The Ethel M. Gordon, Oakland Park Library, recently hosted its 47th Annual Illustrate-a-Book Contest Award Ceremony. Students from elementary schools in Oakland Park submitted their original creations inspired by their favorite books. Award recipients were honored at the library during Children’s Book Week on Saturday, May 6th, 2023. We want to thank the Kiwanis Club of Oakland Park for framing the students’ artwork and Friends of the Library for sponsoring refreshments.
Congratulations to the honorees, who included:
Best-in-Show:
Joselyn Trujillo, North Andrews Gardens Elementary (5th Grade)
“The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate DiCamillo
1st Grade:
Gianni Camardese, Floranada Elementary
“Green Eggs & Ham” by Dr. Seuss
2nd Grade:
Montana Herrington, Floranada Elementary
“In My Heart: A Book of Feelings” by Jo Witek
3rd Grade:
Sofia Alvarez, North Andrews Gardens Elementary
“Ms. Coco is Loco!” by Dan Gutman
4th Grade:
Steven Argueta, North Andrews Gardens Elementary
“Wonder” by RJ Palacio
5th Grade:
Layla Scott, North Andrews Gardens Elementary
“The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister
6th Grade:
Stella Flower, Sunrise Middle
“Peter and the Shadow Thieves” by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
About the Library
The Ethel M. Gordon Oakland Park Library is one of a handful of city-run libraries in Broward County and offers library cardholders a wide variety of services, including access to:
- The eBooks of 20 libraries, including access to about 14,000 eBooks, audiobooks, videos, and eMagazines via OverDrive, can be accessed via the Library’s website or an app called Libby.
- NewsBank provides a variety of newspapers and curated collections, including the Sun-Sentinel, The Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald, and USA Today. Some of the curated collections include HeritageHub, Black Life in America, and Hispanic Life in America.
- Mango Languages provides fun audio-visual lessons for over 70 languages, including English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and cultural and specialty-themed lessons, such as foreign language films.
- Freegal Music, a service that can be accessed from any device with an internet connection and allows users to stream music for an unlimited amount of time and download three songs each week.
- Mobile Printing - print from your phone or other device, or even your home computer, and pick up your print job later that day.
- Playaway Launchpads, a pre-loaded tablet for children that comes with reading activities, games, and puzzles. The launchpad is touchscreen and does not require Wi-Fi access.
- The Oakland Park Historical Society’s photographic collection.
- Artist Directory featuring artists who live, work, or have work on display in Oakland Park. Artists can submit applications online.
Summer Program
Another program of the Library is the upcoming annual Youth Summer Reading Program, which starts June 10th with a Kickoff Party featuring Ooopsy! Kids are encouraged to register for the Summer Reading Program to their reading and be eligible to earn prizes at the end of July. Throughout the months of June and July, the Library will have a variety of programming, including storytelling, Craft Zone, Lego League, STEM Club, weekly movies, and more. Some programs have limited space and require pre-registration. Please check the calendar for more information.