Reading on the Green was great. Some 100 persons turned out to partake in the fun educational atmosphere. There were free new books for the children, face painters, and a "Moonwalk" for the kids to jump up and down in;

However, I discovered even more shocking news, Carol gave Basil a hug today... "Have no fear, Blessup is here!" he said as he entered the room. (Basil's nick-name is Blessup.) Personally I am so happy to see them getting along. Later, Carol continued her marathon of reading with 24 children and Basil read the last book, titled "Caribbean Counting Games". I'm not sure, but I think Carol read almost twenty books :)

More than a dozen books were read by Carol and the kids, including "The Circus Alphabet", "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", and "Magic School Bus at the Waterworks"... while Basil read "Caps for Sale", but Carol didn't like the "Slinky Scaly Snakes" book. Could she possibly be afraid of snakes ??? :)

Basil later gathered the children in a row and after the first poem, re-introduced his classic story "When Timmy Died I Cried!" about his childhood cat and friend... He never gets tired of reading this story type poem :) This time however, he requested some help from a boy named Ebrahim followed by Allison and Afrika, both girls. Although Allison was younger, her reading stood out as the best of all three. Basil's first poem was about Valentines because apparently Allison was still writing special Lollipop Valentines cards after two weeks.

She was careful to let only her friends read her Valentines card.

Scott (a new older child) and Carol were busy making "Lollipop Valentine Card" surprises out of red and green colored construction paper cut outs. The cards were made to look like individual large flowers with red hearts as the flowers and lollipops taped to their backs acted as stems... Zig-zag scissors were used to cut out green leaves from construction paper.

Each card read simply "I LOVE BOOKS!" and every child received one on departing along with an extra lollipop and pink flower made out of colored tissue paper and green chimney sweepers.

However, one of the crafts proved to be a challenge on Saturday, but Rhanda was able to create a few Valentine mobiles out of spiral cut plastic plates. The trick was to cut from one edge spiraling in to the middle, and leaving enough room for strings to hang several hearts cut out of colored construction paper. Bar Jona, who Basil invited, was proud of his all-red mobile, bouncing it by a string and saying, "It Moves!" Much later Basil graced us once more with two poems. The first one was called "It's Valentine's Time Again!" and the children then read their own original Valentine poems.

Damian had worked diligently on cards with the children for their parents and gave Rhanda her big surprise at snack time ---- It was a handsome black and red teddy bear, holding a heart with the words "I love you". Rhanda gave him a big bear hug on the side steps and couldn't stop smiling:) 'Way to go' Damian!!

The library will be closed next Saturday... 'Back at you' in two weeks :)

However the day started out with the World Book Encyclopedia and a discussion of the Great Wall of China which is over four thousand miles long, according to Carol. Other facts were pointed out, like the "one child per couple" rule in China to prevent overpopulation and, of course, a review of lessons from last week. Soon after, Carol read "The Magic Moneybag".... The moral of the story was not to be too greedy :)

Family Links:   I'm told there's a "new" (largely undiscovered) library in town... THE CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY LIBRARY which is located at Al Cohen's Mall in Havensight and is actually run by volunteers. It's open from 12 noon to 4PM Monday through Saturday, except holidays. Established as a non-profit organization in 2000, this library is dedicated to genealogical research and according to their brochure (.pdf file, 182 KB), you can also e-mail them with questions at CaribGenLibrary@attglobal.net or call them at (340) 714-2136 for more information.... I haven't tried this yet, but give it a go if you're interested in doing research about your family history or the Virgin Islands in general.

Baa additions:   The Enid M. Baa Public Library now has two new employees -- two librarians: Ms. Rachelle D. Shells, and an assistant, Ms. Kirstin Brunn. Kirsten's official title is Library Associate; she's very organized and has been working for at least a couple of months with us. Ms. Shells, on-the-other-hand, is our Head Librarian.

By the way, the new library in Tutu is expected to begin construction groundbreaking this March and as long as it's done by the end of the year, we should be in very good shape... I think the new staff might stick around for a new building!!!

Wish then luck, or at least patience :)

Get "in the know":   Check out the Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries (FOSTPL) website links at http://www.fostpl.org/Links.html and learn more about the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Today's craft, which Rosemary worked on with the kids, was to create flowers out of colored tissue paper, chimney sweepers and a pair of scissors. Earlier, the children also had a chance to color parade participants, each pictured holding part of a dragon's costume and dancing like a centipede. One child kept smelling the scented markers that were used and ended up with a colorful nose, to say the least :) The encylopedia and a book were used to illustrate traditionally bright coloring of the costumes, similar to our Carnival. Carol closed out by reading a unique Chinese folktale called "Jeweled Seas", further demonstrating other Chinese cultural traditions... (You can expect more Chinese New Year crafts next week!!)

