Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources are pleased to announce The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the 2022 selection for One Book One Community.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a remarkable true story about human inventiveness and perseverance, and the power to overcome adversity. William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where modern science was a mystery. It was also a land filled with drought and hunger. None of this deterred William, who had always been an enthusiastic learner and had read about windmills in the library. He dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village something that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. With a small pile of old science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts and bicycle halves; along with his curiosity and determination, he embarked on a plan that many in his village called ‘crazy’ to build this contraption and create a small miracle that would make big changes for the lives around him.
Author William Kamkwamba
Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Director Renee Di Pilato said, “the book was inspirational, uplifting, and for readers of all ages.” Sarasota County Libraries is especially happy to offer this selection in Picture Book, Young Readers, and Adult formats.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
“This is the 19th year the Sarasota County library system has participated in the ‘One Book, One Community’ program, which started in 1996 in Seattle to help foster the expression of ideas within the community through the shared love of reading. This program encourages discussion across the community, and this book perfectly illustrates the power of one person’s ability to change their community for the better,” said Di Pilato.
In 2022 Libraries and Historical Resources will be providing programming and displays as part of this One Book selection. The One Book program has recognized local authors as well as world-renowned writers. A committee selects the One Book title and then hosts a public event with the author and readers. This celebration includes follow-up programs at county libraries and other venues. Anyone can participate in One Book, One Community by attending a library event or hosting their own book discussion.
As part of this 2022 One Book season, the author will be speaking at the following events:
· Thursday, February 17 at 2 p.m. at Suncoast Technical College Conference Center, 4445 Career Lane, North Port, FL 34289 (Adjoined to Shannon Staub Library). No registration is required, more information at https://bit.ly/3dpGIQY
· Friday, February 18 at 7 p.m. at Selby Public Library, 1331 First St., Sarasota, FL 34236 No registration required, more information at https://bit.ly/3xZvZG2
Back in the ’70s, I was, most fortunately, introduced to the music of singer-songwriter Laura Nyro. Nyro wrote songs that were big hits for Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Fifth Dimension, Three Dog Night, Barbara Streisand, and many others. Despite her posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 2012) she never really got the acclaim or recognition- in her own lifetime- she so richly deserved. So, I’d like to offer a short tribute:
Laura Nyro’s music is beautiful, sensuous, and soulful. Her songs have the funky strut of summertime city streets; her music can pull you into realms of ecstasy, or into small places of heartbreak and loneliness. What now seems so apparent about Laura Nyro is that she was innovative and courageous. She took chances, and in a sense seemed unfettered by prosaic, earthly limitations. On balance, she also had the collaboration of arranger Charlie Calello (on her album “Eli and the Thirteenth Confession”) and the creativity and drive of New York’s finest session musicians!
A lot could be said about the amalgam of musical styles in Laura Nyro’s music: Street Corner Doo-Wop, Soul, Rock & Roll, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, Broadway… Suffice it to say, Laura Nyro synthesized, absorbed, digested all these forms, and then utilized them in a holistic manner for her own purposes. Many of her melodies have the divine spark of true inspiration. Some of her vocal arrangements are nearly as intricate as any piece of Baroque chamber music. That she had a genius for melody almost goes without saying, but it needs to be said that she was some kind of pop music genius, if only for the simple reason that a lot of people have never even heard of Laura Nyro!
Her lyrics have the feel and freedom and juice of true poetry (“Red yellow honey sassafras and moonshine, red yellow honey sassafras and moonshine, stoned soul”-”Stoned Soul Picnic”). Her words can carry you along with a kind of rhythmic hypnosis (“Walk, walk, but you’ll never get away, no you’ll never get away from the burn and the heartache, I walked to Apollo and the Bay and everywhere I go, go”- “Eli’s Comin’”) or arrest you with finely woven exquisite perfection (“Emily, you’re the natural snow, the natural snow, the unstudied sea, you’re a cameo, and I swear, I swear you were born a weaver’s lover, born for the loom’s desire…”- “Emmie”). A lot of her lines are uncommonly clever (“He’s the one in the Trojan Horse, making out like he’s Santa Claus!”- “Flim Flam Man”). And, she used American idioms to great comic advantage (“Dig them potatoes like you never dug your girl before…Hey, Hey, Hey, it’s a real good day to go get lucky!”- “Luckie”). Finally, Nyro wrote lines that reach you because of their honesty and simplicity “…and when I saw you crying, I cried too…”- “I Never Meant to Hurt You”)
You will find in Laura Nyro’s music some of the heights and depths of human emotion, and some really happening, feel-good grooves! Laura Nyro died of cancer in 1997. She was 49 years old.
