Pop Goes the Library

Libraries: Not About Books

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:10:00 +0000

Hang out a little bit in library-land, and you'll soon hear the talk about books.

Or, rather, not about books.

Yes, libraries are about more than books. I totally agree. No argument there.

But it does disappoint that "more than books" has become "not about books."

LISnews offers up Ten Librarian Blogs to Read in 2010. The standard? "to help highlight people writing in the many different areas of librarianship. Those people who are doing some of the most interesting and original writing on the web. Each year we've attempted to gather a group of librarians whose writing helps increase our understanding of the profession and it's place in our rapidly changing world. Again this year we tried to choose 10 writers who cover very different aspects of our profession, 10 sites that inform, educate and maybe amuse. By following these blogs I think you'll find something new to read, and a place to gain better understanding of a part of librarianship that's outside of your normal area. We all have much to learn from each other, and these bloggers are working hard to share their knowledge and understanding with you."

Now, before you start thinking of the various librarians who blog about books and publishing, and wonder who has been picked to "inform, educate and maybe amuse", I'll save you the trouble.

One book blog; Awful Library Books: "This site is a collection of public library holdings that we find amusing and maybe questionable for public libraries trying to maintain a current and relevant collection. Contained in this site are actual library holdings." It was hard to pass up Awful Library Books. You can't help but ask, "what were they thinking when they picked THAT book?"

Don't get me wrong. Love that blog. It's funny. But its more about weeding and collection development. It's more a look at retro books....

Oh. I get it! Libraries are the future! Books are the past!

LISnews has some great librarian blogs listed; don't get me wrong.

But libraryland doesn't usually include books, publishing, reading, readers advisory (and those who blog about them) in lists such as this. Hang out in libraryland, and you find all sorts of things about technology and community and marketing etc etc. But books? Publishing? Readers Advisory? Not so much.

Take a look at Library 101. No, go look. It's "101 Resources & Things to Know." Great list, right? Makes you really think about your own skills, and patrons, and what your library does and does not do. But "the basics have changed". And guess what is not there? There is Facebook. Digital books. Downloadable books. Why, shiny techy things. Nice. I like shiny.

And then: "Stereotypes will fade away in the library of the future. Like what? We’re talking about things like this: the librarian sitting behind a desk much of the day, using primarily in-house, offline resources, relying mostly on books and letting books be our primary “brand” association for our users; shushing; largely letting people come to us rather than being where our users are; often resisting emerging technology due to expense, fear or the much-used “That’s not the way we’ve always done it” excuse. Making these things go away now is a choice for us; eventually, they will be thrust upon us in often unpleasant ways."

Oh. Books are stereotypes of libraries, to fade away unless you're helping someone print out a POD copy.

I commented at Library 101 about books (Novelist! Book blogging communities that use all that shiny technology!),and Libraryman (one of the Library 101 gurus) responded that they made "*our* library 101 knowing other folks would put different things on their Library 101 lists (not that we really think people will do this, but you know, its a conversation starter/thought exercise anyway). One things I wish is that we had made this more clear so that some folks wouldn’t think we actually though *we* could make everybody’s 101 basics. Well, that and we wish a handful of people out there would have read things more carefully to know this, but I digress.. I totally agree that the things you listed are quite important and I’m glad you mentioned them."

I get it; their list, not for everyone, cannot include everything. But that there isn't one real bookish thing on the list? In a list made by two high profile librarians? With essays by other high profile librarians? The message to me: books aren't considered, not even when thinking "hey, have we covered all our bases?" And by books, I mean: publishing. Collection development. Readers advisory. Reviews. All things which take work, skills, education, practice. All things which use technology.

Libraries are more than books; but that belief seems to have shifted to one of libraries being about things other than books.

It's 2010 and guess what?

It's not your Grandma's library.

But readers are still using your library.

Readers ares still working in your library.

And no, they're not shushing you.

Librarians who practice readers advisory are reinventing what this means, using blogs and Twitter and all those other shiny things. They take RA beyond the desk, creating online resources and holding discussions using technology.

Databases such as Novelist provide information on books.

Librarians who blog are discussing serious concerns about collection development and who decides what books your patrons read. Now that KIRKUS is gone, the remaining professional review journals have more power. What are the philosophies of those journals? What does it mean to have a narrowing of professional reviews?

What about librarians who participate in book blogs and the book and lit blog community?

And publishing! Instead of sitting back and wondering about things like diversity in books, librarians are trying to make a difference by blogging that yes, their patrons do want and need diverse books.

It's a rich world out there.

My suggestions for must-reads, especially for those who may be up on technology but not so much on the book world:

Fuse No. 8 at School Library Journal. Reviews, publishing news, interviews, press releases, video, serious, funny. Any "must read" list of librarian blogs that does not include Elizabeth Bird of New York Public Library is a list that says, "we're not really looking at books when we make our lists, thanks."

