Category: Librarian

Public libraries innovating and serving during COVID-19

4/20/2020

Public libraries are a pillar of many communities, and people of all races, ethnicities, genders, ages, abilities, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, (etc.) rely on them daily. They could be using the library for free educational and/or entertainment resources, internet access, technology help, a quiet study or meeting space, somewhere to get warm and dry, a safe public restroom, human connectedness ... and the list goes on and on. Public libraries are one of the only places you can go today where you're not expected to to buy something, and they're frequently referred to as "last bastion of democracy in America." So what happens when a global pandemic causes libraries to shut their doors?

They adapt!

The COVID-19 Pandemic has made libraries innovate and market their services like never before. Lucky innovation is where libraries thrive. Some of the popular talking points and trends regarding nontraditional library services in the profession right now include the following:

Libraries 3D printing PPE for first responders and medical professionals
Providing resources to some of the most at-risk populations
Digital programming including storytimes, nature scavenger hunts, escape rooms, and more!

According to a Wired article called COVID-19’s Impact on Libraries Goes Beyond Books,

"...libraries have also become much more forgiving about item return dates and library card expirations. Some libraries have started offering even more robust online offerings, from upping the allotment of streaming media rentals to hosting online reading sessions. On March 24, the Internet Archive announced it was creating a 'National Emergency Library' by suspending wait lists for the 1.4 million books in its digital lending library. The organization says the suspension will remain in place until June 30, or the end of the US national emergency, whichever is later."

We are living in unprecedented times. Essential employees like medical staff, grocery store employees, truckers, farmers (the list goes on!) have probably never been more overworked or more appreciated. Despite public libraries not being deemed as "essential services" during this pandemic, librarians and library workers across the country have been working remotely to continue to serve their communities.

Here in Wisconsin, public libraries will be able to resume curbside check-out services when abiding by certain health and safety guidelines beginning Friday, April 24th. But normal library operations, including returning library materials, attending in-person library programming, and browsing the shelves, are still a ways off. While library administrators (and everyone else!) figure out how to most safely and effectively resume normal operations, please know that if there's one thing that is "essential" for a public library, it's their community. It will always be that way. We can't wait to see you in the stacks again soon!

PS: Happy National Library Week!

1 Comment

Tessa's Top Titles of 2019!

12/30/2019

0 Comments

Well here we are again – the end of the year! This was another great and constantly improving year for picture books as they continue to impress with their ability to address complex subjects, and embrace diverse faces, voices and intersectionality (well, at least the best ones do!). Without any further ado ... here are my favorite picture books of the year! Click on the covers for more book details.

Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2019

There were a lot of great additions to picture books this year, so many that I couldn't limit it down to just 20 like last year! Many of my top contenders in 2019 celebrated black children, including titles like I Am Perfectly Designed (Karamo Brown), M is for Melanin (Tiffany Rose), and Hair Love (Matthew A. Cherry). I also picked some books that really highlighted and embraced intersectionality and celebrating our differences, like When Aidan Became a Brother (Kyle Lukoff) and IntersectionAllies: We Make Room For All (Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council & Carolyn Choi).

It was hard not to pick books that so beautifully captured the love of family, culture, and familial traditions, including Amy Wu and the Perfect Bao (Kat Zhang), Grandpa's Stories: A Book of Remembering (Joseph Coelho), Bilal Cooks Daal (Aisha Saeed), Where Are You From? (Jamie Kim) and You Made Me a Dad (Laurenne Sala,) ... WARNING: Tissues needed for that last one.

I also, of course, chose books that also (age-appropriately) tackled contemporary issues like immigration with Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story From the Border (Mitali Perkins); Islamophilia with Under my Hijab (Hena Khan); toxic masculinity with Big Boys Cry (Jonty Howley); feminism with I Will Be Fierce! (Bea Birdsong) and Mary Wears What She Wants (Keith Negley); and confronting personal biases in What If Everybody Thought That? (Ellen Javernick). The ability picture books have to introduce complex issues like these to young children is one of my many favorite things about them!

