Thursday, April 30, 2020

Local History and Genealogy

Did you know that the public library is a great resource for researching local history and genealogy? Whether you are using this down time to work on family genealogy, your child is getting a head start on their next heritage fair project, or you are just interested in learning more about the history of your community, PARL has a few resources that can help guide you. 

Ancestry.ca


Ancestry.ca is an online genealogy database that includes immigration records, census records, vital records, family histories, church records, military records, and much more. Although ancestry.ca is usually only available at your local library branch, it is, for the time being, free to use from home. You can access ancestry.ca by visiting the PARL website and following the directions that are listed. In addition to the information you need to access the database, our website also has  some useful research tips. The amount of records a simple search can return is a bit daunting so follow the tips to help you narrow down your search. 



NovaStory.ca


NovaStory.ca, a collection of digitized documents, photographs, historical maps, and cemetery guides. An initiative spearheaded by Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library, there are a variety of resources specific to Pictou and Antigonish counties, such as the Pictou Historical Photograph Society collection. 

http://www.novastory.ca/novastories/petroglyphs/ships.html

A resource that deserves special recognition is the Creed Mi'kmaq Tracings Collection. In 1887-1888 George Creed, the postmaster in South Rawdon made a series of tracings of Mi'kmaq petroglyphs found at Kejimkujik and McGowan Lake. Petroglyphs are artwork and symbols carved into rocks and give us a glimpse into Mi'kmaw culture, tradtions, and history. In some cases, these tracings are the only record of specific carvings as they have been destroyed by vandalism or they are no longer accessible. 




Information for Family Historians

The PARL homepage features a tab called "Subject Resources". Under this tab you can find a link to our resource page for family historians. A noteworthy feature on this page is a photographic collection called Pictou County Characters, which includes photographs of citizens in our local communities.  Although there are links to other unique collections of local interest, many of the resources listed on this page will require an in-person visit to the Heritage Room in the New Glasgow Library. Once all of COVID-19 precautionary measures have been lifted, our library branches will be open again. But until then, we hope you find some of these digital collections compelling and thought provoking. 








Monday, April 27, 2020

What Do Parents Need to Know About Social Media?

Children and teens are spending all of their time at home these days and are no doubt spending a lot of that time on social media. Social media can be a great tool to help children and teens stay connected with their friends and family. During this time of social distancing, families are sharing birthday celebrations via Facetime, friends are doing yoga together via Zoom, people are participating in exercise classes via livestream, and children are messaging eachother about their schoolwork. With so many options at our literal fingertips, it certainly helps pass the time and alleviate the isolation that so many people are feeling. 

But there are reasons to be wary about young people's use of social media too. The sheer number of networks and applications (apps) makes it very difficult to stay informed about who is using what and if there are security or safety concerns. 


A Few Basics

  1. Try to familiarize yourself with the various social networks that young people are actively using. 
  2. Remind them not to share personal information, passwords, or their location online.
  3. Talk to your children about the dangers and consequences of social media:
    • Cyberbullying is using online platforms to intimidate or harass others. Cyberbullying can involve sending mean messages or posting them on a public platform, deliberately excluding someone from a group message or chat, or sharing pictures or information without someone's permission. 
    • Sexting is sending sexually explicit messages or photos via email or chat.
  4. Let your children know that nothing they post is really private and not to post anything they would not want a family member, teacher, or anyone else to see. 
  5. Social media platforms have privacy settings. Make sure you check these regularly. 
This is a very general overview of a weighty topic. The following resources may be able to answer specific questions. All sites are reputable and have up-to-date information. 


A Word About Online Gaming


Many young people play online games like Fortnite and Roblox which have a social component to them and allow them to play in real time with other people across the world.  While the games may look simple enough- the ability to interact with strangers can be very concerning. There are ways to help keep your children safe so that they can enjoy playing games with their friends. The Internet Matters Gaming Advice Hub has many tips to help you navigate this 




Thursday, April 23, 2020

Stay Home and Read Atlantic... Plus Some Selections for Children and Youth Too...

