Whether I’ve been in the queue for months or just a few days, the notification that my audiobook has arrived makes me super happy.
Yesterday morning the audiobook of James by Percival Everett popped up.
And yesterday afternoon I picked up volume 13 of Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo.
I am happy.
A handful of years ago, a librarian friend invited me to the movie theater to see the Oscar-nominated animated shorts. She likes weird. The shorts are generally always weird. She knew I’d probably appreciate the weird as well. And thus a tradition was born of seeing them every year.
We went the other day to see them. Yes there were some very weird ones, but we spend a lot time afterward analyzing the message, the visuals, and the storytelling in general. It got me think about short stories– short form writing that can pack a lot or so little that a reader must fill in the blanks with their own experiences to fill out the story. And that’s a magic all its own.
Do you have a favorite short story?
Today begins winter break which generally means I will try to cram as much reading as I can into each 24-hour day while tidying up around the house, visiting friends, and driving my boys to their job and hangouts with friends. It also means bottomless cups of tea thanks to my Breville teamaker.
I have a few professional titles to read including Jarred Amato’s Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms and Ashley Hawkins, Emily Ratica, Julie Stivers, Sybil “Mouna” Toure, and Sara Smith’s Manga Goes to School: Cultivating Engagement and Inclusion in K-12 Settings.
And plenty of YA and middle grade titles especially that have started piling up on my Netgalley shelf as I prepare for a new set of presentations with my amazing colleague and presenter, Stacey.
Where will you find me? At home bouncing between the couch with a book or tablet or bouncing around the house with my Shokz headphones listening to an audiobook getting chores done.
Yesterday I spent the first morning of winter break donating platelets, which if you’d done it, means about 2 1/2 hours sitting with both arms immobile. I can’t read a book and while I could potentially listen to an audiobook, I’d just be staring around the room, so I took the opportunity to watch a movie since they provide you with this entertainment. I was prepared to watch a movie I’d been wanting to watch on one streaming service but it wasn’t working so I was on another and saw The Martian available. I had been surprised by my love for the book. I had borrowed it digitally a few years back and was prepared to skim read the science fiction story because it’s not usually my jam. But I was sucked in and ignored other responsibilities one summer day to finish it because I loved Mark Watney’s voice. Done. I’ll watch the movie adaptation.
I’m usually suspicious of movie adaptations but have followed Angie Thomas’ tweet from years ago when the adaptation of her book was coming out and she was inundated with messages about it. She likened a book versus the movie as fraternal twins: they share the same DNA however they are different entities. As the mom of fraternal twins and a bookworm rather than a movie buff, it spoke to me on multiple levels.
Eventually I end up watching most movies that have been adapted but I don’t want a lot of movies in general (I prefer documentaries). And just like the book, I was wowed by the movie. Damon is a fantastic actor and the scenes, dark humor, and immediacy of his situation were wonderfully evocative in the movie.
There have been a few others that I’ve enjoyed similarly: Kristen Stewart’s awkwardness as Melinda in Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson matched. The adorableness of the music and characters in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han spoke to me (more) in the movie version than the books. Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy was brought to life with all the confidence of Dumplin herself, Danielle Macdonald.
Do you have a favorite book/movie adaptation?
This isn’t what you’d expect from a title like that. I’m not going to literally list all of the other things libraries offer because it differs from community to community. Instead, I’m going to highlight one that I’m buzzing about that happened last night.
Open Mic Night.
For three years, I have helped shape three open mic nights per year in our new library space. Luckily, another teacher at the school who pitched the idea of these recurring events is a casual artist himself and the best emcee. Collaboratively, we organize one fall, one winter, and one spring open mic night that allows students in our high school to flex their creative muscles in front of a live audience.
The lights get dimmed. The chairs are intimately pushed toward the microphone. The hot chocolate and baked goods smell wafts in the air. And these teens show up and they perform.
Spoken word (recitation and original)
Songs (original and borrowed, solos and duets, rap, Broadway numbers, pop hits)
Musical instruments (keyboards, pianos, drum kits, guitars)
Artistic expression (song and dance and break dancing)
What other things do libraries offer? Places to see and be seen. To build confidence and skill by offering something as simple as a small stage with a microphone.