But there can only be one absolute favorite ... and for 2019, it is easily Fry Bread: A Native American Family Tradition (Kevin Noble Maillard). It is a beautiful story that captures contemporary Native people's present, past, and future.

Fry Bread is truly something special. In a world where Native voices are often silenced or erased, this title demands to be heard. It breaks the misguided and wrong(!) stereotype that far too many people still ascribe to when they think of of Native Americans – that they walk around in buckskin and headdresses, and live in teepees.

This wonderful gem also shatters the image of what Native people look like. The book features a ton of helpful back matter that breaks down every page, including a note from author Kevin Noble Maillard regarding this representation. He states:

"Most people think Native Americans always have brown skin and black hair. But there is an enormous range of hair textures and skin colors. Just like the characters in this book, Native people may have blonde hair or black skin, tight cornrows or a loose braid. This wide variety of faces reflects a history of intermingling between tribes and also with people of European, African, and Asian descent."

Looking for, reading, and enjoying books about Native people shouldn't be something only done around Thanksgiving – though sadly that seems to be the case for many. Fry Bread is undoubtedly a book that could and should be enjoyed year-round by all types of readers. Don't miss it!

While I try to keep track of all my favorites throughout the year, but I inevitably miss a few. Here are some amazing titles from 2018 that I missed in my wrap up post at the end of last year!

Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2018 (Continued 1 year later...)

Here's to another great year of picture books in 2020!

0 Comments

Libraries are breaking down walls – not building them

1/30/2019

0 Comments

"The Castle" brick wall installation art by Jorge Méndez Blake. Image retrieved from MyModernMet.com.

The Power of a Book.

Books change lives – even save them – and at the right time, a single book can have that same power.

A recent article from School Library Journal, discussed how libraries across the country are seeing diverse titles on the rise. After all, many readers – kids in particular – want to read about people and things they can relate to, and sometimes that means judging a book by its cover. Who's image do you see on the cover? What about the author's photo on the back? Do they look like you? Why not? The fact is, these images should be diverse as the plot lines in the stories that line the shelves. And thanks to a big push by librarians, that's becoming more of a reality.

The SLJ article Can Diverse Books Save Us? shows that in today's divided world, librarians are on a two-fold mission. First, to address the need of representation and make sure readers can find characters, authors and illustrations who are like them on their shelves. The second is to deliberately give readers access to books with characters, authors and illustrators who are not like them, in hopes of building empathy and understanding by getting a glimpse of someone else's lived experience and point of view.

According to the article, "Across the board, librarians are buying more diverse books – two-thirds of the sample, 68 percent of survey respondents – report purchasing an increased number of children’s/YA (young adult) titles with diverse characters in the last year." Not surprisingly, the level of importance of access to a diverse collection varies in communities where populations tend to be more homogenous.

Infographics retrieved from the School Library Journal article "Can Diverse Books Save Us?"

While there has been a lot of progress made thanks to the work of individual librarians and organizations like We Need Diverse Books, there's still a long way to go. My own experience as a librarian and a few quotes for the SLJ article make this clear:

“Please, more books about Muslim kids. Also Black Muslim kids. My students are Somali—there are no books that I can find published by big publishers,” commented Anna Zbacnik, a media specialist at Brimhall Elementary in Roseville, MN.

In Brunswick, Melissa Orth has difficulty finding contemporary stories of East Asians. Other librarians also seek non-historical portrayals of various cultures and ethnicities and ones that bust stereotypes and “single story” narratives.

“I am trying to find books where there are kids or teens just living life while black / gay / trans / fat / Muslim, etc.,” says Libby Edwardson, youth services librarian at Blue Hill (ME) Public Library. “Not that they ignore the challenges that accompany being a minority, but kids want to see mirrors of themselves in books. They don’t want to always have to see characters that represent or teach something bigger than themselves.”

I encourage you to read the entire article to draw your own conclusions, but mine is this: There are lots diverse voices writing books, and more readers are reading them. Librarians are buying diverse books now more than ever, which is great – but that can't be it. Now let's see the school curriculums change to reflect this, and let's support publishers who use their resources to make these types of books a reality. Let's hold each other accountable and not build any more unnecessary walls. Let's work together to keep tearing them down, brick by brick.