Stay Home, #ReadAltantic

Premier McNeil's now famous phrase "stay the blazes home" has captured the attention of Nova Scotians and permeated its way into our collective vocabulary. Public libraries in Nova Scotia want to make sure that while you are staying home, you have access to a variety of books and other resources and have partnered with the Atlantic Publishers Marketing  Association (APMA) on the 2020 #ReadAtlantic program. With support from Nova Scotia Provincial Library and the NS Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage, this 5 week initiative, which started on April 15,  makes a new locally published eBook available for unlimited downloads through our OverDrive collection. You can learn more about each title and when it will be available on the APMA website.  

Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library is very happy to be offering, via Zoom, live readings by two featured authors during the coming weeks. You can send in your questions and comments ahead of time by emailing Ellie at stellarton@parl.ns.ca. If you are not comfortable or interested in using Zoom, feel free to join us by teleconference. Full details to participate are on our website





Crow by Amy Spurway
Tuesday April 28 at 7 pm


&

Silver Linings by Janice Landry
Tuesday May 26 at 7 pm








Books for Children and Youth


Although the following books are not part of the Stay Home and Read Atlantic initiative (and therefore are not available for unlimited downloads) I thought it worthwhile to highlight few Atlantic Canadian books for children and youth that are also available through OverDrive. 



Wereduck by Dave Atkinson 

Kate's family has always told her that on her thirteenth birthday she will become a werewolf just like them. But she doesn't want to become a werewolf, she's always felt more like a duck. So what happens on the night of her thirteenth birthday? Does she follow her in family's werewolf footsteps or does she do what she's always become what she's always wanted to become. 







The Walking Bathroom by Shauntay Grant 

Amayah doesn't have a costume to wear to school for Halloween. She wants to do something different and creative. But just what will people think of her choice of costume- a walking bathroom!









Sinking Deeper (or My Questionable, Possibly Heroic) Decision to Invent a Sea Monster by Steve Vernon 

Roland MacTavish's mom wants him to move to Ottawa, away from his father, his weird friend, and his even weirder grandfather. So, what does he decide to do? He invents a sea monster. But his plan quickly spins out of control and it gets harder and harder to keep up the illusion. 






My River by Stella Bowles

Stella was told she couldn't swim in her backyard river because hundreds of houses flushed their raw sewage into it. She decided to do something about it. This is the true story of Stella's grade six science project to clean up the LaHave River.








These are just a few examples of Atlantic Canadian eBooks for children and youth that you can find in OverDrive. You can search Atlantic Canadian eBooks to find more or click on the link in OverDrive to bring you directly to the  Kids & Teens collection. 

Monday, April 20, 2020

Free, Family-Friendly Films

Wednesday April 22 is National Canadian Film Day (NCFD). 2020 marks the seventh year for this annual event which is all about promoting and celebrating Canadian films and filmmakers. Unfortunately COVID-19 has played havoc with plans to show films across Canada but, not to worry, the folks at Reel Canada have come up with some alternative ways for us to watch some movies on April 22. If you visit the NCFD website you will find information about the variety of films that they have selected for screening.

While you might need to subscribe to Netflix, Crave, or another streaming service to access many films, NCFD is offering a variety of family-friendly programming via Facebook Live. Every half hour on the hour, there will be a 10-15 minute activity and accompanying film for children. All you need to do is tune into their Facebook page on April 22 to participate. Here is the schedule (all times listed are Atlantic Time):


12:00 PM - Oh Canada! Geography Activity
1:00 PM - The Log Driver's Waltz 
2:00 PM - Arts and Crafts: Make and Decorate a Moose or Beaver Mask
3:00 PM - Earth Day Special
4:00 PM - Bilingual Singalong to The Cat Came Back



You might also want to check out some of the family films that have been featured as part of NCFD. The following list is just a few examples and you can find the full selection on the NCFD website:

Babar: King of the Elephants (watch on YouTube)
The Breadwinner (watch on CBC Gem, which you can access for free)
Franklin and the Turtle Lake Treasure (watch on YouTube)
The Little Bear Movie (watch on YouTube)
The Legend of Sarila (watch on CBC Gem)
Wonders of the Arctic (watch in English or French on the Canadian Museum of History website)

Happy watching!