Roger Sutton at Read Roger, the Horn Book Blog. Who has a MLS so is a librarian! He's opinionated as hell and not afraid to stir the pot. Also? It's fantabulous that the editor of the Horn Book blogs fearlessly. And honestly? When one is trying to prove the worth of one's blogging (especially when it doesn't get the library laurels) it is very, very helpful to point to Roger's blog to show it is acceptable and professional to blog and to be fearless in blogging.

Oh, official publication blogs don't count?

I give you Bookshelves of Doom. One of the most unique voices out there; and also covers publishing, books, reviews. And so much more. Works at a library in Maine.

There are many other librarian book blogs. Being a children's/teen librarian, my suggestions are from the children's/teen book blog world. Have other suggestions, especially beyond children's/teen book blogs? Share in the comments!

One final point. I love LISnews; I read those libraryland blogs and gain valuable things from them. I want to post more on the enthusiasm in Library 101. I adore libraries and what they can contribute to communities. It's just that I believe that when people think "books = libraries," people are telling us something important. We should value those in our profession who use blogs and technology to bring the right book to the right person.

Cross posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

We Don't Need No Stinking Library

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:03:00 +0000

Or do we?

Librarian in Black and The M Word - Marketing Libraries are talking about a "staffless" library has opened in Kings County. There is interesting talk, pro and con, at those two blogs, so click on through to add to the discussion. The story the blog posts are based on is at Library Journal.

My first thought: good on that library system! The staffless library is basically a branch in a larger system, and that system actually did what libraries usually just talk about: they listened to what their customers wanted and gave it to them. What I've seen/heard in libraryland is often a "ask customers, pretend to listen, and in the end give them what we think the library thinks they need" philosophy. So yay for that library system for listening rather than paying lip service.

My second thought: just because you cannot see the person doing readers advisory doesn't mean it doesn't happen. (Actually, I owe you all my two cents worth on how RA and libraries is criminally undervalued. Maybe I'll have time in February.)

In having this type of "staffless" library, what the community, the library, and librarians need to remember is that it is NOT staffless. The Librarian in Black listed all the building costs and some of the services that staff a staffless building.

I saw that list and thought, "but wait! There's more!"

So here is what staff is still doing for this customer base -- and what, truly, all libraries should be doing well because we all have people who just want their materials. Disclaimer: include me in that. I work long hours, I get home, no, I don't want to go to a library program and don't care what they offer. I want my books, thank you very much.

Professional services that are still being done and need to be done very well:

Catalog. About five years back, when I was complaining about catalogs and poor cataloging so it was so damn hard to find books and DVDs and music on it, I was told by muckety mucks in the library world that it is a well known library fact that patrons don't use the catalog to find the books they want. They browse. Conclusion unsaid: so it doesn't matter that something is hard to find in the catalog.

I'm sure you can point me to those studies. I browse myself. But with the advancement of online searching, and Amazon, etc., the truth is people are used to going to a computer and using it to find what they want -- with a different set of browsing expectations. Expectations not of the shelf but of the catalog. If you have people relying on placing holds to get materials, a library has to pay attention to its catalog and what is in it. A valuable professional service right there, done by a professional librarian who is savvy enough and customer-friendly enough to create the online public access catalog that is about finding books rather than organizing and classifying them.

Website. As a member of the book blogging community, I can tell you -- websites matter. Readers Advisory is not about the check out person noticing someone with Nora Roberts and recommending LaVyrle Spencer (and, sadly, too many librarians believe this.) It's about the reviews and booklists and information you provide on your website. Call it handselling, call it booktalking, call it readers advisory -- book blogs are doing this every day and our readers love it. I'm not saying the library website should look like a book blog; but it is so 2001 to believe that your patron won't get suggestions on what to read next from your website.

The important thing, as with everything else about your library, is it has to be done well and it has to be kept fresh. This alone could be a full time job for a librarian. I, for one, would LOVE that job. Right there -- another professional staff for the staffless library.

Collection Development. Kirkus has left the building; and sadly many libraries think this is an area that can be outsourced to someone else. If Collection Development was a science, perhaps it could be, but I see it more as an art. I think Collection Development done with librarians who staff the libraries is important and critical. Note I say done with -- delegating, say, purchasing all the New York Times bestsellers or certain top authors makes sense. So, too, does centralized purchasing for large systems. But local staff should still be empowered to have the input to say "this series does well at my branch," "this genre sits on the shelf," "people are looking for x and we don't have it."

How to do this when you're not seeing the patrons? Analyze what is being placed on hold, both from a pure statistical approach (individual titles, genre, author, age) as well as from a holistic approach.

