By now, you might know what a huge David Tennant fan I am. If you didn't, just know that I would probably twist and finagle anything to be able to legitimately link Libraries + David Tennant (because those are two of my favorite things).
At this time of year, it's always good to think about your favorite things, and people also start to talk about Christmas wishes, so here's one of my wishes kind of coming true: David Tennant reading a Christmas story to me...I mean to US...I mean to the WHOLE WORLD!!!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Book Trees
My new obsession is Christmas trees made out of books. We all have our things, and this is just one of mine. I started looking at them on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago, and all I can do is think about the book trees I'll make in my future library. I can see it in my head: maybe three or four, spread out around the library. *sigh* They would be beautiful.
Book trees look spectacular, and they're the perfect use for weeded books. If you are bored with weeding, and don't want to do it, just motivate yourself by looking at some of these amazing book trees:
See??? Don't you want to go and weed the heck out of your library's collection, so you can make one? You'll also be keeping your collection up to date in the process. It's okay: you can thank me later.
The day after I started obsessing about book trees, my brother-in-law sent me this photo:
He had made his own book tree! It's like great minds think alike or something. I love the jaunty Santa hat on top and the NOEL blocks, too. Great touches. My kids were super impressed with this and want to do one at our house. If we get one done over holiday break, you can bet I'll post a picture. (That is, if I can take quick enough. Our lil one year old is the fastest crawler in the midwest, and she'd LOVE to destroy a book tree.)
Now, go get creative and create a tree out of the most unlikely of objects. If you do, share them with me!
Book trees look spectacular, and they're the perfect use for weeded books. If you are bored with weeding, and don't want to do it, just motivate yourself by looking at some of these amazing book trees:
See??? Don't you want to go and weed the heck out of your library's collection, so you can make one? You'll also be keeping your collection up to date in the process. It's okay: you can thank me later.
The day after I started obsessing about book trees, my brother-in-law sent me this photo:
He had made his own book tree! It's like great minds think alike or something. I love the jaunty Santa hat on top and the NOEL blocks, too. Great touches. My kids were super impressed with this and want to do one at our house. If we get one done over holiday break, you can bet I'll post a picture. (That is, if I can take quick enough. Our lil one year old is the fastest crawler in the midwest, and she'd LOVE to destroy a book tree.)
Now, go get creative and create a tree out of the most unlikely of objects. If you do, share them with me!
HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK. It's really just old magazines we need to get rid of, but still...we made a pretty sign and a pretty fan out of them. The holiday season means weeding out old magazines here at the Uni Library. A few of them will go to the Undergrad Library Collection, but most will stay here for giveaway.
If I was a student here, I'd be so excited! You see, back in the day, I LOVED making collages of all my favorite heartthrobs. I used to troll the teen magazine selection--Seventeen, Sassy, YM--at my middle school library for hotties of those magic years, 1991-1994. Here are just a few of the covers that I VIVIDLY remember swiping photos from:
If my middle school library had done this annual giveaway, I wouldn't have had to my besties, Sandi and Cori, surround me in the Edison Middle School library and cough really loud when I ripped out pictures of the likes of Antonio Sabato, Jr., Sean Astin, Eddie Furlong, Christian Slater, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonhard, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Too bad the librarian didn't make it easier, and less guilt inducing, to get these pictures. I still feel kind of guilty...but it was also kind of fun livin' on the edge!
If I was a student here, I'd be so excited! You see, back in the day, I LOVED making collages of all my favorite heartthrobs. I used to troll the teen magazine selection--Seventeen, Sassy, YM--at my middle school library for hotties of those magic years, 1991-1994. Here are just a few of the covers that I VIVIDLY remember swiping photos from:
If my middle school library had done this annual giveaway, I wouldn't have had to my besties, Sandi and Cori, surround me in the Edison Middle School library and cough really loud when I ripped out pictures of the likes of Antonio Sabato, Jr., Sean Astin, Eddie Furlong, Christian Slater, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonhard, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Too bad the librarian didn't make it easier, and less guilt inducing, to get these pictures. I still feel kind of guilty...but it was also kind of fun livin' on the edge!
Dashing December Displays
They're dashing for a couple of reasons. Number One, I just wanted to use a form of Dasher in my title. Number Two, December is short around these here parts, so they won't be here for long. And, Number Three, I had to find a way to triple alliterate the title.
