Month: June 2016

Library Book Haul: ‘Professional Development’

Posted 28 June 2016 in Uncategorized /0 Comments

Recent trips to the library have seen me checking out books related to librarianship and ESL education. I aspire to become a children’s librarian. I want to learn more about the actualities of the profession. Happily, my library has a well-stocked section of up-to-date books about librarianship. I think I will find lots to read there. I limited myself to four books on this round because I was on my bike 😛

  • So You Want to Be a Librarian by Lauren Pressley –  This is a slim volume that I’ve already finished and returned. It purposes to answer all your questions about becoming and working as a librarian, but a lot of it is basic common sense and repetitive information if you’ve already attended university or given some thought to the profession. I did learn a bit about the various types of librarians and what their jobs might entail. I think this book would be a more helpful read perhaps for someone who’s just had the fleeting thought ‘Maybe I could be a librarian…’ or for people who have no idea what it is that their friends who are librarians do.
  • Book Bridges for ESL Students: Using Young Adult and Children’s Literature to Teach ESL by Suzanne Reid – Currently reading. This is a topic I hope I can explore further in my studies and integrate into my future work as a librarian. 
  • The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts edited by Ken Haycock and Brooke E. Sheldon – I plan to be studying for an MLIS next fall (2017)! In the meanwhile, I hope I can learn some things from this book 😛 The articles look interesting and relevant, with titles such as “Professional Ethics and Values in a Changing World” and “Readers Advisory Services: How to Help Users Find a ‘Good Book'”. I think I have a solid understanding of the basic tasks and responsibilities librarians may have, so I hope this book will fill in some details.
  • Managing Children’s Services in Libraries by Adele M. Fasick and Leslie Edmonds Holt – This book caught my eye because of its detailed table of contents, covering the practicalities of the job that I would like to learn more about. This book is the most textbook-y of the four, but it’s tone, formatting, and size lead me to think it’ll be a good read.

Librarians and fellow enthusiasts, do you have any recommended reads about the field? 


Review: 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin

20 June 2016 / review / 0 Comments
Review: 438 Days by Jonathan Franklin

Format/Source: Hardcover/Library Published: November 2015 Publisher: Atria Books Length: 269 pagesGenre: Non-fictionWhy I Read: Intriguing subject matterRead If You: Like stories about people who overcome the impossibleRating:  ★★★★Links: GoodReads | IndieBound | Chapters | Amazon  Since reading In the Heart of the […]

Response: What Does the Term Diverse Mean to You?

17 June 2016 / response / 0 Comments
Response: What Does the Term Diverse Mean to You?

On Wednesday, Naz @ Read Diverse Books posted “What Does the Term Diverse Mean to You?”. I’m bumping the review I had scheduled today to write a response to his post, as I’ve been thinking about it a lot these […]

What is Speculative Fiction? Some Thoughts on Genre

16 June 2016 / discussion / 1 Comment
What is Speculative Fiction? Some Thoughts on Genre

I drafted this post back in January when I was trying to add a genre label to Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day. I didn’t know what to tag it, so I took to Google and came across the […]

Review: What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

13 June 2016 / review / 1 Comment
Review: What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

Format/Source: Paperback/Purchased Published: March 2016Publisher: Hamish Hamilton Length: 325 pagesGenre: Short stories (literary/magical realism)Why I Read: Favourite authorRead If You: Like new and fresh short stories, with a hint of the surreal about themRating:  ★★★★½ Links: GoodReads | IndieBound | Chapters | Amazon  What […]