual education, claimed to be sexually explicit.

 

Look for ALA’s Top Challenged Books of 2023 list in April 2024! You can view preliminary data, through August by selecting the following link:

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data

 

Spotlight Resource of the Month

 Spotlight Resource of the Month

Brought to you by the CVTC Library

Last year, CVTC library began sharing materials with the 55 public libraries in the MORE system. Students and employees can now request library materials from any of the libraries to be delivered to CVTC, or they can request CVTC materials to be delivered to any of the MORE libraries or the CVTC River Falls Campus. The MORE consortium is the largest in Wisconsin and spreads across much of the CVTC district. Students and employees can now use their CVTC IDs as their library cards at any of the MORE libraries. 

MORE also provides access to one of the largest shared collections in the world, with resources such as the Wisconsin Digital Library, Freading, and Flipster. Requesting materials has never been easier with the MORE library app, which includes a digital student/employee ID. For more information visit the Library Help Guide to get started, browse the catalog, or to find your closest library.

CVTC LIBRARIANS ATTEND NATIONAL LIBRARY CONFERENCE

 

CVTC Librarians Attend National Library Conference

Librarians from CVTC had the opportunity to attend the annual American Library Association (ALA) conference in Chicago last month. Over 25,000 library, museum, and information services employees worldwide attended the event to share with and learn from each other. CVTC librarians attended sessions on new or rising technologies, innovative spaces, collection and patron trends, and DEIB. In addition, they had the opportunity to hear from authors, publishers, and vendors about forthcoming work. CVTC also sponsored a press publishing table at the conference to highlight the work of the Open RN project to promote student affordability.

  

Top photo: Jen Cook, CVTC Librarian (right), and Carla Hayden (left), Librarian of Congress
Bottom photo: Vince Mussehl, CVTC’s library director, touring the University of Illinois - Chicago’s innovative learning center in the library

Questions about the conference? Stop by the library or email the Library team.

 

National Library Week: April 23-29

National Library Week is a time to recognize and remember the libraries and librarians in your organizations and communities, and the work they do to teach, provide access to information, and promote equity to people of all backgrounds. Whether people visit in person or virtually, libraries offer opportunities for everyone to explore new worlds and become their best selves through access to technology, multimedia content, and educational programs. The CVTC Library serves all staff, faculty, students and now the community with the recent joining of the MORE Public Library Consortium. So far this year, over 80,000 people have walked through our doors, nearly 20,000 items have been borrowed, 100,000 digital resources were accessed, and over 800 students have had classroom library instruction. One of the most progressive academic libraries in Wisconsin, we offer unique study spaces; video, board, and yard games; cooking supplies; and even musical instruments. A small library with a big impact! Nominate a library star or learn more about your CVTC librarians and library staff.

Stop by in the library this week to make a library button and enter our drawing for a gift card, available Monday-Saturday. Wednesday April 26th we will also have some free cookies available to celebrate!

New Video Service - Kanopy BASE

 

The CVTC library is excited to announce our new Kanopy Video Service, Kanopy Base.  With Kanopy, you and your students can enjoy access to high-quality streaming content, including films, documentaries, and educational content. This valuable resource is a cost-effective way to enhance your teaching and research efforts, and we're excited to offer it to you. There are around 10,000 titles with unlimited streaming options.  You can access and explore what it has to offer here - https://cvtc.kanopy.com/ 

Kanopy BASE includes coverage of the following subjects: 

Film Studies

Race & Class Studies

Gender Studies

Media Studies 

Global Studies 

Education

History

Sociology

Psychology 

Law

Art and Architecture

Science, Technology and Engineering

Political Science

Health and Medicine 

Business

Journalism 

Literature

ESL & Languages

World Cinema 

Music, Theatre and Dance.  

If you have any questions or need assistance getting started, reach out to the library @ library@cvtc.edu for help! 

MORE Delivery to River Falls

 As you know, in July CVTC joined the MORE library system, allowing materials from our campus to reach our students at a library near where they live while also allowing materials from 54 other MORE system libraries to be delivered to CVTC students at the learning center in BEC.  

