Friday, September 30, 2022

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.

Thursday, September 29, 2022

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.”

Sunday, September 18, 2022

‘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.

Saturday, September 17, 2022

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.”

Sunday, September 11, 2022

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.”

Saturday, September 10, 2022

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.

Friday, September 9, 2022

Thursday, September 8, 2022

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.

Friday, September 2, 2022

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.