In the library, we talk about the importance of source attribution. Giving credit to your sources (words, pictures, media, etc.) is crucial; if you didn't say it, create it, or write it yourself, you need to give credit to the person who did. If you don't, you are committing intellectual property theft. This can be split into two forms: plagiarism, which is an ethical issue, and copyright, which is a legal issue. Aside from the ethical and legal repercussions of failing to properly attribute a source, however, sometimes those improperly cited words are just plain...wrong. As in, the person cited as the author of a quote never said those words. It happens all the time, and it needs to stop. Don't be that guy--check out your sources before you pass those inspiring thoughts along! Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/opinion/falser-words-were-never-spoken.html |
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The year 2020 seems like the future (well, technically, it is the future, but bear with me), but it's only a little over five years away. For many of you, 2020 is right around the time you will be joining the workforce. The job market is changing rapidly, so it is a good plan to look forward to what employers will be looking for. Here are the most important job skills expected for 2020: It's International Literacy Day! International Literacy Day is celebrated worldwide on September 8th each year. UNESCO (United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture), created International Literacy Day on November 17th, 1965, to bring awareness to the relationship between literacy, communities, and societies. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of "literacy" is "The quality, condition, or state of being literate; the ability to read and write. Also: the extent of this in a given community, region, period, etc." ...but it's more than that, in the eyes of UNESCO. UNESCO believes: Literacy is a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. Educational opportunities depend on literacy. Learn more aboutInternational Literacy Day by clicking here.
Lastly, in honor of International Literacy Day, check out this infographic about America's Libraries and how they support literacy nationwide (created by the clever folks at H&R Block). Did you know there are more libraries in America than there are McDonald's restaurants? Check out more interesting facts below: Welcome back! I hope you all had enjoyable and productive summers! I was fortunate this summer to find the time to read more than 35 books and graphic novels (some of which haven't even been published yet!), and I am very excited to add many of those titles to our library this year! Some of my favorites were We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King, I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and 100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith. I'll be adding new books to the library all month, so feel free to stop by and check some out. As we embark on another school year, I wanted to remind everyone about the rules and expectations of the WRHS Library Media Center: Hours: Monday - Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday 7:00 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. Please note that the LMC is NOT OPEN after school on Fridays. Library Media Center Mission Statement: The mission of the library media program is to support and enrich the philosophy and curriculum of Wachusett Regional High School by ensuring that students, faculty, and staff are effective users of ideas and information. This mission is accomplished:
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That's it! If you have questions about our policies, please feel free to stop by to talk with a member of the LMC staff. I wish you all a wonderful first day of the 2014-15 school year! -Mrs. Stern Have a great summer! Don't forget to check out our summer reading list! See you in August!
Already, 2014 has been a great year for film adaptations of young adult novels. Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars have both performed extremely well at the box office. In fact, John Green's YA tearjerker beat out Tom Cruise's new sci-fi action flick in their respective debuts this past weekend--no small feat! As a high school librarian, I am thrilled by this, because it shows that books are powerful, and that readers can drive entertainment sales. The great news? We're just getting started: more great film adaptations are coming this summer!
Trailers and More: If you like dystopias, mystery, and action: The Maze Runner The Giver If you want a good cry: If I Stay The Fault in Our Stars If you missed it in theaters: Check out Divergent on DVD August 5th. Looking forward: Read these books now to enjoy the movies this fall! Mockingjay Calling all books! Books are due back to the Library Media Center today! You will be billed for any unreturned items beginning Monday, June 9th. Don’t let that happen to you! Check your lockers, check under the bed, and visit the library if you have questions.
We start learning the names of colors when we are babies...but what exactly is color? That question was at the center of Alan Alda's 2014 Flame Challenge. The Flame Challenge, created in 2012 to recognize the importance of clearly communicating complex scientific concepts, was inspired by a question Alda asked his teacher when he was eleven years old: "What is a flame?" Her answer? "It's oxidation." "I didn't know any more about than I did before," Alda said. "It's just like calling it by another name. It's [as if] I said, 'What's a flame?' and she said, 'Oh, that's Fred.'" Alda announced the winner of the 2014 challenge, "What is Color?" this past Sunday at an event on the final day of the World Science Festival. Previous years' competitions have asked, "What is Time?" and, of course, "What is a Flame?" Learn more here and here.
Why am I talking about the Flame Challenge on the Library Media Center Blog? Clarity of information, of course! This award is all about explaining complex ideas in ways clear and easy enough for elementary students to understand. Clarity is a difficult but important skill to learn, and it certainly isn't limited to scientific ideas. The next time you are researching a new topic, reading a book, or looking something up online, pay attention to the expert or author's clarity of speech. Do you understand what he or she is trying to say or explain? Understanding and using information effectively are two of the most important information literacy skills we hope you learn in the library. Using a word incorrectly, whether in written correspondence or in daily speech, can make you look ignorant. You don't want that! Educate yourself: to avoid future (vocabulary-related) embarassment, check out this list of commonly misused words. In honor of "Go Green" Day at WRHS, the Credible Hulk has a reminder for you: always back-up your arguments!
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