Author Spotlight was a no-brainer for December: the fair Miss Austen, without a doubt. It is her birthday month, after all. I took her original works with the newest covers (paperbacks in permabound), and then I pulled other Austen-esque titles: some non-fiction works about her works, one of the graphic novel adaptations, and a few of the recent fiction works inspired by her life or works. (I still need to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The day I created this display, I came home to find that my father had actually brought me that exact title for me to read, for a friend had given it to him.) I had lots of fun--AGAIN--creating info slides to put up around the display, too.
Because we had already spotlighted two males for author of the month, I knew I wanted to do a female for December. When I started looking in our collection, and before I had remembered December was Jane Austen's birthday month, I noticed a lot of the female authors in our collection have written trilogies. Trilogies are too small for an author display, and when I brought this up to my supervisor she said, "Why not do trilogies for Christmas...Like the Twelve Days of Christmas, but Twelve TRILOGIES?" Um. Yes. That's why she's in charge. She makes my ideas so much better. (What will I do without her??)
And, so, Twelve Trilogies for Christmas display was born. Some of the trilogies are rather established, like the Inkworld Trilogy or the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and some are rather new, like Lisa McMann's WAKE Trilogy and Jeff Sampson's Deviants Trilogy. This display had books flying off of it faster than any other yet. Marie Lu's Legend Series was checked out within the first few days. Other quick check outs included selections from Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games (no shocker there) and Marisa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. The best part was fitting them into the display space. I got to experiment with lay out, book stacks, and still keep the display pleasing to the eye. Finally, I did make one sign to give students a little bit of reason why all of these random series were stacked up together.
The first semester of displays have been pretty great, I think. I've tried to keep them interesting, eye catching, and always focused on different types of books. I may have fallen short of that last goals a few times, but with winter break coming up, I have a few weeks to think of and create new displays for the new year.
Author Spotlight was a no-brainer for December: the fair Miss Austen, without a doubt. It is her birthday month, after all. I took her original works with the newest covers (paperbacks in permabound), and then I pulled other Austen-esque titles: some non-fiction works about her works, one of the graphic novel adaptations, and a few of the recent fiction works inspired by her life or works. (I still need to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The day I created this display, I came home to find that my father had actually brought me that exact title for me to read, for a friend had given it to him.) I had lots of fun--AGAIN--creating info slides to put up around the display, too.
And, so, Twelve Trilogies for Christmas display was born. Some of the trilogies are rather established, like the Inkworld Trilogy or the Bartimaeus Trilogy, and some are rather new, like Lisa McMann's WAKE Trilogy and Jeff Sampson's Deviants Trilogy. This display had books flying off of it faster than any other yet. Marie Lu's Legend Series was checked out within the first few days. Other quick check outs included selections from Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games (no shocker there) and Marisa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. The best part was fitting them into the display space. I got to experiment with lay out, book stacks, and still keep the display pleasing to the eye. Finally, I did make one sign to give students a little bit of reason why all of these random series were stacked up together.
The first semester of displays have been pretty great, I think. I've tried to keep them interesting, eye catching, and always focused on different types of books. I may have fallen short of that last goals a few times, but with winter break coming up, I have a few weeks to think of and create new displays for the new year.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Jealous
It's the end of the semester, and there are some major projects going on here at Uni. While working in the library I see groups of students sitting around and discussing/studying Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Earlier in the semester I saw students toiling over (and gagging over) Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Students are also working on Banned Books Projects, reading texts of their own choosing. I've seen Lord of the Flies and To Kill a Mockingbird among others.
All I can think is, how lucky they are.
How lucky they are to be discovering these great works for the first time! I remember the first time I read each of those novels, and they changed by life. Before those, I had read Christopher Pike, Paul Zindel, and Roald Dahl...lots AND lots of all three. They kind of WERE my reading life. And, there is nothing wrong with these three great YA authors and others like them. They are fantastic, entertaining, and made me that covert reader with the books in my lap during class. But, Hawthorne, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Shelley, Dickens, Bronte, Wharton...they are the ones that sent my literary heart through the roof, and kept it in the clouds of epic words, devastating romances, and gritty realism, and may my heart never find its way back down to the dark doldrums of life without great classics.
*sigh* I think I need to discover a new classic over break. You know what? I've never...read...Jane Eyre. I know. I can't believe it either. I think I know my new assignment for this holiday. Maybe if a classics kindred spirit sees me reading that for the first time while having a coffee break in the 'Bucks, they'll be jealous of me.
P.S. Want the tee-shirts I've "advertised"? Check out Litographs:Books on T-Shirts. You won't be sorry. Well, your bank account probably will be, but not you!
All I can think is, how lucky they are.
