June 10, 2012
Places that I plan to visit.
·
George Washington Middle School Library
·
Laredo Public Library
·
Zapata County Library
·
Republic of the Rio Grande Museum
·
Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library at Texas
A&M International University
·
Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center
·
Luciano Guajardo Historical Collection
·
Imaginarium of South Texas
I’m really looking forwar to visiting these places. Although from Laredo, I have never visited
the museum downtown or the environmental center. Since my parents are
staying with us for a while, I plan to take them along to enjoy the trips with us (my children and me). This year we will not be going on vacation, therefore I want to make these visits exciting for the kids.
My first trip is scheduled for June 19th. In the
meantime, I will have researched online for additional information regarding
the sites. I’m mostly focusing on the
hours of operation for now in order to plan how I will be scheduling my
visits.
So far I plan to do the visits as follows:
o
Environmental Center, Museum, and public library
(June 19th)
o
Middle School
and Imaginarium (June 21st)
o
Zapata County Library and TAMIU library (June 22nd)
June 13, 2012
Today, I looked at the web sites of the locations that I want
to visit. Lucky for us, I found out that
on Tuesdays, the entrance to the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum is free. Since they close at 4:00 p.m., I want to take
advantage of the trip downtown by visiting the environmental center as well and
have a good lunch in between.
I contacted my school’s secretary to inquire if the Middle
School nearby is open in the summer.
Luckily it is open and I was able to get approval from the Principal to
go on the 21st as planned.
The Imaginarium will also be open. I visited the museum about a year ago, but it
had closed for remodeling. I plan to
take the kids and visit on the 21st as well.
The Zapata County Library is open until 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. We will probably leave around 11:00a.m to stay
there for a couple of hours then come back to Laredo and visit the TAMIU
library that closes at 6:00 p.m.
June
16, 2012
I went to the Laredo Public Library to return some books. I took advantage that I was there and asked about the historical collection. Unfortunately, my visit will have to be postponed until Monday, June 25th. Mr. Moreno, who is in charge of the collection, is on vacation. I was advised to wait for Mr. Moreno to return. He has worked with that collection for 30 years and would be the best person to talk to.
Today, I went online to see if any of the places offer virtual visits on their web page. I had no luck; however, I did find stunning photographs of the animals from the environmental center as well as summer camp activities for several of the locations.
June 18, 2012
The kids
are super excited; they’ve been asking when we’re going on the Safari
adventure. My daughter has put an
adventure bag together. My son is asking me all sorts of questions about the animals we are going to see there.
He is somewhat dissapointed because he will not see giraffes, lions, and zebras. I showed him online pictures of the environmental center and it worked wonders. Hopefully seeing the alligators will quench his thirst for exotic animals
He is somewhat dissapointed because he will not see giraffes, lions, and zebras. I showed him online pictures of the environmental center and it worked wonders. Hopefully seeing the alligators will quench his thirst for exotic animals
June 19, 2012- Visit to Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center
Bad news, we got lost on our way there. I knew that it was in the Laredo Community
College grounds, however, there were no signs indicating where it was. We asked one of the maintenance employees and
he indicated the way.
Upon arrival, we could not believe such a place existed in
Laredo. It is an awesome facility. The outside is very attractive with desert
like landscaping and giant alligator signs.
After paying, the lady at the front desk explained the rules
and gave us instructions. She told us that all of the animals in the center
were captured in Laredo, others were donated from Laredoans. She let us enter the center and explore on
our own.
We ran into several groups of kids that were in the summer
camps. One group was using solar energy
to make tea. While others were filtering
water.
Surrounding us were cacti and a mix of desert plants. Everything was labeled making it easier to
locate the areas. Greeting us in the
first display were six American Alligators, two large ones and four little
ones. They were captured in the lake of
the Lakeside Subdivision in Laredo, Texas. We were
impressed to learn that the water temperature determines the gender of the
eggs.
- 93 degrees F- males
- 86 degrees F- females
- Below 78 degrees F- perish
The center of the facility has a huge man
made pond with beautiful cascades and crossing bridges. To our surprise, as we went around the pond
we found out, that it is an aquarium.