Here are two CD’s of Nyro’s music, both available from your Sarasota County Public Libraries, “The Essential Laura Nyro” and “Time and Love: The Essential Masters”
You can request the above items from the Library Catalog sarac.scgov.net
Are you wondering if your device works with the library’s platforms? Are you thinking of buying yourself or someone you know a new tablet or smartphone?
In this blog post we’ll take a look at what devices work best with our services and how you can get access to eBooks, eAudiobooks, movies, magazines, and so much more!
First, let’s define what a device is. An electronic device is a device that accomplishes its purpose by electronic means. That could be anything from an answering machine to a smartphone.
Computers, smartphones, and tablets are all examples of common electronic devices. However, computers, smartphones, and tablets do not all necessarily perform the same tasks in the same way.
How does this all apply to Sarasota County Libraries digital services? Well, that all depends on how you want to read your eBooks.
Do you want to read an eBook on your computer? Some of you might. But we’d venture to guess most of you would love nothing more than to pull up your favorite author’s newest book on your tablet and kick back in an easy chair on your lanai.
Let’s dive in and look at what devices work best with our digital collections.
cloudLibrary™ is one of our most popular services. This collection makes it easy to discover the content you want to read. You can download eBooks and eAudiobooks to your computer or portable device using the cloudLibrary™ app.
*There are many compatible devices with the Android Operating System. Contact a retailer to check to see if the device connects to the Google Play Store before purchasing.
**Please note that cloudLibrary ™ does not work with Kindle e-Readers, including: Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature, Kindle Oasis, Kindle Kids, and Kindle Paperwhite Kids.
*** cloudLibrary ™ computer app has been retired and is no longer supported.
hoopla® is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by the library that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, eBooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV!
Titles can be streamed immediately or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. We have hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily. hoopla® is like having your public library at your fingertips. Anytime. Anywhere.
PressReader gives you instant access to the editorial content you know and love. Easy search tools make it quick to find what you’re looking for. Get global and multicultural publications from over 120 countries in more than 60 languages. Access the collection even on the go!
PressReader, similar to our database Flipster, offer magazines, but what sets it apart is its access to newspapers and global periodicals.
In addition to our on-demand tutorials, did you know you can book an appointment with library staff? You can get one-on-one help with our library databases and questions you have about your device. If you have trouble getting to a library location you can also call, email, or chat with our library staff by calling 941-861-1110 or starting a chat session here.
Below are staff picks for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Each title and image links to our catalog where you can place item on hold and pick up at one of our 10 library locations. Are there any titles you love? Share in the comments!
When seventeen-year-old Star Fuentez reaches social media stardom, her polar-opposite twin, Moon, becomes “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and the grumpy but attractive Santiago Philips. When her twin sister reaches social media stardom, Moon Fuentez accepts her fate to be nothing more than her sister’s camerawoman. Then Moon takes a summer job as the “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and her fate begins to shift in the best way possible. Most notable is her bunkmate and new nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy Moon has ever seen. As chance, destiny, and proximity bring the two of them in each other’s perpetual paths, Moon starts to question her destiny as the unnoticed, unloved wallflower she always thought she was.
Young Reader:
Paletero Man by Latin Grammy Winner Lucky Diaz; Illustrated by Micah Player
Paletero Man
Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator’s pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now.
Whether at UFW picket lines in California’s Central Valley or capturing summertime street life in East Harlem Latinx photographers have documented fights for dignity and justice as well as the daily lives of ordinary people. Their powerful, innovative photographic art touches on family, identity, protest, borders, and other themes, including the experiences of immigration and marginalization common to many of their communities. Yet the work of these artists has largely been excluded from the documented history of photography in the United States. Through individual profiles of more than eighty photographers from the early history of the photographic medium to the present, Elizabeth Ferrer introduces readers to Latinx portraitists, photojournalists, and documentarians and their legacies. She traces the rise of a Latinx consciousness in photography in the 1960s and ’70s and the growth of identity-based approaches in the 1980s and ’90s. Ferrer argues that in many cases a shared sense of struggle has motivated photographers to work purposefully, driven by a deep sense of resistance, social and political commitments, and cultural affirmation, and she highlights the significance of family photos to their approaches and outlooks. Works range from documentary and street photography to narrative series to conceptual projects. Latinx Photography in the United States is the first book to offer a parallel history of photography, one that no longer lies at the margins but rather plays a crucial role in imagining and creating a broader, more inclusive American visual history.