How lucky they are to be discovering these great works for the first time! I remember the first time I read each of those novels, and they changed by life. Before those, I had read Christopher Pike, Paul Zindel, and Roald Dahl...lots AND lots of all three. They kind of WERE my reading life. And, there is nothing wrong with these three great YA authors and others like them. They are fantastic, entertaining, and made me that covert reader with the books in my lap during class. But, Hawthorne, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Shelley, Dickens, Bronte, Wharton...they are the ones that sent my literary heart through the roof, and kept it in the clouds of epic words, devastating romances, and gritty realism, and may my heart never find its way back down to the dark doldrums of life without great classics.
*sigh* I think I need to discover a new classic over break. You know what? I've never...read...Jane Eyre. I know. I can't believe it either. I think I know my new assignment for this holiday. Maybe if a classics kindred spirit sees me reading that for the first time while having a coffee break in the 'Bucks, they'll be jealous of me.
P.S. Want the tee-shirts I've "advertised"? Check out Litographs:Books on T-Shirts. You won't be sorry. Well, your bank account probably will be, but not you!
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Holiday Wishes
Even though this is a library blog, I can still talk about some holiday wishes. Actually, I should make that holiday WISH.
I know that sounds silly. I'm a graduate assistant in a LIBRARY. I am getting my master's in LIBRARY science. I talk about, write about, think about books all day. But, I don't really get a chance to read them that much. I am busy at work, in class, taking care of three awesome babies, and writing papers. When I'm not doing those things, I would really like to spend time with my wonderful husband. Finding the time to read shouldn't be a struggle, but it is.
I have a stack of books next to my bed that is almost impenetrable. It's also close to toppling over. Everyday I work here I find more books I want to read. Every time I go on Good Reads I find more wonderful books recommended by my friends, and then I get sucked into their Listopia section, and I'm just toast.
I've never really thought about my own mortality until recently. As the list of books I want to read gets longer and longer AND longer, I'm more aware of my lack of time on this plain. I'll never get to read all of the books I want to read. That is probably the most singularly depressing thought I've ever had. I don't like that fact. In fact, I HATE that fact.
Oh, my. This was supposed to be upbeat, right? I mean, I'm supposed to be writing about my holiday wish. Let me see if I can turn this around.
OK...My holiday wish, or GOAL, is to read three books of my own choosing with absolute joy and abandon. I will choose whatever I want: horror, graphic novels, contemporary literature, young adult...the sky's the limit. Knowing me, my choices will probably come from this Good Reads list, "Food on the Cover." I am so into books that center around food these days! I don't know...it's a recent obsession. Memoir, YA, picture books, adult fiction...if it has to do with food, I'M IN.
These books have a really good chance of making my holiday read list:
I hope to report back in January and tell you that I've accomplished my goal!
My holiday wish is to have time to read.
I know that sounds silly. I'm a graduate assistant in a LIBRARY. I am getting my master's in LIBRARY science. I talk about, write about, think about books all day. But, I don't really get a chance to read them that much. I am busy at work, in class, taking care of three awesome babies, and writing papers. When I'm not doing those things, I would really like to spend time with my wonderful husband. Finding the time to read shouldn't be a struggle, but it is.
I have a stack of books next to my bed that is almost impenetrable. It's also close to toppling over. Everyday I work here I find more books I want to read. Every time I go on Good Reads I find more wonderful books recommended by my friends, and then I get sucked into their Listopia section, and I'm just toast.
I've never really thought about my own mortality until recently. As the list of books I want to read gets longer and longer AND longer, I'm more aware of my lack of time on this plain. I'll never get to read all of the books I want to read. That is probably the most singularly depressing thought I've ever had. I don't like that fact. In fact, I HATE that fact.
Oh, my. This was supposed to be upbeat, right? I mean, I'm supposed to be writing about my holiday wish. Let me see if I can turn this around.
OK...My holiday wish, or GOAL, is to read three books of my own choosing with absolute joy and abandon. I will choose whatever I want: horror, graphic novels, contemporary literature, young adult...the sky's the limit. Knowing me, my choices will probably come from this Good Reads list, "Food on the Cover." I am so into books that center around food these days! I don't know...it's a recent obsession. Memoir, YA, picture books, adult fiction...if it has to do with food, I'M IN.
These books have a really good chance of making my holiday read list:
I hope to report back in January and tell you that I've accomplished my goal!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
It's That Time of Year
Yes indeedy. It IS that time of year. So many commitments: final papers to write, books to read, presents to wrap, things to do...but life would be boring without a little stress to keep you on your toes, no?
