The Daring Librarian

In this turbulent time, I think it's important to remember that racial and religious tensions in our glorious United States have always been challenging! The diverse and bright multi-cultural threads that makes up the warp and weft of our rich American tapestry have always included people who have risked everything to come to our shores with the hope for a better life or were forced here against their will, and ultimately made the best of it. We've always been hard on each successive new wave of cultures (Welsh, Scottish, No Irish Need Apply , Jewish, Polish, Russian, you fill in the blank) we keep adding them into our fold. Not always easily or with grace as the video from 1945 starring Frank Sinatra embedded below will attest. Let's please remember this when rhetoric gets out of hand. I'm really not comfortable talking politics or religion publically - my Mama taught me you don't discuss politics or religion at the table or dinner parties - and...

I've been inspired by the amazing Jennifer LaGarde who has written such brilliant post about the important people and pivotal moments in your past that made you a lifelong reader.  Jennifer's post is evocative, thought-provoking, and inspiring! It was so good I wrote a flippin novel of a comment that will make up much of this posting! Her well written words caused me to smile and fondly recall those individuals, pivot points, and circumstances that made me into a reader. And it wasn't a book report, diorama, or a standardized text passage that did it. Shocker. Before writing this part, I called my Mom to "fact check" my memory of my pivotal reading moments and spent a great 45 min recalling both of our reader love stories. Which turned out to be - surprisingly similar! Narnia by Candlelight One of my earliest happy reading memories was in Miss Cooper's second grade class at Capitol Christian Academy. Every day after lunch, Miss Cooper would let...

a long graphic for a long post. fitting. I had a great time over break having a lovely Tweetup Lunch with some of my favourite Maryland iPad experts! As I'm still an iPad newbie I thought it only fitting to put it to them: What are Coolest iPad techniques, tips & tricks and most loved and must have APPS!?? Guest bloggers Donna Anderson the Digital Librarian21 @digilibrarian21 Joquetta Johnson, the Digital Diva @accordin2jo and Selena Ward the Tech Tiger @thetechtiger 3 educators who are amazing, forward thinking, and yes..DARING! (& fun, too! YAY!) So as not to pay favourites I'm going alphabetically! And if you were expecting a SHORT blog post on this...heh heh Not so much... This one is lusciously lovely & long....Enjoy! iPad Tweetup with Appalicious Apps by Donna Anderson aka Digital Librarian 21 "The iPad Tweetup went very well and we had nine awesome folks show up. I’m even in the process of planning another iPad tweetup. Stay tuned for ...

I received and gave several gifts this week to friends that has filled my heart and warmed my soul. WARNING: Stop reading this post now if you're looking for my usual snarky comments & tech tips - though I don't blog about books as often as most librarians - I will always be a book lover! This post is a heartfelt thanks, celebrating my relationships, and mentally positioning myself with a air of grattitude for the upcoming school year that starts....for me...on Tuesday. I met with dear librarian friends and Maryland PLN peeps Brenda Anderson , Kyra Kreinbrook , and Andrea Christman at the Ram's Head Tavern this past week for happy hour ales & laughs. We stayed well beyond the hour of happy talking, bonding, scheming, and planning for the next coming school year. Brenda surprised me with a gift of a hand-made bracelet which I love & touched me! I want to share it with you! Awwww! Damn. So lucky. During our conversation, Andrea mentioned a book - ...