After fires, still ‘unimaginable need’ among Santa Rosa schools

Following the October firestorm, there is still “unimaginable need” in the Santa Rosa City Schools community, and the best way to help, according to SRCS, is to donate money or gift cards. The district website has a PayPal link, and also provides a mailing address for the Fiscal Services office. There’s also a link to “Fire Recovery Information” about local disaster relief.

‘Getting Started Knitting Socks’ by Ann Budd

Books on library science aren’t the only essential occupants of my keep-on-hand reference shelf. Another title I turn to consistently is Ann Budd’s Getting Started Knitting Socks — especially when I’m ready to break out the double-pointed needles and cast a new project on. From start to finish, Budd’s easy-to-follow explanations are with me every step along the way to creating beautiful and wearable socks.

Originally posted to Goodreads

‘ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science’

Certain books deserve a permanent place on my professional bookshelf, as essential go-to resources for my library career. One title that I keep readily accessible is the ALA Glossary of Library and Information Science (fourth edition, published by the American Library Association in August 2013). Whatever the profession, there is terminology and jargon that marks the user as an “insider,” and the library as a workplace is not immune from this tendency. Plus, given the dynamic and ever-changing field, there is always something new to learn. But with the ALA Glossary, I can quickly look up library terms and functions.

Originally posted to Goodreads

Canceled book-contract lawsuit draws attention to editing’s significance

An editor’s markup of a conservative media pundit’s manuscript — now part of a lawsuit’s documents — draws attention to the craft of editing and its role in publishing books.

Study examines prejudice against people on autism spectrum

A study published online in February 2017 proposes that, based upon “thin slice judgments” that occur within seconds of meeting a person who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurotypical peers are less likely to pursue social interaction with that person.
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‘DDC 22’ among books on my professional bookshelf

Books on my Goodreads “Currently Reading” shelf include titles that are essential resources for my vocation as librarian. Among them: DDC 22 (OCLC, 2003).

Under the Dewey Decimal System (DDC), informational books are grouped in order according to the number assigned to them. This consistent application means that, once you know the Dewey number for a subject you are interested in, you can easily find books on the shelves of any library that arranges materials by this system.

DDC 22 is the 22nd edition of the classification system, originally authored by Melvil Dewey.

The DDC is under continual revision by a committee of editors under the OCLC, a global library cooperative, and at the time I purchased my four-volume set, the OCLC had recently published its 23rd edition. Well, being on a budget, I couldn’t justify a purchase of several hundred dollars, but a used set of DDC 22 was thankfully within my reach. It lists Dewey Decimal classifications numerically and also provides an index to quickly look up specific subjects.

Yarn Bombing: Library Elf discovers a certain book

“Check This Out,” In a newspaper column, Anne DeGrace with the Nelson Public Library (Nelson in British Columbia) describes what happens when a Library Elf discovers the book about yarn bombing.

Posted to Yarn Bombing at Your Library on Facebook

‘Miles Morales’ by Jason Reynolds

Miles Morales is a 16-year-old from Brooklyn who lives a secret identity as Spider-Man. His father knows Miles' secret, as does his best friend Ganke, who rooms with Miles at a boarding school.

Lately, Miles’ “spidey-sense,” which warns him of imminent danger, has been going haywire in the class of a history professor who has a romantic view of slavery in the pre-Civil War South. Slavery, according to Mr. Chamberlain, was “the building block of our great country,” and the U.S.’s enslavement of criminals is what keeps the country alive.

Miles is also plagued by disturbing dreams of fighting a blurry assailant that becomes his uncle Aaron, but then becomes ... something else.

Sonoma County Library: ‘Next generation’ app

A new version of the Sonoma County Library app is now available for download from Android and Apple stores. As detailed on the SCL blog, this “next generation” app offers patrons “speedier and more detailed, direct access to our systems and services.” With it, mobile users (both library staff and patrons) can search for library materials using familar search fields, directly access eResources, locate information about and secure directions to the nearest library branch, manage personal account information and more.