All of sudden November's over, and December's already in its ninth day! Since my last post, we've celebrated Thanksgiving, an anniversary, and two December birthdays at our house. I've been busy around the Uni Library, too. (Maybe too busy? I really need to finish a couple of papers, but I keep finding things to think about/do in the Dragon's Lair.)
Our monthly bulletin board and circ desk have been updated:
There's been another successful Game Day:
MORE new books have been put on overflow display:
Another newsletter has been published detailing our December events, AND two displays have been created (more on those later). PHEW! THAT'S A LOT!
Oh, it's still so much fun, guys. I'm so, SO lucky to be working at this library, if only for a year. I get to stretch my creativity with bulletin boards, dream up displays that I hope will get students' attentions (and draw them into more pleasure reading and less studying...MUWAHAHA!!!), I get to hone my research skills as I help students learn theirs, and I get to learn and work with consummate professionals, like Amy and Paul. This is the sweetest graduate assistantship EVER, and I'm VERY thankful for it during this time of year (no matter how busy I get!).
All of sudden November's over, and December's already in its ninth day! Since my last post, we've celebrated Thanksgiving, an anniversary, and two December birthdays at our house. I've been busy around the Uni Library, too. (Maybe too busy? I really need to finish a couple of papers, but I keep finding things to think about/do in the Dragon's Lair.)
Our monthly bulletin board and circ desk have been updated:
There's been another successful Game Day:
MORE new books have been put on overflow display:
Awww, SNAP. One's already gone. Nice.
Another newsletter has been published detailing our December events, AND two displays have been created (more on those later). PHEW! THAT'S A LOT!
Oh, it's still so much fun, guys. I'm so, SO lucky to be working at this library, if only for a year. I get to stretch my creativity with bulletin boards, dream up displays that I hope will get students' attentions (and draw them into more pleasure reading and less studying...MUWAHAHA!!!), I get to hone my research skills as I help students learn theirs, and I get to learn and work with consummate professionals, like Amy and Paul. This is the sweetest graduate assistantship EVER, and I'm VERY thankful for it during this time of year (no matter how busy I get!).
Friday, November 21, 2014
I Think I'd Die
I have a new dream. It's lofty...OH SO LOFTY. But, I can't get the image out of my head. What image you might ask? This image:
My new dream is to have David Tennant lead storytime at my future school library.
On Wednesday, the Unofficial David Tennant Facebook page posted that he visited his sister's school earlier this week. He praised her life's work of assisting and teaching students with special needs. They then posted pictures of him with the students at the school and reading to them in the assembly room.
There are so many things here going on that makes my head want to explode.
1. His sister is a teacher for students with special needs, and he praises her. He knows what a hard, yet rewarding, job this is. Swoon.
2. He chums around with the students. His sister said many of her students absolutely adore Doctor Who, and he made their dreams come true. Double swoon.
3. He said his sister asked him to visit, and he still has to do what his older sister tells him to. Adorable.
4. He led storytime. I'll type that one again: HE. LED. STORYTIME. Brain officially BURSTING!
I kind of want to write him an impassioned plea to come visit my school next year, wherever that may be, and beg him to lead storytime. I have to start crafting this letter now. Too bad his latest show, Gracepoint on FOX, is bombing in the ratings. He might be hesitant to visit the States again. I'll just assure him he'll receive a very warm reception when he arrives at the library. I need to make this happen. And, he needs to wear that Mr. Cool tee again.
My new dream is to have David Tennant lead storytime at my future school library.
On Wednesday, the Unofficial David Tennant Facebook page posted that he visited his sister's school earlier this week. He praised her life's work of assisting and teaching students with special needs. They then posted pictures of him with the students at the school and reading to them in the assembly room.
There are so many things here going on that makes my head want to explode.
1. His sister is a teacher for students with special needs, and he praises her. He knows what a hard, yet rewarding, job this is. Swoon.
2. He chums around with the students. His sister said many of her students absolutely adore Doctor Who, and he made their dreams come true. Double swoon.
3. He said his sister asked him to visit, and he still has to do what his older sister tells him to. Adorable.
4. He led storytime. I'll type that one again: HE. LED. STORYTIME. Brain officially BURSTING!
I kind of want to write him an impassioned plea to come visit my school next year, wherever that may be, and beg him to lead storytime. I have to start crafting this letter now. Too bad his latest show, Gracepoint on FOX, is bombing in the ratings. He might be hesitant to visit the States again. I'll just assure him he'll receive a very warm reception when he arrives at the library. I need to make this happen. And, he needs to wear that Mr. Cool tee again.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Just a Regular Day
It's just a regular old day here at the Uni Library, and a day in which I get some more awesome practice at being a future librarian.
