SRCSA library : Pokéstops on three sides!

For the players of Pokémon GO in our SRCSA community. Our school is bordered on three sides by Pokéstops!

Ancestor Approved (Rebecca Roanhorse)

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Dec. 22, 2023, is Ancestor Approved, featuring contributor Rebecca Roanhorse.

Book Riot’s 2023 Read Harder Challenge

For 2023, the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge invited readers “to explore settings, characters, formats, genres, and perspectives that might be outside of their reading norms.” Here are some books I read to meet the 2023 challenge.

Turtle Boy, by M. Evan Wolkenstein

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Dec. 15, 2023 is Turtle Boy, by M. Evan Wolkenstein.

Most popular types of books in our library

Among 2,477 items circulated between August and December, what are the most popular types of books checked out from SRCSA library?

SRCSA Library ‘Top 10’

What books are students most frequently checking out from SRCSA library?

The Way to Bea, by Kat Yeh

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Dec. 8, 2023 is The Way to Bea, by Kat Yeh.

‘Windows and mirrors’ in children’s literature : Issues and challenges

My studies this semester in Children’s and Young Adult Literature included the importance of books that can offer their readers “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors” (Bishop, 1990/2015) into the lives of people who are like, and also unlike, them. “Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience” (Bishop, 1990/2015, p. 1).

Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance, by Eleanora E. Tate

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Dec. 1, 2023 is Celeste’s Harlem Renaissance, by Eleanora E. Tate.

Book-Talk : Go with the Flow

This graphic novel concerns four friends in high school and their experience around having their periods, an experience they share in common with 1.8 billion people around the world each month. It is the book that authors Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann wish they had growing up.

Book-Talk : Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera

In this companion book to The Last Cuentista, Earth has been a barren wasteland for 400 years. Thirteen-year-old pickpocket Leandro takes the fall when his sister Gabi steals a piece of fruit and, in punishment, Leandro’s consciousness is placed inside a small drone, an alebrije, and he is banished from the city of Pocatel. But beyond the walls of Pocatel lie other alebrijes, like Leandro, who seek for a better world. Out there too, lie mutant monsters, wasteland pirates, a hidden oasis, and the truth.

Color Outside the Lines (Anna-Marie McLemore)

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Nov. 17, 2023 is Color Outside the Lines, featuring contributor Anna-Marie McLemore.

Book-Talk : The Cardboard Kingdom

Welcome to the “Cardboard Kingdom,” where a group of neighborhood children have created their own imaginative world out of ordinary household items and materials. This book-talk was created as part of LIS 5400, “Children’s and Young Adult Literature,” for the graduate program in Library and Information Science at the University of Central Missouri.

Sexuality and reader’s advisory

A question was posed to me as part of my studies in Children’s and Young Adult Literature: How would I provide reader’s advisory for young people who are looking for books related to sexuality?

Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero, by Saadia Faruqi

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Nov. 10, 2023 is Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero, by Saadia Faruqi.

Goodreads to combat review-bombing

Goodreads, a “a prominent platform for book discovery,” is taking steps to combat review-bombing: a practice where people who haven’t even read a book, leave negative reviews for the book in an effort to drop its rating. This development is significant for efforts to promote greater diversity in publishing, because often “diverse” authors are the ones being targeted by review-bombing campaigns.

https://bookriot.com/goodreads-releases-statement-on-review-bombing/

Shadowshaper, by Daniel José Older

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Nov. 3, 2023 is Shadowshaper, by Daniel José Older.

Adaptations of classic literature

One of the books I read this semester was an adaptation of a classic novel: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo. Not only is this “modern retelling of Little Women” rendered in a graphic-novel format (Terciero & Indigo, 2019, front-cover matter), but it also updates the March family from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women to be a mixed-race and blended family circa 2015-2017.