Image retrieved from the School Library Journal article "Can Diverse Books Save Us?"

0 Comments

My Top 20 Picture Books of 2018

12/12/2018

1 Comment

Wow, I can't believe 2018 is already almost over! It's true what they say: that each year passes a little more quickly than the one before it. Luckily, each trip around the sun also seems to bring us more beautiful and diverse picture books written by, illustrated by and featuring all sorts of different people.

If you're still looking for some gift ideas for the children in your life, consider these my suggestions! And if you don't feel like spending the money, I encourage you to visit your local public library and check some of these beauties out. Without any further ado – here are my favorite picture books of the year:

Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2018

This year there were some great (and seriously needed) books focused on breaking gender norms (Pink is For Boys, Julián Is a Mermaid and Teddy's Favorite Toy) and some very touching stories about serious issues that can be difficult for children to understand, like a grandparent's memory loss (The Remember Balloons [good luck not crying through that one]) and the refugee crisis (Marwan's Journey).

There was also some very strong books promoting acceptance and understanding (All of Us and All Are Welcome), books about feeling like you might not fit in (Neon Leon and Neither) and adorable confidence boosters (I Am Enough and The Day You Begin). Of course, there were also some books with show-stealing illustrations (Yellow Kayak and Ocean Meets Sky) and heartfelt plots (Run Wild and Dad By My Side).

But out of all these top picture books, there could only be one favorite, and it certainly stood out. Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung is perfect for storytime or one-on-one sharing. This important book serves as a childhood primer on a difficult topic for most people to discuss: the social construct of race.

With simple yet stylized illustrations, Mixed tells the story of how "colors" have their differences and some might not always get along. But when these colors start to blend (and blend, and blend!) – they realize the world becomes a pretty colorful and beautiful place. I can think of few things more special than that.

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season, filled with lots of special moments and memories!

(and hopefully some of these wonderful books, too!)

1 Comment

May we know them, raise them, be them and READ them!

3/19/2018

0 Comments

I love March. It starts to get warmer, the dreariness and the grey begin to seep out of the world and color returns once again. Red robins, blue skies, green grass – and then it's officially spring! But March gets even better, because it means one of my favorite times of the year is here . . .

March means National Women's History Month
and International Women's Day!

One of my favorite things about being a librarian is getting to do book displays – which not only help match every book with its reader; they also give librarians a chance to boost circulation and highlight important parts of their collection that might otherwise get lost in the stacks. So naturally, March yields some wonderful Girl Power book displays.

I must point out, of course, that March shouldn't be the only time of the year strong girls and women are highlighted in your library – this should be happening every month, just as books about people of color and/or different cultures should be found in book displays year-round, not just during the months designated to honor them.

Whether you're a librarian or not, March can serve as an annual reminder for all of us about *just how important* it is to see ALL girls (and boys and others – but largely, girls) of ALL kinds represented in the media we consume and willingly and/or otherwise allow the future generation to consume!

So without any further ado, here are some of the titles I've been paying extra attention to displaying this month! Broken down into five categories, these are a few of my favorite picture books that promote women's history, feminism, bravery, strength and independence to our youngest library patrons – male, female or anything beyond and in-between!

Brains, Beauty AND Bravado

"Beautiful" written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff / Published by Running Press Kids, 2016

Here are some of my favorite picture books that inspire girls to be bold, smart and strong, in addition to helping them find/embrace self-love and the true, inner beauty of themselves and others.

I Am Enough (2018)
by Grace Byers

A self-affirming text featuring girls of all colors, sizes and abilities, this book reminds girls that regardless of what others say (or what you might sometimes think about yourself): YOU ARE ENOUGH! This lyrical ode to being yourself, loving who you are, and treating others with kindness and respect makes it a picture book that I think everyone could use right now!

Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon (1994)
by Patty Lovell

This endearing story (only a few years younger than myself) is about a little girl who proves she's "big" in lots of other, special ways – much in thanks to her healthy and loving relationship with her wise grandmother. This book provides excellent reinforcement about the power and importance of nurturing healthy relationships between multi-generational women.