Trejo : My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood
For the first time, the full, fascinating, and inspirational true story of Danny Trejo’s journey from crime, prison, addiction, and loss to unexpected fame as Hollywood’s favorite bad guy with a heart of gold.
Raised in an abusive home, Trejo struggled with heroin addiction and did stints in some of the country’s most notorious state prisons. Here he takes us through the ups and downs of his life. He reveals how he managed the horrors of prison, rebuilt himself after finding sobriety and spirituality in solitary confinement, and draws inspiration from the adrenaline-fueled robbing heists of his past for the film roles that made him a household name. Although he has inspired countless others on their own road to recovery and redemption, he struggles to help his children with their personal battles with addiction, and to build relationships that last.
It is an annual week-long celebration of the freedom to read!
When did it start?
In the 1982 Supreme Court case Island Tress School District v. Pico it was ruled that school officials cannot ban books in libraries because of their content. After this ruling, an initiative was put together by the Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF), the National Association of College Stores and the American Booksellers Association to celebrate the freedom to read without censorship. This initiative was a huge success with many participants and included news coverage by The New York Times and PBS. Banned Books Week is now an annual event that is sponsored by the American Library Association and numerous others.
Why are books challenged?
People or groups challenge books, often wanting to protect others -such as children- from difficult ideas and information. The top 3 reasons for challenging materials as reported to the OIF are: the material was considered to be “sexually explicit”, the material contained “offensive language”, and the material was “unsuited to any age group” (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned-books-qa).
What defines a materials challenge?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. What is a ban? A ban is removal of the material(s) being challenged (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned).
The American Library Association’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has documented challenged books and attempts at banning books in schools and libraries since 1990. The OIF collects reports from schools, libraries, and media reports when books get challenged. When the OIF compiles lists of the most challenged and banned books for any year(s) it gathers the information by reviewing these reports. “The American Library Association condemns censorship and works to ensure free access to information. For more information on ALA’s efforts to raise awareness of censorship and promote the freedom to read, please explore Banned Books Week” (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned-books-qa).
Here are the top 20 banned and challenged books from 2010-2019.
1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
2. Captain Underpants (series) by Dav Pilkey
3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
4. Looking for Alaska by John Green
5. George by Alex Gino
6. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
7. Drama by Raina Telgemeier
8. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
9. Internet Girls (series) by Lauren Myracle
10. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
11. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
12. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
13. I Am Jazz by Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel
14. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
15. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
16. Bone (series) by Jeff Smith
17. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
18. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
19. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss
20. Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg
The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 156 challenges to library, school, and university materials and services in 2020. Of the 273 books that were targeted, here are the most challenged, along with the reasons cited for censoring the books:
Image Source: ala.org
Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2020
George by Alex Gino Reasons: Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community”
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds Reasons: Banned and challenged because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now”
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct by the author
Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin Reasons: Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote anti-police views
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes, and their negative effect on students
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Reasons: Challenged for profanity, and it was thought to promote an anti-police message
The Sarasota County Library System has done a great job of expanding its digital offerings. PressReader offer newspapers, magazines and books. Offering them through libraries promotes literacy and access to knowledge.
If you have ever wanted to get the latest news from the New York Times or read the latest magazine from Vogue, you don’t have to buy a subscription for it. All of these publications are available through PressReader. View on the web or download the app for mobile devices. You can find them all at Sarasota County Library’s PressReader access link.
With PressReader you can read your favorite magazines and newspapers. Get instant access to the editorial content you know and love. Easy search tools make it quick to find what you’re looking for. Get global and multicultural publications from over 120 countries in more than 60 languages. Download the mobile app and get as many titles as you like even on the go.
Sarasota County Libraries provides access to newspaper and magazine archives for all of its patrons. The current Flipster platform is going to continue, except certain titles will be removed as PressReader, now carries them. We wanted to provide our patrons with more multicultural options and variety of languages for their favorite magazines.
The Sarasota County Library provides a number of digital media services for our local community. PressReader and Flipster are two examples of those services. See the complete list of our resources here.
We are delighted to provide access to newspapers and magazines from all over the world, specifically for Sarasota County Library cardholders free of charge.
Have you ever wondered why we remember some stories so well that they somehow become a part of us? What combination of factors causes this to happen? What elements cause the essence, or particular details of a story, to pop into our consciousness years after we’ve read it? Could it be solely ascribed to the skill of the author, or could it be compared to a sort of biochemical reaction?
