First-chapter Friday : Ancestor Approved (Monique Gray Smith)

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 30, 2022 is Ancestor Approved, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith.

LIS 5250 : Variety of formats for library collection

Citing the American Library Association’s “Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, and Academic Libraries,” Kerby (2019, p. 26) tells us that library collections must “Include a variety of resources in physical and virtual formats.” And among its shared foundations, the American Association of School Libraries (2018, p. 98) likewise emphasizes that “The school library provides a collection of resources and materials in all formats.”

‘Gender Queer’ by Maia Kobabe

I was interested in reading Gender Queer primarily because it sounded interesting. As a character in eir memoir, the author seemed like someone I could relate to.

Briefly, according to a description by the publisher, Kobabe started eir graphic novel as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be asexual and nonbinary, while I generally describe myself to be gender-nonconforming. Other terms that I like to apply to myself are “gender creative” and “gender expansive.” I cultivate traits in myself that seem authentic to me, without regard for whether society considers them “male” or “female.”

This graphic novel has also been frequently targeted through book challenges and as someone who envisions herself as a youth librarian, I wanted to acquaint myself with the book and its contents.

Librarian of the Year, 2022 : ‘All library staff’

For “collective support” during COVID-19 and in the face of book challenges, Library Journal selected “All library staff” as the 2022 recipients of its annual Librarian of the Year award. I share this honor with “hundreds of thousands of library staff members—more than 350,000 in the U.S. alone.”

Collection development and patron requests

As a paralibrarian working in a K-8 school library, I have been confronted from time to time with requests: that the library purchase “mentor texts” for a writing program. Does the library carry a particular book? A teacher’s students need biographies of people who exhibit a “growth mindset.”

LIS 5250 : Do I jump on ‘non-print bandwagon’?

As part of my studies for Week 5 of LIS 5250, I was posed the question of whether I would include digital resources at my library.

First-chapter Friday : Twelfth, by Janet Key

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 9, 2022 is Twelfth, by Janet Key.

Read-alouds and audiobooks offer similar benefits

A while ago, I came across some observations I really like, from Jim Trelease with The Read-Aloud Handbook. Those observations came to my mind during a discussion of audiobooks for LIS 5250.

LIS 5250 : E-books in libraries

In my readings for Week 4 in LIS 5250, I focused on electronic books, or e-books, in libraries.

First-chapter Friday : Don’t Stand So Close to Me

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 2, 2022 is Don’t Stand So Close to Me, by Eric Walters.