Beasts and Beauty, by Soman Chainani

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 27, 2023 is Beasts and Beauty, by Soman Chainani, featuring the short story “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

Developing readers’ self-identity

When Bang-Jensen informally interviewed 12 upper-elementary students, she related that the students “had a lot to say about the role their peers play in their own book selection” (2010, p. 172). She cited one fifth-grader, Megan, describing a “chain reaction” of reading. “When kids hear how good these DCFs are, they start reading. And when they start reading and then tell other kids to start reading, it is a chain reaction of reading books” (Bang-Jensen, 2010, p. 169).

Readers’ choice awards

Part of my studies were focused this week on readers’ choice awards. Bang-Jensen (2010) focuses on a specific readers’ choice award, the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award for children in the state of Vermont.

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 20, 2023 is Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly.

‘Graphic novels are real books’

When stating that “Graphic novels are real books,” E.M. Richardson (2017) is very much “preaching to the choir” in the case of this reader, who includes several graphic novels among books she’s recently completed. For LIS 5400 alone, I read three graphic novels: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, and Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Ray Tercio and Bre Indigo (in the “Banned Book,” “Graphic Novel,” and “Classic Retelling” categories respectively).

The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 13, 2023 is The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros.

‘First-chapter’ preview for LGBTQIA+ History Month

October is observed among Santa Rosa City Schools as LGBTQIA+ History Month. From my “First-chapter Friday” videos, here is a reading from A Queer History of the United States for Young People, originally written by Michael Bronski and adapted for young readers by Richie Chevat.

A Queer History of the United States for Young People demonstrates that LGBTQIA+ people have long been vital to shaping our understanding of what America is today. Through engrossing narratives, letters, drawings, poems, and more, the book encourages young readers of all identities to feel pride at the accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ people who came before them and to use history as a guide to the future.

Is censorship a ‘necessary evil’?

As part of my studies on the subjects of banned books and censorship, I was asked to consider whether or not censorship was a “necessary evil” in a library or classroom. In answering this question, I think we need to differentiate between selecting materials based on professional standards, and purposefully choosing not to purchase a book because we’re afraid of backlash.

Preemptive challenges in libraries

Librarians are under siege right now, in a way that is unprecedented. 2022 was already a year that shattered censorship records, but data released recently by the American Library Association showed that, during 2023, book bans continued to rise, nationwide (Unite Against Book Bans, 2023).

The Language of Seabirds, by Will Taylor

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Oct. 6, 2023 is The Language of Seabirds, by Will Taylor.

Books (and libraries) are for everyone!

To commemorate Banned Books Week in 2023: Books and libraries are for everyone, but not every book will appeal to every reader, nor should anyone expect it to. People can decide for themselves which books they want to read, and parents can decide for their own children, which books are appropriate – but they don’t get to make that decision for everyone else’s children too.

Character education: Responsibility

SRCSA’s character-education focus for October 2023 is “Responsibility.” Here are books from SRCSA’s “Social Emotional Learning” collection, as well as books from the school library, which address Responsibility.

‘First-chapter’ preview for Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week, being observed in 2023 from Oct. 1 to 7, is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. To commemorate Banned Books Week, here is a reading from Answers in the Pages, by David Levithan.

Scholarships for students with a disability

Scholarship applications have opened up for Academic Year 2024-2025, and I’m considering which scholarships I can apply for. This morning I applied for a couple of scholarships for students who have a disability.

Book challenges continue to increase during 2023

Banned Books Week takes place in 2023 from Oct. 1 to 7, and the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has released preliminary data for challenges to books during 2023.

Flying Lessons and Other Stories (Meg Medina)

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 29, 2023 is “Sol Painting, Inc.” by Meg Medina, from Flying Lessons and Other Stories.

Creating a culture of reading among young people

The Library Science class I’m taking is talking this week about building a culture of readers. In her article for Knowledge Quest (2017, p. 24), Karen E. Smith asks: “How do we create a culture of readers without driving them away?”

Global Vision at UCM

During our SOLIS meeting of Sept. 19, we discussed Global Vision, a work-study travel program that “offers any UCM student the opportunity to travel either domestically or internationally while giving back to the community you visit.” Applications are being accepted through Oct. 15.

According to the Global Vision page on the UCM website, trips take place multiple times a year, to various locations: including annual visits to Tanzania.