Oh, Netgalley! So many pre-published books and not enough time to read them all in… but I try!
I try to be discerning about what I ask for. But it’s also hard when I am pre-approved by a publisher and it just says “Read it”.
I try to not download all the books. But I can’t help myself when they’re my favorite authors, buzzed about books, or sound so fabulous.
I try to read them one at a time in the order of the archive date. But when the mood strikes me, I might skip ahead.
And,
I always review the pre-published books I’ve been gifted to read. It is the obligation.
I always use the Netgalley app but now that they’ve added a read feature built into the website, I’m using that just as much.
I always share with others this gem of an additional resource. What’s not to love?
Growing up, I was a reader. My mom had bodice ripper paperbacks bought at garage sales. My dad has his magazines. My middle brother was decidedly not a reader and the youngest brother was a casual science fiction and fantasy reader. We were sporadic library visitors.
Fast forward to my retired parents: Mom attends a needlecrafters group at the library weekly and used to attend chair yoga. She participates in their winter or summer challenges and is plugged in to the activities of the library. My dad has a stack of books he reads, generally about history, natural disasters, and conspiracy theories. Both have a Libby account and now that my dad has a pair of headphones he likes, he’s listening to audiobooks like a fiend.
And talking to people while standing in line at the public library to add get themselves a New York Public Library card since we live in New York State to add to their already extensive collection of ebooks and audiobooks from our library system. I had overheard her talking to the library employee that she was over paying for ebooks and audiobooks like she was before and how amazing having a library card was.
Strangers or family, either way, what have you done to turn people on to the library and/or Libby? Have you done visited in a while? Is the app on your phone or tablet? What are you waiting for?
Yesterday I ran into a student in one of the offices at school. I haven’t seen her in a while and as we chatted, she said she was busy with after school activities, but that she was still reading but missed being in the library.
Over the weekend, I bought a gift card for a local convenience store to give to a student from us in the library to recognize her participation in our #ReadLikeAFalcon Day during testing week in which she came in and spent the ENTIRE DAY drinking hot chocolate and reading. We expected students to come in for an hour or two, but not the entire day. She didn’t need the gift card, the reward of reading all day was gift enough.
Last week, I talked on the phone with a former student (it’s been over a decade, so I should probably stop referring to her in this way) who I occasionally meet for tea and conversation about life and books but whose distance makes it easier now to catch up over the phone. Where did we end our conversation? What we’ve been reading. We started the conversation talking about a podcast she told me to listen to about libraries.
Cheers to the readers, near and far.
Whether it’s a Sunday morning where I have my tea while reading a book after the newspaper or my nightly cup of tea and reading before bed, or frankly any time of the day that I’m reading, it’s always better with a cup of tea.
Or… is it that tea is better when reading a book?
Either way, they’re inextricably linked on my arm and it’s a winning combination.
An avid user of libraries means weekly visits.
Currently, my public library is in a transitional phase as the old library had to be abandoned due to the overwhelming cost of structural repairs that was needed to make it safe for visitors. Our city decided to purchase an old bank building that had been vacant for many years right in the heart of our downtown, but it also needs significant structural repairs and a redesign but with a revitalization grant, it was a supported opportunity. In the meantime, the library has been in a small pocket of a senior center owned by the city. Our director and small staff has made the best of the situation.
I’m also lucky enough to have more intimate details about the running of the library after being appointed to the Board of Trustees, so I went from an avid user to an avid user and Board member. I encourage anyone who might have the time and energy to dedicate to this volunteer opportunity, to do it. Or simply volunteer, if that’s an avenue at your library. And if that isn’t available, attend the programs. Borrow the books. Check out other materials or if the library has one, their “library of things” or museum passes. Sit in the library for a spell to suck up the energy.
I’ll say what’s often repeated which is that the public library remains one of the last locations that doesn’t ask anything of its visitors. It equalizes access to things like the internet and resources. It provides community connections and aids for literacy.
Therefore, if you haven’t visited your local public library in a while. Now’s your chance.
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