Week in Review: What’s been happening?

Hi, friends! We hope you had a relaxing Spring Break and have been adjusting to the new schedule. What’s been going on in the virtual library?

7th graders in Mr. Crabb’s History class completed their March Madness projects. For March Madness, students read historical fiction books and then write essays about what they read. The essays then go head to head in brackets, competing for the #1 spot. Congratulations to Mia G. for winning top spot with her essay on The Lost Boys!

At the beginning of the week, the first ever virtual Sophomore Symposium took place with the top 10 presenting on a multitude of topics. The winners were announced on Friday and congratulations are in order to:

• 1st Place – Elliot C., Sacramento: A Study of Racial Housing Patterns
• 2nd Place – Sanjana A., Immunotherapy: The Ultimate Answer to Cancer
• 3rd Place – Miles M., The History of the Japanese in the United States

and to all the presenters:

• Arjin C., The Future: GMOs
• Evan G., Flooding in Sacramento: A Long History
• Nihal G., Nuclear Power: Is It Viable?
• Tina H., Opening the World of Contemporary Art
• Arijit T., Genetically Modified Crops: The Future of Food
• Arikta T., California Cuisine
• Daisy Z., Sacramento Water Resource and Quality

One of our favorite events is Music in the Library and on Friday we “hosted” 5th grade and orchestra teacher Mrs. Hoyos (on cello), her husband (on flute), and her daughter (on piano). It was a lovely treat. They played:

1- The Swan by C. Saint-Saens

2-Waltz Op. 64 C#m by F. Chopin

3-Berceuse by G. Faure

4-Alleluja by W. A. Mozart

5-Arioso by J.S. Bach

6-Budapesto by Carey Cheney

7-At Twilight by W.H. Squire

8-Sicilienne by M. Paradis.

View it here and brighten your day!

Week in Review: Unusual Advice from Your Librarian

Libraries are my happy place and reading is my go to when I want to escape. Sure, I’ve gotten busier over the years and don’t read as much as I’d like, but books are dependable friends who don’t judge. They just wait patiently for you to pick them up again. In these unusual times, I’m relying on that patience more than ever.

I’m here to give you some unusual librarian advice: it’s okay if you can’t or don’t want to read right now. That’s right, your assistant librarian is telling you it’s okay not to read. Don’t feel like you have to fill your “extra time” if you’re not up for it. These uncertain times are stressful and what’s important is taking care of yourself. The books will still be here when you’re ready for them.

In the meantime, I have a few alternative suggestions.

1. Poetry: Ms. Melinson is a big fan of poetry and uses it as a literary break between books. Poetry can be short and easy to pick up. Just read a page and put it back down. Sometimes a poem can really speak to you in a concise but powerful way, that a novel would take a much longer time to get to.
2. Audiobooks: audiobooks are a great alternative when you don’t feel like reading. I love audiobooks, especially ones that feature a full cast production. We have a robust e-audiobook collection here chock full of new and popular titles. The public library also has a huge collection.
3. Podcasts: friends, podcasts are incredible. There are podcasts for every subject out there. Mr. G introduced me to a great podcast called 99% Invisible. Episodes focus on “the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world.” If you like learning about anything and everything, this is the podcast for you.

If you’re not having trouble reading, great! Here are some lists for you if need suggestions – each word has its own link, so check them all out! If you need a refresher on how to access our ebook collection, here’s the link to Overdrive. Select Sacramento Country Day School from the list and log in with your username (first name initial + last name + graduation year) and password. If you don’t remember your password, it can be found in CavNet under groups in MS Library or HS Library depending on your grade level. More detailed instructions can be found here.

As always, Ms. Melinson and I are here for you if you need book suggestions, if there’s an ebook or audiobook you want to read and you need us to purchase it for you, or if you just need a virtual cup of tea. Until then, we hope you have a restful and restorative Spring Break.