If selected to go on a Global Vision trip, students will receive a scholarship that covers airfare, meals, room and board during this service learning trip.” From the Global Vision page: “This exclusive opportunity gives students who haven’t studied abroad the advantage to be selected first. UCM is the only university offering this scholarship to student travelers.”

Relevant link:
Global Vision at UCM
https://www.ucmo.edu/current-students/student-services/center-for-global-education/global-vision/

First-chapter Friday : Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 22, 2023 was Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman.

SOLIS’s upcoming book club on Oct. 10

SOLIS’s meeting on Sept. 19 touched upon its first book-club discussion that takes place on Oct. 10.

Beta Phi Mu chapter forming at UCM

One item of interest at our SOLIS meeting on Sept. 19, 2023, was news of a Beta Phi Mu chapter being established at the University of Central Missouri.

Beta Phi Mu is an honor society for librarians. Eligibility for membership is “by invitation of the faculty from institutions where the American Library Association, or other recognized accrediting agency approved by the Beta Phi Mu Executive Board, has accredited or recognized a professional degree program.”

T-shirt design for LIS at UCM

Mock-up for a T-shirt, Library Science at UCM

One of the areas of my schooling where I focus attention is on my graduate program’s student organization. UCM’s Student Organization of Library and Information Services, also known as SOLIS, held its latest members’ meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Classified Employee of the Month, September 2023

At its regular meeting on Sept. 13, the Santa Rosa School Board honored me as Classified Employee of the Month for September 2023.

First-chapter Friday : Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 15, 2023 was Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson.

John Newbery Medal

Among national awards for children’s literature, my studies this week included consideration of the John Newbery Medal. Awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, the Newbery Medal recognizes the author “of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children” (ALSC, n.d.) In 2022, ALSC commemorated 100 years of the Newbery Medal.

Children’s Literature Legacy Award

My studies this week are on national awards for quality children’s literature. Here are my thoughts about a name change, now five years ago, for the Children’s Literature Legacy Award.

First-chapter Friday : Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 8, 2023 is Winterhouse, by Ben Guterson.

Character education : Respect

SRCSA’s character-education focus for September 2023 is “Respect.” Here are books from SRCSA’s “Social Emotional Learning” collection, as well as books from the school library, which address the character trait of Respect.

Template to warn school boards about censorship attempts

“Most school boards are not paying attention to what is happening at other school boards across the country,” and this inattentiveness is allowing slow takeovers by groups “working to destroy public education across the country.” In the Sept. 1 edition of Literary Activism (a publication of Book Riot), writer Kelly Jensen offers a template to alert school boards to “bad” or “crisis actors” in their communities. Groups resisting censorship “have a tremendous opportunity” to give board members a “fair warning of what’s happening,” while getting their names into the public record to aid networking with like-minded individuals. https://literaryactivism.substack.com/p/how-to-alert-your-school-board-to

First-chapter Friday : The Lion of Mars, by Jennifer L. Holm

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Sept. 1, 2023 is The Lion of Mars, by Jennifer L. Holm.

Evaluating literature and disrupting ‘single stories’

Among my studies this week, authors Tschida, Ryan, and Tichnor (2014) cited two important contributions to the practice of building diverse library collections.

Outsider perspectives in ‘diverse’ books

Citing the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, the American Library Association, and J.C. McNair; educators Tschida, Ryan, and Ticknor state that “authors and illustrators representing diverse races, classes, religions, sexualities, abilities, and other areas of marginalization” are, when they are published at all, “routinely left out of classrooms” (2014, p. 28).

UUA Common Read in UUCSR library

The Unitarian Universalist Association has chosen its Common Read for 2023-2024, and you can find a copy in the lending library, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa Rosa.

First-chapter Friday : School for Good and Evil, by Soman Chainani

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Aug. 25, 2023 is The School for Good and Evil, by Soman Chainani.

Readers’ advisory as evolving practice

An idea that stood out for me this week for my studies in librarianship was the evolving practice of readers’ advisory (RA) to focus on the reader.