Beautiful (2016)
by Stacy McAnulty

A truly adorable book with tremendous, inclusive illustrations that show the many different ways girls are beautiful. As the back of the book explains, it's not all about your clothes, your hair, your style. It's all about WHO YOU ARE.

NOTE: This one may be my all-time favorite Girl Power picture book EVER! I've bought this book multiple times as birthday presents for the young girls in my life, because it is a book that could and should be shared aloud together, again and again.

Future Leaders & Early Activists

"The Pink Hat" written and illustrated by Andrew Noyner / Published by Random House/Schwartz & Wade, 2018

Here are a few of my favorites that emphasize taking the power to the streets (and polls!), and will surely inspire future generations to be politically active, stand up and be heard, and whenever possible – lend a literal or metaphorical mic to someone else's voice that isn't otherwise being heard, perhaps maybe even because of the sound of your own.

Grace for President (2008)
by Kelly DiPucchio

Perhaps one of the better known contemporary Girl Power picture books, Grace for President serves as a fun and understandable childhood introduction to the American electoral system. But even more importantly, this book also teaches children the value of supporting brave and hardworking leaders who listen to and fight for their constituents. And in this book, that leader just so happens to be a young black girl named Grace, not her white, male opponent.

The Pink Hat (2018)
by Andrew Joyner

The Pink Hat was inspired by the 5 million people (many of them children) in 82 countries who participated in the 2017 Women's March. This timely and adorable story is empowering and promotes strength in a diverse and active feminist community, beginning at a young age.

NOTE: I'm willing to bet that this will be one of my favorite picture books of 2018, and we're only a quarter through the year! The first time I read this book after I ordered it for my library, I could not stop smiling, almost cried, and then ran around showing it to my colleagues before reading it again.

Malala's Magic Pencil (2017)
by Malala Yousafzai

I mean . . . is it even an option to not include a book about (AND BY) Malala in this section? If she hasn't exemplified what a Phenomenal Woman can be . . . I just don't know who has!

Malala's recent book details how her desire and drive for equality and girlhood education ultimately almost cost her her life, but it also led to her becoming the youngest recipient of Nobel Peace Prize at just 17 years old.

NOTE: I sometimes hear/see parents steering their child(ren) away from particular books, not dissimilar to this one, because they address "more adult topics" like violence and oppression. OK. It's your child – it's your right. But wasn't Malala herself just a child when what she writes about took place? Clearly, some children don't have the privilege to ignore those "adult topics," and can still flourish and grow into someone as amazing as Malala.

Full STEAM Ahead, Girls

"Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire" written by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville and illustrated by Brigette Barrager / Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics – they're all important fields that no child should be dissuaded from pursuing on the grounds of their identifying gender. Here are a few STEAM books that show young girls that female success in male-dominated fields is possible and important!

Ada Twist, Scientist (2016)
by Andrea Beaty

"'Why does it tick and why does it tock?' 'Why don't we call it a grandDAUGHTER clock?' 'Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose?' 'Why are there hairs up inside of your nose?'

She started with 'Why?' and then 'What?' 'How?' and 'When?' By bedtime she came back to 'Why?' once again. She drifted to sleep as her dazed parents smiled at the curious thoughts of their curious child, who wanted to know what the world was about. They kissed her and whispered, 'Figure it out,'" -Ada Twist, Scientist

For another endearing and aspirational book about girls and STEAM, be sure to check out another of Beaty's books: Rosie Revere, Engineer! They both make great gifts for the curious and knowledge-hungry youngsters in your life.

The Girl Who Thought in
Pictures: The Story of
Dr. Temple Grandin (2017)
by Julia Finley Mosca

As such a great, colorful and rhythmic piece of Girl Power nonfiction, The Girl Who Thought in Pictures just has to be included in this section.

When young Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism at the age of two, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in a field like modern science, which is heavily dominated by men. But yet, somehow the determined visual thinker did just that, and proved that people on the autism spectrum can and will accomplish incredible things!

