In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8), Multnomah County Library is highlighting renegade women authors who challenge the status quo with their innovative and groundbreaking work.

#BreakTheBias and discover women authors past and present that have been writing about changes in society, what they hope to see, and how we can get there. 

Svetlana Alexievich (1948 - present)
Journalist, poet, and Nobel Prize laureate Svetlana Alexievich writes in Russian, and currently lives in Germany. Her father was Belarusian, her mother Ukrainian, and she was born in Ukraine. Her first book The Unwomanly Face of War received strong criticism and praise for adding over 500 perspectives of women in war, as both victims and soldiers. Her books have sparked conversation and broken barriers. She has spoken out about the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, the children of World War II, and the fall of the Soviet Union. Alexievich’s novel Secondhand Time was the 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize in literature. It is an oral history of the collapse of the USSR, focusing on the voices of women and men whose stories may have been lost. Alexievich has channeled her works in sharing stories of war and turmoil, while humanizing those most impacted. Find books by Svetlana Alexievich. 

 
Octavia Butler (1947 - 2006)
Science fiction author and winner of the MacArthur “Genius” Grant, Octavia Butler wrote dystopian novels about women’s rights, Black injustice, and the climate crisis. Butler’s novel Parable of the Sower centers on an African American woman in 2025, suffering from a hereditary trait where she feels other people's pains as her own.  Her novels focused on the points of view of characters that had not been written about before and brought their experiences to light with empathy and integrity. Butler won awards for best science fiction or fantasy, including several Nebula and Hugo Awards. She also won the PEN West Lifetime Achievement Award. Find books by Octavia Butler.

 
Laura Kate Dale (1991 - present)
Laura Kate Dale is an activist, author, and video game journalist. She is most well known for writing about and for the transgender and autism communities. Her second book Uncomfortable Labels: My Life as a Gay Autistic Trans Woman is an autobiographical account of her life. Dale’s third book Gender Euphoria: Stories of Joy from Trans, Non Binary and Intersex Writers is a joyful set of essays about the happiness of living out your true identity. Dale constantly pushes back on the narrative of gender dysphoria and struggles of being transgender through true gender euphoria. Find books by Laura Kate Dale.

 
Joy Harjo (1951 - present)
Performer, author, and Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo has written poetry books, plays, memoirs and children’s books. An American Sunrise is a collection of poems about the Mvskoke people who were forcibly removed from their original land. Harjo intertwines her personal story and journey with tribal history. She is the first Native American to serve as Poet Laureate for the United States, and is on her third term. Harjo has received many accolades and awards for her work. In the last decade, she won the Lilly Prize for poetry and music (2017), the Griffin Poetry Prize (2016), and the Wallace Stevens Award by the Academy of American Poets (2015). Find books by Joy Harjo.

bell hooks (1952 - 2021)
Renowned author bell hooks, also known as Gloria Jean Watkins, was a feminist, activist and cultural critic. Ms. hooks, who intentionally did not capitalize her name so as to place more attention on her work than herself, wrote more than 30 books exploring racism, gender, class, sexism, intersectionality, and history. She is most well-known for Ain't I a woman? Black Women and Feminism and the Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. She was critical of the feminist movement for centering whiteness and rallied people to consider a new wave of feminism where race and class where interwoven. Her books ranged in genre including children’s fiction, poetry, education, and memoirs. Central to conversations about race, sex, and feminism, hooks' literature has won numerous awards. Find books by bell hooks.