Such a story is just there in our memory, and it doesn’t go away. My brother-in-law, who is an M.D., recently remarked that such long-term memory is “indelibly etched” in our mammillary bodies: two small, round structures on either side of the base of the brain. One fascinating, mysterious aspect of all this is that the process seems rather subjective- a story that finds a niche in my memory may not appeal to you at all!
However, I would like to tell you about a story that somehow found a permanent home in my memory banks: “His Son, In His Arms, In Light, Aloft” by Harold Brodkey. The author describes, in a richly detailed, multisensory manner, a childhood memory of being joyfully hoisted into the air by his father. One word that comes to mind in trying to portray this story is the word “synesthesia,” because the experience that Brodkey so artfully conveys seems a blending of the senses.
Having read Brodkey’s story years ago, I stored away, at least for me, what I felt to be it’s essence. I read the story again recently (after all these years) and came face-to-face with the complexity of the writing. A young boy’s experience, though written in an immersive manner, also contains an adult perspective. There is a palpable sense of ambiguity. The father who inspired awe and transcendence, is also remembered as moody and unpredictable; as somehow being a source of doubt and instability.
It is important to note that, following the death of his mother, Harold Brodkey was given up for adoption at the age of two. Some accounts state he didn’t speak for two years after that. He was subsequently raised by the family of his mother’s cousin, in University City, Missouri.
Harold Brodkey died of AIDS in 1996. He once described his biological father as “illiterate, a junkman, and a semi-professional prizefighter.” The last few lines of Brodkey’s story, illuminate a father’s face, “caught” in a certain light “…In an accidental glory.”
“His Son, In His Arms, In Light, Aloft” is from “Stories In An Almost Classical Mode” by Harold Brodkey.
-By Carey Chaney, Library Assistant, Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library
In August of 2020, the Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library was host to the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street Exhibition, Voices and Votes: Democracy in America. This opportunity allowed us to offer a variety of programming about democracy in Sarasota County and the state of Florida. One such program was a series called Local Color, which is based on the model that Liz Joyner with The Village Square created in Tallahassee, FL. The Local Color series is a place where we can come to know each other better through an idea-generating, deeply real, Hamilton-inspired, Technicolor town hall about race and how it relates to important topics in our community. This program and more were supported by Florida Humanities, Smithsonian Institution, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.
Our first Local Color series in the Fall of 2020 was hosted by Renee James Gilmore and focused on democracy in Sarasota, voting in democracy, and the political and racial divide. Our second series of Local Color features two programs to celebrate Sarasota County’s Centennial year, with Renee James Gilmore reprising her role as our wonderful host. Click here to view the recording of the first program, where our host opened a dialogue with three local residents around the theme: Business in the Black: 27th Street Businesses that Supported Newtown. It was a great discussion and sharing of memories of those businesses!
Join us live via Zoom for the next Centennial Edition of Local Color on Monday, May 17 at 7 p.m. where we will focus on the theme: Gold Stars in Sarasota’s Black Families. Renee will talk with the friends and family members of military troops who gave their lives in the name of freedom. The ultimate sacrifice was made by many of Sarasota’s people of color and you’ll hear the remarkable stories of a few at this event. Register here today!
What’s the best way to prepare young children to become independent, fluent readers? Read to them regularly! Sarasota County Library System is committed to supporting families and caregivers of young children to ensure all Sarasota County children become ready to read. In celebration of Children’s Book Week from May 3-9, we want to share some of our great resources with you.
During a child’s early years, from birth through five, parents and caregivers make a tremendous contribution towards their child’s developing literacy skills by engaging daily in five specific activities: reading, singing, writing, playing, and talking. These activities are the guiding principles of “Every Child Ready to Read,” the library’s core approach to providing early literacy services. The libraries offer a variety of storytime programs for families of young children, including lap-sit and baby rhyme-and-sign programs for our very youngest library patrons. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the library’s programs have transitioned from in-person to virtual offerings, including Facebook live storytimes and on-demand “Fast Fun for Little Ones.” These programs all focus on positive engagement, encouraging parents and caregivers to read, sing, write, play, and talk with their young children daily. The activities combine naturally and should fill a child’s day–but each action serves a separate purpose in helping to wire growing brains for a lifetime of reading and writing.
In addition to programming, the libraries offer over 300,000 children’s items to borrow, including new and classic children’s books, music recordings, and videos for families to borrow, as well as parenting resources on early childhood topics such as behavior and development, sleep and toilet training, cookbooks, and science and craft activities. Is your child fascinated with dinosaurs or the night sky? Curious about owls or scared of the dark? The library has books to help parents and caregivers explore all these topics, easily searchable through our online catalog or picture book index, or accessible through our ultimate resource: our friendly youth librarians!
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