Thursday, April 16, 2020

DIY Car Repair... At the Library!

Do you have an amateur mechanic in your family? Do you know someone who is using their down time to repair a car?  Do you know a student interested in becoming a mechanic? If so, they might want to check out the Chilton Library. The Chilton Library is a comprehensive database of car repair manuals, step-by-step procedures, wiring diagrams, and much more. In addition to vehicle specific repair manuals, there are Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) test quizzes for anyone wanting practice towards professional certification. 


To access the Chilton Library, visit the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library website. Select the collections tab and scroll down until you find Chilton Auto Repair. You will need your library card and if you don't already have a card, you can apply for one on the PARL website. Once you are on the Chilton Library homepage, you can find the manual specific to your vehicle by selecting the year, make, and model of the car you are looking to repair. That part is simple, the rest is up to you! 








If your amateur mechanic likes to read about cars in addition to fixing them, they might be be interested in some of the car magazines on PressReader. You can also find PressReader under the collections tab.

The following titles are a few examples of the many magazines you can find on PressReader:

BBC Top Gear Magazine
Car and Driver
Classic Ford
Classics Monthly






Car repair is rarely free but a library card certainly is! Check out what your library has to offer today!

Monday, April 13, 2020

A Primer on PressReader

You may have heard by now that PARL has subscribed to a new service called PressReader. PressReader is a collection of over 7000 digital newspapers and magazines in more than 100 languages from more than 60 countries. With so much content, there is sure to be something of interest to everyone. 


You can find all the information you need to access PressReader from the PARL website. You will need your free library card and your PIN, which is usually the last four digits of your phone number.  If you don't have a card, you can request one online from our website

Once you are signed in, browse away for titles that might interest you. You can select different categories, search by language, or by country. In addition to the many newspapers and magazines for adults, there are also a variety of magazines for children and youth. You can scroll down the list of categories until you find "For Kids & Tweens". 


The following titles are just few examples of magazines that children and teens might be interested in reading on PressReader. 



110% Gaming is packed with stories about Minecraft, Fortnite, and other games, plus updates from favorite YouTubers. This magazine is sure to appeal to any young gamer. 















Canadian Geographic features articles about plants, animals, and various other topics. There are also quizzes and games so children can test their knowledge.

















Young Rider is geared towards kids who love horses and ponies and includes articles about animal care, riding tips, and much more. But be warned, there is a classifieds section so don't be surprised if your young horse or pony enthusiast comes away with a bit of a wishlist! 




While you are browsing for magazines for your children, keep an eye out for magazines and newspapers that might interest you as well. If you are looking for the latest news on COVID-19 or want to escape with topics like entertainment or crafts, fashion or fishing, cooking or cars, you will find something in PressReader. 

Happy Reading!

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Talking to Children About the Coronavirus

I think it is safe to say that we are all in uncharted territory right now. Routines have gone by the wayside, parents and/or guardians may be working from home (if they are lucky enough to still be working) or they may be putting their own health at risk by heading out to work in one of the essential services that are still available to us. This is a very confusing time for everyone, especially children who are missing their friends, family members, teachers, and other people that they are used to seeing on a regular basis. 

To help families navigate this difficult time, we have compiled a few resources that may be useful in explaining the current situation to children. 



Nosy Crow, a small publishing company based out of the UK, has created a free information book explaining the coronavirus to children. The book was illustrated by Axel Sheffler, illustrator of a very popular children's book called the Gruffalo, and was developed with input from Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. You can download the book in PDF format  or read the book directly from their website








Little Puddins is a blog and resource site run by Amanda Mc Guinness (The Autism Educator) a parent of children with special needs. Her printable handout Coronavirus Social Narrative  is a helpful tool to for parents of children with autism.













You may also find some helpful books that can be downloaded from OverDrive. You will need a library card to access these books so if you don't already have one, you can apply for one on our website



Germs are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick 

This book is aimed at children ages 4-7 and teaches children what germs are, what they do, and why it is so important to keep them from spreading. 