First-chapter Friday : Amari and the Night Brothers, by B. B. Alston

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Aug. 18, 2023 is Amari and the Night Brothers, by B. B. Alston.

‘Library contract’ for students to check out books

Here is a video that was recorded one year ago, but it is relevant again as we enter a new school year. As part of getting ready for a new year in SRCSA library, I’ll be collecting responses for the “library contract.” Parents and guardians will acknowledge that their child is responsible for the books they check out. Parents and guardians will also acknowledge that they are responsible for discussing with their child, those books that seem a good fit for them.
https://youtu.be/9vIW9d5Qdc4

UCM, LIS 5400 : Introductions

I am taking graduate courses in Library and Information Science through the online program at University of Central Missouri. For Fall 2023, I am taking LIS 5400, “Children’s and Young Adult Literature.” I created this video to introduce myself to classmates.

Netflix drama ‘Heartstopper’ affirms importance of libraries

At The Mary Sue, D.R. Medlen discusses Isaac, a character on the Netflix drama “Heartstopper,” as Isaac explores his identity. “As a bookworm, it’s only natural that when Isaac is at a loss, he heads to his school library for answers. But what if Isaac had no library to go to? What would this shy, bookish kid do if he had questions that he couldn’t ask anyone else?”

Free school supplies at Sonoma County Library

The 2023-2024 school year is almost here, and Sonoma County Library is offering free school supplies to students going into Kindergarten through 12th grade. Shop for school supplies with the library’s Otto Bucks and use art supplies to decorate your backpack. One backpack and set of school supplies per student — first come, first served — while supplies last. Check the library’s calendar of events for dates, times, and library-branch locations.

https://events.sonomalibrary.org/events/upcoming?keywords=money%20smart

SRCSA library : New year and new job title

I’m looking forward to a new school year – in the library and out on the yard for recesses – at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. One significant change, effective in 2023-2024, is that my position of Instructional Materials Technician was reclassified as Library Technician II. Because this 10-month position encompasses both IMT and library operations, I don’t have to defer library tasks to the start of a school-year position like Elementary Library Technician.

Book-Talk : The Lost Library

In my latest video review: The Lost Library, by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass, was a quick read with an engaging mystery. It concerns the sudden appearance of a “little free library” on the Martinville town green. The “little free library” is filled with books that were returned to the public library on the day it burnt down 20 years ago. I admit that, inasmuch that I was caught up reading this story, I was very frustrated with the town of Martinville: In 20 years, why hadn’t anyone rebuilt the town’s public library?
https://youtu.be/p0QWNDlGhNg

Book-Talk : The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

In my latest Book-Talk: I found The Spirit Bares Its Teeth, by Andrew Joseph White, to be an intense Young Adult book of suspenseful and gothic horror. As an autistic reader, one of the things that fascinated me about this novel was the way that an autistic character is portrayed in a society in which no such diagnosis exists.
https://youtu.be/q_1jM9deMB0

Book-Talk : Green, by Alex Gino

Green, by Alex Gino, returns readers to the world of Jung Middle School and its Rainbow Spectrum Club, which is inhabited by those titular characters from two of Gino’s previous works, Melissa and Rick. In this latest novel, titular character Green helps advocate for gender-free casting in the school’s production of The Wizard of Oz, experiences physical changes to their maturing body, and navigates romantic feelings toward another student, Ronnie. The book will be published by Scholastic in October 2023.
https://youtu.be/MHNMp8Kke64

Book-Talk : Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize

After being suspended from school, 16-year-old Lucy Clark is serving as a full-time companion to the wealthy and eccentric Edith Fox, who is convinced that someone is trying to kill her. Author Margo Rabb describes Lucy Clark Will Not Apologize as “Part coming of age story, part murder mystery, and part modern day ‘The Secret Garden.’”
https://youtu.be/b2DdnHnyz6M

Disability ‘Pride’ : Autism and sexual diversity

Disability Pride Flag (from Wikipedia)

Happy Disability Pride Month! As an autistic person, this annual occurrence is deeply relevant to me.

