Chat in library reference services

As part of my studies this semester in Information Sources and Services, I’m reading Reference and Information Services by Cassell and Hiremath. At the end of its first chapter, among articles the authors recommend for further reading, I was interested in “On the Origin of Queries: Where Chat Reference Begins,” by Dempsey, Warner, Lux, and Rich.

Librarians I admire (Hohl, Threets, and Helmick)

With a couple of photos that came across my timeline, I want to honor three librarians I admire: Cindy Hohl, Mychal Threets, and Sam Helmick.
https://youtu.be/2XxcIyjl6-s

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

Representing the Spectrum : Journal article live

If you view my posts regularly, you may recall a presentation that Professor Amanda Harrison and I made in Lexington, Ky., regarding the ways that autistic people are portrayed in children’s choice book award nominees. Professor Harrison also invited me to co-write an article (along with Andrea Dyche, LCSW, LSCSW). The presentation and article involved several months’ work and the article has now been posted to the Journal of Radical Librarianship.

Representing the Spectrum, Autism in the United States Children’s Choice Book Award Nominees, 2014-2024
https://journal.radicallibrarianship.org/index.php/journal/article/view/124

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.

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.”

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.

‘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.”

Schneider Family Book Award should focus on disabled protagonists

Part of my studies in librarianship this semester involved advocating for a positive change in how libraries serve diverse populations. I chose to offer a suggestion for improving the Schneider Family Book Award, which honors “distinguished portrayal[s] of people living with a disabling condition” (ALA, 2024, p. 6).

Autistic librarians ‘on the job’ in libraries

As part of my studies toward “Culturally Competent Librarianship” (LIS 5350 in Fall 2024), I composed a systematic bibliography concerning autistic librarians and other workers “on the job” in libraries.

Tone policing through accusations of ‘unsafe’

At EdSurge, school principal Damen Scott shares that a subordinate recently told him that his tone made them feel “psychologically unsafe.” While I appreciate Scott being able to thoughtfully consider and act upon criticism, I’d be worried about accusations such as this being misused as tone policing. One more social landmine to worry about as a neurodivergent individual. Is my tone socially palatable? Am I doing it right, or will someone accuse me of making them feel “unsafe”?

https://www.edsurge.com/news/2024-03-20-as-a-principal-i-thought-i-promoted-psychological-safety-then-a-colleague-spoke-up

Burden of ‘approachability’ in librarianship

In thinking about librarian stereotypes, and factors that can influence patrons’ user-success and confidence: Pagowsky and Rigby (2014) suggest these factors can include “approachability, identity, warmth, openness, and body language of the librarian” (pg. 7), suggesting that “even active users, who are already in a library with research questions, carry preconceived notions that might hinder or help their access to information, depending on what they encounter and how librarians presents themselves” (Pagowsky and Rigby, 2014, p. 7).

‘Microaggression Bingo’

My studies in librarianship this week led me to the Tumblr thread Microaggressions in Librarianship. One microaggression that stood out for me, which I found particularly relatable, was grouped with assorted transgressions under “Microaggression Bingo.”

Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard

This sunflower lanyard proclaims that the wearer has a hidden disability. During a recent trip to Lexington, Ky, I obtained a lanyard at Blue Grass Airport (as well a bracelet and a pin during a stop-over at Charlotte Douglas International Airport).
https://youtu.be/bXcUVw5SOF4

LRS8 : Presentor’s recap

One of my professors, Dr. Amanda Harrison, and I gave a co-presentation at Library Research Seminar 8, which took place in mid-September at the University of Kentucky. Our presentation focused on portrayals of autistic people in “readers’ choice” state book award nominees from 2014 to 2024. Here is a brief recap of my experience.
https://youtu.be/5Xlm5xlmEF4

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture

Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture is an open-access journal that has been published twice a year since 2019. Ought’s editorial board positions it as “a small part of the larger neurodiversity movement — the campaign to recognize neurological differences as normal and necessary to human development” (Loftis, cited by Rozema & Bass, 2019, p. 4).

Person-first or Identity-first language?

Should you use “person-first” language to describe a person who is on the autism spectrum? Or use “identity-first” language and refer to them as an autistic person? The style guides I examined, suggest that both are permissible — but when you know which language is preferred by a person or by their community, that is the language you should use.
https://youtu.be/ynVXESFdoJ4

When My Heart Joins the Thousand

Among the books I am currently reading, When My Heart Joins the Thousand by A.J. Steiger is a particularly intense read. It’s a Young Adult novel told in the first person by main character Alvie Fitz.

“Who inspires you?” (Response to writing prompt)

Over the summer I’ve been helping out in a high-school English classroom. Each morning, the teacher assigns her students to work from a writing prompt and I decided to tackle those prompts myself. The writing prompt for July 18 was, “Who inspires you?”