‘Information Sources and Services’ (Toastmasters speech)

After an absence of several years, I recently became reinvolved with Toastmasters International: this time with a club in Santa Rosa, California. Here is a practice run-through for my Ice Breaker Speech in the Toastmasters pathway, “Motivational Strategies.” As the Ice Breaker Speech is about sharing my personal story, and the focus of my graduate studies this fall will be on “Information Sources and Services,” I decided to share my experience offering Information Services: working first as a newspaper editor and then as a librarian.
https://youtu.be/IJNkCF2yjlE

The Civil War of Amos Abernathy (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. The June 6 selection features The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, by Michael Leali.

The Lost Year, by Katherine Marsh

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. To wrap up the school (and programming) year for 2024-2025, this week’s preview is The Lost Year, by Katherine Marsh.

SRCSA library : End of school year, 2024-2025

At Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts, we’ve reached the end of the school year for 2024-2025. I hope that everyone has a restful summer with their loved ones.
https://youtu.be/QPsyNuK-RII

Most popular types of books in SRCSA library

More than 4,000 items were checked out from SRCSA library during 2024-2025. Among those 4,049 items circulated between August and May, what are the most popular types of books checked out from our library?

Flying Lessons and Other Stories (Grace Lin)

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 May 30, 2025 is Flying Lessons and Other Stories, featuring contributor Grace Lin.

Summer reading 2025 at Sonoma County Library

The school year is nearing its end at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts, but there will be plenty to do and read through the summer reading program at Sonoma County Library.
https://youtu.be/TpGwDQgmCnE

The Storyteller, by Brandon Hobson

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 May 23, 2025 is The Storyteller, by Brandon Hobson.

Zenobia July, by Lisa Bunker

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 May 16, 2025 is Zenobia July, by Lisa Bunker.

Book haul : Open Books donation to SRCS libraries

Santa Rosa City Schools recently accepted a donation of books from an organization called Open Books: 12 books apiece to each of 10 elementary-school libraries for a total donation of 120 books. Among highlights this week in SRCSA library, I unboxed my site’s new arrivals.
https://youtu.be/BTaCegGw_Eg

The Shape of Lost Things, by Sarah Everett

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 May 9, 2025 is The Shape of Lost Things, by Sarah Everett.

Asking for a Friend (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. This month’s selection features Asking for a Friend, by Ronnie Riley.

The Flicker, by H.E. Edgmon

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 May 2, 2025 is The Flicker, by H.E. Edgmon.

UCM’s SOLIS Book Club : Our pick for Fall 2025

Poll results are in and we have a winner! In Fall 2025, UCM’s SOLIS Book Club will read Life Hacks for a Little Alien, by Alice Franklin. Franklin wrote this book in the second person and, in an interview with NPR’s Scott Simon, Franklin said she “wanted readers of the story to feel as much empathy as possible” with the titular “Little Alien.”
https://youtu.be/GP3OdRWoj5g

Black Boy Joy (B.B. Alston)

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 April 25, 2025 is Black Boy Joy featuring contributor B.B. Alston.

Lola, by Karla Arenas Valenti

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 April 18, 2025 is Lola, by Karla Arenas Valenti.

Autistic Pride : Books for Autism Acceptance Month

Being autistic myself, I’ve read a lot of books by and about people on the autism spectrum. For Autism Acceptance Month, I wanted to share some books that were meaningful for me. Slideshow created in Canva. Music is “Wide Space” by AudioCoffee.

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson

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 April 11, 2025 is Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes.

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. This month’s selection features Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution, by Sherri Winston.

Cruzita and the Mariacheros, by Ashley Granillo

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 April 4, 2025 is Cruzita and the Mariacheros, by Ashley Granillo.

The Creativity Project (Larson and Rhodes)

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 March 28, 2025 is The Creativity Project featuring contributors Kirby Larson and Jewell Parker Rhodes.

ALA president shares experience as person with ASD

As an autistic librarian, I wish to express my appreciation to ALA President Cindy Hohl for sharing her experience as a person who is living with autism spectrum disorder (Spectrum of Leadership, American Libraries, March/April 2025). Autistic library workers still face barriers to being fully visible, fully accepted in libraries, a fact recently documented through Kelley McDaniel’s articles in ALA/APA’s Library Worklife (December 2022 and January 2023). President Hohl’s willingness to openly describe herself as a person with autism, makes it that much easier for autistic people like me to share our authentic selves.

Submitted as a letter to the editor, American Libraries magazine

Author’s note: When writing this letter, while I described myself using “identity-first language,” I made the choice to refer to President Hohl with what seemed to be her demonstrated preference for using “person-first language.”

SOLIS Book Club : What shall we read in Fall 2025?

During Spring 2025, University of Central Missouri: we had another enjoyable meeting of the SOLIS Book Club (that’s an online book club among students of LIS). Looking ahead, what book do we want to read for Fall 2025? Here’s a brief overview of three potential candidates.
https://youtu.be/sz_Wak6dSu8

Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy

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 March 21, 2025 is Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy.

Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar

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 March 14, 2025 is Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar.

The First State of Being (eBook preview)

Each year, the American Library Association honors the most distinguished titles among children’s and Young Adult literature. This year’s winner of the John Newbery Medal is Erin Entrada Kelly, author of The First State of Being.

Character education: Books about Cooperation

SRCSA’s character-education focus for March 2025 is “Cooperation.” Here are books from the school library, which address the character trait of Cooperation.
https://youtu.be/c87v7MpKU0o

Calling the Moon (Leah Henderson)

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 Feb. 28, 2025 is Calling the Moon, featuring contributor Leah Henderson.

SRCSA library : New arrivals in February 2025

Here is a slideshow featuring some new arrivals in SRCSA library during February 2025: several winners and Honor Books for the American Library Association’s 2025 Youth Media Awards. The music is Funky House by Nver Avetyan.
https://youtu.be/L82xtUUUKxg

‘Little Kids, Big Words’ (A response)

I am writing to express appreciation for “Little Kids, Big Words” by Collette Hiller in the Winter 2024 edition of Children & Libraries (official journal of the Association for Library Service to Children). Using “big words” has always been a part of who I am and, on occasion, I have been ridiculed for having a large vocabulary. I’ve had to push back against “vocabulary shaming,” whether the attempt was directed at me or directed at someone else. With those experiences, it was extremely validating to read Hiller’s article. Such a refreshing change, for someone to actually celebrate the use of “colossal” words!

Submitted as a letter to the editor on Feb. 23, 2025

Five-year reflection as a Booktuber

The year 2025 marks five years of posting videos to my YouTube channel. To commemorate, I decided to do a Q&A video using the Booktube Newbie Tag.
https://youtu.be/q5tUPIeOdBw

Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger

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 Feb. 21, 2025 is Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger.

Places of inquiry (Letter to the editor)

As a librarian and reader who is autistic and nonbinary, I wish to express my gratitude for “More than a Month,” for ongoing access to local libraries (“County library: Check out DEI,” Feb. 6). It is immensely validating to see myself in stories and to be able to find informational books about issues that I face. These works of fiction and nonfiction give me much-needed vocabulary to explain who I am and the issues that I face. Thank you to library workers everywhere for making our local libraries safe places for inquiry — where our differences (and our similarities) are celebrated and protected.

Published on Feb. 18, 2025 in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat

UCM ‘Scholarship Surge Day,’ Feb. 18, 2025

As a recipient of scholarships for my graduate studies at the University of Central Missouri, the UCM Alumni Foundation asked me to help promote its Scholarship Surge Day fundraiser on Feb. 18, 2025. Money raised will benefit 15 scholarships at UCM, and the foundation is offering a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $50,000.
https://youtu.be/jolqBytbhww

Learn more about the fundraiser:
https://ucmgives.org/

Neuroqueer Heresies: Critiquing ‘tame autistics’

As an autistic and queer student and librarian, I’m interested in creating an Autistic Book Club. So I was intrigued by a statement in a related area, that of course curriculum, by Nick Walker, author of Neuroqueer Heresies. Walker stated that “At least 80% of the assigned readings should be by autistic authors” (pp. 405-406).

Walker went on to add, however, that works by “tame autistics” can’t count toward this percentage and should be approached with the “explicit intent” of critiquing these authors’ “internalized oppression” (p. 406).

Envisioning an ‘Autistic Book Club’

As part of my studies of Action Research in libraries, I want to look into creating an “Autistic Book Club” through my public library. The problem that this would address for me is actually very personal: it’s that as an autistic person, I face challenges when trying to socialize with other people.

I Must Betray You (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. This month’s selection features I Must Betray You, by Ruta Sepetys. (My student-group book club, University of Central Missouri, is reading it this semester with discussion to take place in March.)

The Midnight Children, by Dan Gemeinhart

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 Feb. 7, 2025 is The Midnight Children, by Dan Gemeinhart.

‘Action Research’ expressed in a zine

Parkhill-ZINE-Participatory-action-research-with-an-Autistic-Book-Club
by Cynthia M. Parkhill

As part of my studies toward “Action Research” in libraries, I worked on constructing a zine that explored the concept of “Participatory” action research and applied it toward my interest in creating an “Autistic Book Club.”

When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead

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 Jan. 31, 2025 is When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead.

Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend, by Ben Kahn

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 Jan. 24, 2025 is Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend, by Ben Kahn.

UCM, LIS 5900 : Introductions

For spring 2025, I am enrolled in LIS 5900, Action Research in Libraries, as part of my studies in librarianship, University of Central Missouri.
https://youtu.be/Hh-gPbPEF-Q

Everything Sad is Untrue

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 Jan. 10, 2025 is Everything Sad is Untrue, by Daniel Nayeri.

Buffalo Dreamer, by Violet Duncan

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 Jan. 3, 2025 is Buffalo Dreamer, by Violet Duncan.

The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. This month’s selection features The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester, by Maya MacGregor.