Wikipedia

Students and adults alike seem to have an infatuation with Wikipedia.  After all, when I go to google to find information on a topic, Wikipedia is usually within the first five of the search results.  There seems to be an entry in Wikipedia on everything.

Why then is Wikipedia a bad thing?  Why aren't you allowed to use Wikipedia for school projects? 

Wikipedia can be highly unreliable and innaccurate.  In fact, they state on their own website that some of their content is "complete rubbish."  This is because anyone can go onto Wikipedia and add information on a topic, when they may or may not have accurate information or be an expert on the topic.  For example, I could go to Wikipedia and add to their entry on the Amish and state that all Amish have electric quesadilla makers, when that is absolutely not true.

Wikipedia is the first to admit their unreliability.  Read this link and see for yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer

Halloween in the Library

The library is the perfect place to find a spooky Halloween read.  Visit the dark side with a book!  Books can take you to places your own mind would have never have thought of.  The middle school library showcase is filled with spooky middle school books, as well as a creature known as the book bat.

Check out the bulletin board in the library for some internet safety tips for kids and teens.  For more information on internet safety, try these sites, which have some good information for both students and parents:


http://www.commonsense.com/internet-safety-tips/tips-for-kids.php


http://www.fbi.gov/fun-games/kids/kids-safety

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=207

Coming soon to a Kindle near you...

The process of purchasing books for the Kindles has begun!  Using student suggestions, I have started to buy the books that will be loaded onto the Kindles. 

Here are some of the books that will be available on the Kindles:

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis

Dork Diaries:  Books 1-3 by Rachel Renee Russell

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Stay tuned for more Kindle updates!