Book-Talk : Ghost Book, by Remy Lai

Ghost Book, a graphic novel by Remy Lai, strikes an intriguing balance: stakes that are genuinely life-or-death, paired with moments that are whimsical and humorous. The story centers around July, a school girl who can see ghosts; and William, a wandering soul who has become separated from his body. Ghost Book will be published in August 2023.
https://youtu.be/-iJwqqwH7XE

Book-Talk : Just Lizzie, by Karen Wilfrid

Through her scientific exploration of reproduction in plants, 14-year-old Lizzie gains new insights into herself and her place in society. Reading Just Lizzie by Karen Wilfrid, I found so much to appreciate: among them a beautiful expression for the interconnectedness of life. The book also offers much-needed representation for asexuality. As a reader on the autism spectrum, I do have one wishful question. Is it possible that Lizzie is autistic? My appreciation to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book, which will be published in November 2023.

Author urging supporters to book library meeting rooms

At Book Riot, writer Kelly Jensen is warning public libraries: author Kirk Cameron and publisher Brave Books are asking supporters to book space at public libraries to hold readings from children’s “books of virtue” across the country on Aug. 5.

LGBTQIA+ books for Pride Month

For Pride Month (June 2023), here is a “book-haul” video featuring two books for children and three for adults or teenagers. In this video, I also share my thoughts about the spate of book bans targeting books that center LGBTQIA+ experiences. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you are enjoying my videos.

First-chapter Friday : Join the Club, Maggie Diaz, by Nina Moreno

Thursday, June 1, marked the end of the school year at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for June 2, 2023 was Join the Club, Maggie Diaz, by Nina Moreno.

What I’m reading : Beasts and Beauty

Here are 12 dangerous tales of mystery, magic, and rebellious hearts. Each twists like a spindle to reveal truths full of warning and triumph, truths that free hearts long kept tame, truths that explore life . . . and death. 

New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani respins old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era and creates a world like no other.   (From publisher’s description)

Beasts and Beauty was the winner, in 2022, of the Kids’ Book Choice Award, in the “Favorite Book Cover” category (voted on by readers ages 12 to 14).

First-chapter Friday : The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for May 26, 2023, is The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, by Wendy Wan-Long Shang.

First-chapter Friday : Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for May 12, 2023, is Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.

First-chapter Friday : Key Player, by Kelly Yang

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for May 5, 2023 is Key Player, by Kelly Yang.

Character education : Books about Friendship

SRCSA’s character-education focus for May 2023 is “Friendship.” Here are books from SRCSA’s “Social Emotional Learning” collection, as well as books from the school library, which address the character trait of Friendship.
https://youtu.be/iC7Sd_mOMGM

Acceptance letter : Harvey D. and Helen J. Cohen PFLAG Scholarship

Hello! My name is Cynthia Parkhill and I live and work in Santa Rosa, California. I want to thank donors for awarding me the Harvey D. and Helen J. Cohen PFLAG Scholarship for 2023-2024.

SOLIS : Social Media Coordinator for 2023-2024

SOLIS elections closed on April 28, 2023, and I’ve been appointed for 2023-2024 to Social Media Coordinator. My appreciation to everyone who affirmed my place among the slate of officers. SOLIS is the Student Organization for Library and Information Services at the University of Central Missouri, and I’ve served in the role of Social Media Coordinator since October 2022.

First-chapter Friday : Alice Austen Lived Here, by Alex Gino

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 28, 2023 is Alice Austen Lived Here, by Alex Gino.

Books for Earth Day

Here are some books that address themes related to Earth Day, to conservation, and the environment. Happy reading!

First-chapter Friday : Tumble by Celia C. Pérez

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 21, 2023 is Tumble by Celia C. Pérez.

Soul Matters : My ‘Resistance’ must oppose book censorship

As part of a “Soul Matters Sharing Circle” through my church, I receive a monthly packet to facilitate reflections around the theme for the month. Something that especially resonated for me with this month’s theme of “Resistance” actually came via my American Library Association membership.

