Autistic people on staff: Ways to optimize workplace

People with autism don’t always announce ourselves, but if you own or manage a decent-sized company, you have autistic people on staff. From OneQuarterMama.ca, here are seven ways companies can optimize their workplaces by “treating each individual as valuable and with respect.”

Social sharing credit: Autism Women's Network

‘C’ is for ‘Cat’ with cut-paper shelf marker

One of the highlights this week in Bellview library was the installation by Traci Ordenez of cut-paper shelf markers she made. For Friday cat blogging, here’s a photograph of the shelf marker she made for “C.”

‘Stellaluna’ by Janell Cannon

Stellaluna, authored and illustrated by Janell Cannon, is the story of a bat who is separated from her mother. She is taken in by a family of birds, but her bat behaviors are at odds with what the baby birds need to learn.

She puts so much effort and suffers so much grief trying to act like something she’s not. And — spoiler alert — what a great image at the end, when the young birds and young bat behave according to their nature, but wholeheartedly love and accept each other.

Track laps at Bellview Elementary School

Bellview track-laps, 40 and counting! A track-laps program is a recess option at Bellview Elementary. Students collect foot-shaped medallions each time they complete 20 laps around the Bellview track. I walk and jog the tracks during evening hours and weekends and keep track of my totals too.

My family’s books, organized by Dewey system

Like living in a library: My project this week was to label and then shelve my family’s books in order according to the Dewey Decimal system of classification, with each book assigned a number based upon the book’s subject. Shown here, the books for my library studies are arranged in order numerically.

Feminist Library on Wheels, books on custom tricycle

A ribbon cutting for the Feminist Library on Wheels.
Image credit: Feminist Library on Wheels on Facebook

The Feminist Library on Wheels, consisting of donated books shelved on a custom-built tricycle, is an “eclectic mix of analytical texts and more leisurely reads.” As related by Aminka Khan for the LA Times, librarians Jean Witte and Dawn Finley said they love “the crowdsourced definition of feminism on the library’s weathered shelves.” This library assistant and cyclist loves the idea of library outreach atop a bicycle.

Social sharing credit: Women Bike/League of American Bicyclists

‘Extra Yarn’ by Mac Barnett

In Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett, a little girl finds a box of yarn with knitting needles. No matter how much knitting she does, the box magically never runs out.

From knitting a sweater for herself and her dog, Annabelle goes on to outfit classmates, neighbors, forest animals and — while this term isn’t used in the text — she even “yarn-bombs” buildings and trees.

‘Ella Sarah Gets Dressed’ by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

One of the highlights of of reading posts by classmates in my children’s literature class is being exposed to recommendations for intriguing books.

For our discussion of Caldecott Medal winners, a classmate posted a write-up of Ella Sarah Gets Dressed by author and illustrator Margaret Chodos-Irvine. In the story, Ella Sarah chooses an outfit in which none of the pieces match.

Each member of her family tries to convince her to wear something they picked out instead, but as the book ends, Ella Sarah goes to a playdate with friends who are wearing outfits that are as wildly-picked as hers.

I love the idea of Ella Sarah and her friends all wearing wildly-picked outfits. There’s a lot of pressure in society to conform in clothing choice and behavior, and it’s great that this book has a positive portrayal of being your own unique self.

Weeding important part of library maintenance

Weeding is an important part of a library’s collection management. As the needs of library users change, as our understanding of the world evolves, a library’s collection must stay current and up-to-date.

‘Kitten’s First Full Moon’ by Kevin Henkes

My cat Starfire with Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

For my course in children’s literature this week, we were to read and respond to a Caldecott Medal winner or Honor Book. The award is given annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

My selection was the 2005 medal winner, Kitten’s First Full Moon, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books/HarperCollinsPublishers). And a photo of Starfire wasn’t specifically part of the assignment, but I couldn’t resist propping the book in front of her and including her in a photo of the book that I was required to post with my response for the class.

Library card, ‘most important school supply of all’

Library Card Sign-Up Month from Cynthia M. Parkhill

At Jackson County Library Services’ Ashland Branch Library today, I picked up library card application forms and preschool storytime fliers for Library Card Sign-Up Month, observed each September to coincide with students’ return to school. I designed this sign to inform viewers that a library card is “the most important school supply of all.”