Example: Twilight is being check out, along with a lot of vampire books. Doing just a math approach, collection development adds more teen vampire books. WRONG. The skilled librarian who is up on their literature -- the librarian who knows books -- knows the Twilight inspired reading also includes paranormal romance and straightforward romance and buys those titles, also. Easy? No. Impossible? No. Requires a whole new skill set and way of thinking? Yes. Requires staff? Yes.

A Loud Mouth. Marketing, advertising, press -- none of those are quite the words I'm looking for so I'll just go with "loud mouth." The "staffless" library still requires promotion, letting people know it's there and what it offers. In a way it will require a louder mouth, so that the taxpayers and budget makers don't think, "staffless" means staffless. The library has to let people know, there is staff -- professional, educated, skilled, talented, staff -- and the patrons at the staffless library benefit from the expertise of that staff. So no, you cannot fire them; no, this isn't the answer to your budgeting dreams. And as with everything else -- being loud is a talent. Doing it right matters. So yet again... here is another place where staff is needed to make the staffless library work.

You don't need a building to be a library. Garnet Hill may lack a traditional store and still be a store; it still has staff selecting clothes, marketing clothes, advertising clothes. So, too, can a library lack a "library" yet still be a "library." And you still need staff.

Cross posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Cover Girls!

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie Brookover) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Hey, who is that foxy lady on the cover of School Library Journal this month? Why, it's none other than our very own Liz B, graciously sharing the cover with fellow YA & Kidlitosphere luminaries Jennifer Hubert Swan, Betsy Bird, Monica Edinger, and Cheryl Klein!

Liz is on a roll lately, having made the cover of SLJ twice in the last couple of months -- first with the article on fan fiction that she co-authored with fellow Pop-er Carlie Webber, and now with this Mad Men-themed cover photo. You go, girl!

Internet Librarian 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

As you know, I went to Internet Librarian 2009 and presented on Pop Culture.

So, how'd I do?

I will be posting here about IL2009, and tweeted at my Twitter/LizB account with the hashtag #il2009; in the meanwhile, here are what other people have to say about the presentation.

Oh, and in one instance -- you can see and hear me talk about the book, Pop Goes the Library!

Video by Elise J. Brown, Degrees of Shining Vlog, it's Internet Librarian 2009 - Seen & Heard - Day 1, Part 2. I'm about three and a half minutes in.

The Librarian in Black posted, IL2009: Technology: The Engine Driving Pop-Culture-Savvy Libraries or Source of Information Overload. As you may remember, I had the privilege of presenting with Sarah Houghton-Jan;, the Librarian in Black; she was Source of Information Overload.

Washington State Library posted Internet Librarian, Day 4 – Wednesday, Oct 28 2009 – #IL2009.

Eclectic Librarian posted IL2009: Technology: The Engine Driving Pop Culture-Savvy Libraries or Source of Overload?

RIP, Ray Browne

dettiot@gmail.com (melissa) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Ray Browne, who is credited with making popular culture into an academic field, has passed away. Beginning in 1973, when he founded the Department of Popular Culture at Bowling Green State University, he did much to encourage the study of popular culture.

Obituary from the New York Times

Pop Goes the Library at Internet Librarian

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:59:00 +0000

Are you going to the Internet Librarian 2009 Conference?

Then you have two chances to meet me, you lucky person, you!

First, on Monday, October 26? I'll be at a Meet the Authors program.

Second, I'll be giving a presentation on Wednesday October 28 with Sarah Houghton-Jan, Digital Futures Manager, San Jose Public Library author of LibrarianInBlack.net, called Technology: The Engine Driving Pop Culture-Savvy Libraries or Source of Overload?

Technology often drives pop culture trends like iPhone mania and texting addictions, and it can also be used to improve all kinds of library services when we embrace the idea that information technology is everyone’s job. By establishing a tech-friendly atmosphere, libraries can harness the latest real-world and web-based techno tools to engage customers in an ongoing discussion to identify and meet the pop cultural & life-learning needs of their communities. Find out how to use trendspotting, experimentation, and continuous training to create a technological sandbox at your library and hear about creative strategies and practical, imaginative solutions from the field for you to use in your community. Then hear how to deal with information load through ten principles including organizational techniques, how to filter your input, time and stress management, managing overload in different media: email, RSS, interruptive technologies, the telephone, print media, multimedia, and social networks. Come away with a plan for tackling your own mound (physical or virtual) of overload!

Stop by, say "hi." Tell me I sent you.

cross posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

YA NaNoWriMo Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie Brookover) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:19:00 +0000

So, this is pretty awesome: you may be familiar with NaNoWriMo (stands for National Novel Writing Month, celebrated in November -- participants attempt to, well, complete a draft of a novel in that 30-day period).

Well, the Gotham Writers' Workshop, in conjunction with Sourcebooks and the Serendipity Literary Agency, is co-sponsoring the Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest. Got a great title and 250 stellar first words? Submit them at no cost, for a chance to win a workshop from GWW, and/or a pitch session with YA literary agent Regina Brooks!

