GJH Library News

Wow! The second semester is flying by! We are already in March!

There are many things happening at Granger, especially at the library this month. Scroll down to find out more about some of the following celebrations, here at the library and around the world!

• Did you know that March 1st is Share a Smile Day? Isn't that fun? It is so simple just to go around with a smile on your face, lighting up someone's day. Try it! You'll see how much better your day will be. It is contagious!
• On March 2nd we celebrate Read Across America. Mostly, we read on this day.
• March 5 marks the Crunchy, cheesy bites that make your taste buds dance with joy - National Cheese Doodle Day.
• International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th. Commemorating achievements in the ongoing struggle for gender equality, acknowledging progress while recognizing the road ahead.

• Guess when Pi Day is! Yes, March 14 AKA 3.14 This day recognizes the importance of math, promotes the beauty of math, and helps us enjoy math, which sometimes can be a bit frustrating. Pi, also represented by the lowercase Greek letter π, is one of the most well-known mathematical constants, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. The entire number the calculator will give you is 3.141592654.
• Freedom of Information Day is celebrated on March 16th, based on James Madison's birthday; he was an advocate for openness and transparency in government. This day promotes your right to know and access to information. Check out these videos for more information on Freedom of Information Act.
• And, of course we celebrate the arrival of Spring! One of my favorite seasons. The Spring Equinox starts on Thursday March 20th at 2:01 am pacific time. What does it mean? This date marks the turning point when daylight begins to wil out over darkness - longer days - shorter nights - more time to read!

Don't miss out on the opportunity to celebrate reading all around you! come to the library to check out our recommended reading for March!

A lot of news media and social media content is designed to grab our attention and keep us engaged. And whether we're getting our news from a TV network, TikTok, or YouTube, it can be hard to tell what's accurate these days. Knowing that the news we consume can be biased, misreported, or even fake, it's crucial that all of us—especially young people—learn to decode the information we encounter.

Common Sense Media provides a few tips on how to identify misinformation and disinformation:

• Check whether other credible outlets are reporting the same news. If not, that doesn't necessarily mean the news is untrue, but it does mean you should dig deeper. Also check the date a story or video was posted to make sure you're getting the most recent information.
• Use Snopes or FactCheck.org to verify news that seems highly unlikely before trusting or sharing it. This can also help you separate fact from opinion.
• Look for signs of low-quality content. Examples include headlines and captions with grammatical errors, bold claims that aren't backed up by solid sources, overly edited videos, and sensationalist images.
• Trust your gut. Misinformation and disinformation are created to get extreme reactions out of people. If what you're seeing or reading makes you feel strong emotions, it could be a sign that something isn't right.

Read Across America is a nationwide celebration of reading that takes place on March 2. The date coincides with Dr. Seuss' birthday, so it is a good time to pick up a book and read! Read for your own entertainment, or read for others. Dr. Seuss books are written for all audiences, but if you want books for older kids, scroll down to find your librarian's reading recommendation.

Also, check out the NEA Read Across America 2024-25 Reading Calendar for more options.

is a poet, educator, publisher, Emmy® Award-winning producer, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of 40 books, including This is the Honey, Why Fathers Cry at Night, An American Story, The Door of No Return, Becoming Muhammad Ali (co-authored with James Patterson), Rebound, which was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and The Undefeated, the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson. His mission is to change the world, one word at a time.

Celebrate Read Across America and the 10th anniversary of The Crossover Check out this short video of Kwame Alexander talking about the story behind The Crossover.

Nobody can honestly say we don’t owe an enormous amount to the women in our lives, from the mothers who made us chicken soup when we were sick, to the sisters who helped us decide what to wear on our first date, to the wives who somehow manage to juggle both a career and a family, never missing a beat.

Women’s Day celebrates women’s history, highlighting key events, milestones, and achievements, and aims to further promote and raise awareness of women’s rights and to achieve equal opportunity status in all walks of life.

This year we will celebrate WHM with a day at the library. There will be women presenters talking about their success in spite of the struggles throughout their lives.

We start the week with the Bring Change to Mind Club (BC2M) promoting Mental Health Awareness to our campus, with an activity for every day of the week. I hope you join us for this fun week.

Among many other celebrations during March, we have Cesar Chavez Day on the 31st. A true American hero, Cesar Chavez was a civil rights, Latino and farm labor leader; a genuinely religious and spiritual figure; a community organizer and social entrepreneur; a champion of militant nonviolent social change; and a crusader for the environment and consumer rights.

Check out the Cesar Chavez Foundation to learn more.

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s Red Cards help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home.The Red Card uses clear language to assert your rights safely and respectfully, ensuring you won’t be pressured into giving them up.

Using a Red Card is easy, just follow these steps:

• Carry It with You – Keep your Red Card in your wallet or purse for easy access.
• Show the Card – If approached by law enforcement or immigration officials, calmly show the card instead of engaging in conversation.
• Stay Silent – After showing the card, you have the right to remain silent and don’t need to answer any questions.
• Ask for an Attorney – If questioned further, assert your right to legal representation and avoid sharing additional information.