Ursula K. Le Guin (1929 - 2018)
Ursula K. Le Guin was an essayist who wrote short stories, poetry, science fiction and fantasy. Her novel, The Dispossessed, won her a Nebula Award, and made her the first woman to win the Hugo Award. This book also made her the first person to win two distinguished awards in science fiction at the same time. Her 1969 novel, The Left Hand of Darkness, pushed discussion about gender and sex roles. Set in a world where people are androgynous or ambisexual, she challenged ideas on human connection and expectations. She fought against the digitization of books by Google and was critical of Amazon’s treatment of authors. In 2014, Le Guin was awarded the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She won several Nebula, Hugo, Jupiter, and Locus awards throughout her lifetime. Le Guin was active in the Portland and Oregon literary community. She was a member of both the Literary Arts and Multnomah County Library advisory boards. Find books by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Gabby Rivera (1982 - present)
Gabby Rivera is a queer Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx, and an LGBTQ+ youth advocate. She is also the first Latin woman to write for Marvel Comics, in a series titled America. In America, Rivera features Chavez as the first Latina lesbian teen superhero of the comic. Rivera focuses on centering joy in the narratives about LGBTQ+, Latinx and people of color. In her 2016 young adult novel Juliet Takes a Breath, Rivera’s character makes the move to Portland, Oregon, after coming out to her family. This book won her the 2017 Silver IPPY Award for Best LGBTQ Fiction, and was re-published by Penguin Random House in 2019. Rivera is a public speaker, writer, activist, and youth mentor. Find books by Gabby Rivera.

Jenny Zhang (1983 - present)
Jenny Zhang is a writer, poet and essayist. Her books touch on different perspectives for current and sensitive topics including extreme poverty, sexual assault, the immigrant experience and identity. In her 2017 novel, Sour Heart, Zhang writes a collection of short stories about the complex relationships between Chinese-American families. In 2018, she won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction). This same year, Zhang won the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize for Sour Heart, an award specifically for debut work in fiction, where the collection of stories showcase great literary achievement. Throughout her career, Zhang has written numerous essays and poetry. In Dear Jenny, We Are All Find, Zhang writes poems that vary in structure and style. She covers racism, sexism, and objectification, with the outcome of self discovery. Find books by Jenny Zhang.

Discover more women breaking the bias with these My Librarian book recommendations.
 

Apprenticeship can be a great path to a career. Apprenticeships are usually programs that train you in a trade or craft while doing the job. There are many ways to get started and learn more about apprenticeships.

Oregon Apprenticeship is a group of organizations working to connect you to Registered Apprenticeship. They can help you explore careers, learn about application guidelines and search job openings.

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) can help you find a program and answer your questions about apprenticeship programs.

Oregon Career Information Systems has lots of information about different careers and the education and skills required, including apprenticeships. A library card is needed to sign in.

Portland Workforce Alliance can help connect students to apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships to improve students’ career readiness.

Portland Community College and Mount Hood Community College both offer several different apprenticeship programs and can help you learn more about them.

The Workplace Team can help you do research about apprenticeships and other career paths. Contact us to ask questions or book a One-on-One appointment.

February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate influential people, events and actions contributing to Black History in the United States. Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History selects a theme for Black History Month to focus the attention on one specific aspect of the Black experience. In 2022, the theme is “Black Health and Wellness.”

“I absolutely love the theme and focus on health and wellness,” said Lana Sweeting (pictured), Black Cultural Library Advocate (BCLA) at Rockwood Library. “It’s a topic that often gets swept under the rug, but to take this time to bring attention to self-care, and taking a step back when we can, is perfect.”

Each library location is finding their own way to celebrate Black History Month and connect with their local communities, offering book recommendations, activities, library displays and more, around the theme of Health and Wellness. 

At Hollywood Library, BCLA team members Tamara Stigler and Kariisa Allen are highlighting lesser-known African-Americans who made a large impact for the civil rights movement. Some examples include Diane Nash and Dorothy Height, women in the civil rights movement who were behind the scenes fighting along other more well known civil rights leaders. As part of her display, Tamara is sharing information about the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) and how to visit the museum virtually. 

The Black Cultural Library Advocates team “creates programs and services that, from the foundation, are by and for the community,” said Sonja Ervin, Multnomah County Library Equity and Inclusion Manager. “This gives folks the opportunity to know that the library is a space for them, and this is why the BCLA position is so vital in connecting with the community.” 