Pocket Full of Colors: The
Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire
(2017) by Amy Guglielmo and
Jacqueline Tourville

This story reinforces the idea that well-behaved women seldom make history. Disney artist Mary Blair was a renegade and a rule breaker from the start. During a time when movie studios wanted to hire men and think only in black and white, Mary shook things up by painting twinkling emerald skies, peach giraffes with tangerine spots, and magenta horses that could fly. Without her contributions, today's Disney products might not ever have become quite so magical.

Pretty Princess in Pink & Beyond

"Not All Princesses Dress in Pink" written by Jane Yolen and Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple and illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin / Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010

There's nothing inherently wrong with girls liking pink or wanting to be a princess when they grow up. But when the vast majority of mass media and popular culture teaches girls that this is what they are SUPPOSED to like or that girls are the only one's who can like it . . . that's where I take issue. Here are a few not-so-pink and perfect stories to show just how bad ass princesses can be.

Not Every Princess (2013)
by Jeffery and Lisa Bone

This lovely book asks children who they want to be and where would they like to play, rather than what they are ascribed or told. What makes this selection even more useful is the included is "Note to Parents and Caregivers" that is filled with useful advice and strategies to help children engage in imaginative play, and ultimately envision and inspire themselves beyond the limited roles and expectations that gender stereotypes create.

The Paper Bag Princess (1980)
by Robert Munsch

In traditional princess books and movies, the seemingly helpless girl is always waiting for her Prince Charming to arrive and save the day – but not The Paper Bag Princess. Not only does she spend little time worrying about her material possessions or appearance (something that causes great alarm to her perspective suitor Prince Ronald), she also doesn't wait around for a man to come solve her problems. Instead, our princess uses her brains to outwit a scheming dragon, and eventually tells her hopeful Prince Charming to buzz off!

Not All Princesses Dress in Pink (2010) by Jane Yolen and Heidi
Elisabet Yolen Stemple

Another personal all-time favorite, this book proves that girls can jump in mud puddles, climb trees, play sports and make messes – all while wearing their tiaras if they want! As the Goodreads book summary states, "Not every girl has a passion for pink, but all young ladies will love this empowering affirmation of their importance and unlimited potential." What makes this story even more special is that it was co-written by a mother and daughter! How sweet and lucky they both must feel to have each other and to have created this book together.

Our Foremothers & Trailblazers

"I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark" written by Debbie Levy and illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley / Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016

Girls are so often told to be nice, quiet and obedient while growing up. But thanks to a few noisy and persistent women banging the drum and demanding to be heard throughout history, we now are in a position where we are having mainstream conversations about equality and representation. Without these brave women paving the way for us, I don't know that we would be able to say the same.

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the
World (2018) by Susan Hood

This new title from Susan Hood not only talks the talk – it walks the walk. The entire book was written, illustrated, edited and designed entirely by women. How cool is that? What's even cooler is the book introduces readers to 14 revolutionary young women – each paired with a noteworthy female artist – that will inspire the next generation of activists, trail-blazers, and rabble-rousers.

The persistent women featured in the book include the following: Selina Alko, Sophie Blackall, Lisa Brown, Hadley Hooper, Emily Winfield Martin, Oge Mora, Julie Morstad, Sara Palacios, LeUyen Pham, Erin Robinson, Isabel Roxas, Shadra Strickland and Melissa Sweet.

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark (2016)
by Debbie Levy

There's a living legend on the Supreme Court who goes by a lot of different names: Some call her "Ruth," others say "Justice Ginsburg," but I'll always prefer "the Notorious RBG." And boy, what I wouldn't give to shake her 85-year-old hand!

In this first picture book about her life, RBG proves that girls can say no(!), and that disagreeing does not make you disagreeable. Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime as a woman dissenter in a male-dominated world, and her story is one that is truly incredible. When asked if there will ever be enough women on the Supreme Court, RBG replied: "When there are nine." Think of how many times in history there were nine men on the bench and no one though anything of it! If that quote alone doesn't already make you love her, then this book will fuel your feminist fire even more.