April 25, 2023 is National Library Workers Day

April 25, 2023 is National Library Workers Day, a time to recognize library staff for their contributions in changing lives and supporting their communities. From the April 2023 issue of Library Worklife, here is an invitation to celebrate your library “stars.”

https://ala-apa.org/newsletter/2023/04/12/time-to-celebrate-library-workers/

Digital inclusion : Libraries provide access to Internet, technology

Hotspot, available from Sonoma County Libray

For LIS 5804, my studies this week focused on technology: specifically on “digital inclusion.” This subject is important to me because, through personal experience, I recognize how important it is for people to have access to the Internet in our ever-more-connected society.

First-chapter Friday : In the Key of Us, by Mariama J. Lockington

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 14, 2023 is In the Key of Us, by Mariama J. Lockington.

Acceptance letter: UCM’s Suzanne Foster Scholarship in Library Science

Hello! My name is Cynthia Parkhill and I am writing to say thank you for being awarded UCM’s Suzanne Foster Scholarship in Library Science for 2023-2024. Along with my gratitude at being selected for this honor, I appreciate the gifts and the book-sale royalties that make this scholarship possible.

I am in my third semester in UCM’s graduate program in Library and Information Science. (As I indicated when applying for the UCM scholarships, I work full-time and I take one course per semester.)

About two-thirds of my time spent working is in library-related fields: I am an Instructional Materials Technician and a Library Technician at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. What I am learning through the UCM graduate program, I immediately put to use as a Library Technician.

I am pursuing this degree to further my development as a Youth Librarian. I live out-of-state, but UCM met my needs with its asynchronous online program. I view this scholarship as an investment in my future through helping to pay for my education.

Among extracurriculars, I am social media coordinator for the graduate program’s student group, SOLIS (Student Organization of Library and Information Services). I use this platform to uplift the program, as well as the profession and the core values of librarianship.

I also utilize online platforms in the day-to-day for my job: communicating to stakeholders about my library and its resources.

In my scholarship application, I expressed an interest in reviving “One Campus, One Book” at UCM, so one of the things I’m excited about for the fall is that SOLIS is going to hold a “Book Club” discussion of All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir. I look forward to lending my support for the scheduled discussion(s).

In addition to SOLIS membership, my professional affiliations include the Association for Library Service to Children and the American Library Association. I volunteer as committee chair for a small lending library at a Santa Rosa church.

In conclusion, I simply want to thank you, once again, for awarding me the Suzanne Foster Scholarship in Library Science.

Sincerely,

Cynthia M. Parkhill
https://sites.google.com/view/cynthiaparkhill-studies-in-lis/

Library resource sharing: My hands-on experience

Circa March 2011: Locating “holds” at Lakeport library

The focus of my studies this week, for LIS 5804, is on library resource sharing and consortia. As a prior volunteer for a library system that contributed to a three-county shared catalog, I’ve had direct involvement with the sharing of resources among libraries.

Book-Talk : Speak Up! by Rebecca Burgess

As an autistic reader and librarian, I like to commemorate Autism Acceptance Month by drawing attention to a book that features an autistic main character. For April 2023, here is Speak Up!, a graphic novel by Rebecca Burgess, featuring an autistic main character, from a creator who is themself autistic. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you are enjoying my videos.

Character education : Compassion

SRCSA’s character-education focus for April 2023 is “Compassion.” Here are books from our school library and from the Social Emotional Learning collection, which address compassion.
https://youtu.be/84RV4DSDuP8

April is School Library Month

Did you know? April is School Library Month, the American Association of School Librarians’ annual celebration of school librarians, library workers, and school libraries.

First-chapter Friday : Wildoak, by C.C. Harrington

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for March 31, 2023 is Wildoak, by C.C. Harrington.

SOLIS Book Club at UCM

UCM’s SOLIS has formed a Book Club, which will meet this fall and discuss All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir. That was a highlight, for me, of the SOLIS members’ meeting on March 29, 2023.

Librarian competencies for library programming

In my studies this week for LIS 5804, I took a look at library programming: including core competencies for a librarian involved with programming. I was also tasked with highlighting examples of children’s and adult programming, as well as a program “that inspired” me.

