Wednesday, July 9, 2025

This month in the collection: June 2025


We didn't add a lot this month - we were saving new boxes for our Kid Librarian to open, staff were off, and I didn't have a ton ordered. I'll have lots of beginning chapters coming in the next month or so though, as I order replacements. These are some highlights and personal favorites of the books added to the youth collection.

Library Pinterest - new materials

Board Books
Picture Books
Early Readers and Transitional Chapters
Beginning Chapter Books
Juvenile Fiction
  • You and me and the land of lost things by Andy Griffiths 9781250367358
  • Good boy by Andy Hirsch 9781250291950
  • Attempting connection by E. C. Myers 9781645952688
  • On Guard by Cassidy Wasserman 9780593649985
Juvenile Nonfiction
  • Epic FACTopia by Rose Davidson 9781804661383
  • Survival Scout: Lost at sea by Maxwell Eaton III 9781250790491
  • Science Comics: Deep-sea creatures by Mike Lawrence 9781250841292
  • Everest by David Long 9781454958505
  • Greatest stuff on earth by Steve Tomacek 9781804661420
Young Teen
Young Adult
  • Roll for love by M. K. England 9780762488179
  • Latina Superheroes by Kayden Phoenix 9781524892586
Must-have sequels and popular titles
  • Bluey: The decider
  • The day the crayons made friends by Drew Daywalt
  • Cartoonist's Club by Raina Telgemeier
  • Fearless by Lauren Roberts
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Sunday, July 6, 2025

This week at the library; Summer week 4

Programs
  • Teen Engagement
  • We Explore Eric Carle (Kid Librarian)
  • Teen Engagement
  • We Explore Eric Carle
Self-Directed Activities
  • Summer reading
  • SRP activity kits - heart spinner or bug blocks
  • Construction Hangout
  • Read and Grow
Notes
  • This week is a little bit of a break - we generally do fewer programs and there's no summer school so a lot of people are out of town. Our pool had an emergency closure last week but is open again, so that will be a preferred spot for folks in the heat.
  • It's been a long time since I did storytime but this is really just an art program more than a specific storytime. The Kid Librarian helped out with the program as well. I was going to do both storytimes, but it didn't work out - I needed to work the evening desk shift in between running my sibling to the airport.
  • I need to start finalizing the schedule for the fall and focus on projects that need to get done before renovation, so I spent what time I could get this week planning, scheduling, and writing reports.
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Monday, June 30, 2025

Picture book neighborhoods: Bugs


I originally included worms, snails, and similar creatures in with the bugs when I created the neighborhoods. This does bother me, but I have learned to live with it! Most of the books are about bees and butterflies of course, but I have found some nice spider titles.

Nonfiction and Fiction Authors

Highlighted titles, fiction and nonfiction

Other titles in this neighborhood I have reviewed in the past
Annelids and Gastropods
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Sunday, June 29, 2025

This week at the library; Summer reading week 3

This kitty was only interested
in ME. Probably b/c I had just
come in from all day in my car
which has no a/c or outside
so I smelled...
interesting.
Programs
Self-Directed Activities
  • Summer reading
  • SRP activity kits - alka seltzer rockets or slingshots
  • Pokemon Hangout
  • Construction Hangout
  • Read and Grow
Meetings, Hosted events, etc.
  • Managers' meeting
Notes
  • I don't usually take time off in the summer - not because I can't, but because it's HOT and GROSS. However, my sibling was visiting and we decided to go see some new botanical gardens. In the middle of a heat wave, of course. I worked a full-day Thursday, half-day Friday, and Saturday (plus an emergency evening shift.)
  • I successfully found a local adult to DM for us! It's well within my budget and they already knew several of the kids, which was really nice. They did an awesome job and it is a HUGE relief to have that project off my mind.
  • This year I gave out a free book when kids joined the summer reading program - I needed to clean the stash of prize books out of the basement. The picture books went the fastest, leaving a handful of board books that clearly nobody wants since they've been rotating for years through the prize box and about 20 miscellaneous chapter books. Our Friends needed the cart anyways, so I recycled the books (not literally - they went into either the Friends bookstore or my boxes for teachers).
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Sunday, June 22, 2025

