The Big Read is coming

Orange County Public Library is partnering with Camp Pendleton and Casa Romantica to participate in the Big Read, a grant funded program offered through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest. This is a one comunity -- in this case Orange County -- one book. Starting March 5, join in by reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.

What does that mean here in Aliso Viejo? In addition to the many events you can find on the Big Read site (just filter by community: Orange County Public Library), you can participate here at the Aliso Viejo library in two ways:

First, we are having two screenings of the film version of the book on March 20, one at 10:30 am and the second at 6 pm. The screenings are free and refreshments will be provided.

Secondly, the library is proud to annouce our Read-It-Forward program. The Friends of the Aliso Viejo Library have generously provided copies of To Kill a Mockingbird. You can pick up the book for free, read it, and then just pass it on! We will be tracking the book through Book Crossing so we can follow the book's progress. You can pick up copies at the library, the Neighborhood Cup, and the Barnes and Noble Cafe. Where they end up is up to you!

Teen Poetry and Art Contest

The Orange County Public Library kicks off its 7th Annual Teen Poetry and Art Contest, and invites local teens, age 12 to 18, to submit an original poem or drawing. The top three winning poems at each branch library will be included in Voices in Verse, an anthology published by Orange County Public Library. Winning artwork will become the front and back cover designs for the book.

Entry forms will be available through March 15 at all Orange County Public Library branches. The deadline for entries is March 15, 2008. Poems must be typed, no longer than 30 lines, and attached to an entry form. Artwork must be an original black and white design and can be either hand drawn or computer generated. Artwork must be no larger than 8.5 x 11" in portrait orientation only. A complete set of contest rules is available at all branches of Orange County Public Library, as well as on the library's website at http://www.ocpl.org/. Teens may also enter the contest at www.ocpl.org/poetry/.

Community members, educators, and/or local writers will judge entries. Winners will be announced during National Library Week, April 13-19, 2008. Voices in Verse will be distributed to winning poets, artists, and libraries. For more details, please call the Aliso Viejo Library at (949) 360-1730.

Best of luck!

Photo Contest Update

The photos are now available for viewing on Flickr! Winners to be announced soon!

Happy Holidays!

Just a reminder of the library's holiday schedule:

Monday, Dec 24: 10 am - 5 pm
Tuesday, Dec 25: Closed in observance of the Christmas Holiday

Monday, Dec 31: 10 am - 5 pm
Tuesday, Jan 1: Closed in observance of New Years Day

Remember that the library catalog and research databases are always available online!

Have a happy and safe December!

OCPL children's librarians recommend...

What do a bird who feels too grouchy to fly, a vampire with spinach between his teeth, and an orphan who lives in a train station have in common? They are among the subjects of the five books selected by the children's librarians of the Orange County Public Library as recipients of the third annual OCPL Pick-A-Winner Award. From a field of 28 nominations, all published in 2006 or 2007, the librarians selected these winners:

Picture Book (a tie!)
Grumpy Bird by Jeremy Tankard
Bird wakes up feeling grumpy--too grumpy to eat or play, too grumpy even to fly. With a little exercise and companionship, Bird is able to shake his bad mood in this winsome and refreshingly original full-color picture book.

Just Like Heaven by Patrick McDonnell
This hypnotic picture book features the stars of the "Mutts" comic strips. When Mooch the cat awakes and find himself surrounded by deep fog, he concludes he's in heaven. But when he meets up with a scary dog, he's confused. He comes to realize that the joys of nature, home, and friends are blessings to appreciate here and now. A captivating ode to everyday beauty and wonder.

Intermediate Fiction
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Orphan, clock keeper, thief-- Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. Combining elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film, Caldecott Honor artist Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience in this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.


Upper Fiction
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Sixteen-year-old Miranda's journal entries describe her family's struggle to survive after a meteor hits the moon, causing worldwide tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

Non-Fiction

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and Other Stories You're Sure to Like, Because They're All About Monsters, and Some of Them Are Also About Food by Adam Rex

Stories in verse about the monster-sized problems of Dracula, Wolfman, Bigfoot and other monsters.

All five books can be checked out from the Aliso Viejo Library. For more information, search our online catalog. Happy reading!

Friends of the Aliso Viejo Library Photo Contest

The Friends of the Aliso Viejo Library are having a photo contest in honor of the upcoming 10 year anniversary of the Aliso Viejo Library. They are looking for two winning photos of the City of Aliso Viejo -- any subject about the City of Aliso Viejo -- that will be enlarged and professionally framed to display in the library.

You may submit entries anytime, either in person or electronically; all entries must be received by Dec 31, 2008 at 5 p.m. so get those cameras ready! Entry forms and rules are available at the library and the Friends of the Aliso Viejo Library Bookstore.

We can't wait to see the entries! We know you'll want to see them too! Photo entries may be displayed in the library or online on the Friends' Flickr page. We'll post the link once they are ready.