Experience can be one of the best teachers.

High school students and their families are invited to learn from teens who have “been there.” During Teen 2 Teen: Alcohol Drugs and All In-between, a panel of teens describes their experiences with substance abuse and how they overcame those challenges to start making healthier choices. Discussion follows with a drug and alcohol abuse counselor about what parents should look for and what they can do.

The discussion takes place at Miller Branch from 7 – 8:30 pm on Wednesday, February 2.  Register to ensure a seat.

Katie George – Administration Office

Tell ‘em Lefty sent you!

Mark your calendars to join us for Evening in the Stacks, the 14th annual gala fundraiser to benefit Howard County Library and its educational initiatives. The Library will be transformed into in Prohibition-era speakeasy … with celebrity bartenders pouring drinks and Junkyard Saints playing hot jazz.

This year’s literary spotlight: Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, and Ron Charles of The Washington Post.

Other entertainment includes a silent auction, fine food and drink, jewelry by Craig Coyne of Ellicott City.

Saturday, February 26

7 – 11 pm

East Columbia Branch

Tickets: $100 per person. On sale now via web site or in branches in February.

Kristen Blount – Administration Ofice

The author of more than three dozen books for children and educators, Paul Fleisher presents his new Weatherwise series of books. His books for young people cover a variety of science, ecology, and natural subjects. In 1999, he was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Natural Science Education. The presentation includes hands-on demonstration and activities. Ages 8 – 12 (adults welcome); 60 min. Books available for purchase and signing. No registration Required.

Miller Branch Saturday, January 22; 11 am

East Columbia Branch Saturday, January 22; 3 pm

Cari Gast – Howard County Library Administration

What do your students want to be when they grow up?  Computer animator? Pastry chef? Architect?

Students and parents are invited to join us for the CTE Expo and learn how to take the first steps toward these goals. Faculty and students from Howard County Public School System’s Career Technology Education Academies will present information about the program and demonstrate the skills they have learned. All sessions begin at 7 pm.

Human Resource Services, Consumer Services, Hospitality, and Tourism demonstrate their skills at Howard County Library East Columbia Branch on Monday, January 10.

Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology, Information Technology display the latest data on Wednesday, January 12 at Howard County Library Elkridge Branch.

Arts, Media, and Communication, Career Research and Development strut their stuff  on Wednesday, January 19 at Howard County Library Glenwood Branch.

Get on board with Construction and Development, Transportation Technologies  on Wednesday, January 26 at Howard County Library Savage Branch.

Health and Biosciences present live at Howard County Library Miller Branch on Thursday, January 27.

Business, Management, and Finance will crunch the numbers on Monday, January 31 at Howard County Library Central Branch.

Katie George – Howard County Library Administration

Paper

A piece of paper
So beautiful yet so alone
Those crisp clean lines
Jump at the thought of words
But yearn to keep the secrets
Of anyone who wishes to share them
Like fresh white snow beckoning to a child
It waits Sometimes for forever in a lost drawer
But it waits
For the words of intense thought
That needs to be written down
It waits –Nicki Mallon, Atholton High School (2010 Honorable Mention Word Up! poet)

Word Up! begins today!  If your students have crisp, clean pages that are just waiting, why not encourage them to fill those pages with poetry and submit those poems to the 2011 Word Up! poetry contest. Word Up! is open to all Howard County students in grades 6 through 12. Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place in three age groups.  Winners are invited to read their poems at a special event in the spring.

Poems may be submitted electronically at hclibrary.org/wordup. Download the Word Up! Educator Resource Brochure or request a session of Writer’s Camp in your very own classroom. Deadline to submit up to three entries is March 16. Word Up! is sponsored by Friends of Howard County Library.

Katie George – Administration Office

Join Richard Anderson from The Snyder Foundation for Animals as he focuses on the four techniques used by animals to survive the winter.  Many preserved specimens provide examples of migrators, hibernators, “catnappers,” and active animals. Ages 5 – adult; 60 min.

East Columbia Branch (ticket required) Saturday, January 8; 4 – 5 pm

Glenwood Branch Saturday, January 15; 11 am – 12 pm

Savage Branch (ticket required) Monday, January 24; 2 – 3 pm (Howard County schools closed)

Miller Branch (ticket required) Saturday, February 19; 11 am – 12 pm

Cari Gast – Howard County Library Administration

It’s all about the biology behind the buds!

Who can really taste the difference between lemons and limes? Especially if they were blindfolded during the tasting? I’m not sure even the most discriminating palate would be able to get the subtle differences when they don’t have other senses on which they can rely. In this culinary science event, your students can participate in blind taste-tests and learn the biology behind the buds…the taste buds, that is!

The Ultimate Taste-testers Challenge happens Saturday, January 8 from 2-3 pm at the Glenwood Branch Library. Registration is required and opens on Saturday, December 25.

Amy Stephens – Howard County Library Glenwood Branch

Let’s give those thumbs a rest, shall we? Texting may be the “in” way to communicate, but students can develop excellent composition skills writing old-fashioned letters.

Remember when you actually sat down and wrote a letter (in thanks or just to correspond) to dear Aunt Freda, when you had never heard of texting, or even the ever-popular LOL? We want to bring a creative outlet to your students that doesn’t involve electronics – just plain paper and pen. Here’s the twist: rather than regular notebook paper, your students will create their own stationery for a one-of-a-kind writing experience.

Creative Stationery takes place Wednesday, January 5 from 7-8 pm at the Glenwood Branch Library. Registration is required and opens on Wednesday, December 22.

Amy Stephens – Howard County Library, Glenwood Branch