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

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 class 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, by Ruta Sepetys

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.