This week at the library; Summer reading week 2

Kids dancing with Bollygroove - I think
they were a little disappointed they did not
get covered in gulal (it was a presentation
about Holi) but they had fun anyways.
Programs
  • Family Storytime (turtle guest)
  • Maker Workshop: Candlemaking
  • Firefighter Storytime
  • Family Storytime (Shelldon returns)
  • Teen engagement
  • Offsite - Storywagon: Bollygroove
Outreach
  • Summer day camp - 4 sessions
Self-Directed Activities
  • Construction Hangout (half-day)
  • Read and Grow
  • Summer reading
  • SRP Activity kits - fleece pillow or marble maze
Meetings, Hosted events, etc.
  • Head Start
    • They attended our firefighter storytime for their family fun day. I reserved the Storyroom for them to do their health screening and have lunch in afterwards.
  • Managers' meeting
Notes
  • I'm STILL working on my project of weeding and relabeling the JBC.
  • I've started thinking more seriously about how we'll be organizing/using our new spaces, especially the Youth Maker Space and Youth Activity Room.
  • I've started putting together sounds-focused books for a new storytime our school colleague is working on for the fall. Sounds Abound
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Sunday, June 15, 2025

This week at the library; Summer reading week 1

Programs
  • Paws to Read
  • Teen Engagement
  • We Explore (storytime) (Tues/Thurs)
  • Project Explore (Teen Engagement)
Self-Directed Activities
  • SRP Activity kits - balloon poppers or catapults
  • Read and Grow
  • Senses scavenger hunt
  • Pokemon Hangout
  • Construction Hangout
Meetings, Hosted events, etc.
  • Managers' meeting
Notes
  • Although this was the first week of summer reading, I did not actually spend that much time on programming or SRP. I did a lot of administrative work, jumping on and off desks, and finishing projects. I'm still working on the JBC (beginning chapter collection) updates, but I did at least get a summer new book spotlight out.
  • Summer book spotlight: https://tinyurl.com/mwsj9vak
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Thursday, June 12, 2025

This month in the collection: May 2025


I had preordered items coming in this month, but I am trying to set aside funds for a big purchase to replace JBC - juvenile beginning chapter books - after I finish that weeding and relabeling process. I'm sort of maybe about halfway through?

Library Pinterest - new materials
Summer 2025 new book spotlight
Unless otherwise noted, all items were purchased for or added to the library collection

Board Books
  • Who's the boss? by Emile Jadoul
  • Yes Chef! It's snack time by Emily Love
  • Leo at the farmer's market by Anna McQuinn
  • Peekaboo: Dog by Camilla Reid
  • I cannot find my belly button by Eva Treistman
Picture Books
Juvenile Fiction
Juvenile Nonfiction
Teen (young teen/middle school collection)
  • Meet me at Wonderland by Julia DeVillers
  • Tiffany's Griffon by Magnolia Siddell
  • Love Report vol. 3 by Beka
Young Adult
  • Blades of Furry by Emily Erdos
  • Gay the pray away by Natalie Naudus
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Sunday, June 8, 2025

This week at the library; first week of summer, but not summer reading

Some of our visitors for the SRP kick-off.
The calico was feisty and tried to whap
kids with her teeny-tiny paws, which was
hilarious and made the kids giggle.
Programs
  • We Explore (storytime)
  • Drive into Summer
  • We Explore (storytime)
  • Summer reading kick-off
Self-Directed Activities
  • Senses scavenger hunt
Meetings, Hosted events, etc.
  • Girl Scouts
  • Managers' meeting

Notes
  • It's a whole new experience to have a week before summer reading starts, but not be doing field trips and class visits every day! I have to keep reminding myself that I have time and don't need to panic and rush.
  • I want to do a new post on my summer reading program, but I've got a lot of other things on my plate, so maybe later.
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Sunday, June 1, 2025

This month at the library (yes, a whole month)

Columbines in my garden
(I didn't plant them there, that was their own choice)

Programs
  • Paws to Read
  • Family Storytime
Visiting a school class
Outreach
  • High school graduating seniors
  • 5K-5th grade at three elementary schools
    • Blend of class visits, field trips, and hired performers.
Self-Directed Activities
Reading "Butt or Face"
to graduating seniors
  • Scavenger hunts
  • Read and Grow
Meetings, Hosted events, etc.
  • Managers' meetings
  • Birthday book club (school district)
  • Head Start family night
Notes
  • This year was the first time we visited the graduating seniors at high school. It's muggy and hot - next year I shall bring a fan. I read them Butt or Face (mostly it was just 50 seniors yelling BUTT at the top of their lungs, but they enjoyed themselves), talked about library resources and what kind of libraries they might use as they move forward in their lives, and then we updated and issued library cards. We need to have a second computer next time - we had two people but only one computer and it got backed up. We also gave out stickers and I need to remember to put the flyers out in the lobby with the library cards.
  • 2nd grade field trip. I fell in love with Don't trust fish and I don't want to do tours b/c of our upcoming renovations, so I did a fish storytime and activity with this class, about 20 kids. I did forget to put tape down on the floor to mark out the children's area. Can't wait for renovations...
  • As well as class visits and field trips (some of which had to be rescheduled b/c some people are wimps and can't handle refreshingly cool rain and wind) my staff and I organized the basement. We are not going to actually clean, due to the potential risks of what's down there, but we did wade through a lot of dirt and dust and we still have quite a few loads to haul up to the dumpsters.
  • I also did some preliminary planning for next year's programming, in view of renovations and changes in the school district, and I'm working through updating the juvenile beginning chapter book collection.

