Missouri Passages - March 2008

Sections on Family Education, Teacher Development, Opportunities for Libraries and readers, Museum Betterment, and recommendation on an Irish novel that makes the storyteller quite vivid, and a Bouman blog on "Social Networking with Books and Ideas."

Family Education - The Lines We Remember

In her column, "The Lines We Remember," Julie Douglas mines her knowledge of children's literature for the memorable quotation and shares some real gems with us.

Related to our interest in Family Education, there's a new "Brain-Powered Playground" at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. I noticed the project in an e-newsletter I get from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington. IMLS is capable of playing a much larger part in the lives of Missouri's cultural institutions. The newsletter is a great place to start paying attention.

Three Opportunities for Teachers

We've just funded several teachers' institutes for this summer on opposite sides of the state. You can sign up to study Mark Twain at the Twain Museum in Hannibal, or study The Border War at the National Frontier Trail Center in Independence. Details on our Teacher Development page.

Better Libraries and Better Readers

There's a great opportunity for Libraries and schools at the web site of the American Library Association. ALA is brokering the free national distribution of Picturing America. It's a set of 20 two-sided images of evocative images to use in teaching American history. The National Endowment for the Humanities created this opportunity. You can read all about it at the web sites of both organizations.

Also, there's a fascinating worldwide book discussion project under way through Oprah's Book Club.

Details on both opportunities on our Better Readers Page.

Better Museum Visits

If you're in the Branson area, we encourage you to visit the wonderful American Presidential Museum and see the CNN exhibit, the great gift shop, and the great tour given by the Director, Stormy Snow. Details on our Museums Page.

You've got to see the beautiful new Virtual Museum at the Center for Archaeological Research at Missouri State! "Where The Wilson Meets The James" is on our growing list of "21st by 21" projects to upgrade Missouri museum practices.

If you're ready to upgrade your museum or historic house, one of the best places to start is the Performance Management Program of AASLH. We highly recommend this way of getting a toe-hold on 21st Century thinking!

If you've ever wondered how much Web design is too much, have a good laugh at the Bad Usability Calendar 2008. Then subtract a few things from your web site!

Social Networking With Books and Ideas

I discovered something exciting at the Amazon.com bookstore, a place where parents can share photos of themselves and their children with Goodnight Moon. I tried to say hello to four of those parents, but to no avail. Succeed or fail, I thought I'd write a blog about networking at the Amazon bookstore.

The Essence of Storytelling in an Irish Book

My colleague, Julie, just returned from a pilgrimage to Ireland and is wearing a great deal of green. This morning she sent out one of her vintage book recommendations, and I know what I'll be reading next month after I finish The Starcatcher Trilogy by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson.

Julie says, "I have just finished reading a book that I wanted to share with you all. If you have not read Frank Delaney’s Ireland: A Novel, you will find it very interesting. The story is about a young Irish boy who encounters a storyteller and is mesmerized by him. The aging storyteller moves on, but Ronan makes it his mission to find the old man and learn the art of storytelling. The chapters alternate between Ronan’s search for the storyteller and the stories the old man tells about the history of Ireland. The chapter where Ronan describes the storyteller’s method of enchanting his audience is one of the most beautiful things I have read!"

Chautauqua Dates/Venues for 2008

The 2008 Chautauqua tour, THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!, will visit the following towns this June:

• Kirkwood, at the Kirkwood Park Amphitheatre - June 5-8
• Osage Beach, at the School of the Osage High School Auditorium - June 12-15
• Pike County, at the County Fairgrounds - June 19-22
• Carthage, at Carthage High School Auditorium - June 26-28
• Webb City, at the Route 66 Theatre, June 29.

We'll post program details on the MHC web site in early April.