Inside this issue:
Page
1:
"If I Can Read" Gets Good Press
Biographies of UT Student Workers
We Want Your Art!
Suggestions
UT STUDENT
BIOGRAPHIES
There are three Library and Information Science graduate students working on the project this semester. Sarah Cunningham is the research assistant who processes, mails, and keeps track of the books. Angela Swift and Piper Martin are doing independent studies: Angela is the webmaster for the web site and Piper works on grant information, this newsletter, and a history of the project.
Sarah Cunningham
. Growing up I always had a book in my hand and loved to read every book in a series. My family is composed of readers and educators. After working for 15 years in bookstores I decided to pusue library and information science. I believe that it is important that all people have access to a library and people who can help them in their various quests for knowledge. The "If I Can Read" project is wonderful example of people trying to provide libraries for children. I am fortunate to be a part of it; I love boxing up books and sending them to the schools. My favorite kid's books are The Borrowers from when I was a child and my current favorite is The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins.
Angela Swift
I grew up in Minnesota in a small town on the Mississippi River. I moved to Austin 15 years ago, a couple of years after my parents relocated here. I have a bachelor's degree in social work from UT Austin. After working in social work for a few years, I decided that it was not the career for me. Most of my clients were teenagers and young women, and although I really enjoyed working with them I found the red tape involved in helping them very frustrating. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I discovered that I loved doing research. This, paired with my love of reading and still having the desire to help people led me to public libraries. I think getting kids to read is very important. Reading can open up so many worlds for them. I hope that the books we provide to our schools help instill a love of reading in the students. Among my many children's book favorites are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Harry Potter books, and The Clever Cat. I am especially fond of richly illustrated children's books.
WE WANT YOUR ART!
How would you like a poster in your library that you helped create? We would like to make a poster with artwork by students from our participating schools. What do you think? Email us with your thoughts and suggestions!
SUGGESTIONS
&
NEWSLETTER
SPOTLIGHTS
We would like to focus on the librarians who make things happen at all our schools. If you have favorite quotations you would like to share with us, please send them in. All the librarians deserve recognition for their hard work!
Piper Martin
I'm
from a little town in California called Solvang which is about 30 miles
from the ocean. Reading books has been my favorite thing to do since I
was 3 years old. I came to library school after working in--where else?--a
bookstore for 2 years after college. I wanted to help people learn how
to do research and use books and computers to their advantage. The "If
I Can Read" project attracted my because of its unique, culturally
sensitive approach to encouraging reading and lifelong education. Some
of my favorite kid's books include Alice in Wonderland, the
Chronicles of Narnia, and The Story of Jumping Mouse.