Saturday, June 27, 2015

‘A Tale for the Time Being’ by Ruth Ozeki

Book cover, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki is the latest book on my summer reading log through Jackson County Library Services.

The story is told through the alternating perspectives of 16-year-old Nao, a girl in Tokyo whose classmates subject her to cruel and relentless bullying, and Ruth, a novelist who discovers Nao’s diary after it washes ashore on the remote Pacific coast island where Ruth lives.

Nao’s mother is her family’s sole earner and her father, deeply depressed, has already attempted suicide and seems likely to attempt it again. Nao believes that her only option is to commit suicide as well.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Standing continues to present challenges

Metal cane, painted with paisley pattern in green, brown and red, with a three-strand braid out of dark-green and olive-green T-shirt fabric secured to the cane near the handle and approximately one-quarter from the base. The cane and braided strap are lying on daffodil-print pale blue fabric.
My cane baldric, braided from strips of T-shirt fabric
Two-and-a-half years after injuring my ankle, I continue the process of recovery. It’s a gradual process and, while I have regained mobility, standing for a long duration continues to present challenges.

‘Bikenomics’ by Elly Blue

Book cover: Bikenomics by Elly Blue. Cover image depicts a bicycle  with birds flying past behind it. The entire image and title text is against a blue background.
My latest “Suggest a Title” recommendation to my public library concerns Bikenomics, How Bicycling Can Save the Economy by Elly Blue (Microcosm Publishing, 2013).

In a recent eNewsletter, Utne Reader magazine directed my attention to an excerpt from chapter 1, “The Free Rider Myth.” In it, Blue challenges the “myth” that auto users pay for the roads they drive on.

Blue argues that drivers only pay for half the cost of our roads. The rest is paid for through sales, property or income taxes — whether or not we drive. And much of the money goes to pay interest on loans that financed road construction projects.

Friday, June 19, 2015

RVUUF web editor

Among professional developments this week, I signed a letter of agreement to work as web editor for the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (RVUUF).

‘Truffula Tree Yarnbomb’

I rely on Google alerts tied to “Library” and “yarn bomb” to help me locate many of the links and images that I post to Yarn Bombing at Your Library.

But I really appreciate it when artists contact me to let me know about their projects, as happened with a Lorax-inspired Truffula Tree Yarnbomb created by Jenny Brown.

Blogging at Hi, Jenny Brown, Brown writes that this was the biggest yarnbomb she’d done by herself with opportunities to learn lessons. Her adventure installing the Truffula Tree Yarnbomb makes an entertaining read and as a fellow cyclist (who rides a yarn-bombed bicycle), I also appreciate Brown’s crocheted seat-cover.

Monday, June 15, 2015

‘Someone with Autism Loves Me!’

Heart keychain divided into four interlocking quadrants on the diagonal that in clockwise order from top, are colored yellow, light blue, dark blue or purple and red. A caption printed on the keychain reads, 'Someone with Autism Loves Me!' The keychain is balanced on a door handle, braced against the frame of the door.

My husband found a heart-shaped keychain with the caption, “Someone with Autism Loves Me!,” propped on our front-door handle, braced against the frame. He thought I might’ve left it for him, but I’m as mystified as he is concerning the keychain’s origin. For whatever reason it was left at our place, my husband is snagging the keychain because someone with autism loves him. But he hung it on our wall and so both of us can enjoy it.

EqUUal Access: Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry

The Accessibility Banner consists of a dancing chalice surrounded by six accessibility symbols: a wheelchair, signing hands, a brain, an ear, a Braille symbol and a person walking with a cane. The dancing figure was chosen because it symbolizes how we could all 'dance' if there were full accessibility for all. The surrounding double circles symbolize Unitarianism and Universalism. The heading words 'Accessible and Welcoming to All' are in an italic font to suggest or hint at the dancing theme.
The Accessibility and Inclusion Ministry (AIM) credentialing program is officially being released at the Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly.

AIM was developed as a joint program of EqUUal Access (a group of Unitarian Universalists living with disabilities, their families, friends and allies) and the UUA. It builds upon a document that I helped co-author, “Accessibility Guidelines for Unitarian Universalist Congregations.”

Thursday, June 11, 2015

‘So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed’

Book cover, 'So You've Been Publicly Shamed' by Jon Ronson. Image depicts an old-fashioned image of a man's face, the letters of the title superimposed over pink graffiti smears across the eyes and mouth of the man's face.
An attempt at shaming directed against a stranger that showed up in my Facebook newsfeed led me to read Jon Ronson’s book, So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed (Riverhead Books, 2015).

I felt bad for the person depicted in the photo in my Facebook newsfeed. She made a poor decision in the past and attempted to put it behind her.

The photo campaign was an attempt to force this incident to the top of search results again, and I was profoundly disappointed that anyone I knew would choose to participate. Even worse, the campaign against this person is not an isolated case.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Religious Explorations student art exhibit

Animal masks cut out of paper plates arranged on yellow posterboard surrounding a sign that reads, 'Save the Endangered Animals!' Surrounding the posterboard are pieces of student artwork individually arranged on blue posterboard, including a picture of Francis, patron saint of the animals,  watercolor images and a collage cutout of magazine images of cats arranged on purple posterboard.

Religious Explorations lead teacher Liz Bianco and I hung student artwork Saturday in the Great Hall at Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

ALA Conference by bicycle or bus

How many library professionals will travel by bus or bicycle during the American Library Association conference (happening in San Francisco this year)? Sarah Stone, a librarian in the Collection Development Office at the San Francisco Public Library, has compiled tips for getting around via public transit, ride services and bicycling. Her essay was published on the official blog of the Association for Library Services to Children.

Cross-posted from Librarian on a Bicycle

Friday, June 5, 2015

Ableism affects all of us

Elsa S. Henry smashed Autism Speaks lightbulbs with her white cane instead of giving in to neighbors’ expectations that the whole street would “Light It Up Blue.” “Disability activism requires us to stick up for one another,” Henry says. “Ableism doesn’t affect one person or one group, it affects all of us.”

Thursday, June 4, 2015

‘See you in the library!’

Cynthia M. Parkhill's comic Bitstrips avatar, standing and waving in front of library bookshelf. The caption reads, 'Have a great summer. See you in the library!'
Cartoon image created with Bitstrips
There’s been a lot of reshelving books and “shelf-reading,” putting titles back in order on the shelves, during these final days of the school year. This comic status sums up my wishes for everyone: “Have a great summer. See you in the library!”

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

ALA elections: Todaro and Feldman

I may have changed my designation in American Library Association membership from “Student” to “Library Support Staff.” But I retain the same interest in shaping ALA policy by voting in annual elections.