Iowa legislation would put challenged books on state-wide ‘removal list’

Under legislation being proposed in Iowa, a book removed from a classroom or library in any Iowa school district would be placed on a state “removal list,” and “all of Iowa’s 326 other districts” would also have to deny students access to the book, unless parents give approval. Via the Gazette: Meet an Iowa City librarian fighting to protect readers’ ability to choose books for themselves.
https://www.thegazette.com/k/iowa-city-librarian-fighting-for-a-place-even-for-books-that-hurt-my-feelings/

Soul Matters : It takes ‘Vulnerability’ to be autistic and queer librarian

Through my local Unitarian Universalist church, I am part of a “Soul Matters Sharing Circle.” The Soul Matters program facilitates “A journey that the whole church takes together” (n.d.), through messages from the pulpit and during Religious Education as well as through small-group discussion. This month’s theme is “Vulnerability.”

Pride pins, designed with Canva and Google Slides

To help pay for classes toward a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, I have applied for various scholarships, including those related to the LGBTQIA+ community. As part of one such application, I highlighted a button-making project. I got the idea from a basket of pins at the downtown public library.

‘Sears List of Subject Headings’ via JCKL

If you’re involved in cataloging, then you likely understand the importance of consistent subject headings as a way for readers to discover multiple resources that address the same subject. Here is a recent post from the James C. Kirkpatrick Library, University of Central Missouri: You can access the “Sears List of Subject Headings,” in its digital form, through JCKL. “[The Sears List of Subject Headings] is an essential tool for librarians and researchers who are looking for the most accurate and up-to-date information about a given subject. The Sears List provides a comprehensive list of subject headings with related descriptors and cross-references, allowing users to quickly and easily find the information they need.” https://guides.library.ucmo.edu/blog/The-Sears-List-of-Subject-Headings

In UUCSR library : This year’s UUA Common Read

Good morning to the reading community at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa Rosa. Are you interested in the UUA’s Common Read, and did you know that the program’s current selection is available to borrow from the church library? Mistakes and Miracles, by Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin, is one of many informational books that you’ll find in the browsing cabinet. (We also have several titles from prior years’ Common Read selections.) Learn more about the UUA Common Read, and access discussion guides, at https://www.uua.org/read.

First-chapter Friday : Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for March 17, 2023 is Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson.

Story Boat : QR code links to read-aloud in Ukrainian

This copy of Story Boat by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh, has a QR code inside it that links to a read-aloud of the book in Ukrainian, created by Liza Pedash, Yuliya Hordievska, and Yana Gumeniuk with the permission of Penguin Random House Canada. Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts was one of several recipients of this book through a give-away by I’m Your Neighbor books. For more information: https://imyourneighborbooks.org/ukrainian-read-aloud-story-boat/

First-chapter Friday : Look Both Ways

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for March 10, 2023 is Look Both Ways, by Jason Reynolds.

Character education : Integrity

SRCSA’s character-education focus for March 2023 is “Integrity.” Here are books from SRCSA’s “Social Emotional Learning” collection, as well as books from the school library, which address the character trait of Integrity.

UUCSR library : Open again for browsing

Open again for browsing on Sundays, it's the lending library at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa Rosa. The library had been closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

First-chapter Friday : Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for March 3, 2023 is Maizy Chen’s Last Chance, by Lisa Yee.

First-chapter Friday : This is Our Rainbow (Alex Gino)

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Feb. 24, 2023 is This is Our Rainbow, featuring contributor Alex Gino.

SRCSA library : Book-fair cabinets have arrived

Exciting development! The cabinets have arrived from Scholastic for our book fair, taking place from Feb. 27 to March 3, 2023.

‘Library Value Calculator’

One of our takeaway concepts this week concerning the value of public libraries was the idea that different forms of value require different metrics, e.g. quantitative versus qualitative value (Kammer, n.d.). As Matthews (2019) points out, “our clumsy attempts to ‘define’ the value of the public library” are “confounded by the reality of the many diverse definitions of ‘value’ itself.”