The Subbie (grades 7/8 combined) Group is doing a project on Banned Books before the semester is over, and a student came in today needing some help on finding information on Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho.
So, I got to spend the morning talking with her about American Psycho, looking up primary source documents on the furor that American Psycho caused, and helping her navigate online books and request articles from campus storage. So, all in all, just an awesome morning. I even got to exercise biting my tongue as to why a 13-year-old shouldn't be reading that violent, drug- and sex-induced satire. Yay me! On that note...
As a librarian I am all for not banning books, freedom of speech, and freedom of access, but if my kid wanted to read American Psycho at 13, we would have a discussion about appropriate book selection for one's maturity level. Part of the project the Subbie Group is doing is completing research BEFORE they read the book as to why it's been banned, and then they have to present a convincing proposal to their parents as to why they should be able to read it. Before the student gets cleared to read the book, they must present a signed copy of the letter from their parents saying it's fine for them to it. This is ingenious, and I wish I would have thought of this as a former teacher. I would like to read this student's letter about American Psycho, because she really, REALLY wants to read it.
In my research this morning I was also reminded of the London musical adaptation of the book starring Whoniverse's Matt Smith, which has a score by 90s one hit wonder, Duncan Sheik. I have to get my hands on that recording.
The Subbie (grades 7/8 combined) Group is doing a project on Banned Books before the semester is over, and a student came in today needing some help on finding information on Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho.
So, I got to spend the morning talking with her about American Psycho, looking up primary source documents on the furor that American Psycho caused, and helping her navigate online books and request articles from campus storage. So, all in all, just an awesome morning. I even got to exercise biting my tongue as to why a 13-year-old shouldn't be reading that violent, drug- and sex-induced satire. Yay me! On that note...
As a librarian I am all for not banning books, freedom of speech, and freedom of access, but if my kid wanted to read American Psycho at 13, we would have a discussion about appropriate book selection for one's maturity level. Part of the project the Subbie Group is doing is completing research BEFORE they read the book as to why it's been banned, and then they have to present a convincing proposal to their parents as to why they should be able to read it. Before the student gets cleared to read the book, they must present a signed copy of the letter from their parents saying it's fine for them to it. This is ingenious, and I wish I would have thought of this as a former teacher. I would like to read this student's letter about American Psycho, because she really, REALLY wants to read it.
In my research this morning I was also reminded of the London musical adaptation of the book starring Whoniverse's Matt Smith, which has a score by 90s one hit wonder, Duncan Sheik. I have to get my hands on that recording.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Winter Reads
All of a sudden it's winter in these here parts. We're bundling up, most are cursing the light snowfall that's already occurred (not me!), and it's the perfect time to talk winter reads. Cause, seriously, what is better than curling up with a good book, a hot cup of something, and a fleece blanket? Not much, I can tell you that! (I'm just sad I don't get to do that too much anymore.)
At the beginning of the semester I saw a bulletin board on Pinterest with the title "I Read a Latte!" Of course, I've had it in the back of mind to use once it got chilly. I thought I'd save it for January, but it was just too good not to do now.
Here's the method...I found several lists of winter reads--Goodreads, other Pinterest boards, and my own mind (ETHAN FROME! THE SHINING! LITTLE WOMEN!). I used these as a starting point. After creating a list of chilly reads (that included MANY genres!), I made sure we had the books on the list in our Uni Library. Then, the real fun began! I hunted down book covers of the titles, and I got to make them into lil MUGS! That's right: MUGS! For lattes...GET IT!?!
Because I was too cheap to buy new border, I just used a book border I already had. I justified this to myself, because the title is "I Read A LATTE," so a border with a lot of genres present makes sense. (I do really wish I had a border with snowflakes, though. But, like I said, not a lot of cash what with kids' birthdays and holidays coming up.) The final touch was procuring Starbucks cups this morning for the board. Those were free (as they should be with all the money I spend there).
This is one of my favorite boards yet. I hope you like it, too!
At the beginning of the semester I saw a bulletin board on Pinterest with the title "I Read a Latte!" Of course, I've had it in the back of mind to use once it got chilly. I thought I'd save it for January, but it was just too good not to do now.
Here's the method...I found several lists of winter reads--Goodreads, other Pinterest boards, and my own mind (ETHAN FROME! THE SHINING! LITTLE WOMEN!). I used these as a starting point. After creating a list of chilly reads (that included MANY genres!), I made sure we had the books on the list in our Uni Library. Then, the real fun began! I hunted down book covers of the titles, and I got to make them into lil MUGS! That's right: MUGS! For lattes...GET IT!?!
