R-E-A-D (Sung to the tune of the Village People’s YMCA)

Students, there’s no need to be bored
I said, students, there are books to explore
I said, students, just come on aboard
There’s no need to be unhappy

Readers, there’s a place you can go
I said, readers when you just need to know
You can stay there, and I’m sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time

It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D
It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D

The library has lots for you to enjoy
You can hang out with girls and boys

R-E-A-D
It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D

You can read about sports, you can read a good tale,
There’s no way you can fail

Readers are you listening to me?
I said, readers what do you want to be?
I said, readers, you can make real your dreams
But you got to know this one thing!

No one does it all by himself,
I said, readers, take a book off the shelf
And just go there, to the library (stretch it out a bit)
I’m sure they can help you today.

It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D
It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D
The library has lots for you to enjoy
You can hang out with girls and boys

R-E-A-D
It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D

You can read about sports, you can read a good tale,
There’s no way you can fail
R-E-A-D
It’s so exciting to R-E-A-D

Song By-Tracy Magin, Librarian, Walker-Grant Middle School, Fredericksburg, VA. 2005
Find the instrumental version of YMCA for purchase on the web at www.hamienet.com, then search Village People.

Learn The System!

By Annie Boxell & Kathleen Fox
(Sung From Library Songs- Upstart 2005)

Chorus/Intro

Ya gotta learn the system if you wanna find what you need
If you don’t spend all day lookin’ you will have more time to read!

From zero to 999-Books are numbered and easy to find!
By keyword or author or title search
These are the keys to your research
Each section of books are related in kind
With numbers & decimals on the spine
Start with the zeros and you will find
Rare books, new books and unassigned
The 100’s are full of philosophy & ethics & logic & psychology
Then jump to the 200’s and you be
Learning all about theology!
Now in the 300 section you’ll see quite a bit
Of folk tales & law & etiquette
Then if you move to the 400’s you can speak in new ways
With languages used everywhere, everyday!
In the 500’s read about nature and science
And maybe learn a little bit of self reliance
From the earth & the animals upon it so rare
We’re learning the system and we’re half way there!

Chorus

The 600’s are all about science too
But the kind that was invented by me and you
Fine art rules in the 700 section
As well as crafts & sports & recreation
800’s are where you’ll find all the literature
Poems, plays & prose & jokes you haven’t heard
Finally the 900’s are geography & history
The places we’ve been & the things we’ve seen
It’s all right there in between
Zero to 999 if ya know what I mean!

Chorus x 2 ending

2005 Copyright LibraryGames.com

I’m Going Down to the Library

By Tom Chapin

Saturday morning and the rain is pouring.
Dad worked late last night, he’s in there snoring.
Same old stuff on TV, boring.
So what if I can’t go out and play, I know what I’ll do today.

Chorus:
I’m going down to the Library,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Gonna say Hi to the Dictionary,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.

Now I like books and they like me, so when I go to the Library
I sit down in my favorite chair and check to see who’s there.
Maybe one book, maybe two. “Take me home,” says Winnie The Pooh,
“And if we have to travel far I’ll bring my honey jar.”
Oh, I’m going down to the Library,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Gonna say Hi to the Dictionary,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Sleeping Beauty yawned and said, “I’ll come when I get out of bed.”
But Madeline says, “Let her nap!” and jumps into my lap.
The Cat In The Hat says, “Hey, I’ll go.” “Don’t take him!” cries Pinnochio,
“Don’t take that cat to your address; he always makes a mess.”
Oh, I’m going down to the Library,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Gonna say Hi to the Dictionary,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Mrs. Parker’s back behind the checkout desk today.
The Cheshire Cat jumps on her head and says, “Let’s play!”
But Mrs. P. says, “Goodness, are you sure you want all these?”
“Oh yes!” we shout together. She says, “Shhh! Quiet please!”
I’m going down to the Library,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Gonna say Hi to the Dictionary,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
The Seven Dwarfs begin to shout, “Say, take us with you. Check us out!”
Then Cinderella gets her gown and Babar grabs his crown.
Then Curious George swings from the shelf. Along comes Mother Goose herself.
Out the door we danced and sang. The whole Library rang.
Oh, I’m going down to the Library,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
Gonna say Hi to the Dictionary,
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out.
I’m going down to the Li… Shhh!
Picking out a book, check it in, check it out!

Michael Mark and Tom Chapin’s Moonboat. Copyright 1989. HCD Music.
To purchase the music go to www.songsforteaching.com.