‘Claws’ by Mike and Rachel Grinti

Emma, a young girl, occupies a world very much like our own — except that creatures of mythology exist as second-class citizens, lumped together by the slang term “Crag.”

Emma’s family has been in upheaval since her older sister went missing; her father sacrificed his career as a chef to pursue any possible leads into Helena’s disappearance.

The family has moved to a trailer park inhabited by various enchanted creatures, and shortly after their arrival, Emma meets a cat named Jack. He has a plan for how Emma can find and rescue her sister, but in doing so, Emma embarks upon becoming a magical creature herself.

This story appealed to me for its depiction of creatures of mythology living alongside humans in a modern-day setting that includes web browsing and the Internet. The “CragWiki” facts of the day add an interesting framework at the start of each chapter as well as added dimensions to the types of mythological characters.

Disclosure of material connection: My taxes support local libraries’ acquisition of this and other resources. I consider the access I enjoy to be a “priceless” return on my investment.

At CDC: ban on words, or rhetorical technique?

There are “no banned words” at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a series of Tweets by CDC director Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald.

Volunteering for UUCSR Library

Volunteered for a couple of hours this morning in the Social Hall lending library, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa Rosa.

Teen librarian creates ‘Black Voices’ book list

At Rincon Valley Regional Library, Teen Services Librarian Lara Mayelian shares my belief that “Everyone should be able to walk into a library and see books that mirror their own life experiences.” (That’s Ms. Mayelian writing for the Sonoma County Library blog.) She asked me to help promote a new teen book list she’s created, titled, “Black Voices, Black Lives” — and each of her selections include shelving information to help you locate these resources in the library.

Library ‘diversity’ needs to include autistic perspectives

An autism parenting memoir, To Siri with Love, that was published in August, is now subject to calls for boycott in the autistic community for its representations of autism. A reaction by “Justin Spectrum” to autism-parenting books underscores the value of autistic perspectives when building a library’s collection.

‘The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade’

I thoroughly relate to stories about people who stand up to bullying, which led me to select The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade from the new-books shelf at my local library.

Sixth-grader Maverick Falconer carries a toy sheriff’s badge that was given to him by his father. It reminds him of his dad, who was killed in Afghanistan. And he also keeps it to inspire himself to make things better for the people around him. But somehow, things go disastrously wrong.

I think many young people will be able to relate to the situations that Maverick finds himself in, and hopefully some readers will be inspired to kindness and bravery.

Disclosure of material connection: My taxes support local libraries’ acquisition of this and other resources. I consider the access I enjoy to be a “priceless” return on my investment.

Winter-theme in SRCSA library

These winter-themed decorations at SRCSA Library really capture the beauty of the season; they’re the work of Library Technician Shannon Williams. SRCSA parents, maybe you’ll see them for yourselves if you attend “Coffee with the Principal” at 8:15 a.m. today.

SCL: Resiliency book list for teens

“During these times, when it seems like our reality can’t possibly get any worse... it can be incredibly helpful to reach for examples of resilience, survival, strength, and courage.” On the Sonoma County Library blog, Rincon Valley Library teen librarian Lara Mayelian has created a Natural Disasters and Resiliency book list for teens.

4,000 items cataloged in SRCSA resource inventory

Since May 2017, when I started working for Santa Rosa City Schools, I’ve created listings in the district’s resource-inventory catalog for more than than 4,000 items at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts (SRCSA). That’s according to a “Resource Inventory Change Analysis” generated by Follett Destiny’s “Resource Manager.”

Online access aided by public library

First weekend in a new apartment in Santa Rosa, Calif., and freelance work as an editor brought me to Sonoma County Library. I often make use of print and digital resources (including books, eBooks, DVDs and audio recordings) but today found me making use of access to the Internet. I’ve long celebrated the role of libraries to bridge the “digital divide” between people who do, and who do not, have reliable access to the Internet, so SCL especially deserves a “shout-out” today as I relied on it in that capacity.