It’s not a links of note weekend (I try to do them every other weekend), but I had a couple pop up this week that are so good I can’t hold off on sharing them.
- Over on Library Journal’s Backtalk, Brian Samek wrote about the value of books and reading to libraries. This might be one of my all-time favorite journal reads. Why? Because of stuff like this: Reading is extraordinary. It captures a child’s imagination while teaching him or her how to read, how to write, and how to think, and the mere existence of a public library causes children to read more.
- Yesterday, Carrie Mesrobian talked about how her child’s school didn’t have a school librarian. Rather, they had a media clerk (that’s someone who checks out books) and teachers were responsible for classroom libraries. Even as someone who isn’t a school librarian, it’s appalling to me that the job is such an expendable one. Brian Farrey responded to this with an incredible post about what his school librarians meant to him. Go read it. He remembers every one of them and what they did for him. It’s good stuff.
- I will be relinking this over and over, but Nova Ren Suma’s got a new series going, and this one is “Beyond the Latest Buzz.” She’s asked librarians and bloggers to share some of their favorite gem reads. The ones that don’t get all of the buzz and publicity others get. The first post is up, and it’s by Jen Hubert of Reading Rants.
A few personal notes I wanted to share, too.
- I was asked — and accepted — a committee assignment with YALSA for the coming year. I’ll be serving on Outstanding Books for the College Bound. This is a list that’s updated every five years, and you can see the last incarnations here. I’m very excited to be a part of this committee. It’ll be a really nice reading mix, and I’m thrilled to find out who else is on the committee and who is chairing it. And just so it’s crystal clear, this is my official statement of whatever I say on this blog is my opinion and does not reflect the opinions or thoughts of anyone else on the committee or in the organization.
- Remember that time Liz and I were on Steve’s Circulating Ideas Podcast? We’ve been invited back, along with a few others, to talk “Best of” and reading culture in January. I’ll share it when we get there (it’s in early talks, but I love the idea of discussing our personal “bests” for the year). Also, Kim and I will be sharing our “best of” lists, but we prefer to wait until the end of the year. There are still more than 20 reading days in December left!
- Remember #readadv, the Twitterchat by Sophie Brookover, Liz Burns, and myself? It’s back. We had our first return chat this week and it was a success. Join us to talk all things readers’ advisory again on December 20, 8 pm Eastern Time. No topic just yet, but we will have one soon. Here’s a post on why readers’ advisory matters and why we’re doing this chat.
- Hi to anyone stopping by from Jessica Moyer‘s UW Milwaukee MLIS class! I had the pleasure of speaking to grad students in library school earlier this week all about social media. Not only did I get to tell them about blogging, but I am hopeful I convinced them that talking about what it is that ignites their passion — be it books or big-L librarianship or film or archives — is good stuff. It was a total honor to be asked to speak. I’d share my Prezi here, but it wouldn’t do much good for anyone who didn’t hear the presentation.
Thank you to everyone for all your reading of — and sharing of — our blog. Kimberly and I are both grateful and appreciate all of your thoughtful commentary. I’m sharing this thanks because we are on the cusp of half a million hits. I think we’ll get there in the next week or two, and for something that started as just our outlet has grown into something so much more. We’ve got a couple of giveaways in the next couple of weeks, too, so if free stuff is your thing, keep an eye out.
Congrats on so many hits!
I can't imagine a school without a librarian. And that's a huge burden to put on teachers, who I doubt get paid extra to develop and monitor a collection of books for their class.
It's not just a burden, but teachers aren't librarians, period. They aren't protected by collection policies, they aren't trained readers advisors, and so on and so forth. They have plenty they ARE experts at. Librarians — especially in the schools — aren't expendable.
And thank you!!
I did a happy dance when I saw your name on the OCBC list! I'm so excited.
Katie posted you were chairing and I got super excited! Can't wait to work together.