She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History (2018) by Chelsea Clinton

Earlier this month Chelsea Clinton published a new follow-up to her highly acclaimed 2017 nonfiction children's book called She Persisted. Similar to its predecessor, this book offers another collection of great biographical information about real women who never took no for an answer, and who always, inevitably and without fail – persisted. It is these women who helped rewrite history (*HERstory) around the globe, and they are surely worth celebrating.

NOTE: This book is a great resource for learning about international female leaders and activists who children aren't generally taught about in school. For slightly older readers, I also recommend: Rad Women Worldwide: Artists and Athletes, Pirates and Punks, and Other Revolutionaries Who Shaped History by Kate Schatz

What are some of your favorite Girl Power books? Share them with me using #TessaFoxReads

0 Comments

2018: A new year, a new focus

2/1/2018

3 Comments

Happy 2018!

. . . But Tessa, today's the first day of February – you're a little behind –

– Like I said, 'Happy 2018!'

As my crazy, hectic and totally insane 2017 came to a close, one of my intentions I set for the New Year was to blog more regularly – at least once a month. As we've just mentioned, I have already failed that goal now that we've entered the second month of the year and I am just making my first post of 2018. But I figured if I used not posting in January as an excuse to abandon something I really wanted to do, than that would be pretty stupid. So here we are – February 1st, 2018.

I've made a million excuses about how and why I've only had one post in 2017 – and that was the first in almost a year before that . . . Yikes! Life happened! After some reflection I realized the scope of my blog was just too broad to try and dial it in for consistently good and varied posts each week (which, to my credit, I had been doing for about two years before I started working full-time). I was burned out, so I let the blog slide – and there's nothing wrong with that. After all, you got to put your own well-being first!

As I was gearing up for 2018 I realized that if I really wanted to stick to my intention of working more mindfully and consistently with my blog, I would need to become more inspired and motivated to regularly carve out some time to do so.

That being said, there's one topic within the realm of public libraries, within the deeper realm of youth services, within the still deeper realm of youth materials that I never shut up about – and that is the diversity, authenticity and intersectionality of children's books. I mean, really this is true of all books and media, but picture books are the best and one of the biggest reasons I became a youth librarian . . . so that will likely be the majority of what I'm talking about.

1) Diversity: Who is being represented in these books? Why does a person of color, or varied abilities tend to be a sub-character, instead of the main protagonist? Are librarians including books about LGBTQ history as part of their "Celebrating American's History" book displays, or only during PRIDE week? Is HERstory included in your HIStory collection?

2) Authenticity: Who is the one telling those stories, and how are they telling them? It's not enough for an author/illustrator to simply give a few characters darker skin – the characters need to be written like they have darker skin and have lived the lives of someone with dark skin (This on top of avoiding stereotypes). As much as race is a socially constructed concept, it provides different worldviews and how the world views you. Those real experiences need to be taken into account by authors and illustrators – especially if they are coming from a culture different than the one they are working with. Coloring a character's skin a few shades darker as an after thought or a half-hearted attempt to be diverse is not enough! #WeNeedDiverseBooks!

3) Intersectionality: Life is complicated. Characters should be too! People are not just about one thing or the other. There can be a character who is muslim and gay, someone who is bi-racial and deaf, someone who checks more than one box – because, guess what? That's real life.

These three components of representation are essential to keep in mind while evaluating, consuming and purchasing media – whether its selecting a library book or anything else in your everyday life. So from now own, I'll be using this platform to dig into these topics a little deeper for myself, other library professionals, and anyone else who feels like reading!

From providing multicultural book lists to tips on how to make storytimes more inclusive, my goal for this blog is for it to help keep the conversation going, to get people thinking more critically about representation, and to ensure that everyone feels they can see themselves represented on their library's bookshelves!

Write soon (I promise – for real this time!),
-Tessa

3 Comments

Almost a year later ... a new blog post and another new job!

