Renee Grassi

Accessible Customer Service for Patrons with Disabilities: LJ and SLJ professional development

Hey, it’s my @libraryjournal.bsky.social class! 👋🏻 In this course, you will learn practical strategies to create positive and supportive interactions with people of all abilities. Participants can move through the content at their own pace and on their own schedule. Register today! hubs.la/Q03VTtmF0

Do something kind for yourself this weekend.

Course materials for my new class with Library Journal will be released next week! Modules include “Serving Patrons with Mental Illness,” “Serving and Supporting Physical Disabilities” and “Foundations of Accessibility and Neuro-inclusivity.” Register today! course.libraryjournal.com/products/acc...

Announcing Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids: 2025 Edition!! You lucky ducks. You're getting an extra special sneak peek of Evanston Public Library's illustrious year end list of some of the best children's books of 2025. Enjoy!

So proud of the amazing staff at my library for their fantastic work on this list! ⭐️ #KidLit

An astonishingly large crowd!
Chicago

The Path Without End (2011) Anishinaabe stories of the Moon People are retold through an experimental steampunk animation by Irish, Anishinaabe, and Métis Elizabeth Aileen LaPensée…

To celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, why not watch these awesome works of Indigenous Science Fiction (all available online)?

1. The Path without End (Elizabeth LaPensée, Anishinaabe/Metis, 2011) vimeo.com/32861833

Promotional graphic for Hispanic Heritage Month featuring a bold, colorful border and the AASL logo.

💡 Hispanic Heritage Month may be ending, but Latine stories deserve space year-round. Thank you to librarians building inclusive collections daily. Drop a ❤️ if you found a new favorite book! Explore more: https://bit.ly/47vMbRj
#HispanicHeritageMonth #ReflectAndCelebrate #LatineVoices

OPINION: Banning books erases Native voices and experiences Book banning is not new. A small minority seeking to decide and limit what the majority can access and read has existed for millennia.

The book banning of Indigenous stories in libraries has impacts on readers| Removal of their stories continues the erasure of histories and contributions of Native Nations and their citizens

Thank you @tracisorellauthor.bsky.social for writing this Op-Ed

www.cherokeephoenix.org/opinion/opin...

Stack of books on a table with titles redacted by black bars. Headline reads: "The Normalization of Book Banning: What's Happening. What Can Be Done." PEN America logo appears at bottom.

🧵 In 2025, book censorship in the United States is rampant and common. Never before in the life of any living American have so many books been systematically removed from school libraries across the country.

Speak Out Against Censorship and Speak Up for the Banned Authors that Inspire You During Banned Books Week Oct. 5-11 As book bans continue to spread at an unprecedented pace– according to PEN America’s latest report—the writers group is urging the public to speak out to defend the freedom to read at public events na...

"As book bans continue to spread at an unprecedented pace — according to PEN America’s latest report — the writers group is urging the public to speak out to defend the freedom to read at public events nationwide during #BannedBooksWeek and beyond..." pen.org/press-releas...

Meet the New Host of Reading Rainbow: Mychal the Librarian After 20 years, Reading Rainbow is back! The new host is Mychal the Librarian, who has been spreading library joy online for years.

Squeeeeeeeee! bookriot.com/new-host-of-...

There are no good billionaires. Somewhere, somehow, there’s exploitation.

Something I remind myself often is that she, too, is a billionaire. Helps put everything into context.

Oh my!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

The 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Century There’s been a revolution in children’s storytelling—and it’s not just that the stories are more diverse.

Delighted to contribute to this article. I got to talk about CROWN, but honestly this is a very good list in and of itself. The readalikes are particularly choice. Well done, Slate! slate.com/culture/2025...

Following

This.

@himissjulie.bsky.social

Pop In Play: Building Flexible Fun for Families Explore Pop In Play, a drop-in program where children 0-5 build skills, explore, and play with their caregivers and make connections.

"Built to meet families where they are, [the Pop In Play] program directly addresses community needs."

Jaime Eastman shares how her library launched their "Pop In Play" series, a meaningful, flexible, and inclusive play-based program for children and their caregivers, on the ALSC blog.

JCPS officials say more library books being checked out after cellphone ban Librarians at Pleasure Ridge Park High School said more students are reading books, even during down time.

Librarians at Pleasure Ridge Park High said it appears more students are reading books this year, even during down time.

I have my first mammogram today….!! 😬😬😬

Hand holding small black and white hand lettered zine titled "How to Report ICE and Help Keep Our Neighbors Safe". Sunflowers in background.

Hand holding open zine. Pages read: "S Size of group, A Actions/Activity, L Location, U Uniforms/Clothes, T Time/Date, E Equipment

"How to Report ICE" zines are available for free printable download for these places:
California
Chicago
Colorado
DC Metro Area
Florida
Massachusetts
NC Triangle Area
NYC
Philly
Pittsburgh
Portland
St. Louis Metro Area
Washington State
Zine request form in folder.
drive.google.com/drive/folder...

Hey all! Check out this brand new asynchronus online learning course I created for Library Journal! This is first in a series with more courses related to accessibility in the future. Registration and enrollment is available now: course.libraryjournal.com/products/acc...

I had the utmost honor of being on the inaugural committee when this award transformed from Great Websites for Kids back in the early 2010s. Submit your suggestion today! More info ⬇️

American Sign Language Celebration Five years ago, I wrote an ALSC blog post about using American Sign Language in the Library. Revisiting the topic five years later, we see there are now more public libraries expanding services and pr...

September is #DeafAwarenessMonth. Here’s a throwback to my @wearealsc.bsky.social post from way back in 2018 talking an amazing all-ages partnership program I had the honor of working on with Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, MN for Dakota County Library 🤟 www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2018/10...

We are creating a Spanish language section on The Rumpus, for original creative work written in Spanish and are looking for a volunteer editor for this section. If this could be you, please send a brief letter of interest to roxane@therumpus.net by Tuesday, September 2nd!

🔥🔥🔥🔥

Lean in! 🌟

🫠 what about your most listened to guest?

Your first guest? Then and now?