Because I was too cheap to buy new border, I just used a book border I already had. I justified this to myself, because the title is "I Read A LATTE," so a border with a lot of genres present makes sense. (I do really wish I had a border with snowflakes, though. But, like I said, not a lot of cash what with kids' birthdays and holidays coming up.) The final touch was procuring Starbucks cups this morning for the board. Those were free (as they should be with all the money I spend there).
This is one of my favorite boards yet. I hope you like it, too!
Food & Gaiman
I made a diary entry about how "unfortunate" I was to create displays about food and Neil Gaiman. I hope you know I was kidding! I just realized I never posted the finished products.
I've known since the beginning of the year that I would do a food display for the Thanksgiving season. I had fun just roaming around our collection pulling books that had to do with food: I pulled fiction, graphic novels, memoirs, and non-fiction. I couldn't fit all of the cookbooks we have, so I tried to put a good variety. Praise be to the heavens that the Uni Collection does have what I think is my most favorite food book of all time: The Gallery of Regrettable Food. When I worked at Pages for All Ages, we used to pour over this book at the Info Desk. It is one of my all-time ultimate favorites.
I also made some signage for the display, encouraging students to ask for help if they need to find more food books or want to search for them at one of the public libraries. I had to use a still from Oliver for this...of course. This is also how I got a photo of Jamie Oliver included.
The Neil Gaiman display also turned out well and included signage. Since he's the author of the month, I included info about him: vital stats, his work, his social media sites, etc. It was great fun collecting his books for the display, but a lot of his books are checked out--no shocker there.
He's one of the biggest advocates for libraries, and for some great personal stories he has about libraries and being a book nerd, check out these links:
I've known since the beginning of the year that I would do a food display for the Thanksgiving season. I had fun just roaming around our collection pulling books that had to do with food: I pulled fiction, graphic novels, memoirs, and non-fiction. I couldn't fit all of the cookbooks we have, so I tried to put a good variety. Praise be to the heavens that the Uni Collection does have what I think is my most favorite food book of all time: The Gallery of Regrettable Food. When I worked at Pages for All Ages, we used to pour over this book at the Info Desk. It is one of my all-time ultimate favorites.
I also made some signage for the display, encouraging students to ask for help if they need to find more food books or want to search for them at one of the public libraries. I had to use a still from Oliver for this...of course. This is also how I got a photo of Jamie Oliver included.
The Neil Gaiman display also turned out well and included signage. Since he's the author of the month, I included info about him: vital stats, his work, his social media sites, etc. It was great fun collecting his books for the display, but a lot of his books are checked out--no shocker there.
He's one of the biggest advocates for libraries, and for some great personal stories he has about libraries and being a book nerd, check out these links:
Monday, November 17, 2014
Library Diary
Dear Library Diary,
What a traumatic day I'm having. Currently I'm in the middle of two book displays...TWO. Both of them so hard and tasking to complete. The first one is a display for food books, aptly titled Food, GLORIOUS, Food. What with Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas, too, I thought our aspiring young chefs at Uni might like some cookery books to peruse. I've managed to cull fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels for the display. But, THEN, when I came in to work today, my thoughtful co-worker, Paul, had placed a copy of Michael Pollan's Cooked on the circ desk for me. He knew it would be good for the display, and he knew I would like to look through it, too. I do enjoy Michael Pollan immensely, but now all I want to do is read the book, not work. Oh, woe is me. Librarian problems!
Then, after shifting some displays around, we now have room for THREE different displays to be going at once. Fun, yes? Well, sure, but NOW I have to come up with a new Author Spotlight display. Supervisor Amy suggested Neil Gaiman, which will result in one of the most well-rounded displays I've done, since it will include novels, graphic novels, and picture books. Neil Gaiman? Really!? I have to spend the day looking up information on Neil Gaiman, the man who encourages parents to always read to their children, and everyone to read, read, READ as much as they can. I also have to look up images of him for the display signage?
UGH! This job is ridiculous! Librarian problems ALL DAY, son!
Here's to a better day tomorrow, Library Diary,
amanda
What a traumatic day I'm having. Currently I'm in the middle of two book displays...TWO. Both of them so hard and tasking to complete. The first one is a display for food books, aptly titled Food, GLORIOUS, Food. What with Thanksgiving right around the corner and Christmas, too, I thought our aspiring young chefs at Uni might like some cookery books to peruse. I've managed to cull fiction, non-fiction, and graphic novels for the display. But, THEN, when I came in to work today, my thoughtful co-worker, Paul, had placed a copy of Michael Pollan's Cooked on the circ desk for me. He knew it would be good for the display, and he knew I would like to look through it, too. I do enjoy Michael Pollan immensely, but now all I want to do is read the book, not work. Oh, woe is me. Librarian problems!
