He's such a rockstar...

Neil Gaiman has an interview in the Guardian. Check it out.

I guess this is my welcome to children's librarianship

So a woman comes in today insisting that she be allowed to sign her 14 month old up for my storytime for two year olds. She kept telling me it wasn't fair to restrict ages when it was a public library. That's what she said over and over, "but this is a public library." So apparently public means that everyone can do whatever they want. Ugh. I tried explaining to this woman, I really did. I explained the program wasn't developmentally appropriate. I explained that I was waiting for more two's to sign-up. Then I did something I probally shouldn't have done and said we could see how sign-up went and re-visit the issue in a few weeks. Very bad, I know but I don't want the moms hating me already!

Oh then I saw this mom back in the children's section of the library a few hours later. You have a baby, Lady. He can't read! Take him outside. He does not need to spend that much time in the freaking library.

Kid Lit in the News

There's a great article on the pleasures of Madeline L'Engle's books on Slate today. Read it here.

They sure are making it easy!

If people keep checking books out and then refusing to return them (aka: stealing them) at this rate, I'll have a really great display for banned book week all set up for me. The latest it this girl in Alabama refusing to return Ellen Wittinger’s Sandpiper to her school library.

Sigh

Just in time for Banned Book week there's this.

What's wrong with people? A woman in Miami tried the same stunt with Vamos a Cuba. So I guess the lesson they want to send to those kids they are trying so desperately to protect is: stealing is okay, in fact, it's a good thing and if you have a problem solve it by breaking the law rather than trying to go about making changes in a legal manner.

I don't like change!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Here's whats new:

I went to Miami last week. I visited friends and family, went to Rosh Hashanah services, made two Rosh Hashanah dinners, shopped with Mom, biked with Dad, and swam in the pool. It was lovely.

Then, I started my new job as a youth services librarian. Today was only day two but its pretty good so far. Arlington does thing differently from Alexandria so there's a lot to get used to. I miss my friends at my old job and I think I might be a bit more lonely here. But loneliness might be good. I'll get more work done for sure.

Whew! I guess it's not really that much, but boy have I been stressed. I think it's good to write it down because then I can see how good I actually have it. Hopefully I'll get into the swing of things in the next week or so.

Poetry Friday: Nelson, My Dog

Gary Soto's poems about his dog almost made me want to go home and play with Emerson. Almost.

Like the cat he scratches the flea camping in fur.
Unlike the cat he delights in water up to his ears.
He frolics. He catches a crooked stick –
On his back he naps with legs straight up in the air.
Nelson shudders awake. He responds to love
From head to tail...

Read the poem here.

Sad News

Author Madeline L'Engle died at 88 on Thurday. In honor of her, and my grandfather who passed away earlier this week, is this quote from The Small Rain:

"But there is something about Time. The sun rises and sets. The stars swing slowly across the sky and fade. Clouds fill with rain and snow, empty themselves, and fill again. The moon is born, and dies, and is reborn. Around millions of clocks swing hour hands, and minute hands, and second hands. Around goes the continual circle of the notes of the scale. Around goes the circle of night and day, the circle of weeks forever revolving, and of months, and of years."