Go get 'em, writers!

Got Research?

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:52:00 +0000

If you do, YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) has money for you! And it is just a grant application away.

Someone has to be awarded the grant; why not you? And by "you", I mean any member of "YALSA, including student members, although the research project may be undertaken by an individual, an institution, or by a group."

Anyway, here are the details (YALSA's wording):

The 2010 Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Research Grant

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association (ALA) is offering the Frances Henne/YALSA/VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Research Grant for 2010. This grant of $1000 provides seed money for small-scale projects that will encourage research that responds to the YALSA Research Agenda.

Details regarding the applications for the 2010 Frances Henne YALSA/VOYA Research Grant are available from the YALSA Web site at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/awardsandgrants/franceshenne.cfm

Applications for the grant are due in the YALSA Office by Dec. 1.

For more information please contact us via e-mail, yalsa@ala.org or by phone, 800-545-2433 x 4387.
************************************

So go, check out the requirements, print out the application!

Cross posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Offering and Allowing Support

noreply@blogger.com (John Klima) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:54:00 +0000

About a week ago (October 1, 2009 to be specific) was "Support Our 'Zines Day" (SOZD). What does that mean? To quote Damien G. Walter (SOZD's creator):

‘zines need support. Professional ‘zines rely on subscriptions to pay their staff and the writers who make the stories. Smaller ‘zines often rely on donations just to cover their costs. But with the speed of life in the 21st Century it can be difficult to remember to renew subsciptions or make donations to the ‘zines who’s work we enjoy.

Damien included all sorts of magazine in this, from professional newsstand magazines Asimov's and F&SF down to smaller specialty publications like Shimmer and Sybil's Garage to DIY bare bones projects like Kaleidotrope and Brain Harvest. Damien is a big proponent of short fiction. In addition to being a writer, he writes about short fiction and science fiction for The Guardian.

I, being the editor of a Hugo Award winning zine, thought this was a great idea. And while subscriptions and renewals and monetary donations are great, that's not something everyone can do, so I suggested people could even just send them a note to say, "Hey, I like what you're doing!"

Even better, my assistant editor suggested that you could volunteer to help. I really like this idea. Who couldn't use some help? And with the way things work online these days, there are a of ways you could help a favorite magazine/zine even if you don't live near them (one of my submission readers lives in New Zealand, and we've never met face-to-face).

The more I thought about it, I wondered how easy it would be to volunteer for someone. I suspect many places do not have any plan in place on how to handle volunteers. In fact, I think that many places would actually be resistant to volunteers because of the work involved in finding them work/teaching them what to do. And how disappointing would that be, to volunteer to help and be told no? Many professional workplaces have limited to no ability to allow people to volunteer for them.

What about libraries? I constantly hear/read about how librarians are over-worked. How easy is it for someone to volunteer at your library? The public library I work at has a page on their website about volunteering. They even have someone on staff who is there to take care of volunteer requests. All the same, there's probably only a small set of jobs that pre-exist for volunteers to do and I don't know how much flexibility the staff person has in creating new work.

Volunteering has two sides to it. The volunteer, in a best-case scenario, should come with a clear idea of the type of work they hope to do. This way, even if they can't do exactly what they'd like to do (i.e., answer questions at the reference desk) you can devise something they can do. This is true for any industry. Let's say you wanted to help a magazine. Don't go to them saying "What can I do?" since they may not have an answer. Go to them saying "I'd like to help with X" and see what they can do to make that happen.

On the library's side, in addition to having a basic set of volunteer opportunities, try to think of other things you've got going on that volunteers could accomplish for you. Switching to RFID tags? Moving your website to a new template/platform? Need to do inventory or shelf-reading? Are your reader's advisories out-of-date or need more copies made? How about your vertical files?

Yes, some of these jobs are, let's say, not glamorous, but they need to be done, and you can talk to the person afterwards to see what they thought of the work. They might be able to better elaborate on what they want to do for the library, and you will have a better sense what this person is capable of.

It Isn't All Fun And Games

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:17:00 +0000

This past week, Mackenzie Phillip's memoir, High On Arrival, came out with the bombshell allegations of a ten-year sexual relationship with her father, the musician John Phillips.

Today, director Roman Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on an outstanding international warrant dating back to 1978, when he pled guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, a 13 year old.

Pop culture isn't all fun and games.

How up to date are your resources for victims of sexual abuse, assault, and incest?

How easy are they to find on your online catalog?

Do you have resources for victims on your website? If someone searched "incest" on your website, would they find information about organizations or get a "no results" reply?

These books often go missing; do you periodically look at your shelves to see what needs replacement copies?

Welcome, American Libraries Readers!