The library has intentionally and rapidly expanded the team over the past few years, with an increase of 33 BCLA positions between 2019-2021. The total number of BCLA staff is 38. Currently, 14 libraries have dedicated Black cultural staff positions: North Portland, St. Johns, Kenton, Hollywood, Albina, Midland, Central, Capitol Hill, Hillsdale, Sellwood, Gregory Heights, Gresham, Fairview-Columbia and Rockwood libraries. 

“There is so much knowledge and resources that should be afforded to everyone, and representation matters," said Tamara. "I am a native Portlander, and I remember going to the school library, but I don’t recall going to the local library. When I had my son, we encouraged him to go. The library opened up so many doors for him to explore and to learn, and in part because of these experiences he is now a Computer Engineer.”

The BCLA team has a mission to “leverage Multnomah County Library’s platform and resources to preserve and strengthen Black communities.” Part of this is through displays, programing, book selections, storytimes, and community outreach.

“This year we are adding a display of children’s books for Black Children’s Week that are just stories of kids being kids,” said Melanie Boyd (pictured), BCLA at Kenton Library. “There are so many books out there that focus on how people of color are different from white people. These stories show Black children as worthy of love and fun.”

Kenton Library’s Black History Month selections range from stories of Afro-Latino families, to culturally sensitive and relatable children’s books:

•  Just Like Mama, focusing on relationships between a caregiver and child.
• Time For Bed, Old House, about a boy who is afraid to go to sleep at his grandpa's house because of the noises made. But once his grandfather goes to sleep, he knows it is okay and he is safe there.
• Sharing a Smile, a relevant and timely children’s book of a girl who is worried she cant see people’s smiles because of masks. 

Many library locations will have a Black History Month display, Black Resource Book List and Black History Month giveaways - including free books to take home!

Take a look at these events and more to celebrate Black History Month:

• We Had Jazz, Collins Gallery, 3rd floor of Central Library, Feb 1-Mar 31
• Peace of Mind: Navigating, Stress, Anxiety, School and COVID, a wellness event with a focus on providing a safe space for Black teens, Tues, Feb 8, 6-7:30 pm
• Stones, Bones and Black Eyed Peas, a cooking demonstration with history and modern interpretations of food, Thu, Feb 10, 6:30-7:30 pm
• Music and Movement For Children with Nikki Brown Clown, culturally creative story time  to celebrate Black History Month, Sat, Feb 19, 10-10:45 am
• Barbershop Talk: Health and Wellness, an open forum on health and wellness in the African diaspora, Wed, Feb 23, 7-8 pm

The BCLA team's work brings our larger community together so that we can continue to include materials, programs and services that match what the community wants and needs. “We want to create spaces where people can ask questions,” said Lana. “With this dedicated role, we are able to find ways to connect people with resources, and make the library a safe space.” 

Check out other reading recommendations from the Black Cultural Library Advocates:

• African American History Month hosted by The Library of Congress
• Afro Surf by Mami Wata
• Black History Month in Portland
• But Some of Us Are Brave by Akasha (Gloria T.) Hull
• Every Body Yoga by Jessamyn Stanley
• Rice by Michael Twitty
   

Nearly every house history researcher wants to see old photographs or drawings of their house.  Who wouldn't, right?  Unfortunately for Portland-area house history buffs, this can be one of the hardest bits of house history ephemera to track down!  But don't despair; there are surviving photographs of some houses and it is possible (sometimes) to find them. 

The challenge is that there has never been a comprehensive house-portrait project in Portland -- or any other city or town in our area -- so there is no treasure trove of photos of local homes that you can dig through.  You might wonder, if there's no big archive of house pictures, where should you start?  There are a few possibilities:

First, ask your neighbors or the people in your neighborhood association.  People who live on your street may have their own old photographs of family events, parties, or other occasions which include your house in the background.  And a bonus -- when you find that long-time resident and photo-saver, they may share stories about past residents of your house or other interesting neighborhood lore!