We are happy to announce that starting February 1st our River Falls campus will also be a delivery stop for library materials.  Students, faculty and staff will be able to choose CVTC - River Falls as a pickup location.  Books checked out at other MORE library locations will also be able to be returned at the River Falls Campus.  

You can access all the materials available in the MORE system on their website, https://www.more.lib.wi.us/. 

Remember we do have a small collection of popular fiction books and DVDs available at River Falls.  Check them out next time you are on campus.  

Contact Us

If you have questions please contact the library at library@cvtc.edu or stop by the library desk at the BEC Campus. Be sure to check out our blog for new resources, book reviews, and updates!

Hotspots for Spring Semester

 

We have some great news to share! A limited number of internet hotspots are available for students to checkout for the spring 2023 term at no cost. To request a hotspot please complete this short form by Wednesday, November 30. Some hotspots may also be available for students registered for classes over the winter term on a first-come, first-served basis. You can place a hold by emailing library@cvtc.edu or calling 715-833-6285. 

We also have a limited number of other devices such as laptops and iPads that can be reserved and checked out from the library for 30 days at a time depending on availability. 

Questions? Contact CVTC Library at 715-833-6285 or library@cvtc.edu. Pick-up locations will be held at the BEC Library and River Falls campus. For hours and locations, visit www.cvtc.edu/library.

Welcome New Student Workers

Each fall CVTC welcomes new students through our doors.  The library also welcomes new student workers.  This year we added Tess and Alena to our desk staff, please give them a warm welcome next time you are in the library.  

Tess is in the Dental Hygiene Program 

Alena is in the Human Resources Program 

Happy Banned Books Week!

 

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

Banned Books Week 2022 will be held September 18 – 24. The theme of this year’s event is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.”

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) compiles lists of challenged books as reported in the media and submitted by librarians and teachers across the country. The Top 10 Challenged Books of 2021 are:

1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
   Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images
2. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
3. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and profanity and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
4. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
   Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit
5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity and violence and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda
6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and use of a derogatory term
7. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
   Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women
8. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
   Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit
9. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
   Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sex education and LGBTQIA+ content
10. Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin
    Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.

Look for ALA’s Top Challenged Books of 2022 list in April 2023!

CVTC Joins MORE Public Library Consortium

 From WISPALS to MORE

Over the past few years the library has looked very closely at how to best serve our community of staff, faculty, students, and alumni. We have looked at a variety of different new resources, shifting many legacy print collections to digital collections while repurposing our space to better align with our mission and serve our students. We have also recently implemented a new login system for CVTC users which will work with single-sign on, to provide easier access off campus. Last year, we decided the next step in better serving our community was to leave the WISPALS academic library consortium and join the MORE public library consortium - and we are very excited to share this with you!

MORE Library Consortium

As of July 1, the CVTC library began sharing materials with the 53 public libraries in the MORE system. Students and employees can request library materials from any of the libraries to be delivered to CVTC, or they can request CVTC library materials to be delivered to any of the MORE libraries. The MORE library consortium is the largest in Wisconsin and spreads across much of the CVTC district. Students can now use their student IDs as their library cards at any of the MORE libraries. In addition, CVTC will also have access to one of the largest shared collections in the world, with resources such as the Wisconsin Digital Library, Freading, and Flipster. For a complete list of MORE libraries visit the website.

Additional Details

• As a current CVTC student or employee, you can begin making requests for materials to be delivered to CVTC or any MORE public library by visiting the MORE library online catalog.  

• If you currently use CVTC’s OverDrive, you will lose access as we make the transition to MORE. Information on access to MORE digital resources will be forthcoming by the start of the fall semester.

• This change will not affect any other library resources such as LinkedIn Learning, Films on Demand, or Ebsco.

• We hope to offer a delivery service to River Falls in the near future. This service will be communicated in the coming months.

Contact Us

If you have questions please contact the library at library@cvtc.edu or stop by the library desk at the BEC Campus. Be sure to check out our blog for new resources, book reviews, and updates!