‘Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard’

Among books I’m reading, The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan is the second in his series featuring heroes and gods of Norse mythology, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.

Like Riordan’s series that center around Egyptian and Greek and Roman mythology, Magnus Chase combines trademark action with wry first-person storytelling.

The protagonist, Magnus, was a seemingly ordinary teen, who was living homeless at the time of the series’ opening.

Magnus died early in the series’ first book, but he was transported to Valhalla by a Valkyrie, Samirah al-Abbas. The Valkyries gather the souls of people who have died a hero’s death, and Samirah’s judgement was critically challenged on the basis of her choosing Magnus.

SRCSA library, books and shelves moved-in

Source of image: SRCSA Library on Facebook

Posts to Facebook by Library Technician Shannon Williams afford glimpses of the library at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts (SRCSA) — of interest to me as my eventual work-site as Instructional Materials Technician, as well as through my “geekishness” for libraries.
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Library customer-service priorities reflected in posts to RVUUF blog

Image credit: inSpirit/UU Book and Gift Shop

I’ve left Ashland, Oregon, but continue to work as web content editor for Rogue Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Recent posts to the RVUUF blog are aligned with my passion for library customer-service; they draw attention to informational resources that enhance the church community.
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Yarn-storm commemorates ‘Friends’ group anniversary

In Orange, Conn.: Case Memorial Library was “yarn stormed” with a colorful, hands-on, knitted and crocheted exhibit depicting the four seasons, in the library’s second-floor rotunda.

As reported and photographed by Pam McLoughlin for the New Haven Register, the exhibit — created by Friends of the Case Memorial Library — “has visitors talking, touching, teaching and marveling at the uniqueness and detail.”

The Friends group installed the exhibit in May, to celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary. “The exhibit was originally slated to stay up through June, but Library Director Meryl Farber loved it so much she requested to keep it up at least until November. Farber said, in her book, it can stay up forever.”

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

‘Whose reviews’ influence libraries’ purchasing decisions?

When library staff utilize reviews to determine books’ suitability, “whose voices are privileged and whose go unheard” among the reviews that they read? At Reading While White, Megan Schliesman addresses concern about library collection-development policies that emphasize “professional” reviews. Schliesman argues that professional review journals lean toward “traditional” publishing, which in turn has a bias toward “whiteness” in children’s and young adult literature. She highlights sources of critical discourse beyond the traditional outlets, which can help to foster the diversity of viewpoints that a library will ideally strive for.

Santa Rosa City Schools: Summer-school credit recovery

The school-year has ended but summer finds me assisting in a classroom for high-school credit recovery through Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS).
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Self-checkout for privacy at Sonoma County Library

Source: Buzzfeed News, via Tumblr user ‘kassysgalaxyyy’

Having recently used self-checkout at Sonoma County Library, it seemed a good time to re-share this sign, promoting self-checkout options at the Sacramento Public Library. ​

Adults can offer valuable perspective on life with disability

“Autism Awareness” puzzle-piece ribbon magnet
Photo by Cynthia M. Parkhill

Parents often seek support from other parents when a child has a disability. Meriah Nichols advocates mixing blogs by adults with disabilities into a parent-blog reading routine.

El desayuno y el almuerzo gratis para niños este verano

(En español / In Spanish)
Vía Santa Rosa escuelas de la ciudad: ​Los niños, 18 años y menores, comen el desayuno y el almuerzo gratis este verano.

(In English / En inglés)
Via Santa Rosa City Schools: Children, ages 18 and younger, eat free breakfast and lunch this summer.

Summer ‘Lunch at the Library’

For the third year in a row, Sonoma County Library (SCL) will host free meals for youth this summer, every weekday at six library locations.

Summer reading at Sonoma County Library

Image source: First Book. Used with permission

Early-childhood and school-age BINGO cards are available at Sonoma County Library as part of this year’s Summer Reading program.

By reading a minimum of six books over the summer, children are being encouraged to defeat “Summer Slide,” that drop in students’ abilities in reading and math when they don’t engage in educational activities.