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:24:00 +0000

You know what happens when your friends and colleagues get their issue of American Libraries before you do?

You get a lot of "you're in American Libraries!"...and you have no idea what is said.

What a relief when it's something great!

It's the August/September 2009 issue (as of this writing, not yet up at their website.)

On page 59 is Learning with Blogs by Mary Ellen Quinn. Many rock-star blogs are listed; and there is Pop Goes the Library!! Quinn's succinct analysis: "it's fun." AND THEN, it gets even better, because it mentions the contributors to Pop and their blogs: Carlie and her blog, Librarilly Blonde; Melissa and her blog, Librarian by Day; and me and Tea Cozy.

I'm not sure what is more thrilling; Pop being listed in the article, or our cluster of blogs being called fun.

So, thank you, Mary Ellen Quinn and American Libraries; and readers who have found their way to Pop, I hope you enjoy the blog!

Free Library of Philadelphia

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:55:00 +0000

I lived in Philadelphia for three years, after law school. One year clerking for a judge, two years at a law firm.

I used the library, back in the day.

And now; now I have friends who work there. Dedicated, caring, talented librarians who work in Philly because they care.

The City of Philadelphia is having budget woes, like pretty much everyone. Among other actions they are taking -- a total shut down of the Free Library of Pennsylvania.

The wording from the library website: We deeply regret to inform you that without the necessary budgetary legislation by the State Legislature in Harrisburg, the City of Philadelphia will not have the funds to operate our neighborhood branch libraries, regional libraries, or the Parkway Central Library after October 2, 2009.

More details about the closing are at the library website. Including the action that you can take.

Library Journal's coverage of the planned closings.

This is about more than libraries; as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer, layoffs of police and firefighters are anticipated. Recreation centers are also closing. Senior centers are affected. Trash is going to a twice a month pickup. More from NBC Philadelphia.

Congratulations, Susan Quinn

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:27:00 +0000

Susan Quinn has been appointed Director of Ocean County Library!

Once a member of Pop, always a member of Pop!

Congratulations, John!

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:10:00 +0000

The Hugo Awards were announced last night!

And the winner is....

Best Fanzine: Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima

Congratulations, John!!

Blogger's Block

noreply@blogger.com (Sophie Brookover) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:16:00 +0000

Or: Personal Learning Networks & Getting My

Groove Back -- Slowly.

So, first, I changed jobs. I'm not a public librarian anymore!

Since February 2008, I've been the librarian at Eastern

Camden County Regional Senior High School. A major

part of my overall silence has been due to my not really

knowing how much I can say here about my work. I have to

protect my students' privacy, obviously. I will be following

the lead of some of my blogging school librarian

heroes -- Joyce Valenza and Buffy Hamilton to name two --

so in months to come you'll see more about my fascination

with integrating technology and information literacy, reader's

advisory, and my continuing baby steps towards excellence in

school librarianship.

I have also been having a hard time figuring out how to

connect being a teacher-librarian with the pop culture stuff

I usually blog about here. I've kind of decided it doesn't really

matter and it doesn't have to connect perfectly all the time. Life

is not a jigsaw puzzle. I doubt our readers are sitting there,

nitpicking the pop cultural content of our posts here.

Then, Liz & I published our book! Hooray! Good reviews, good

sales, rejoicing throughout the land! Except, and I can say this only

for myself, because Liz is still posting often with her usual

verve, passion, and insight, I have been feeling drained. Drained

of interest & enthusiasm for ferreting out & writing about pop

culture, drained of motivation to blog, and drained of the feeling

that what I'm doing is relevant or exciting. Not so great. We've

spent all this time & energy building our brand, writing our little

hearts out, and all I want to do is be left in peace with my EW

subscription and not talk about it anymore.

Combined that drained feeling with the energy required to
complete the seven courses I must take in order to earn my NJ
state certification as a School Library Media Specialist (which,
that is a rant for another day -- not the coursework, but my
impassioned views on why "Media Specialist" is the most
"whaaaat?"-inducing job title of all time. Obfuscation is not
this profession's friend.), and, you know, wanting to

have time for my darling husband & daughter, and for reading
books for fun, and developing my inner domestic goddess
so that my friends will actually want to come to my house for
dinner, and, well, I don't post much. I know, my diamond shoes are
too tight. Don't cry too hard for me, honestly!

But then, the wonderful Janie Hermann, from our kissing
cousins in the blogosphere, Library Garden, posted about this very problem!
Bless you, Janie, for speaking up & putting it so well. Knowing that
other people I like and respect are having the same problem as I'm
having makes me feel like I, too, can break through & get blogging again.