Hattitude: Medieval-style knit-swatch hood

This Medieval-style hood is assembled from knit swatches from The Web-sters in Ashland, Oregon. Originally used in a banner for the store’s entry in this year’s Independence Day parade, I salvaged nearly all of the swatches plus the streamers that hung from my banner.

Table-top ironing board balanced on bike rack

My latest delivery of sewn bills and crowns for Hat People in southern Oregon was a trip that saw me taking a table-top ironing board home.

Glad to be shelving every day

I am so grateful for the time that I spend shelving books in Bellview Elementary School library. It’s one of the best things being back at work.

Phyllis C. Hunter declares reading ‘civil right’

In her Scholastic video, educator Phyllis C. Hunter declares reading to be an American civil right, and that teaching reading is the “first mission” of education. She has a “no-excuses” delivery that puts educators on-notice to teach their students how to read.

Unearned privilege, dextronormative and otherwise

I understand that when Nance Rosen writes about your left hand “hating” your right, she intends it as a metaphor for personality types and skills.

As a point of clarification, however, my left hand doesn’t have a problem with anyone else’s right hand. My difficulties as a left-hander stem from dextronormative bias on a systemic, social level.

Censorship has origin in instinct for survival

One of the biggest challenges regarding censorship in school libraries is that the urge to censor has its origin in a human instinct that has benefited our survival.

‘Ninja Knitters’ yarnbomb Fairfield, Conn. library

New to the timeline at Yarn Bombing at Your Library, “Ninja Knitters” yarnbombed the Fairfield Woods Branch Library in Fairfield, Conn., to draw attention to the library’s 45th anniversary, which begins this month. Local media published a photo and press release submitted by the group.

Religious Explorations: Recent posts

Image credit: Call and Response/UUA Blogs

Here are recent posts to social media in my capacity as Administrative Coordinator, Religious Explorations, for the Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

Oregon Battle of the Books in Bellview library

With the start of library check-out on Friday for the new school year, students are already selecting and reading titles for Oregon Battle of the Books.

Jackson County Library Services: new website

Image source: Jackson County Library Services

A new website recently went live for Jackson County Library Services, at http://jcls.org/. Developed by iOR Consulting with the Wordpress blogging and website-hosting platform, the site employs a much more hierarchical approach that helps direct viewer attention, instead of confronting a jumble of information all competing to be noticed by the viewer.

Qualified library worker: Love of reading helps

For a discussion board in LIBT 210, my class in school library/media center operations, a classmate expressed the view that people who work in libraries should have a love of books and reading. I agreed, stating that while perhaps not quantifiable among educational or certification requirements, I think a love of reading and books can make the library worker’s life easier. The more you read, the more easily you can recommend books to others. If someone asks for a type of book, you’ll be able to recommend books by genre. You’ll have a frame of reference when readers talk about their favorite books. And you’ll have a better grasp on knowing if a book will be a “hit” in your library.

School libraries need full-time staff

My coursework this week for LIBT 210, School Library/Media Center Services, asked me to state my opinion concerning how school libraries should be staffed. In a class forum, I advocate full-time staffing at professional and supportive levels.

Multicultural literature mirrors readers’ lives

For my class in children’s literature this week, we viewed Reading Rockets interviews with Laurence Yep and Nikki Grimes and were asked to respond to these authors’ views concerning multicultural literature.

Welcome back to school

Welcome back to school, everybody! Have a great school year.

‘Livvie Owen Lived Here’ by Sarah Dooley

Olivia “Livvie” Owen and her family have lived nearly everywhere in their small community. The family struggles financially; both parents work for a retail giant in a larger, more populous community.

The family faces their latest eviction after Livvie responds with an outburst to an unexpected sound. 

Livvie is determined to return with her family to a house where they used to live, believing they were all happy there.

I sympathized with Livvie, being condemned by strangers, because I shared similar moments.

There will be knitting in the library

Here's a big tub of yarn for use in Bellview library, courtesy of teacher-librarian Lauren Hall. Add assorted crochet hooks, needles and a couple of knitting looms from my personal stash. Ready for some crafty fun in the library this year?

Originally posted to Facebook