Houses sometimes appear in the background of photographs taken to record activity on the street.  The city of Portland has a lot of photographs of infrastructure and maintenance work they've done over the years. 

Many of these images are carefully preserved in the Portland City Archives collection. These images usually show city workers doing something in the neighborhood (such as repairing the sewer like in the photo at left) or were taken in connection with city planning work, like a street scene before the installation of a new traffic light.  You can search for records (including photographs) using the Archives' catalog, Efiles, and some have been published on the archives's Vintage Portland blog -- see below for more about that! But, most photographs in the collection aren't available online.  To look at original photographs in person, you'll need to visit the Archives reading room downtown (1800 SW 6th Ave., Suite 550; 503.865.4100).  

NOTE: As of March 2021, the Portland City Archives is closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Contact them to see what services they can offer remotely.

The Oregon Historical Society library is another treasure trove for house history researchers.  Their collection includes more than 2.5 million photographs and negatives of people, communities, commerce, and life in the Pacific Northwest -- the photograph collection doesn't have a section devoted to house portraits, but you may find photographs of your street, or photographs indexed under the name of a former owner of the house.  Some of the library's photographs have been digitized and are available through OHS's Digital Collections website, but many, many images are available only by visiting in person (1200 SW Park Ave.; 503.222.1741).  

Another potential source for house portraits and street scenes is the Vintage Portland blog, run by the Portland City Archives.  Every weekday the site features a different historical photograph (or sometimes a map or drawing) of Portland.  The posts are sorted into categories for neighborhoods, street names, time periods, and topics.  For example, if you are curious about the development of your neighborhood as well as the history of your house, you might want to look at the blog's many aerial photographs; or you might try looking at a neighborhood street like Foster Rd., Powell Blvd., or 82nd Ave.

If the house you're researching happens to be in the Albina district, you may find a photograph of it in The History of Albina, by Roy E. Roos.  The book begins with a brief a history of the district (and former city), but it also includes brief architectural history for a selection of houses and other buildings that are representative of different eras in Albina's development.  Many of the brief house histories are illustrated with contemporary photographs or have no pictures, but some have historic photographs or drawings.

Have fun hunting for a historic photo of your house!

 

  Questions? Ask the Librarian.

¿Qué es la Evaluación del Dominio del Idioma Inglés (ELPA)?

La ELPA mide el conocimiento del idioma inglés de los estudiantes en las áreas de lectura, escritura, expresión oral, comprensión auditiva y comprensión escrita. La ELPA se lleva a cabo en línea y está diseñada para ser interactiva e incluye preguntas que reflejan escenarios del mundo real. Su objetivo principal es calificar a los estudiantes para que reciban los servicios lingüísticos adecuados e informar y orientar a las escuelas para que apoyen mejor las necesidades de los estudiantes.

El estado de Oregón es miembro de la Evaluación de Dominio del Idioma Inglés para el siglo XXI (ELPA21), un grupo de estados comprometidos a apoyar a los educadores, administradores escolares y comunidades a medida que adoptan e implementan los nuevos Estándares de Dominio del Idioma Inglés (ELPA, por sus siglas en inglés) y los estándares para la universidad y carreras profesionales.

¿Qué incluye la Evaluación del Dominio del Idioma Inglés (ELPA)?

Incluye elementos de escritura, comprensión auditiva, expresión oral y preguntas de respuesta abierta para que el alumno demuestre su conocimiento crítico sobre el tema que se le presente.

¿Quién toma la prueba ELPA?

Cualquier estudiante que califique para los servicios de Inglés como Segundo Idioma (ESL por sus siglas en inglés) o que haya salido del programa de ESL en algún momento durante el año escolar. Hable con el maestro para saber si su estudiante toma esta prueba y para saber en qué nivel se encuentra. Las escuelas envían los resultados de la prueba de su estudiante una vez al año por correo postal.

¿Qué mide o evalúa esta prueba?