WOW!!!!! We were fascinated!
We were not able to see some of the animals; they were resting inside their burrows, logs, caves, and/ or beds, trying to
stay away from the heat. We went back
several times to check if they had come out, but they were still out of sight. We did get to see these animals: bobcat, javelinas, opossums,
jack rabbits, fox, iguana, and lemurs. We
proceeded to a second pond with dozens of turtles. It was totally breathtaking! As we approached the pond they would come together instantly as if we were going to feed them. The next section was indoors. This place hosted all different kinds of snakes,
horny toads, rats, mice, tarantulas, spiders, spiny lizards, lesser sirens, and
many other critters.
A third section included awesome mounted animal
displays, a lab, and a sensory room. There was a glass case in a corner of the main entrance that cought my attention on the way out. It contained a display of Texas Symbols.
Visiting the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center was an unforgettable experience. It's an excellent place to get in touch with nature. We couldn’t believe that we
had never visited this place before. This
is an ideal place for field trips.
June 19, 2012-Visit to the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum
After a having a scrumptious lunch, we headed towards the downtown museum. I have sat at the San Agustin Plaza, located across the museum and had no clue the place existed. The museum is sponsored by the Webb County Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization. Its mission is to promote awareness and appreciation of Laredo's unique history. This includes historic architechture, ranching heritage, folklore, and tourism. The museum is one of Laredo's oldest structures, consisting of three rooms being constructed in1830. This house belonged to rancher Bartolome Garcia and once served as the Republic of the Rio Grande headquarters.
Upon entering the first room, there is a small gift shop followed by a display of photographs and information. I really liked the organization of the materials as well as the facility. It totally transports you back in time. A audio box was placed in each room making available the history anecdotes in both English and Spanish. The second and third rooms were breathtaking. They contained a display of antique items and photographs. Each room was furnished as if someone still lived in it. All items were neatly labeled with a description in both languages as well.
I was interested in watching my children's reaction as they saw antique irons, scissors, matresses, baby cribs, and so much more! They couldn't believe how different our world is today.
Overall, the experience was extraordinary. Although small, the museum houses so many valuable artifacts and historic documents. It is unbelievable!
Visit the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum at:
Memories of our visit:
June 21, 2012-Visit to George Washington Middle School
George Washington Middle School is the feeder school for the four elementary schools located in the Northwest area of Laredo. It serves grades 6-8 with a population a little over 1,168 students. Although it is currently hosting summer school, the library is closed.
The Liberty Library is completely decorated with an ocean theme with school colors red, white, and blue. It has a cozy sitting area and an abundance of print and non-print sources. The library counts with 8 Computers on Wheels (C.O.W.) and printers, 3 OPAC stations with 6 computers each, 1 computer lab, and an additional 12 student computers. As far as the print collection is concerned, it has many of the latest award winning books, and a fairly large collection of periodicals. I noticed a bulletin board display with photographs of the activities that took place throughout the school year. These consisted of a photograph of author Suzanne Collins with the librarian, Read Across America activities, and reading contests and activities. I observed quite a few book shelves. I'm not sure if they were store bought or hand made, but I really liked the idea for my library. Before leaving, I asked if the librarian had left any type of summer reading list, but they did not know. In looking at the web site I discovered that she posted for students to read ebooks and visit the public library as well.
On my way out, I noticed a handout with all of the databases, usernames, and passwords. I took one with me to create something similar for my library. A really neat idea! I'm sure the school community would appreciate having all of that information in handout.
Visit the Washington Middle School Library at:
Memories of my visit:
June
21, 2012-Visit to the Imaginarium of South Texas
I discovered
that the Imaginarium was formally known as the Laredo Children's Museum which
was located on the grounds of the Laredo Community College. The name changed
to, Imaginarium of South Texas, and it is currently located inside Mall Del
Norte. Since then, it has gone through some remodeling. The Imaginaium was totally interactive! For a miminal fee of
$4 per child and $4 per adult, both can enjoy and explore the plethora of
activities and stations the Imaginarium has to offer. I love the fact that the kids can explore on their own. It really puts their minds to work. The following are a few of the many activities and/or stations in the Imaginarium:
Dramatic Play stations such as a mini grocery story
Critter corner exhibit with live animals
Giant bubble station
Magnetic Wonder Wall
Nasa Station
Art Center
Library
Camp Zone
The Imaginarium is currently hosting summer camps Mon-Thurs,
8am-2pm,
however, it is open seven days a week. There are a
variety of
camps offered involving engineering, robotics, forensics,
math, and nature. They have plenty of staff mostly young high school or
university students. They're very friendly and helpful.
