A year of library crafts
Program ideas for busy library school students
Can We Talk? Community Conversation in Libraries
If there’s one skill I find equally challenging and exhilarating about my work as a Public Services Librarian is grant writing. Finding investment opportunities for small & rural libraries can […]
Techie Tidbit: Extensible Markup Language (XML)
I’ve already written in previous posts about my fairly “amateur” foray into the world of libraries as an MLS student – that is, my lack of specific experience in the […]
Low-demand High-need Collections, Programs and Services: Beyond the Numbers
I get it; at first glance of this post’s title, you may be thinking why would libraries cater to anything that is in low-demand? Our budgets only stretch so far, […]
TikTok for Libraries
It is shocking how few libraries are on TikTok. It’s not exactly new, but it’s definitely *the* up-and-coming social media platform. I’ve written about social media for libraries on HLS […]
The Power of Zines
I’ve discovered a new obsession lately: the zine. In this post, I will get into a brief history and examination of what zines are and how they pertain to libraries. […]
Programming Ideas for Libraries
I love programming. It’s my favorite part of my job. It is enormously satisfying to see patrons enjoying themselves in the library. In the best situations, they learn something too. […]
Accidental Special Librarian – advice for when you decide to pursue the “alternate” path
Editor’s note: this article was originally published on September 21, 2017 Like many LIS students, I went into the program with the goal of someday working at a library as […]
Board Games in the Library
Sometimes, you just need a game night. Last week, my boyfriend and I had a game night with a friend (who just finished her MLIS!!) and her husband. My friend […]
Things they might not teach you in library school: Sustainability edition
I’m not aiming to duplicate the wonderful work of Macy on the topic of environmental sustainability in libraries, although that topic will come up. It is quite amusing though that […]
Who Are Today’s Young Adults? And How Do We Serve Them?
Two of my classes this semester started by considering who today’s young adults are. In conversations relating to library services for young adults and contemporary and realistic young adult literature, […]
Best Practices of Library Virtual Programming
Check out these 9 Best Practices for Library Virtual Programming!
Programming lessons
I am a few weeks shy of completing my MSIS degree. This past month has been full of ups and downs and yet, no matter how tough it has been, […]
Why Primary Sources Matter
I have spent this week reflecting on how many times my heart has been heavy as I have witnessed yet another death of a person of color. As we continue […]
Planning a practicum in a pandemic
I confess I wasn’t planning to write about COVID-19. But ruminating on how my month has transpired since my last post, I realized everything I was planning to write about […]
Student Librarian Road Trip
Photo by Lisa Ladd Salazar-Ajo Library
Libraries + Census = Successful Partnership
The 2020 Census is upon us. After many months of controversy around which questions could or could not be asked (note: citizenship is not a question); come April 1st, 2020, […]
Facilitation & Data Operations in Academic Libraries
Many thanks to Christina Harlow for sharing her story! “Get your hands dirty. Go to conferences; sign up for workshops; propose the sessions and meetings you think are missing wherever […]
Skills Learned in a Toddler Story Time
Or, how singing with two year olds prepares you for librarianship. It’s here— your first story time. You’ve taken the Children’s Services courses, you’ve watched your colleagues run a few […]
Preschool Sing-Along
Earlier this summer, I shared that one of my tips for surviving and thriving during Summer Reading in a public library was “sing with toddlers.” While this tip was a general encouragement to find joy and delight where you can in a busy season, as a children’s librarian I was […]
Be the Face of Your Student Organization
Does your program have an ALA Student Chapter? At University of Iowa, our student chapter is called the Library and Information Science Student Organization (LISSO, for short) and I had […]
Focusing on Local: Librarianship and Public History
Part of what initially attracted me to pursuing a Masters in Library & Information Science was the public, or community focused, aspect of the work. As an undergraduate student in […]
A “FitBit for Words”: A Library Partnership for Early Literacy
Talk, Read, Sing is a library partnership aimed at increasing early childhood literacy. I discovered the benefits firsthand as a participant.
Meeting the Women in the Boxes: Reflections on Events in the Archives
Have you ever seen the stacks of an archives? In most cases, they are rows and rows of standard sized archival boxes. The only indication of the exciting content within […]
Advanced Storytime: Beyond the Basics of Discipline [Series]
This series will explore the lessons that I learned about storytime through my own self-education process–through many hours of research, attending conferences, and my favorite method of learning, hands-on experience.
Add STEAM to Your Next Program
One benefit to working at a library while being in library school is having the practical, on-the-ground experience to complement what is being taught in the classroom. However, when you […]
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