Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. According to World Book Student, the chief purpose of daylight saving time is to save energy by reducing evening use of lighting.¹

Wikipedia calls DST "controversial" and cites its origins in ancient civilizations' adjustment of schedules to sunlight. What do you think?

Benjamin Franklin is often quoted as favoring daylight saving time in summer. It struck him as silly and wasteful that people should "live much by candle-light and sleep by sunshine."²

¹Petrie, Joanne. "Daylight saving time." World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 9 March 2012
²Waldstreicher, David. "Franklin, Benjamin." World Book Student. World Book, 2012. Web. 9 March 2012

This year's Women's History Month theme recognizes women's tenacity, courage, and creativity throughout the centuries. Explore the history of generations of women whose commitment to nature and humanity have proved invaluable to society.

Gale PowerSearch on our eLibrary page is a great place to start along with Biography In Context, the U.S. & World History In Context and World Book.

Or, read about how the history of libraries and women dovetail in this article from American Libraries.

Our photo is of suffragette Alice Paul.

This Teen Tech Week™ (March 4–10), YALSA invites you to Geek Out @ your library! This year’s theme encourages libraries to throw open their physical and virtual doors and showcase the outstanding technology they offer, from services as digital literacy-focused programs to resources like ebooks, movies, music, audiobooks, databases and more.

Teen Tech Week is a national initiative sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association and is aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults.

The purpose of the initiative is to ensure teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those offered through libraries such as DVDs, databases, audiobooks, and videogames.

Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries' nonprint resources for education and recreation, and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology. Teen Tech Week began in 2007 and has a general theme of Get Connected @ your library.

Library Lad strikes again! See his new post, found by clicking the link under “Special Interests” (on the left side of our home page) > Books & Reading > Library Lad’s Blog.

This week you'll discover brinicle, in all its scientific glory (from Open Culture), get several book recommendations, updates on library happenings around the world and catch up with the National Book Awards.

It was just last week that you were invited to discuss your favorite app, kept up-to-date on the neutrino-Einstein debate and learn whether making a cell phone call from the driver's seat while at a stop light is legal. As a bonus, the Lad included a list of new nonfiction at E.P. Foster Library.

You can receive the Lad’s blog directly into your email inbox. To sign up for the Lad’s Blog or any other booklist newsletter, click here.

We know, here at Ventura County Library, the main reasons you visit our website is to access our online catalog, use one of our eLibrary databases, or find the library closest to you.

However, if you have a moment to spare, we’d like to point you to our favorite blog these days: Library Lad’s Blog. The Lad posts weekly, on Wednesdays, and the current blog can be found by clicking the link under “Special Interests” (on the left side of our home page) > Books & Reading > Library Lad’s Blog.

Only here can you experience a discussion of Google X, reflect on how technology is changing the way we cook, and be delighted by the expression, “the banana is going to hit the blender”. And, that’s just this week!

Or, sign up to receive the Lad’s blog directly into your email inbox. To sign up for the Lad’s Blog or any other booklist newsletter, click here.

Celebrate open access to information and your freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September 24 though October 1.

"Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week." (ALA, 2011)

For the first time, everyone can participate in a Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out on YouTube. Videos (no more than two minutes long) can be submitted by anyone as long as the video includes a reading from a banned or challenged book.

Or, find a Frequently Challenged Classic to read and celebrate your freedom!

September is Library Card Sign-up Month and the Ventura County Library (VCL) wants to make sure all residents of Ventura County have the smartest card of all – a library card.

“Your library card is the most important school supply of all,” says Library Director, Jackie Griffin.  “There’s a lot happening at Ventura County Library, and the best part for both children and parents, is that it’s all free with a library card.”

Getting a library card is easy.  Visit a Ventura County Library, complete the library card application form and present it at the circulation desk along with picture identification showing your current street address.

VCL - the place to go when you want to know!