By the way, Basil also shared a new poem about birds with Marilynn Bailey of the Virgin Islands Daily News... She stopped by to pick up her cooler from the Kwanzaa celebration last month and Basil was proud to tell me he had made the front page of that newspaper.

Rosemary later helped the first child finish his homework on the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and just before leaving, the young boy quietly said, "I'm ready to leave now." His character and the expression on his face reminded me of Dr. King... I replied, "Is your mother expecting you?" He then replied, "Yes!" Another young boy popped in to donate about 20 used books to the library.

In the meantime, Carol had read "Martin's Big Words" to the children after recounting her nonviolent work with Dr. King during the 1960's. She even did a demonstration exercise with the kids. The slightly older kids did a King crossword puzzle, and a short King biography reading comprehension test, which was just a few paragraphs with questions below them to answer.

Valdo was teaching the youngest boys how to draw from the Dr. King books, but I noticed they were more interested in drawing cars, which Valdo was very good at. Later the children searched for their favorite books to read and have read to them, when their crafts were over. Damian, Rosemary, Carol, Valdo, Valyne and Rhanda each read several books at their tables.

Carol took that opportunity to take pictures, and with the request of a girl named Afrika, I finished reading the funny story, about a family with lots of brothers with the same name, each apparently expecting a package. But as soon as I finished the book, the second child - a boy - asked for "Ms. Carol"...  12/17/05: Rhanda brought two of her friends today, Valyne and Valdo (sister and brother), who both

joined us as student volunteers along with Rosemary. The atmosphere was peaceful today. Carol read "The Night Before Christmas" and the children made Santa Claus heads out of pre-packaged flexible foam along with lots of glue. Each package included eyes, nose, beard, hat parts, and face cut-outs. The children later made Christmas cards for Carol as instructed :) All four student volunteers assisted the children with their activities, especially the Santa Claus packets. Of course, Rhanda (left, top center) was dressed festively in red as Mrs. Santa Claus with hat and all!! Carol also brought 33 books to be donated to the library collection on the behalf of FOSTPL and gave every child a neon covered pocket pad from herself. The library will be closed for three Saturdays, including December 24th and 31st, 2005 (both Christmas and New Year's Eve) as well as January 7th, 2006 (for the Three Kings' weekend). We'll all be back on January 14, 2006... Enjoy, I know I will! :)

Carol read the classic story of the "Nutcracker" where toys came to life in the land of sweets. There was more coloring and word puzzles. Then she helped the children, along with the assistance of the many volunteers, make Christmas ornaments out of red pipe cleaners, string, green beads and their imaginations. She later read "Christmas Soul" about African-American celebrities and their Christmas memories. The parents always say "Thank You!" now-a-days when they pick up their children so we must be doing something right :) But the best news came earlier this week when The Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries (FOSTPL) received a First Bank Grant check in the amount of $2,000 for

Basil promises he will be back next week to keep order --- maybe as 'Santa Claus' --- he'll check to see who's been naughty and who's been nice :) Ivy is on her way to Tulsa, Oklahoma to visit her sister who's a Catholic nun --- Let's all wish Ivy a wonderful holiday season... She deserves it more than most!!!

Today, there was no crowd, just a very small group, likely due to the rain, so I decided to count the 21 spiders on the wall. Why, you ask? Simple, that was today's craft, made of cut-out egg cartons for the spiders' bodies and attached chimney sweepers for legs. The children used markers to color their creations and then stuck them in Carol's big web of about three and a half feet in diameter. Naturally, Carol also read a book about spiders :) There were also paddle balls for the children to play with this morning.

I'm happy to report that Rhanda has joined us as a student volunteer and Damian seemed to welcome the company.

All three libraries in the U.S. Virgin Islands were established in 1920, but it wasn't until June 1940 that the St. Thomas Public Library moved into its permanent home at 20 Dronningens Gade on "Main Street". By 1978, the library was re-named The Enid M. Baa Public Library and Archives in recognition of its most honored librarian. The Lange building itself was built in 1805 (a bicentennial this year -- 2005) and the Baa Library has been located there for the past 65 years.

In May 1982, four years after the library was re-named, "The Friends of the Enid M. Baa Public Library, Inc." was formed by Ellen MacLean (who served as President for 18 years) and is now doing business as The Friends of the St. Thomas Public Libraries (FOSTPL).