Then, after shifting some displays around, we now have room for THREE different displays to be going at once. Fun, yes? Well, sure, but NOW I have to come up with a new Author Spotlight display. Supervisor Amy suggested Neil Gaiman, which will result in one of the most well-rounded displays I've done, since it will include novels, graphic novels, and picture books. Neil Gaiman? Really!? I have to spend the day looking up information on Neil Gaiman, the man who encourages parents to always read to their children, and everyone to read, read, READ as much as they can. I also have to look up images of him for the display signage?
UGH! This job is ridiculous! Librarian problems ALL DAY, son!
Here's to a better day tomorrow, Library Diary,
amanda
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Paradigm Shift: Education Dreams
A lot of people have told me that Uni isn't a "real" library. Students want to come to the library, they want to study in the library, they're sad they don't get to do enough pleasure reading (because of their rigorous course load), and they are extremely self sufficient. They still need guidance on finding reliable sources, and they might need some help navigating the University of Illinois online catalog, but they are schooled in this during their first year at Uni. By the time they are Sophomores, they have a pretty good handle on this.
So, why am I here? What can I really learn from working in a library where the librarian isn't "as needed" as they might be in a public school library?
1. I've learned how much students love to interact with their teachers on a personal level.
At Uni I have learned that the gap between teacher and student needs to be bridged. The conversations I hear between teachers and students at Uni are so much more beneficial than almost any I had with students when I was a teacher. There still needs to be respect for the teacher, because the teacher is the expert, the one passing on knowledge, but having conversations with students as human beings and not charges is something that I want to encourage and provide in my next step as an educator. I think this is one reason students love Uni so much: they are respected, and they are encouraged to voice their own opinions.
2. Students are encouraged to teach others and share their knowledge with everyone.
Every February Uni hosts Agora Days, when staff and students veer off the curriculum map and spend a week exploring things that are interesting to them. Staff AND students lead sessions during this week of alternative classes. Here in the library we've started a series called Agora Unleashed, for students who want to get a jump on the February festivities. This week's topic? Beyonce and Feminism: The Pop Culture Queen, Her Music, and Her Message.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE working here??
3. Study Hall is NEEDED.
Remember when you watched 16 Candles when you were little, and you saw Samantha, a Sophomore, in study hall with Jake, a Senior? You don't? That was just me?
Well, anyway...study hall is required here, and they are multi-class affairs. Students getting time to work on their homework and projects during school time is a beautiful thing, and even if they don't work on their homework, they can take a moment, breathe, and read a book of their choice. Working in schools where study hall isn't required, because we have to be doing curriculum all the time or interventions all the time or making sure we're ready for a test all the time is tiring! If it's tiring for the teachers, just think how bushed the students must get! (Oh, and don't even twist this to make it sound students should never get interventions when needed. They just really, REALLY need a break, too.)
4. Freedom and responsibility are hallmarks to building student trust.
Students have one free period a day. They are given the freedom and responsibility to use this time as they see fit. They can leave the building, study, take a nap, or do whatever they need during that period to better themselves. I wish I had this. I wish all buildings could encourage this and build trust between staff and students to make this possible.
Will I be able to do these four things in my library? Probably not, because they are school-wide initiatives. Will I be able to encourage a mind shift in my colleagues to experiment with these things that I've learned? Maybe I could with a few. I wish that schools would start to rethink education for students, though. I wish that some teachers would stop thinking of school as a place to cram curriculum down students' throats and to complete timelines. I think if we could shift our thinking to education as a joyful lifelong pursuit and to instill this in our students, a lot more genuine, authentic learning would take place in public schools.
Encouraging others to think in a new way, to stand up to what has always been, is not easy. It's scary, intimidating, and I don't know if I can do it. Maybe this really is just a dream I have, that I'll never see come true. But, with ideas I'm gaining from Uni, how can I not at least try when I get a school library placement? With Beyonce telling me I can do it, how can I resist at least trying???
So, why am I here? What can I really learn from working in a library where the librarian isn't "as needed" as they might be in a public school library?