La evaluación sumativa de ELPA se basa en los nuevos estándares de Dominio del Idioma Inglés de Oregón y mide los cuatro dominios del lenguaje: lectura, escritura, comprensión auditiva y expresión oral. Estos dominios también se conocen como habilidades de comprensión lectora, producción escrita, comprensión auditiva y producción oral. Para obtener más información sobre lo que se incluye en esta prueba visite.

¿Cuándo se administra esta prueba?

Por lo regular, ELPA se administra a fines del invierno o en la primavera. Los estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de tomarla una vez al año hasta que salgan del programa de ESL. Llame a la escuela de su estudiante para informarse de las fechas exactas en que tomará la prueba. 

¿Cómo se administra ELPA?

Las evaluaciones se administran a los estudiantes a través del Sistema de Evaluaciones del Estado de Oregón (OSAS, por sus siglas en inglés). Este es el mismo sistema en línea que se utiliza para otras pruebas que administra el Departamento de Educación del Estado de Oregón (ODE, por sus siglas en inglés), como las pruebas de ciencias y artes del lenguaje inglés y matemáticas.

Este es el tiempo estimado para realizar la prueba de acuerdo al grado en que se encuentre el estudiante:

K​​ y 1.º grados: 1 h

2.º y 3.º grados: 1.5 h

6.º y 8.º grados: 3.25 h

9.º y 12.º grados: 4 h

¿Cómo se usan los resultados de la prueba?

Los resultados de las pruebas se utilizan para medir el conocimiento del idioma inglés de los estudiantes y determinar si un estudiante está listo para salir del programa de ESL. Los resultados también se utilizan para cumplir con las responsabilidades estatales y federales del departamento de educación.

Los resultados se envían por correo a las familias una vez al año, a finales del verano o principios del otoño. Los maestros también pueden compartir los resultados con las familias durante las conferencias de padres y maestros y otras reuniones. Asegúrese de pedir los resultados de la prueba y conversar con el maestro de su estudiante acerca de cómo ayudarle a mejorar su proficiencia en el idioma inglés. 

¿Quién lo requiere?

El estado lo requiere. Los estudiantes desde el kínder hasta el 12.º grado, cuyo idioma materno no es el inglés, deben ser evaluados en el dominio del idioma inglés de acuerdo a la Ley Federal y Estatal de Oregón. En Oregón, se usa la prueba ELPA.

¿Tiene la evaluación ELPA componentes para apoyar a los estudiantes con discapacidades o necesidades especiales? 

Sí, la prueba ELPA tiene varios componentes para ayudar a los estudiantes con discapacidades o necesidades específicas de aprendizaje. Hable con el maestro de su estudiante para mayor información.

 

¿En dónde puedo encontrar más información acerca de ELPA?
Contacte al Representante de la ELPA21 en Oregón: Ben Wolcott, 503-947-5835, ben.wolcott@ode.state.or.us. O llame al Departamento de Educación de Oregón, 503-947-5600. 

O en este volante de la ELPA21

 

También puede comunicarse con el maestro de su estudiante.

Dear families, we know you have been through the wringer for almost two years and it doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. As we start 2022, we find ourselves once again having to worry about school closures and remote learning. And we are still trying to figure out how to get tested for and vaccinated against Covid-19. Here are some resources to help support you and your family during this difficult time. 

Testing information

• Get free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests 
• COVID-19 Testing in Oregon from the state, available in Spanish and many other languages
• COVID-19 Testing information from Multnomah County 
• Find At-Home COVID-19 Tests In Stock Online
• Oregon's COVID-19 Testing in K-12 schools
• Did you test positive for COVID‑19? 

