Jennifer 📚💙

Proposition: You become a writer the moment you write, a musician the moment you make music, a painter the moment you paint, etc. You become an artist the moment you find your own voice as a writer/musician/painter/etc.

Yes? No?

A pigeon sits on a concrete ledge

We have a library pigeon who hangs out by our staff entrance and is completely unafraid of people. We wondered if he was injured, but so far it seems not. I've named him Pickles.

Display of books

Just little library things: Put together an ongoing display of DOA items (Buried Treasure) to help them find some life and it turned out pretty ok!

This one comes out August 5th!

Cover of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz, featuring a colorful image of a robot hand lifting noodles out of a container behind a cityscape with other robots.

Finished reading my ARC of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz. Still forming my review thoughts, but definitely recommended for fans of Becky Chambers, Travis Baldree, and other cozy SFF. Glad to see the SciFi side of cozy reading expand! #booksky

#Library folks - What have been your most successful passive engagement activities, especially for adults? We've seen a lot of success with our whiteboard questions, chess, and puzzles. Library users, what have you lived in your libraries? #booksky

This morning I was driving behind a guy who had his phone mounted on the dash for GPS. Only then it wasn't GPS. The driver was watching the news while driving? No thank you. Make responsible decisions.

Book cover of Red City by Marie Lu. A winged lion sits before a red background with the title and author in white lettering. Below the title it says "Power always has a price."

I was too exhausted to read, but I'll probably be digging into one of my ARCs once I finish my book club read. Currently, Red City by Marie Lu is calling my name.

Pilot telling us our flight landed early and we need to wait (again): "Please remain seated. That is certainly your option."

“Horror is a welcoming space for teens exploring their identity.” In the past 3 years 56% of horror book deals focus on marginalized voices. Queer & marginalized horror is especially strong in YA. Horror used to be a predominantly straight white male space & it’s not anymore. 👏 👏👏 #alaac25

That was definitely the tightest connection I've ever made.

The excitement of the sunrise has faded as we sit stuck without a gate to pull into, concerned that we may miss our connection from Atlanta to O'Hare.

Shows view from airplane window, over the airplane wing with the sunrise seen in the distance

Early morning flights are rough, but sometimes you get to see stuff like this. 🌞

Stack of books!

I honestly didn't go into #ALAAC25 with the intent of collecting books. They just sort of came to me.

This was an awesome session!

What Gives Carla Hayden Hope | American Libraries Magazine The former Librarian of Congress talked with author Kwame Alexander at ALA's Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia on June 28.

After being abruptly dismissed by the White House, former Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden assured her staff, "‘We’re trying to make sure that the library is protected.' You have to separate this position...from the institution," she said at #ALAAC25.

March Meowness. Show a cat picture to get fines forgiven. #alaac25 📚

Screenshot of ALA Annual app for the event "Growing Terrific Talkers" Sunday June 29 at 9am

Come on out Sunday morning to hear me yap about supporting early literacy and communication developtment by collab-ing with local experts in a "baby big read"! My voice is scratchy but the program is catchy! #ALAAC25

The empty IMLS booth at the the American Library Association conference in Philadelphia. It is a blue drape with two signs. They read: “INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES” And “IMLS Can't Be Here. So We Need To Show Up For Our Libraries.”

#IMLS couldn’t come to #ALAAC25.
Someone needs to stand up for libraries.

The applause says it all. Thank you, Dr. Carla Hayden. #ALAAC25

View of conference ballroom packed with people and showing two screens at the front of the room

The room was absolutely packed for "Don't just shake it off: using debriefing tools to support front line library staff," but the presentation was so good it was worth my no-visibility vantage point from the floor. Mental health needs to be a priority for staff! #ALAAC25

@thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social left me feeling so proud to be in a field with such strong integrity, strength, and compassion. A must see for anyone with a heart.

Guilty! But we have also been playing a few games - ID them without the tag, and how many "punk library" shirts will we see.

Shows theatre seating moving down to a stage with some chairs for discussion. Above the discussion chairs is a screen showing a card for the documentary "The Librarians"

Ready to screen The Librarians at ALA Annual! #ALAAC25

It took me several tries typing "gypsy moth" today before I realized why "The Gypsy Morph" by Terry Brooks wasn't coming up in my search results. Tired #librarian problems. #booksky

German copy of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, still wrapped, held up in front of library shelves.

Sprayed edge of German copy of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, showing flames rising from the bottom edge to a dragon at the top edge

Someone donated a still-wrapped, first edition of Fourth Wing in German to our Friends of the Library. The sprayed edge is gorgeous! Way better than the dragons in the original US version.

Getting a haircut tonight! This will be the first hair appointment I've had since I was about 4 months pregnant with my now 1-year-old. It is so easy to leave self-care behind when life feels so fast. #treatyourself

The University of Virginia has created a website of archived government websites—bookmark it—you’re going to need it later.

guides.lib.virginia.edu/c.php?g=1451...

Library book drop with a closed sign, and an icicle hanging down from a lock

Library Snowstorm Vibes 📚💙
Unlocking the drive up book drop after a snow storm closure.

Termush by Sven Holm & translated by Sylvia Clayton - This post-apocalyptic title centers around a wealthy hotel which preppers have purchased rooms in well before disaster struck. The guests & staff, now survivors, try to figure out what day-to-day life looks like in an irradiated world. #booksky