SandraSays

the life & times of Sandra Fernandez

Sandra Fernandez

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Books on the Bayou

Every year the Houston Public Library holds Books on the Bayou: Houston Reads Together — Houston’s version of the One Book, One City program. The premise is that everyone in the city reads the same book and participates in discussions, conversations, etc. This year, HPL has changed the program a little.

The Houston Public Library presents the Sixth Annual Books on the Bayou: Houston Reads Together program to bring the community and families together to read the same book at the same time. The goal of this citywide project is to cultivate a culture of reading in Houston by encouraging people to visit libraries, bookstores, community centers, homes, churches, and schools to discuss the book.

The Books on the Bayou program will be held September 8 through October 28, 2006. A Resource Guide of author presentations and group book discussions will be available at your neighborhood libraries. The Houston Public Library, the City of Houston, Metro, and the Houston Chronicle are the primary sponsors of this initiative, but other partners will be brought into the project for events and activities. This program is free and open to the public.

Children, teens, and adults are invited to participate in the reading program and book discussions focusing on the four selected titles: Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon, for adults; Tangerine by Edward Bloor, for teens; So B. It by Sarah Weeks, for middle school children; and Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus, for children. These selected books titles all have a common theme: families with special needs.

The Books on the Bayou program will provide a Resource Guide which will give an overview of the program, listing of related events hosted by project partners, discussion questions and other useful resources associated with the selected book titles. Thematic programs will also be scheduled for each of the books selected.

[snip]

Have you read “Riding The Bus With My Sister” by Rachel Simon? It’s the featured book for the Sixth Annual Books on the Bayou: Houston Reads Together Program. The program runs from September 8 through October 28. For more information on other selected titles, events and partner activities, visit the Books on the Bayou Web site.

All books are available at the Houston Public Library.

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what someone else said, in the Houston Chronicle

When family and friends ask me about my day, I sometimes wonder how I would explain the process of setting up an interview for someone else. The calls to and from the reporter, and the conversations with the interview subject about what can and cannot be said, and the logistics of setting up the place, space, and topic of the whole thing… the entire process is so much more than just “I set up an interview.”

Earlier this week the Houston Chronicle ran a Q&A with one of my teen librarians.

Teenagers, better known in the book world as young adults, are carving out their own sections — away from the children’s department — in the modern public library and are craving more than just books. Chronicle reporter Cynthia Leonor Garza sat down with Craig Bertuglia, a self-proclaimed “comic book geek” and teen librarian at the John P. McGovern-Stella Link branch library, to talk about what they’re reading, what’s popular with them in the online world and how today’s teen interests differ from those of previous generations. 

So I point to this and say: “I did this!” I like my kudos, even if my name isn’t in the article itself. 🙂

Article referenced: Teens’ librarian knows what’s popular, by Cynthia Garza.

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what Sandra said, according to the Houston Chronicle

In today’s Houston Chronicle story Texas AG: Children need to be protected from Net predators, my one paragraph claim to fame:

The Houston Public Library system has filters on all computers, spokeswoman Sandra Fernandez said, though adults can request that the filter be removed for their sessions.

I’m trying to remember, old person that I feel today, when I became “spokeswoman” and am drawing a blank. Is memory the first thing to go?

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new event: An Evening with author E. Lynn Harris

Newly added to the Sandra Says online calendar:

Houston Public Library & The Ensemble Theatre present
An Evening with author E.Lynn Harris

The Ensemble Theatre
3535 Main St.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Reception 6:30 p.m
Program begins at 7:00 p.m.

E. LYNN HARRIS is the author of the memoir “What Becomes of the Broken-hearted” and of eight novels, including “A Love of My Own,” “Just as I Am,” and “Any Way the Wind Blows,” all of which were named Novel of the Year by the Blackboard African American Bestsellers, and “If This World Were Mine,” winner of the James Baldwin Award for Literary Excellence. “I Say Little Prayer” is filled with the plot twists, humor, and provocative insights readers expect from Harris.

This program is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 832-393-1313 or visit http://www.houstonlibrary.org.

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do what I say

I’ve spent years helping people get online. I’ve worked on getting small businesses and nonprofits online. I’ve worked closely with my IT group in developing, launching and maintaining online projects.

I didn’t have my own Web site.

I used to have one, back when online journals were all the rage. I used to have one, when I was first learning html and needed a venue to test my newly-acquired skills. I used to have one, once upon a time.

I thought it might be time for a new site.

These days I can quote you chapter and verse on the importance of social networking. I know about the rise of podcasting, the real power of blogs, and the ongoing debate surrounding the best ways to monetize content. I can give you examples of good online communications, ways to improve your message delivery to your clients and why distributed news sources are actually a good thing.

Sandra Says read my blog, visit my calendar, check out my photo album (I promise to add photos soon), and bookmark my site.