And then, just this morning, I was reading the YALSA blog, and
found myself overflowing with ideas after reading Teri Lesesne's
School Days post, in which she asks:

As school opening draws closer, how will you extend your PLN? Are you blogging and tweeting? Is there a listserv for your district or state? Do you monitor lists sposored by YALSA? If you do (and chances are good since you are reading the YALSA blog), why not tell others in your district about the values of social networking? Give them links to blogs; share your “twibe” from Twitter. Help others get and stay connected.

(And if you are not reading Teri's blog, really, what are you waiting for?

Go, go, this post will be here when you return.)

So, here's what I started writing in the comments to that post. Eventually,

I realized that this was the blog post I'd been waiting to be inspired to write,

so I pasted it here for you lucky, patient readers to enjoy.

I am just wrapping up an online summer course (for my certification), and the final assignment is a statement of educational philosophy. Very lofty, right? I'm trying to write the most down-to-earth, comprehensive statement I can (in no more than 550 words), and as I've been mulling it over, incorporating AASL's Standards for 21st Century Learners, Information Power, The Search Institute's Developmental Assets, and NJ's Standards for Teachers & School Leaders (whew!), I've decided that if I wanted to be really cheeky, I could hand in just one word: connect.

The #1 thing that makes me an effective school librarian is my passion for connection -- connecting kids with the just-right book for them, connecting teachers' lessons with information literacy standards, connecting units of study with the online & print resources that will make them come alive, and connecting myself with my wise, brilliant, and warm colleagues in school & public libraries everywhere.

Last year, I did exactly the wrong thing. I mean, it worked out fine in the end, but it was still the wrong thing: I let myself be isolated from my PLN. I had no time to read Bloglines, so I stopped using RSS to keep up with the biblioblogosphere. I barely tweeted. I could not imagine keeping up with the incredible volume on YALSA-BK or LM_NET, so I didn't bother subscribing. I was well & truly a solo librarian, and it kind of stank for a while.

Another one of my online classes -- about Developing Curriculum -- re-introduced me to the joys of PLNs, and lo: the second semester at school went more smoothly and creatively and satisfyingly than the first! I promised myself I would spend the summer re-connecting with my PLN, easing into it before the wonderful nuttiness of the school year began.

Here's what's worked for me:

Reconnecting with Twitter -- I now follow way more school & YA librarians than I used to, with the result that I am learning more every day about great books and other resources I can use in my library as soon as I get back to school. I have also been informally mentoring new librarians through Twitter, which is both fun & rewarding (and makes me feel more connected to the community of school librarians);
Joining several listservs: Adbooks, LM_NET, YALSA-BK (a re-join after a multi-year absence), and AASLFORUM;
I also (finally) embraced the genius of filters in Gmail -- no listserv message ever hits my inbox anymore; they are all automatically archived & separately labeled, making reading & searching a snap, and reducing the threat of distraction during the day, when I need to be available to my students & teaching colleagues.

Those are the big things, really -- I find that deeper relationships outside of Twitter & various listservs develop naturally over the course of conversations there.

So, what does this mean for blogging here? Well, reconnecting with & expanding my PLN gives me more ideas for blogging; unlike Janie, I was feeling like my well of ideas was a bit dry. Also, I feel that part of being a responsible member of my PLN is by contributing to the conversation. Twitter is one venue for that, and I think there's still value in blogging. I'm good at sticking to a word- or character-count, but I also like the room to roam that blogging provides. Finally, I still really like being part of a conversation, and blogging is still a great way to do that.

BBYA

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Sorry this will be quick & short & not finely edited.

YALSA's Board is meeting at Annual; do I usually read the Board documents, unless they are highlighted somewhere thru a message to YALSA BK or the YALSA Blog? No. So when Jen Hubert began reading them yesterday, as I was packing, and shared the information that YALSA Board was entertaining a proposal to eliminate BBYA, I thought she was kidding.

Right after this proposal (so apparently linked to it) is a proposal to instead have a "Readers Choice" when anyone can vote on a short list and then all members can use that short list to vote on a top 5 per category, and that is the New BBYA: Reader's Choice.

I had heard & supported the idea that BBYA needed tinkering -- say, remove GNs from BBYA because there is now a GN list. Or open BBYA up to allow virtual attendance by committee members for Midwinter. I had no idea it was to: "implement a phase out of the Best Books for Young Adult Committee and list"

Source: (you need to be a YALSA member to access): Modernizing Selected List Portfolio (and cheers to Jen, who found this despite the title not saying BBYA and BBYA being the only list being "modernized")

Instead, we get a Reader's Choice award, which is not about opening up committee slots for virtual members but about organizing a popular vote with anyone voting to create a short list, then YALSA members voting for a top 5. (I'll let the math/statistics among you realize that smaller, quieter books and small publishers won't have a chance in this type of arrangement).

I say "instead of" because Readers Choice List, while not mentioned in Modernizing, follows that proposal immediately on the agenda.