7/19/2017

2 Comments

First of all, let's address the elephant in the room ... I haven't blogged in almost a year -- but, as always, I have a good excuse — multiple ones, in fact. Here's what I've been up to in the past 12 months (brace yourselves for some pretty big Life-altering milestones, folks):

-Getting settled in my new home after buying my first house and all the work that goes along with it
-Graduating with my Master's Degree in Library and Information Science
-Starting my first full-time job and adjusting to a new schedule and workload
-Planning my wedding (that is exactly one month from today!)

Pretty good excuses, right? Yeah, I thought so too. So between all that going on and trying to, I don't know ... do the dishes, sleep, have a social life, complain about how busy I am, etc. ... I just didn't have any energy to blog in my very limited "free" time. But now that I have some big news to share, I figured I'd better get back to blogging, and more consistent blogging at that!

Drum roll, please ...

I have officially accepted a new position as the Youth Services Librarian and Early Literacy Specialist at the Grayslake Area Public Library in Grayslake, Illinois where I will be starting August 1. I'll be one of two full-time people in the Youth Services Department and will work closely with the 11 part-timers in the department to implement some best practices for childhood storytimes, in addition to collection management for the community's earliest readers, outreach and other fun children's librarian activities. Basically, I'll be surrounded by cute babies and even cuter books (you read that right) on a daily basis — and I'll get paid for it!

I'm incredibly excited for this new position, and while I wish I wasn't beginning a new job two and a half weeks before my wedding (help!), I can't wait to get started! The past three years at Community Library have been very foundational in my librarianship career. It's pretty cool knowing that my first library job, and my first full-time job both happened to be at the same library that I grew up going to as a kid. There's also the fact that I've gotten to meet some awesome and interesting people while working there. I look forward to moving to a larger library that serves a more diverse population — not to mention higher pay and better benefits — including the fact I will be moving to a library where the entire second floor is dedicated to the children's area!

That's all for now! Wedding crunch mode is officially underway. So don't expect another blog post until September once I'm back from my honeymoon in Bali — but then hopefully more regular posts after that. Until next time, readers!

My new home: The Grayslake Area Public Library, located at 100 Library Lane in Grayslake, Illinois.

2 Comments

Exciting news: I got hired as a full-time youth librarian!

9/21/2016

4 Comments

Paid vacation, sick time, health insurance - OH MY!

I'm thrilled to announce that earlier this week I accepted my first full-time job offer as the new youth librarian at the Community Library in Salem and Twin Lakes! That means going from two part-time library jobs down to just one – essentially cutting my commute time in half! Did I mention I'll be getting a substantial raise in addition to the fact that now I'll be getting paid to do what I love for 40 hours a week? It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?

Since I've already been working at the Community Library part-time for two years and grew up visiting the Salem branch, I'm very familiar with the library's patrons. But now that I get to turn my attention from working with adults toward serving children and teens, I'm even more excited because I get to help kids in the area where I grew up foster their love for reading and thus, learning.

From strengthening and creating new children and teen programs to doing local school and daycare outreach visits; diversifying the youth collection and hopefully getting some new educational play materials at each location, I have high hopes that what I aim to achieve in this new position will help bolster my ever-growing youth librarianship skills, many of which were built during my youth services internship at the South Milwaukee Public Library, where today I worked my last shift.

The Community Library, located in Salem, Wis.

Almost exactly two years ago I started this website. A few weeks after that I got my first library job and a couple months later I found myself in graduate school. In a few more months I will officially have my Master's in Library and Information Science and it's incredibly comforting to know I already have a full-time job in my field under my belt.

Thank you to all my family and friends for supporting me – especially my parents, librarians and teachers who encouraged my love for reading since before I could even hold a book, let alone read. I also need to extend a huge thanks to everyone at the Community Library and South Milwaukee Public Library for helping me start my professional career off with a strong foundation and I can't wait to see where it takes me next! Here's to another new chapter!

4 Comments

Starting my final(!) semester of library school at UWM's SOIS

9/14/2016

0 Comments

I'm a couple weeks late on this one, but I've officially started my final semester of library school at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's School of Information Studies! Even better than that, this last "semester" is really only one class. That's right, folks! Just one measly, tiny, minuscule class separates me from my Master's Degree in Library and Information Science!

