Misadventures of the Monster Librarian

Received this email today--looking to become a director? Don't mind moving to Indiana? My name is Karen Miller and I am a consultant with Bradbury Associates/Gossage Sager Associates -an executive search firm working exclusively in the library field.  We are currently assisting the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Township Public Library System in Newburgh, IN, with its search for its next Library Director, and we are reaching out to the Ohio   library leadership to seek suggestions for potential candidates.  Ohio Township Public Library System is an independent district with a tax rate exclusively dedicated to public library service.  Governed by a seven-member Board of Trustees, the Library staff of 50 serves the 37,749 citizens in Ohio Township with a $2 million dollar annual budget. The Library consists of the new Central Library, and two branch facilities: Chandler, located in the town of Chandler; and Newburgh, located in a 1984 building fro...

Many libraries around the U.S. rely on Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) slogans and themes for Summer Reading program, which is a huge help, especially to us smaller libraries. My former library went rogue one year, pairing our themes to match the Summer Olympics, and man did we keep our poor on staff Graphic Artist busy--can't even imagine coming up with all the hoopla on our own!)  Yesterday I was able to vote on some future CSLP programs, providing suggestions for: SLOGANS for the 2016 CSLP children’s, teen, and adult summer programs.  The general theme is fitness / health / sports / exercise .    Artists/picture book illustrators for the 2016 children’s program. A general THEME or concept for the 2017 CSLP summer program. For example, the 2014 general theme is SCIENCE.  The 2014 children’s slogan is “Fizz Boom Read”, the teen slogan is “Spark a Reaction”, and the adult slogan is “Literary Elements”. I feel like the things Prairi...

Last week was a stressful mess of working on our yearly state report, paperwork galore, and sorting out some staffing issues, among other things, but none of that mattered yesterday. Yesterday my beautiful little nephew was born to my brother A3 and sis-in-law Dayna. We went to the hospital yesterday, my niece, my Mom (who's watching while her parents and new brother are at the hospital) and I, and as I stood there holding this new little wonder I thought back to nearly 2 years ago when I stood in a room on this very hospital floor holding my now walking-talking-sassy niece --where does the time go!? And then there she was climbing onto the couch to sit between my brother and mom, examining her new baby brother, looking up at us to say, "Baby Alex." Heart. Melted. I can't believe I am the Auntie of 6 kids: 3 boys, 3 girls, ages 9years - newborn. Seems just yesterday I was meeting my first niece. *Sigh* So, until I can get my shit together to write a proper blog...

Valentines Day, or National Singles Awareness Day, as we singletons may think of it, is all about being in love, or fretting about what your significant other is getting you--and did you get a better present? It's a day about pressure--setting up the "perfect date"--or a day that boils down to disappointment--and maybe some makeup sex when he/she realizes they messed up. So, I offer some alternatives to the typical, mushy, lame romance of the day. I offer options (and how often do we get to choose our own adventure anyway? For those of you ladies who want to feel empowered .  For the unrequited lover . For those who just can't say "VALENtines" Day without adding an "m" (these are the same folks who probably say "liberry," instead of "library.") For the smooth cat. For those of you who have to tell your significant other how great they are. For those of you who actually want to feel sad ...I have just the tric...

I still owe a real post, but until then: The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) selected it's choices for the   2014 Notable Children's Books (I've highlighted my favorites): Older Readers: “Becoming Ben Franklin: How a Candle-Maker's Son Helped Light the Flame of Liberty.” Freedman, Russell.  illus. Holiday. “Counting by 7s.” Sloan, Holly Goldberg.  Dial “Courage Has No Color: The True Story of the Triple Nickles, America's First Black Paratroopers.” Stone, Tanya Lee. illus. Candlewick “Darius & Twig.” Myers, Walter Dean.  HarperCollins/Amistad “Diego Rivera: An Artist for the People.” Rubin, Susan Goldman.  illus. Abrams “Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln and the Dawn of Liberty.” Bolden, Tonya.  illus. Abrams “Etiquette & Espionage.” Carriger, Gail.  Little, Brown “Far Far Away.” McNeal, Tom.  Knopf “Go: A Kidd's Guide to Graphic Design.” Kidd, Chip. Illus. by the author. Workman “The Living.” de la Pen...

I still owe a real post, but until then: The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) selected it's choices for the   2014 Notable Children's Books (I've highlighted my favorites): Middle Readers: “The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--and Most Surprising--Animals on Earth.” Jenkins, Steve. Illus. by the author. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt “Barbed Wire Baseball.” Moss, Marissa. Illus. by Yuko Shimizu. Abrams “Battle Bunny.” Scieszka, Jon and Barnett, Mac. Illus. by Matthew Myers. Simon & Schuster “Battling Boy.” Pope, Paul. Illus. by the author. First Second “Better Nate Than Ever.” Federle, Tim.  Simon & Schuster “Bluffton: My Summers with Buster.” Phelan, Matt. Illus. by the author. Candlewick “Bo at Ballard Creek.” Hill, Kirkpatrick. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. Holt “The Boy on the Wooden Box: How the Impossible Became Possible... on Schindler's List.” Leyson, Leon.  Illus. Atheneum “The Boy W...

I still owe a real post, but until then: The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) selected it's choices for the 2014 Notable Children's Books (I've highlighted my favorites): Younger Readers: “Ball.” Sullivan, Mary. Illus. by the author. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt “Alphablock.” Franceschelli, Christopher. Illus. by Paskimo. Appleseed/Abrams “The Bathing Costume, or, the Worst Vacation of My Life.” Moundlic, Charlotte. Illus. by  Olivier Tallec. Trans. by Claudia Zoe Bedrick. Enchanted Lion “Benjamin Bear in ‘Bright Ideas!’” Coudray, Philippe. Illus. by the author. TOON “A Big Guy Took My Ball!” Willems, Mo. Illus. by the author . Disney/Hyperion “Building Our House.” Bean, Jonathan. Illus. by the author. Farrar “Bully.” Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter “Count the Monkeys.” Barnett, Mac. Illus. by Kevin Cornell. Disney/Hyperion “The Dark.” Snicket, Lemony. Illus. by Jon Klassen. Little, Brown “The Day the C...

I need to write about lots of library stuff! But, until I do that, I thought I'd share my new morning ritual drink: The Green Monster (this came out of me feeling like I wasn't eating enough veggies): Throw all of this in the blender: 2 handfuls of washed baby spinach 1/4 cup OJ 1/4 cup cold water a handful of frozen peaches (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries work fine too) a banana Did I mention that my awesome staff bought me a Ninja for Christmas and I use it every day for my smoothie ?!

Being at the Farm always reminds me of the gifts of this place. Not just the healing that happens here, but also the amazing people who work here, or just pass through for a spell. I am always awed by the amazing women I've met and now call friends; women who've helped me be a better person, who've made me feel braver and bolder, who've encouraged me to challenge the stereotypes the world can still hold for us, women who serve as role models and sounding boards. There are many gifts in my life because I said yes to this place 11 years ago, but this weekend as we celebrate B1 and her changing life (as she and B2 prepare for their first child), I'm thinking much of the women here.  This  article is great and left me grinning.  "If you are a dreamer come in If you are a dreamer a wisher a liar A hoper a pray-er a magic-bean-buyer If youre a pretender com sit by my fire For we have some flax golden tales to spin Come in!  Come in!" ...