I plan to rearrange my schedule and other commitments to attend these meetings. Please comment here to let YALSA know what you think, or blog about it, or Tweet it.

Oh, reasons for getting rid of BBYA:

-- there is overlap with other lists, like adult, nonfiction and GN. (my reply: then narrow BBYA to fiction).

-- number of books published for YA has increased (query: how many books does ALSC's Notables read?)

--membership wants greater participation in list selection. (my reply: then open up the list selection to virtual members! don't remove a list, therefore limiting members' options, and replace it with a participation that will mean little is "I voted for Readers Choice" going on a resume?).

-- BBYA is not useful. (my reply: It's useful to me!!! For collection development, creating booktalks, booklists, etc.)

-- workload issues amongst Committee members. (my reply: see above, for narrowing the scope).

As for Readers Choice; I'm packing. Could I support this in addition to BBYA? Yes. But instead of? I don't have enough time to discuss it. Just: NO.

© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Sophie & Liz Signing at ALA

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:21:00 +0000

The following authors will be signing at the Information Today, Inc. booth [#4525] on

Saturday July 11 from 1:00 — 2:00 p.m.

Tasha Squires, author of Library Partnerships: Making Connections Between School and Public Libraries

Pop culture mavens Sophie Brookover and Elizabeth Burns, authors of Pop Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With Your Whole Community

Save Ohio Libraries

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 15:03:00 +0000

As reported many places, including Library Journal, the Governor of Ohio, Ted Strickland, has proposed a budget that slashes library funding in half.

The blog The Library is Now Closed has updates of the situation and actions being taken.

Save Ohio Libraries is also a great source for information.

A lot of library and librarian blogs and twitter accounts are involved with doing what they can; and for those of us outside Ohio, that involves letting people in Ohio know we care and are supporting them.

For those outside Ohio: of course, it can happen in your state, your county, your town. If Ohio is successful, other government entities will see this as a way to save money. "Penny wise, pound foolish" as the saying goes. So what can you do now? Let Ohio libraries and librarians know you support them; and start, now, getting your data, information, and stories together to be able to show the value of libraries and librarians to your community. New Jersey's Snapshot Day (Snapshot: one day in the life of New Jersey libraries) is an excellent example of such a resource (and no, I'm not just saying it because I am a Jersey librarian).

Note that I say libraries AND librarians. Because a building with books is just a warehouse; a collection of books that is based on someone else's donations is just a book swap; and volunteers cannot do what a librarian can.

Don't Blame Kate

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:07:00 +0000

I'm sure it doesn't surprise readers that one of my TV shows is Jon and Kate Plus 8. J&K is what I call "easy watching" TV; I don't have to think too hard, I can do other stuff, and gosh darn it the kids are cute! And I love shows about large families.

Yes, Kate could be nasty, but I'm sure if cameras were following me around all the time my TWOP name would be Elizabitch. And yes, Jon can be too laid back, but man, with that many kids you don't want to be too hyper. And now this season, as anyone who reads People headlines knows, the usual marriage tensions escalated to rumors of divorce. No comment from me, except that it's heartbreaking, and it's no one person's fault.

Remember the Louds? In what some call the beginning of reality TV, PBS did a documentary called An American Family about the Louds. They (and America) got more than the bargained for when Pat asked Bill for a divorce; and son Lance's being gay? This was 1973. Groundbreaking.

Also groundbreaking has been the The Up Series (Seven Up / 7 Plus Seven / 21 Up / 28 Up / 35 Up / 42 Up / 49 Up) series; following Neil's mental health issues has been devastating and illuminating.

The question of children acting -- or being used -- has always been with the industry. Until actual actors aren't needed in order to make films and TV shows, children will be needed on stage, film, TV. Go back to pre-film days, and most of the great stage families had the younger members acting since (and before) they could walk. But some shows take the illusion one step further by having the viewer think they are "really" watching a "real" child's life, not too unlike the Gosselins.

Ozzie & Harriet Nelson used their own names, their own sons, and their sons' names for their TV show. It was a TV show, clearly, but it gave many people the illusion that they were watching a "real" family. Many people still believe that Desi Arnaz, Jr, played Little Ricky on I Love Lucy, in part because of Lucy/Lucy and in part because in Here's Lucy Lucie and Desi, Jr. played her children (but with different names.)

So, what other early documentaries have given too-uncomfortable (and not planned) looks into the darkness of life?

Crossposted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Your Library Director

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:30:00 +0000

A few months ago, the New York Times had an article, Martha, Oprah ... Gwyneth? on Gwyneth Paltrow's website Goop.

Ah, a chance for me to be snarky, I thought. I mean, Goop? From a person who named their child Apple? A person like Gwyneth telling a person like me how to live my life.... she has a personal trainer, a chef, a rock star husband, etc., etc. Because blogging and librarianship aren't in the same tax bracket as movie star, we don't have much in common.