IMLIS ‘Library Search & Compare’

As part of my studies this week for LIS 5804, The Public Library, I explored the “Library Search & Compare” datasite, hosted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, for statistics about my local public library.

Project Outcome case study

Project Outcome is “a free online toolkit designed to help public libraries understand and share the impact of essential library programs and services by providing simple surveys and an easy-to-use process for measuring and analyzing outcomes” (Project Outcome, n.d.-a). It was developed by the Public Library Association, for use by “U.S. and Canadian public, regional and state libraries” (ibid).

First-chapter Friday : Sal and Gabi Break the Universe

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Feb. 17, 2023 is Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez.

Get ‘Caught Reading’ for Book Fair raffle prizes

The 2023 Book Fair takes place from Feb. 27 through March 3 at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts. Kids, if I see you reading while on the playground, I’ll give you one of these “Caught Reading” raffle tickets.

First-chapter Friday : The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Feb. 10, 2023 is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer.

First-chapter Friday : The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Feb. 3, 2023 is The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill.

Equity of access : Core value of modern libraries

Among the Core Values of Librarianship (American Library Association, 2019), one that resonates strongly with me is equity of “Access” to libraries and their collections, as well as the related “equity” of being able to participate in the library workforce.

First-chapter Friday : Fresh Ink

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Jan. 27, 2023 is Fresh Ink, featuring contributor Jason Reynolds.

Milestones in U.S. public library history

My studies this week addressed several important milestones in the history of U.S. public libraries: including establishment of the idea that local taxes would support public libraries, an emerging focus upon library services to young people, and the desegregation of public libraries during the civil rights movement of the ’60s.

Public libraries and democracy

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “democracy” as “government by the people, especially: rule of the majority” (2023). In my reading this week for LIS 5804, McCook and Bossaller describe the public library as “democracy’s hope.” They tell us that “The narrative linking democracy and public libraries has been a consistent theme (with many variations) that can be seen in professional statements, landmark decisions, and library literature (2018, p. 2).

LIS 5804 : Ways that libraries enrich my life

In its Declaration for the Right to Libraries, the American Library Association lists several ways that libraries change people’s lives. Among them are statements that “Libraries empower the individual” (ALA, 2013, p. 16), and that “Libraries support literacy and lifelong learning” (ibid).

First-chapter Friday : Oddity

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Jan. 20, 2023 is Oddity, by Eli Brown.

Medina appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Meg Medina, author of Merci Suárez Changes Gears and the Young Adult novel, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, has been appointed National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2023-2024, by the U.S. Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader. From my “First-chapter Friday” video collection, here is a reading from Merci Suárez Changes Gears.

LIS 5804 : Haiku and reflection

For my first week of studies in LIS 5804, The Public Library, I was to write a haiku in response to a photograph in Robert Dawson’s The Public Library: A Photographic Essay.

First-chapter Friday : Nikhil Out Loud

Each Friday I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for Jan. 13, 2023 is Nikhil Out Loud, by Maulik Pancholy.

Character education : Perseverance

Here are several books available from SRCSA library, which address the character trait of Perseverance.

UCM, LIS 5804 : Introducing myself

I am taking graduate courses in Library and Information Science through the online program at University of Central Missouri. For Spring 2023, I am taking LIS 5804, The Public Library. I made this video to introduce myself to classmates.

Stone Soup magazine in SRCSA library

Thanks to an unknown benefactor, our library is the recipient of Stone Soup magazine, which features artwork, poems, and short stories by young people. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you are enjoying my videos.

LJ Librarian(s) of the Year : Books Unbanned at BPL

Library Journal has announced its 2023 Librarian(s) of the year: the “Books Unbanned” team at Brooklyn Public Library, which offers “free ebook access to teens and young adults nationwide, defying rising book challenges across the country.”

To apply for a free BPL ecard, all that young people ages 13 to 21 need to do is “send a note via email to BooksUnbanned@bklynlibrary.org or through the library’s teen-run Instagram account, @bklynfuture, describing the censorship challenges they are experiencing and why they feel libraries should have diverse collections.”