Vaccination information

• Find a COVID‑19 Vaccine in Oregon has easy to find information on where to get vaccines (choose your language in the upper right hand corner from the drop-down)
• Get Vaccinated Oregon has a locater map that can be very helpful (and also includes testing sites)
• Covid-19 Vaccine information from Multnomah County

Finding masks

• Portland Mask Project provides free cloth face coverings to individuals in the Portland community.
• All Multnomah County Libraries have masks available (while supplies last) 
• Oregon Mask Requirements 

School closure information

• School closures from The Oregonian
• School Closure Tracker from Portland Public Schools (PPS)
• Children, Schools, and COVID-19 information from Multnomah County

Remote Learning resources

• Free online tutoring resources 
• K-12 students in most Multnomah County public school districts have library access with their student ID. Check out materials and use online resources like databases and tutor.com. Learn more at our Library Connect page, or contact us anytime for help using Library Connect.
• Homework Center includes library databases and blog posts to help your kids with their school work
• E-books and more will link you to everything from magazines, to graphic novels, to encyclopedias, to documentaries.
• Help for parents and caregivers of young children during the pandemic was written back in May of 2020, but lots of the information is still useful. 

And remember, the library is here to help. We can help you find something good to read, watch or listen to while you are isolating. And you should contact us if you have holds ready for pickup, but are not able to get to the library due to Covid. 

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up here and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

If you, or your child, feel a sense of fatigue and sadness when summer ends and the weather changes to a pattern of continuous cloudy or rainy days, it may be more than just a case of the ‘winter blues.’

Some people experience a regular low period when the seasons change. Doctors have a name for it - Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. It is more common in adults, and more so in women, but children and teens can sometimes be affected, as well. 

SAD is a type of depression that can appear when there is less sunlight. Unlike other types of depression, SAD symptoms seem to arrive as winter arrives and then fade away as spring approaches. Like other depressions, Seasonal Affective Disorder can be mild, or it can be more severe. 

Why does this happen? In most cases, SAD seems to be related to the loss of sunlight. Researchers have found that reduced sunlight can affect the body in ways that could contribute to Seasonal Affective Disorder. These include: Circadian rhythm (biological clock) – the decrease in sunlight could disrupt your body’s natural rhythms. There may also be a drop in vitamin D levels and in the brain chemical, Serotonin, that affects our mood. These changes can lead to depression.

Symptoms of SAD may include:

• change in appetite, especially craving sweet or starchy foods
• fatigue
• sleeping more than normal
• difficulty concentrating
• irritability and anxiety
• increased sensitivity to rejection
• avoidance of social situations
• loss of interest in the activities you used to enjoy

If you or your child are experiencing some of these symptoms your doctor can help determine the best way to cope and feel better.

And here is an article written for teens about SAD from Nemours KidsHealth (also available in Spanish). 

This article was written for our Family Newsletter, available in English and Spanish. Please sign up here and you can email us at learning@multcolib.org with any questions.

While reviews on online shopping and crowd-sourced review sites are often helpful, the average person doesn’t purchase and compare five vacuum cleaners at once. The reviewer that does do that is Consumer Reports, which accepts no advertising and is known for editorial integrity. The library subscribes to the paper issues at all 19 locations, which you can browse whenever you visit the library.

But did you know that there is also a way to access Consumer Reports  from home?

The Consumer Reports website has limited coverage if you aren’t a subscriber; you can see that a particular product was reviewed, but not the review itself. However, you can read the full text of the reviews, and see the illustrations of the ratings in chart form, with your library card through MasterFILE Premier. Go to MasterFILE Premier, click "Publications" at the top of the screen,  and type "Consumer Reports"  in the Browsing:  MasterFILE Premier -- Publications box. Once you click on Consumer Reports, you can either browse by issue date, or search within the publication for your topic.

If you use “search within this publication,” add your search term to the JN "Consumer Reports” that the database has already filled in, for example, JN "Consumer Reports" and mattress. The results default to “Relevance,” so change that drop-down box to “date newest” to see the most recent reviews.

You can also search in the Consumer Reports Buying Guide by starting in the library catalog; select the “Click here to access title” link on the right of the page to access the content of the guide.

If Consumer Reports didn't review your item recently, try a MasterFILE Premier search for the item and the phrase "product evalutation". For example, "backhoe and product evaluation" yields reviews from publications like Underground Construction, ENR: Engineering News-Record, and Landscape Management.