Tracking an Epidemic by Tamara B. Orr 

This book tasks readers with following clues and using the scientific method to find out what happens during the spread of an epidemic. 















Engineering Solutions for Epidemics and Pandemics by Kara Rogers

This book is geared towards older children and teens and explores epidemic and pandemic threats and approaches to disease detection, prevention, and surveillance. 














Young children might enjoy the catchy TumbleTune  'Til the Virus Ends, available via our website on TumbeBooks.  










Web Resources

PBS Kids has some great articles on their website. Here are two that might be of interest.

Talking to Kids About COVID-19 from Anxiety Canada.

Scholastic has some articles geared towards teachers and broken down by grade level. 

Please let us know if you have any helpful resources that can be added to this site. 


Monday, April 6, 2020

Fun Ways to Explore Poetry with Children

Did you know that April is Poetry Month? Why not take a bit of time to learn about some of the wonderful poets who write for children and live in Nova Scotia. You can download the following books plus other titles by these and other authors from OverDrive with your library card. 



Apples and Butterflies by Shauntay Grant

From patchwork-quilt farmland to the winding red roads, from sandy beaches to the endless stars at night, Apples and Butterflies shows Prince Edward Island shining in the bright blue and gold light of fall. 

Shauntay Grant is a writer and storyteller from Halifax, NS. She was Halifax's Poet Laureate from 2009 until 2011. You can learn more about her on her website








Everybody's Different on Everybody Street by Sheree Fitch. 

Sheree Fitch's playful words lead you into this beautiful children's book and invite you to celebrate our gifts, our weaknesses, our differences, and our sameness. Fitch displays her wit and mastery of words in quick, rollicking rhymes that are complemented by Emma FitzGerald's lively illustrations.

Sheree Fitch is one of PARL's former Writers-in-Residence. She is a well-known writer, storyteller, podcaster, and owner of Mabel Murple’s Books Shoppe and Dreamery located in River John, NS.  You can learn more about Sheree Fitch on her website




Although not specifically for children, Song of Rita Joe: Autobiography of a Mi'kmaw Poet by Rita Joe is very important to acknowledge. Rita Joe has become known as the Poet Laureate of the Mi'kmaq people. She faced intolerance, ignorance and abuse—searched her culture for strength—and wrote poems of clarity and encouragement that continue to inspire. Song of Rita Joe includes 75 of her poems.  I Lost My Talk is one of Rita Joe's most powerful poems about her experiences in a residential school. It has been published as a children's picture book, illustrated by Pauline Young. You can find copies of that book in our library branches but unfortunately we do not have it available to borrow digitally. 









Exploring poetry with children can be a fun way to exercise some creativity. Here are a few activities you can try at home:

Book Spine Poetry

It's pretty simple... grab a bunch of books and stack them in such a way to create a poem using the titles on the book spines.  Check out this post on the Scholastic website for more information.  Here is an example so you can see how this works:

Dog Days

Super sketchy
Tricks and games to teach your dog
How to speak dog.
Click, clack, splish, splash,
Holes!
Top dogs: true stories of canines that made history.


OK, it's not great. Give it a try and see how what you can come up with!

Found Words Poetry

Cut words out of an old magazine, flyer, or newspaper and use the words to create a poem. You can even glue them on a piece of paper or start a poetry journal. 

Poem in Your Pocket

National Poetry Month is an initiative of the League of Canadian Poets. One of the activities suggested on their website is "Poem in Your Pocket Day" which takes place on April 30. The idea is to take a poem with you in your pocket to share with others. Since that is not possible during all of the social distancing measures that are in place another option could be to share favorite poem with family or friends through a chat or video message.

Happy Poetry Month!




Friday, April 3, 2020

Research Tips From Your Public Library

With so much content available online, it can be difficult to distinguish between credible and not-so-credible sources. The term fake news has entered our vocabulary over the last few years but what does it mean? We hear a lot about coronavirus in the news but what sources are giving us accurate information? And now that many students are working from home to complete their studies, they are relying on online resources more than ever. For these reasons, I thought it might be a good time to share some research tips. Feel free to print the guide or refer back  to this page as needed. 


