If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you know that I am always hyping books I’ve read before they are published. One of the most common questions I get is “How do you get them?” Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs), are free copies of books that are distributed to stakeholders before the publishing date. And… Read More How to Get and Use ARCs as a Librarian
Oh gentrification. The inevitable machine, the mysterious monster, the impossible crawl. A lot of the time when powerful people talk about gentrification, it sounds the same. Repackaged spooky vagueness, either diminishing the issue or shifting the focus. Variations of “there are so many factors at play it’s impossible to pin down,” or “it’s an issue… Read More Libraries and Gentrification
There are a lot of factors to consider when running a public library’s Instagram account: content, style, captions, frequency of posts, hashtags, stories, and engagement with users. But the most immediately impactful aspect is the quality of your photos. Most of the people who run their library’s social media accounts do not have degrees in… Read More Instagram Tips for Small Public Libraries – Photos
I hear from 20/30s all the time that they struggle to find new friends in the area. It’s hard to leave university behind – where there are countless opportunities to meet people – and join the working world. While many are finding each other on Meetup.com or other library programs, I thought it would be… Read More Friend Speed Dating – Library Program for 20/30s
A picture book with no pictures might sound like the total bore, but believe me, it will have you and your audience laughing to tears. The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak (also known as Ryan the Temp from popular sitcom The Office) tricks the reader into speaking in silly voices and saying some… Read More Interactive Picture Books
“Seriously though. How many MLIS-learned skills do you feel like you’re actually applying in your jobs?” I was recently reconnecting with a couple lovely MLIS (Master of Library and Information Sciences) grads. We were all talking about our shiny new jobs when one of them asked that question. My instinctual response was “Yes, of course I… Read More How does an MLIS transfer to the real world?
Ontarian Librarian 