Website: American Masters

AMERICAN MASTERS from PBS is a biography series celebrating arts and culture.

This video series features writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have made an impression on the cultural landscape of America. More than 30 years of programming is currently available from this acclaimed series.

Users can watch full episodes and short video clips, view images, and read articles. Podcasts featuring interviews are also available to download. All the resources can be accessed through a keyword search or by name or by topic.

A special section features powerful, creative and innovate women. Users are invited to share stories about women in their lives.

A news blog highlights events and upcoming programs.

Finally, the classroom section provides resources for using the video programs in the classroom. These resources are connected to PBS LearningMedia.

Librarians will find biographies that can be integrated into classroom activities across the curriculum. These resources are particularly useful for video and auditory learners seeking resources for research projects.

To visit the website, go to http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/.

Book Reviews: Fancy Party Gowns

FANCY PARTY GOWNS: THE STORY OF FASHION DESIGNER ANN COLE LOWE by Deborah Blumenthal is a picture book biography.

This beautifully illustrated children’s book tells that story of the first African American women to become a high-end fashion designer. As a child, Ann learned to sew from her mother and grandmother. After the death of her mother, Ann took over her mother’s commissions and later went to design school. Ultimately, she designed dresses for people like Jacqueline Kennedy.

Librarians know that it can be difficult to find biographies of interest to reluctant readers. Students interested in fashion design will be happy to find this book about a little-known designer.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.deborahblumenthal.com/.

Published by Little Bee Books on January 17, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Special Event: National Hispanic Heritage Month

NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH is held each year from September 15 through October 15.

The National Hispanic Heritage Month website housed at the Library of Congress provides a history of the event, a wealth of content pages, as well as links to other resources.

The website features carefully selected Exhibits & Collections, Images, and Audio/Video resources. A Teacher section provides specific ideas for connecting primary sources to hispanic heritage-related lessons.

Sections on Hispanic Americans in Congress, The Latino Experience, and Hispanic American Veterans provide in-depth exploration of these areas.

Librarians will find lots of useful resources and activities at the Library of Congress website. In addition, the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Park Service, and Smithsonian Education - Hispanic Heritage Month websites contain specific pages focus on this event.

Be sure to check out the new Library of Congress, National Archives, and Smithsonian Institution Pinterest Boards associated with this important month.

To learn more, go to http://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/.