cleaning basement


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Monday, May 26, 2025

Picture book neighborhoods: Birds, Fiction and Nonfiction (with a mention of amphibians)


   Having finished the general animals section, I'm now moving on to the specific animal categories. I'm skipping the amphibians, cataloged as AMP, because it's a very small section of only 30 titles. The main thing to note about this section is the current popularity of axolotls. Moving on to birds!

  This is generally divided into fiction and nonfiction, with a couple popular categories (hummingbirds, raptors, and penguins) having specific call numbers. Most of this section is nonfiction and penguin books. There are currently ~120 titles in this section.

Nonfiction and Fiction Authors
Highlighted titles, fiction and nonfiction
Other titles in this neighborhood I have reviewed in the past


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Saturday, May 10, 2025

This month in the collection: April 2025


What even is time? As you can see from the late date, this month was super busy and I didn't get a monthly new book spotlight out.

Library Pinterest - new materials
purchased for or added to the library collection
**not yet purchased, but it's on a list!

Board Books
Picture Books
Early Readers and Transitional Chapters
Beginning Chapter Books
Juvenile Fiction
  • The enemy's daughter by Anne Blankman
  • Marshmallow and Jordan by Alina Chau
    • Paw Prints prebound replacement
  • Into the wild by Anh Do
  • House with a dragon in it by Nick Lake
  • Outsider kids by Betty Tang
  • Serge & Roscoe by Len Vlahos
Juvenile Nonfiction
  • Earth day and the environment by Kate Messner
  • Scat by Anita Sanchez
  • Fun with nature by Mel Boring
    • Replacement. I always have requests for this.
  • Power to the parasites by Chelsea Wood
    • Purchased with a collection-specific donation
  • Voices and votes: How government works in Wisconsin
Teen fiction
  • Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson
  • Love Report 3 by Beka
  • Tear this down by Barbara Dee
  • Resist by Alan Gratz
  • Rival Darling by Alexandra Moody
  • One wrong step by Jennifer Nielsen
Young Adult
  • Blue Lock 17
  • After life by Gayle Forman
  • Block'd by Brian Hawkins
  • Among serpents by Marc Gregson
  • All better now by Neal Shusterman
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Sunday, May 4, 2025

This week at the library

Programs
  • Teen homeschool hangout
  • Paws to Read
  • Family storytime (2 sessions)
Outreach
  • Lakeland school
Self-Directed Activities
  • National library week scavenger hunt
  • Read and Grow
  • Construction Hangout
  • Open Storyroom/Construction Hangout
Meetings, Hosted events, etc.
  • Managers' meeting
  • Staff development day
Notes
  • We're winding down programs and getting ready for field trips. I actually went on a trip this weekend and I have a week off - I'm going to focus on catching up on all my reviews, so you publishers who are waiting on me, they're coming next week!
  • I'll also be posting a single monthly post for May instead of weekly posts. We will have minimal programs (just my school colleague doing a couple weeks of storytimes and Paws to Read - see adorable puppy above) and will be focusing on field trips, cleaning the basement in preparation for renovations, and getting ready for summer.
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Monday, April 28, 2025

Picture Book Neighborhoods: General Animals, Fiction and Nonfiction


  I'm continuing my posts on the picture book neighborhoods, section by section. After the favorites and classics, next up is the Animals. I love nonfiction, especially science and animals, and this is a favorite section of mine. However, I will note that, especially in the picture books, Dewey numbers do NOT denote strict nonfiction vs. fiction - they are categories. There are plenty of items in the "nonfiction" Dewey numbers that are informational or that I just wanted in that section for ease of use.
  The first part of the section includes general nonfiction and fiction about animals. There are two Dewey numbers - 590 for general animals and 591 for eggs/animal babies. I've tried to make the animal fiction in this section primarily realistic, not anthropomorphic animals, although some of them do talk. I've also found that general animal books that might otherwise go in the juvenile nonfiction do better in this area. There are a couple major authors and then some specific titles I'd like to highlight.
  Some especially prolific authors have had titles weeded and not replaced and some, like Nicola Davies, had or have very popular titles that are sadly out of print. There are currently ~150 titles in this section.

Nonfiction Authors
Fiction Authors
Highlighted titles, fiction and nonfiction
Other titles in this neighborhood I have reviewed in the past
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