The
Imaginarium is also available for bithday parties, field trips, and family
night at the schools. I think this is a very
night at the schools. I think this is a very
neat idea
because the kids are engaged in educational and fun activities
while enjoying the birthday party.
I also liked
the small workshops that are going on throughout the day free of
charge. About three staff members work in the kiosk working with children
in a variety of arts and crafts.
I totally loved the place! My kids were constantly engaged in the activities
including myself between pictures.
I decided to become a
member before leaving the place. My kids will enjoy
visiting the Imaginarium for a whole year unlimited times and we will also
received discounts for parties and camps. This place is a
worthwhile experience
that I'm sure my kids will enjoy greatly.
Visit
the Imaginarium of South Texas at:
Memories
of our visit:
June 22, 2012-Visit to the Zapata County Library
This time,
only my mother and my daughter accompanied me on the trip.
It was a very
nice drive. Most of the road has been redone and expanded,
so the drive
and scenery were very pleasant. I had some trouble finding the
library at
first since it was somewhat hidden. The place looked small from
the outside,
but it was so impressive on the inside. The minute we opened
the door we
saw the most welcoming environment! The place is
so beautiful.
We were greeted immediately by one of the staff members
and the
library director, Mrs. Garcia. They allowed me to take pictures and
gave us a
tour of the library. The director told us that the children's section
was the
original building which was built in the early 80's, the second
section was
added in the early 90's. As they showed
us the
building, I noticed that everything was neatly labeled and
organized,
and surprisingly dust free! There were quite a few library users,
but mostly
children. She explained that they have hopes of moving to a
bigger and
newer building.
they're
currently hosting a summer camp titled, Get a Clue at the
Library. The
space is limited to a small group since their
multipurpose
room doesn't have enough space for more children and their
parents. She
added that a lot of college and university students visit the
library to
use the computers.Currently they have only one computer lab with
about 12
computers. In addition to this, they have about twenty more
computers in
the children's section for public use.
I asked about
special collections and she directed me to their Texas and
Genealogy
Collections. The Texas collection is circulated more frequently
than the
Genealogy collection. Nontheless, both are used.
I also
inquired about their library automation system. They have been using
Apollo since
2009. She allowed me to see it and it looked very user
friendly. Something
that caught my attention was the fact that half of her
library staff
is comprised of retired teachers. She has a mix of lower,
upper, and
resourced former teachers. Together they make an excellent
team. They
can surely help patrons in more ways than one.
Another
observation that I made, is that their collection although small is up
to date. So
far, I had not seen anyone with the Hunger
Games trilogy in
Spanish, and
I found it here.
We had a
wonderful time visiting this library! It is very enticing to stay and
read for a
couple of hours in there, but we had to get back on the road for
our next
visit.
Unfortunately
this library does not have a web site, but I took several
pictures of
our visit.
Memories of our visit:
June 22, 2012-Visit to the Texas A&M International University
It has been 12 years since I last set foot into the TAMIU library. I was very excited to visit since my graduation. I noticed that they closed up the breezeway to make a coffee shop, a new entrance to the library, and a pemanent art exhibit in the building next door. There were also changes in the first floor. More shelves were added as well as new audio equipment stations. I saw that they have bulletin boards displaying the library's services and what each of the floors contained.
