Hi internet! I worked almost every day in October and this is what I did: Ran a DIY terrarium program, set up a book art maker station, ran another colouring and zentangle program for teens, interviewed Andrew Pyper on stage, attended OLA’s annual RA in a Day conference in Toronto, participated in 2 staff training… Read More What I Loved #14: The Demonologist, Scandal, and Night\Shift
I was asked to create a reading list for a grade 12 class of highly appealing, short, non-fiction life stories. There are so many good ones out there! Using NoveList I was able to construct many searches, using terms like “Adult Books for Young Aduts” and “Life Stories.” I divided the list up by category… Read More Life Stories Reading List for Teens
Ice Breakers are a vital, and often overlooked aspect of teen library programs. Any teen librarian knows that there can be a lot of tension surrounding the first 5 minutes of a teen library event. Some teens arrive by themselves, nervous and shy, not sure what to expect. Ice Breakers are a great way to… Read More Fun Teen Ice Breaker Ideas
I created a 30 minute information literacy seminar, aimed at grade 11 or 12 university level classes. It could easily be altered to fit any subject by changing the subject searches and database. The lesson plan includes active learning activities and pre- and post- assessment. I found that very few students had any background experience… Read More Effective Search Strategies: High School Information Literacy Seminar
School is back in session! And that means so are my 7:30am shifts. As I readjust to driving in with the sunrise, I reflect on all the fantastic books I’ve read this summer. My currently reading list is getting hazardously long, especially now that the Giller Prize longlist was announced (yay Andre Alexis and Heather… Read More What I Loved #13: The Martian, The Rook, Camping, Still Alice
What is a Pop-Up Library? A pop-up library is a temporary collection of materials for patrons to browse and check-out, at a location other than the library. My program, Books in the Park, was hosted over the summer at Victoria Park downtown Kitchener, every other Wednesday from 1-3. Approximately 20 people attended each time, of… Read More Pop Up Libraries: Tips for Success
If you liked Neil Gaiman’s adult fantasy novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, you might like this annotated booklist of similar adult fables. The Ocean at the End of the Lane Read-A-Likes Neil Gaiman’s most recent adult novel opens as a disgruntled middle aged man returns to his childhood home for a funeral.… Read More Read-a-likes: Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane
It’s been awhile since I’ve pumped out a What I Loved post: I’ve been busy! Busy with Books in the Park, moving to a new place, riding roller coasters, being a wedding guest, and attending all the festivals I can squeeze in. But here’s a summary of the best and weirdest I’ve read, watched, and… Read More What I Loved #12: Orange Is The New Black, Canada’s Wonderland, Steel Rails, and The 100 Foot Journey
We all know about Passive Reader’s Advisory: booklists, displays, posters. Book suggestions that our patrons can browse on their own time. These are extremely valuable tools to librarians – we can’t be everywhere at once after all! I, and most librarians, believe that a reference interview is usually the best way to match a reader… Read More Personality Tests in the Library
Springtime is upon us! Somehow in-between planning for fall programs (yes, we start early at the library), attending lovely weddings, and shopping for flower pots, I’ve been reading. A lot. And as you’ll see from the photos, mostly outside. What I Read Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis: In an effort to determine whether or not human intelligence… Read More What I Loved #11: Beauty Queens, Fifteen Dogs, Mini Terrariums, TCAF
Ontarian Librarian 