I’m Not the Center of Storytime and That’s Okay

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt emotionally invested in storytime? *Raises Hand* I’ve been reflecting the past few months on the special place storytime holds in my heart. This reflection has coincided with my journey to have a healthier balance between work and home life. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with being… Continue reading I’m Not the Center of Storytime and That’s Okay

Deep Work and Children’s Librarianship

Sometimes when I talk to my academic librarian friends about the institutional support for professional development and research-related work they are guaranteed as part of their jobs I get a little green with envy. The paid flights and hotels! The time off teaching! The expectation to continuously learn and grow! The access to research locked… Continue reading Deep Work and Children’s Librarianship

Early Literacy Research is Not Neutral: A Critique of Every Child Ready to Read

We’re going long form today, folks. At our Winter 2019 Library Services for Children Journal Club meeting we read an article by my friend and former colleague Tess Prendergast where she cites a 2011 article by Stooke and McKenzie called “Under Our Own Umbrella: Mobilizing Research Evidence for Early Literacy Programs in Public Libraries.” I… Continue reading Early Literacy Research is Not Neutral: A Critique of Every Child Ready to Read

Community Outreach and the Devaluation of Children’s Librarians

I’m one of those people who excitedly awaits their copy of the American Libraries magazine every two months so I can read up on all the cool stuff people are doing in our field. In the May 2018 issue there is an excellent article by Meredith Farkas called Get Out of the Library: Embedding Librarians… Continue reading Community Outreach and the Devaluation of Children’s Librarians