Re-Visiting Downton Abbey

Since six seasons of Downton Abbey weren't enough for us, we now have Downton Abbey, the movie.  The Crawleys are back with their staff, estate, and ever-evolving intrigues that are oh so proper and British.  There's just something about large castles in quiet pastoral settings and formal dinners waited on by servants in coattails and white gloves.  It's a window into another time and culture in which everyone knew his or her place in a stifling class system.

If you're a fan of the show or the movie and are interested in all things Downton Abbey, there are a number of items that can be checked out from the library for your reading or viewing pleasure:

• The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton  New York's elite in the 1910s live in a world of etiquette and strict social conventions that don't include nonconformist women.
• Downton Abbey, Seasons 1-6 DVD  The original source and best place to start.  Get to know the Crawley family beginning in the 1910s, shortly after the heirs of the estate perish in the sinking of the RMS Titanic.  
• The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy  Three generations of an upper middle class British family are presented from the 1870s to the 1920s.
• Howard's End by E. M. Forster  In the early 1900s, two families dispute over which will inherit a home in the English countryside.
• The Manners of Downton Abbey DVD  Shows the roles and responsibilities of the nobility in contrast to those living a life in service.
• Parade's End DVD  Focuses on a love triangle--an aristocrat, his socialite wife, and a suffragette--in England during the Edwardian era.

So, get out your hats and cravats, sip your tea, and enjoy your journey to the past.  Is there a better way to begin the fall season?

Prim and properly yours from the perch.

Schools Need Librarians!

The start of the school year got me thinking about all the people going back to classes--the students, the teachers, and the librarians.  Yes, librarians are an important part of the school staff, too!  And it also got me thinking, with all the budget cuts school districts have made around the country, so many school libraries are without librarians because they have been let go.

School librarians are no less valuable than language arts, social studies, math, or science teachers.  They teach students just like teachers of other subjects.  In addition to teaching students how to use the library, school librarians teach how to conduct research, a skill that's valuable not only in writing papers and creating projects, but also in real life.  This has become even more important in today's age when information abounds but may not always be accurate.  Librarians teach how to evaluate various resources and tell which ones are trustworthy.

Beside teaching and helping students, school librarians also help teachers.  They assist teachers in getting the right materials for specific class lessons, build classroom libraries, and get in touch with community resources, such as local authors.  Librarians and teachers are partners in education, promoting learning and finding ways to motivate all students, even those who may be difficult and reluctant learners.

Librarians turn the library into a safe and welcoming space for students and teachers to study, work on group projects, or simply hang out and read.  As a loner who felt she didn't fit in with different crowds in school, I saw the library as a sanctuary.  It may have been crowded and noisy out in the hall, but the library was peaceful and filled with books that took me away to different places.  And the librarian was always welcoming and ready to help me find whatever I needed.  The library was one place where I felt I fit in.

Never underestimate the importance of school libraries and librarians, especially concerning the development of children.  Let your school district know just how much your school librarian means to you.

Sincerely yours from the perch.