1. I've learned how much students love to interact with their teachers on a personal level.
At Uni I have learned that the gap between teacher and student needs to be bridged. The conversations I hear between teachers and students at Uni are so much more beneficial than almost any I had with students when I was a teacher. There still needs to be respect for the teacher, because the teacher is the expert, the one passing on knowledge, but having conversations with students as human beings and not charges is something that I want to encourage and provide in my next step as an educator. I think this is one reason students love Uni so much: they are respected, and they are encouraged to voice their own opinions.
2. Students are encouraged to teach others and share their knowledge with everyone.
Every February Uni hosts Agora Days, when staff and students veer off the curriculum map and spend a week exploring things that are interesting to them. Staff AND students lead sessions during this week of alternative classes. Here in the library we've started a series called Agora Unleashed, for students who want to get a jump on the February festivities. This week's topic? Beyonce and Feminism: The Pop Culture Queen, Her Music, and Her Message.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE working here??
3. Study Hall is NEEDED.
Remember when you watched 16 Candles when you were little, and you saw Samantha, a Sophomore, in study hall with Jake, a Senior? You don't? That was just me?
Well, anyway...study hall is required here, and they are multi-class affairs. Students getting time to work on their homework and projects during school time is a beautiful thing, and even if they don't work on their homework, they can take a moment, breathe, and read a book of their choice. Working in schools where study hall isn't required, because we have to be doing curriculum all the time or interventions all the time or making sure we're ready for a test all the time is tiring! If it's tiring for the teachers, just think how bushed the students must get! (Oh, and don't even twist this to make it sound students should never get interventions when needed. They just really, REALLY need a break, too.)
4. Freedom and responsibility are hallmarks to building student trust.
Students have one free period a day. They are given the freedom and responsibility to use this time as they see fit. They can leave the building, study, take a nap, or do whatever they need during that period to better themselves. I wish I had this. I wish all buildings could encourage this and build trust between staff and students to make this possible.
Will I be able to do these four things in my library? Probably not, because they are school-wide initiatives. Will I be able to encourage a mind shift in my colleagues to experiment with these things that I've learned? Maybe I could with a few. I wish that schools would start to rethink education for students, though. I wish that some teachers would stop thinking of school as a place to cram curriculum down students' throats and to complete timelines. I think if we could shift our thinking to education as a joyful lifelong pursuit and to instill this in our students, a lot more genuine, authentic learning would take place in public schools.
Encouraging others to think in a new way, to stand up to what has always been, is not easy. It's scary, intimidating, and I don't know if I can do it. Maybe this really is just a dream I have, that I'll never see come true. But, with ideas I'm gaining from Uni, how can I not at least try when I get a school library placement? With Beyonce telling me I can do it, how can I resist at least trying???
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
ALL the New Fiction
Remember all of the awesome new fiction books we got last week? Well, we got even MORE this week! We have no room for all of the new books in the New Books display. So, Amy wanted to try something new.
I took a portion of the new books and put them on the "back book display." This is where I put most of our bigger displays. We want to see if the books go faster from the back display as opposed to the New Books display that the students see as they walk into the library.
I've been creating informal tally sheets for each display to keep track of which books are checked out from each display. I've done the same thing for this "display race." Both displays have some pretty spectacular new books, so I hope a lot of books get checked out.
For the back display, I did create some signage, so students would know what was up. I even decided to use some Snoopy, because new acquisitions always make me want to do my happy dance. Winning.
Finally, our awesome library technician, Paul, came up with some great yellow tags to put in each new book to flag it for students.
Students here at Uni work so hard in their classes, but several do come in to check out books for pleasure reading. A lot of them tend to check out the same authors: J.R.R. Tolkien, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore. All are fantastic, but I hope all of this teamwork to push the new books works, because they are awesome and deserve to be read, too!
I took a portion of the new books and put them on the "back book display." This is where I put most of our bigger displays. We want to see if the books go faster from the back display as opposed to the New Books display that the students see as they walk into the library.
I've been creating informal tally sheets for each display to keep track of which books are checked out from each display. I've done the same thing for this "display race." Both displays have some pretty spectacular new books, so I hope a lot of books get checked out.
WHO WILL WIN???
VS.
For the back display, I did create some signage, so students would know what was up. I even decided to use some Snoopy, because new acquisitions always make me want to do my happy dance. Winning.
Finally, our awesome library technician, Paul, came up with some great yellow tags to put in each new book to flag it for students.
Students here at Uni work so hard in their classes, but several do come in to check out books for pleasure reading. A lot of them tend to check out the same authors: J.R.R. Tolkien, Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore. All are fantastic, but I hope all of this teamwork to push the new books works, because they are awesome and deserve to be read, too!
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