The Loopy Librarian

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I have a new job in Administration. I thought it would be a dry and humorless job filled with endless paperwork, and, to be honest it sometimes is.  I write and review policies, apply for grants, deal with personnel issues and patron complaints. When I first learned of my new job responsibilities, I kept listening for the fun part. It didn’t come. No more silly hats, knock-knock jokes, or playtime cleverly disguised as work. But I wasn’t long settled into my new office when Continue Reading »

“County library? Reference desk, please. Hello? Yes, I need a word definition. Well, that’s the problem. I don’t know how to spell it and I’m not allowed to say it. Could you just rattle off all the swear words you know and I’ll stop you when…Hello?”

If you are like most people, you think of librarians as shy and quiet folks who talk in hushed tones and say “Sshh” alot. I have yet to meet that librarian. Maybe she does exist somewhere, but the librarians I know are vibrant, animated people with definite opinions and interesting lives. If you don’t believe me, check out the ALA Fifth Annual Bookcart Drill Team.  Librarians Rock!

My thirteen-year-old son is devouring The Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz, and my seventeen-year-old daughter just finished the entire Continue Reading »

Recently, I was asked to review a children’s book that had been challenged at one of our branch libraries.  The book, Devil in the Drain by Daniel Pinkwater, is old and no longer appears to be in print. But, the author is popular and award-winning. As soon as I saw the title, I could guess at the complaint, and I was instantly angered that a patron was asking this book to be removed from the collection. I think it’s short-sighted of people to want books removed from libraries whenever they find them offensive. Do they really want a public library that only represents their beliefs? Continue Reading »

You may have noticed that it has been awhile since my last blog.  Like most of you, I was busy dealing with the holidays.  Unlike most of you, I actually was an elf, but that’s another story. Today I share with you some of the useless bits of information that I’ve managed to gather over the last couple of months.  Feel free to share.

The peanut-head bug lives in South America and carries its stomach in its head, a fact Continue Reading »

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the recording artist Jennifer Armstrong.  To this day, her “I Can Be Me” cd is the cd I have used most often in story time, and it’s the one about which I have received the most inquiries.  I have used her “Hello” song so many times that I can now say hello in many different languages (although, admittedly, I may have to sing through the song first as I still do with Continue Reading »

I have read to my children since they were born, and I’ve done so as much for my own joy as for theirs.  As they’ve grown, I have less opportunities to do so, although I’m quick to take advantage when given the chance (i.e. scary stories on camping trips).  Currently, a trend has developed Continue Reading »

Happily residing in the children’s department of my library are several familiar characters and animals that welcome children each day.  Barney is still a particular favorite as is evident in the number of times he is removed from his place on the shelf to keep a child company during his/her visit.  One young lady asked if she could read a book to Barney.  When I gave my enthusiastic consent, she then found Continue Reading »