My final college class that I will *ever* take is Electronic Publication and Web Design (INFOST 685). Not only do I expect this class to be extremely beneficial professionally, I know the skills I learn in it will also be useful in my personal life – including on this blog! In the class we'll be working with Adobe Creative Cloud programs and learning some coding to eventually create our own website by the end of the class – one that doesn't use a cheating drag-and-drop template like the one I'm currently using! ;)

While I'm working on getting back into the swing of graduate school again, I also just moved into my new house over the weekend and am currently living out of boxes as things get unpacked. That, on top of work and planning my wedding next summer has kept – and will continue to keep – me pretty busy! Oh, here I go again with the excuses for not blogging more! But don't fret, I'll also have another big excuse for being busy to share early next week ... stay tuned!

Information.

International.

Interdisciplinary.

UWM's School of Information Studies

0 Comments

Pokémon Go: 'Gotta catch 'em all' at your local library

7/27/2016

0 Comments

Photo via Akron-Summit County Public Library's Facebook.

So I realized I only posted one blog entry in June and now July is almost over and I still have yet to publish anything new! This summer is flying by, and I'll be honest — I've been spending my time enjoying it rather than blogging ... not that blogging isn't enjoyable, haha.

One of the latest crazes to surface during my blogging hiatus is the Pokémon Go phenomenon. And while I personally don't want to waste my time, data or phone battery playing the game, I can already tell you that I love it. Why? Because it is a perfect match for public libraries.

Perhaps the best way to familiarize people with the library's resources and services is to get them in the door. Once you get someone inside, it's almost impossible for them to not find something of interest. And Pokémon Go is definitely bringing people into the library — particularly millennials who might not regularly step foot inside a brick-and-mortar library branch.

Photo via Community Library's Facebook.

Whoever was responsible for deciding to make public libraries Pokéstops and/or Poké Gyms deserves a high five, a bear hug, a pat on the back and maybe a foot massage too. This decision is not only bringing people into the library, but it's giving librarians new and creative programming ideas as well. Some libraries have even reinvigorated their old Pokémon clubs in addition to creating new programming for the next generation of Pokémon enthusiasts. Between hosting group walks to catch Pokémon, setting off lures and inviting people to libraries to battle for control of a gym, this new mobile game is breathing some fresh air into youth services provided by libraries everywhere.

Well there's no telling just how long this trend will stay in the spotlight, public libraries have been quick to embrace the mobile game's growing popularity. While Pokémon originally got big in the early 2000s, many libraries have seen a rise in circulation for their Pokémon materials since the games exponentially successful launch earlier this month.

We'll see how long Pokémon Go remains a "thing," but I'd be willing to bet a super rare Pokémon that it won't be nearly as long as public libraries last!

0 Comments

<<Previous

They adapt!

PS: Happy National Library Week!

Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2019

Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2018 (Continued 1 year later...)

​Here's to another great year of picture books in 2020!

The Power of a Book.​

Tessa's Favorite Picture Books of 2018

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season, filled with lots of special moments and memories!(and hopefully some of these wonderful books, too!)

March means National Women's History Month​and International Women's Day!

​Brains, Beauty AND Bravado

Future Leaders & Early Activists

Full STEAM Ahead, Girls

Pretty Princess in Pink & Beyond

Our Foremothers & Trailblazers

What are some of your favorite Girl Power books? Share them with me using #TessaFoxReads

Happy 2018!

– Like I said, 'Happy 2018!'

Drum roll, please ...

Paid vacation, sick time, health insurance - OH MY!

​Information.International.Interdisciplinary.

​UWM's School of Information Studies

Author

Connect with me online!

Archives

Categories

Here's to another great year of picture books in 2020!

The Power of a Book.

Wishing you and yours a safe and happy holiday season, filled with lots of special moments and memories!

(and hopefully some of these wonderful books, too!)

March means National Women's History Month
and International Women's Day!

Brains, Beauty AND Bravado

Information.

International.

Interdisciplinary.

UWM's School of Information Studies