I interviewed Ms. Ramos at the reference desk. I asked about the collection, audiovisual materials, computers, labs, and databases. The Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library has over 250,000 books, 42 computers open to the public, microfilms and microfiche, a juvenile, curriculum, and media collection, more that 100 databases with about 1,000 articles each, and a special collection. Each of the four floors has two OPAC's. It sure has grown since I was there! Before visiting the rest of the floors, Ms. Ramos gave me a call number guide. I liked this idea for my library. It was breathtaking to see the collection. I had special interest to see the curriculum collection. It basically consisted of the state adopted teacher guides used by both UISD and LISD, our local school districts. I went to the second floor to see the historical collection, but it was already closed. The third floor was my favorite. Back when I was there it was only used for author visits and conferences. Now, it is furnished with sofas and coffee tables and it also houses the juvenile collection. You will see it in the pictures. It has a stunning view! The fourth floor as well as the rest of the floors had study carrels, reading areas, and study rooms.
I enjoyed watching my daughter's reaction. She was totally mesmerized and couldn't believe that I had gone to that school. Her favorite area was the third floor until she saw the art gallery and museum. She wants to be an artist when she grows up, therefore seeing all the art pieces and sculptures up close made her day. It sure was nice to be there again.
Visit the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library at:
http://library.tamiu.edu/
Memories of our visit:
June 25, 2012-Visit to the Laredo Public Library
and Special Collection
The Laredo Public Library consists of two floors. The bottom includes the circulation area, reference section, multipurpose room, and the children's section. The upstairs area hosts the Luciano Guajardo Historical Collection, the Wall of Tolerance Center & Museum, study rooms, reading areas, and a large study/conference room. Presently the library is having summer camps. Families are invited to come to the library for a free meal and a movie, arts and crafts, story time, and so much more. One of the monthly events that they host is reading time with the news cast from Univision. This is a big hit. The kids get to listen to stories read from the person they see on television. They love this.
Well, the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived today. Mr. Moreno the Special Collections Librarian is back from his vacation. He welcomed me into the room where I signed in. Mr. Moreno has lived in Laredo for 30 years. He is originally from Austin,Texas. The room is monitored with cameras. Each of the shelves is electronic and opens and/or moves with his code. The room has a large table with chairs in its perimeter, a small circulation desk, computer, and about 8 electronic shelves.
Mr. Moreno told me that it took him about three years to put the special collections catalog together. He handed me a very thick book that included detailed information about each of the items in the collection. For instance, box 241 contained artifacts from a bottling company that existed in Laredo in years past. He shared a little about what his day looks like. He checks and responds to emails concerning the collection, attends meetings, prepares files that are needed elsewhere, organizes the collection, and helps patrons who visit this room.
The room has a computer with a Genealogy database. He said that quite a few people come in to do research on the families. He mentioned a gentleman who took five years to find what he was looking for.
He took out a couple of boxes with artifacts, and said that the library doesn't have many of these. He also allowed to see th electronic shelves. Very cool stuff! Anyway, he showed me antique post cards, City Council minute books, dissertations, original blueprints of Laredo in the 1800s and lots more. He asked me about my last name, and it turns out that I was related to the founders of Nuevo Laredo, Laredo's Mexican sister city. He pointed out a folklore collection, records of automobile licence's issued from 1916-1933, the collection of the Washington Birthday Celebration Activities, and lots of Nuevo Laredo material.
I had a great time and learned a lot in the time that I was there. I told him that I would take my mother to see and read about her ancestors. I can't believe that this is the first time that I visited such an extraordinary collection.
Visit the Laredo Public Library at:
http://www.laredolibrary.org/
Memories from my visit:
Conclusion
This past week has been so amazing. I discovered places from my own hometown that I had never seen before. It opened up a new perspective of Laredo. I'm anxious to share this with family and friends, especially with my students upon beginning the new school year. I'm so glad that I made my own family part of this experience. Not only was it educational, but enjoyable too.
I know that one of the instructions of the assignment was to explain how it feels to be back. I feel that it was the other way around. It felt really good to go out and explore new places. I especially enjoyed the short trip to Zapata, Texas. I will no longer take Laredo for granted. My hometown has so much to offer. It has an incredible history and most importantly I am a descendant of that history. I'm so glad to have taken this course. Not often do we have the opportunity to incorporate traveling, fun, and learning to complete assignments.
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