Consumer Reports isn't the only source out there, though!  Here are some other well-regarded product review sites:

Wirecutter:  Reviews of technology, appliances, home goods, etc. from the staff of the New York Times. If you hit a paywall, some Wirecutter content is in the New York Times (1980-present) database (log in with your library card number and PIN/password).

Good Housekeeping:  GH has been testing consumer products and awarding the Good Housekeeping Seal of approval since 1900. Focuses on domestic products like kitchen appliances, toys, cleaning products and personal care items like cosmetics and bras.

CNET: Primarily reviews of technology (phones, streaming services, laptops), but also some non-tech items like mattresses and meal kits.

The Strategist:  From New York magazine, focusing on online shopping. Also has lists of recommendations on a theme (books by genre/reader) as well as traditional reviews by topic (pillows, picture frames, etc).

Specialty Reviews

If there’s a magazine or website for a particular hobby or interest, chances are they review products for that hobby. For example:

Cooks Illustrated can recommend an air fryer or bakeware.

Runner’s World tests running shoes, athletic clothes and earbuds that won’t fall out while you do laps.

Car and Driver is another source besides Consumer Reports to look for automobile recommendations.

How to evaluate a review or shopping site

Not sure if that mattress review site is independent, or a fake that only posts positive reviews of the products sold by the website? Here’s some things to look for:

• A review site should have an “about us” page that tells you who owns it or funds it, and should describe its editorial policies. 
• You won’t necessarily get wrong information from a site that sells products to consumers, but a site that wants to sell you office supplies or mattresses will probably not be willing to evaluate a product it carries as “unacceptable” (like Consumer Reports occasionally will).
• Any site that allows customers to review products or services without verifying purchases (for example, Amazon, Yelp, Tripadvisor) can be manipulated, and it’s worth reading these reviews with a degree of caution or skepticism.

Happy shopping!

 

When David Shine, an English teacher with the Multnomah Education Service District, and Multnomah County Library (MCL) Program Specialist Jody Redifer teamed up, their goal was to bring the youth at Donald E. Long (DEL) Juvenile Detention Center together for a national songwriting competition. The library’s outreach work at DEL is made possible by a longstanding partnership between the library and Multnomah County’s Department of Community Justice.

The songwriting competition, held by BreakFree Education, supports the organization's mission to “radically improve education in the juvenile justice system.” 

For Jody, who has been facilitating a music production class in the library at DEL since late 2020, it was exciting to have English teacher David Shine approach him to collaborate on this competition.

During his time teaching the music production class, Jody has recorded over 200 songs by more than 50 youth. With the combination of David and Jody working together, students at DEL were thrilled to have this project underway. David took lead on the writing, and Jody managed the production and engineering. 

Through the songwriting competition youth not only explored music, but also the specific themes pertaining to each song. It is this lesson plan component that allows the youth to grow introspectively, while gaining new musical skills. 

BreakFree Education’s mission for this program is that "through this initiative, students explore policy issues that impact their lives. Students harness the power of music to create, produce, and share songs that address issues related to juvenile justice reform.” The songwriting competition is the result of this work, and through it the organization “amplifies the voices of youth justice.”

Students at DEL put their all into the songwriting and performances. This is something which may sound practical, but is not always easy in a detention environment. They expressed their perspective on social conditions and the struggles they and other youth face.

As a result of the hard and thoughtful work the youth put in and the collaboration between MESD and MCL, two of the units at DEL finished in the top 10 nationwide, with unit A2 taking 3rd place on October 28, 2021!

Students at DEL, David and Jody are excited for the prospect of more partnerships like this. In the immediate future, the next collaboration looks to be the publication of works of fiction and non fiction by the students at DEL with the help of MCL. With David working on the writing aspect, and Jody on the publication side, this is bound to be a successful venture! Again bridging the creative ideas of youth, into hands-on and constructive skills.

Article written by BCLA Program Specialist Jody Redifer, with support from Communications Specialist Paty Rincon