PARL's Guide to Research


Using the Library (when we are open!)


  • You can find books, magazines, newspapers, and other print resources at the library. 
  • Visit www.parl.ns.ca to search for books and other items.  Type the subject, title, or author into the search bar at the top right-hand corner of the homepage.When you find a book that looks good, you can click on the subject links to find more like it.
  • If the book is not available in your local library, you can place a hold on it and have it sent to your local branch.
  • Ask for help if needed!

Using the Internet


  • There are lots of great resources available on the Internet but you have to know how to find them. Google can bring you back a million answers but they are not all right!
  • The library website www.parl.ns.ca has some topical information especially for health and wellness, local history, and genealogy. Check out PressReader for a variety of digital newspapers and magazines from around the world. Visit NovaStory for local history and a collection of digitized local resources.
  • Use this guide to make sure your information is credible.

Evaluating Your Sources



  • Is the information current? Check the  publication date of the book or article. If using a website, has it been updated recently?
  • Consider the source–  does the author or publication have a bias? Is the author an expert in this field? Do a quick search about them to find out more.Does the website represent a trustworthy organization? Read the “About Us” section if there is one.
  • If using Google, do you see something like Ad.?  This is a paid advertisement so the source might not be without bias.
  • Does the headline make sense? If it looks too crazy to be true it might be a joke or satire.
  • Does the website address look like a valid site? An ending like .com.co can mean this is a fake news site.
  • Are there spelling or grammatical mistakes?
  • Does the author list other sources or can you find information to back up what you read? 
  • Wikipedia is not the best source of information!!!


Let's Talk Copyright!

Found some good information? Using images in your project? Make sure you give credit to the sources. Not doing so is called plagiarism. Many images also have copyright protection so check to make sure you have permission to use them.

When in doubt, please ask a librarian, teacher, or parent. 

For more information about how to document your sources, creating a bibliography, visit our Write Stuff page on our website. 




Thursday, April 2, 2020

To Homeschool or Not Homeschool? Good question.


Truth be told, most of us aren't really "homeschooling" our children but many of us are trying to keep some sort of routine until school starts again. Part of the routine often involves making sure children are keeping up some of their literacy and mathematical skills so they don't slide too far out of practice. Teachers are working on the best ways to reach out to their students right now so children will not be left behind.

That being said, there is more to learning than what children are taught in school and this is a good opportunity for children to explore art, music, cooking, tending to pets, and more. Making a recipe, playing a board game, and assembling a puzzle are all great ways to develop family literacy skills. And never underestimate the importance of learning through play.

Access eBooks and Audiobooks For Free at Home!

One of the best things you can do with your children is read. Read widely and read often. Don't worry too much about reading to keep up with school work but let children explore their reading interests whether they be lengthy novels, graphic novels, magazines, non-fiction, cookbooks, joke books, audiobooks, and more. If you didn't have a chance to visit the library to stock up on books before we closed, check out our downloadable eBooks and audiobooks on OverDrive or visit TumbleBooks. You can find something for every age, interest, and reading level. 


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneIf you would like to read (or re-read) the first book in the Harry Potter series, you can download the eBook or audiobook from OverDrive. There are no wait lists so you can start reading right away!  You can also access the book in many different languages. #HarryPotterAtHome






Learn From Your Favorite Authors

Across the world, many of us are in the same situation. This has opened up some amazing opportunities thanks to the generosity and creativity of authors, publishers, artists, to name a few examples. Fans of the Captain Underpants and Dog Man series have the opportunity to learn to draw their favorite characters along with author Dav Pilkey via the Scholastic website at https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/dav-pilkey-at-home/. And Mo Willems, author of the Pigeon, Elephant and Piggie, and Knuffle Bunny books is also hosting a series of free online drawing workshops. Visit Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems for more information.

These are just a few examples of the many ways children can exercise their creativity and develop literacy skills at home. Follow this blog for more examples while they library is closed. 


Just a reminder that many of our online services require a free library card. If you don't have a card, you can apply for one on our website.