By 2007, this organization (FOSTPL) will have existed for 25 years. I'm sure this will be cause for celebration.

It was of course a time to prepare for Thanksgiving feasts and Carol read three books, one called "I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Pie," about over-eating:) Rosemary displayed used books Carol brought for the children and each got three books. There was even one in Spanish. There was plenty of coloring (turkeys, pilgrims, Indians, harvests, mazes, etc.) with talk of the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" in New York.

Carol, Rosemary and Damian (FOSTPL Volunteers) also cleaned and organized the storage cabinet. Carol brought ten new kid-size plastic chairs and several boxes of juice.

Where do I begin?

First, Carol and three of Patricia's students from UVI, helped the children to create three life-size clowns, made of colored construction paper. Carol posted two on the wall.

Second, Patricia's students read a book called "Caps for Sale" to the crowd of small faces, who sang along and acted out the words in turn, with the children wearing caps (or hats).

Third, Basil's friend visiting from Miami did some African poetic drumming in the courtyard, as the children chanted along with drinks and snacks, on the 'back steps theater'. If you weren't there on Saturday, here's a picture (right), of the children's 'Back Steps Theater' with Basil's friend in the right foreground, in a mostly green tamp (or hat). This photo was taken by Carol... Carol closed off by reading several books, including "Disney Babies at the Circus".

By the way, I'm also the new Treasurer for FOSTPL.

Since the library will be closed a couple Saturdays this November --- for Veterans Day weekend as well as Thanksgiving weekend, the children got to mark holidays on their personal calendars compliments of Carol. Damian and Rosemary were there as usual for snack time and shelving, but kept playing checkers then dominos --- I guess they could use a holiday break too:)

By the way, this week Ivy gave me some tiny metal cars to give to the kids but I have decided to play with them for a couple weeks before voluntarily giving them away --- I need playtime too, just kidding!

As another bicentennial, did you know that the building housing the Enid Baa Public Library in St. Thomas, USVI was built 200 years ago, in 1805? If you didn't, now you know...

The children were taught by Golden Key volunteers how to make puppets, by first coloring and cutting-out paper animals, then pasting them (head and body separate) on single hand-held brown paper bags. Later Carol read more of the 'Twits' on the steps outside in the court yard area during snack-time.

Later the Golden Key volunteers showed the children more... this time, how to make tambourines out of more colored animal cut-outs, along with hole-punched plastic plates and bells attached with strings.

At this rate we will definitely need a bigger library space... at least for Golden Key:) If you weren't there you missed out again thanks to Golden Key and FOSTPL volunteers (Carol, Ivy, Basil, Damian and Rosemary) as well as helpful parents.

Below are photos taken by Carol on Saturday... The lady in yellow is with Golden Key!
  

Carol read more of the Twits, and a book about Dragons... After snack time, Rosemary re-organized the storage cabinet and Damian shelved a ton of books.

There were four children from New Orleans, staying with their grandmother for the next year or so, and Ivy gave them some free books which she often gets for the kids... Their grandmother asked about the program earlier, and as she left, she promised to bring them next Saturday.

Your can know more about the library online by going to http://www.library.gov.vi then click "enter" to learn a whole lot about the public libraries in the US Virgin Islands!

It easy and fun.... Keep informed!!

The theme of the day was airplanes and Carol's niece and her husband (on their way to the airport) helped put together foam airplanes for the kids as well as collecting a box of book donations for "Friends".

Carol read "Lisa's Airplane Trip" and more of the "Twits." The children colored their foam airplanes as well as 'coloring book' print-outs of jets, airliners, helicopters and the like.

The library will be closed next Saturday for the long three day weekend... I know the volunteers will enjoy the time off.

Carol continued her reading of the Twits and did a lesson on cars including a book from the Magic School Bus series. She provided me with bookmarks to give to the children whose behavior showed the most improvement. I'm happy to report that there were many deserving children who graciously said 'Thank You.'

I also hear Basil and Carol are getting married next week --- Just kidding!

On Saturday, Carol had the children constructing boats out of egg carton cut-outs, chewing gum, straw rods and construction paper for sails. Ivy was there to assist. Basil also graced us with two of his poems. The Owl & the Pussycat was read by Carol and the story included travel via row boat. She told the children, there were many types of boats; like cruse ships, fishing boats, expensive yachts, catamaran sailing boats, even toy boats made to sail in puddles of water ---- even the puddle of water by the air conditioner two weeks ago:).

Rosemary and Damian also put up the photos taken last week