Sophie rightly said to wait and read before unleashing my talents of critical discourse, er, snark.

So after briefly looking around the website and not getting why Gywneth is doing this, I signed up for the weekly email newsletter (also available at the website).

Ahem.

I still have no idea why Gwyneth is doing this. And it doesn't matter.

Because her newsletter is brilliant. And it's something that every library could, and should, be doing. Who knew? Gwyneth's Library Lessons could get added to her Goop website.

Once a week, the newsletter comes in my inbox. Each week, the topic is different: "See", "Do", "Make", "Be." There is a breezy, short, friendly intro from Gwyneth. Gwyneth doesn't hold herself out as the expert; so the main part of the newsletter is from others. This past week, it was "Party Jams", lists of songs to play at parties from various people in the music industry. Another week, "Five Minute Do-Overs", all DIY, by various make-up people.

Gwyneth isn't pretending to be the expert; she's bringing the experts to her readers.

And isn't that what libraries do? We are not the experts. But we help connect our patrons with information from experts, whether the information is found in our materials, or via the Internet, or from the programs we offer.

Why not use the Goop newsletter model for weekly library newsletters from the Library Director? Just as Gwyneth writes the intro, so, too, could your Library Director. Content can come from various people. Fitness tips from the health teachers and coaches at your local schools. Staff members could contribute favorite recipes from the books on your shelf. Health ideas from the local hospitals. Auto maintenance from local auto shops. Information on colleg applications from the local guidance counselors or college admissions people. With a wide variety of people contributing, no one person or department gets overwhelmed and burnt out with the responsibility. Keep it short and sweet, with a couple of library materials referenced, whether it's books, DVDs, games, or databases. And, like Goop, all also posted on the library website.

Yes, it would be easy to mock Gwyneth and Goop and the newsletter. But it's much more productive to be inspired.

Congratulations, Melissa Rabey!

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:37:00 +0000

The 2009 YALSA Election Results have been announced; and Melissa Rabey is on the Printz! Congrats, Melissa!

NJ Statewide Children's & Teen Author Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:03:00 +0000

For those of you who live in or near New Jersey:

The NJ Statewide Children's and Teen Author Conference will be held on Friday, May 8, 2009 from 9:30 am until 4 pm at the Woodbridge Public Library. Registration is due tomorrow BUT THERE IS STILL ROOM; the registration form and other contact information is located here (it's a PDF).

Cost: $30.00 if you are a member of NJLA or NJASL; $45 if you are not; and $15 if you are a student. That includes not only the all day event, but also a light breakfast and lunch. If you're a teacher, yes, you can get CE credits.

The authors:

Laura Ruby; Marc Tyler Nobleman; Peter Brown; Lisa Greenwald; and Benedict Carey. Copies of their books will be available for purchase and to have signed.

Cross posted at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

See Sophie and Liz B Sign Their Names

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:14:00 +0000

And we do it well. We've had years of practice.

Are you going to the NJLA Conference next week? You have not one, but two, opportunities for the Sophie & Liz B show (the short version and the long version.)

The short version: Sophie Brookover and I sign our book, Pop Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With Your Whole Community on Tuesday, from 3:30 to 4:30

The long version: Our presentation Wednesday, from 11:30 to 12:20:

Pop Goes the Library: Public Relations Tips & Tricks to Connect with Your Whole Community "If you buy it, will they come? What do you do with the popular materials your patrons request? Get serious about marketing and promoting your pop culture collections! Learn about internal as well as external marketing, create a PR campaign for local stakeholders, and develop & execute a pop culture advocacy plan to make your collections and programs really POP @ your library!" Sophie Brookover, Eastern Regional High School, Voorhees, NJ; Elizabeth Burns, NJ State Library, Library for the Blind and Handicapped.

See you there!

I Wish I Was Their Librarian

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:59:00 +0000

April Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Liz B) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:33:00 +0000

You've heard of March Madness; get ready for April Madness!

April Madness? What is that?

OK, I am the only one calling it that.

It is School Library Journal's Battle of the (Kids') Books. The Morning News and Powell's Books have been doing a Tournament of Books for five years now; and as Tea Cozy readers know, I've posted a time or two this year's inclusion of a YA book in the ToB.

In a nutshell: just as with March Madness, there is a bracket where sixteen books go one-on-one against each other. So the first round contains eight "book v book" rounds, with each round having an individual judge determine who "wins". That leaves eight books for a second round, with a new set of judges; four books for the third round, again, new judges; leading up to the last and final round.

The judges? Authors; with Lois Lowry being the final judge. Full details are at SLJ; including a BoB blog; a twitter account; and a handy-dandy printable form to use at your library, school, or office to for your BoB pool. Oh, and you can get the books at The Flying Pig bookstore, at a 30 % discount.