Miscellaneous | Readers Be Advised

Fueled by audiobooks

Last year I was training for a 15K in the summer which would lead to running my first half marathon in the fall. Eight years ago I would have laughed at you if you told me I was going to be a runner. And seven years ago, I would have laughed (as I did my friends and colleagues) if you told me you listened to audiobooks while running. Because I was decidedly *not* a runner, I could only imagine getting pumped up to run with music.

Fast forward to last year’s training and I couldn’t imagine running WITHOUT an audiobook. I’m sure there were mornings where I ran farther because I didn’t want to stop reading. And even now, now that we’re also dog owners again, the daily walks also include audiobooks if I’m not walking with another family member in addition to any running I do. Here are a few of the memorable audiobook runs and walks.

This was my first ever audiobook run. You can never go wrong with Steve Sheinkin’s nonfiction.

My first Colleen Hoover book was this audiobook while running. Spicy!

Nugent’s Little Cruelties was so complicated, deliciously messy, and screwed up (in all the best ways) that I remember my eyes bugging out a little while I was running. What was I listening to?!?!

Beautiful storytelling and a vivid setting combined to immerse me in a mystery that absolutely took me to another time and place. I definitely ran longer than I had planned to keep reading.

This poetry collection includes nature sounds while the the multiple narrators share the poetry and while you’re actually walking in nature, it was captivating.

When books are memoirs, you need to have an audiobook narrated by the author. This one was not only perfectly executed as an audiobook, but it also spoke to me on a deeper level that I ended up buying the book to own in addition to listening to it a second time.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 20, 2023 in Adult, Audiobooks, Authors, Fiction, Miscellaneous, Nonfiction, Young Adult

Save money, use your library

19 Nov

Our library system ran an expedition, the second iteration in a handful of years to promote all of the thirty-six libraries in the system. After the expedition finished, they did a Library Love event to bring the libraries back together, give out some awards, provide recognition for the staff who put the activity together, and allow fellow library lovers a chance to have fun and connect.

At the event, the staff had a station where you could pose with the dollar amount you saved by borrowing from the library using a standard dollar amount per book, but that didn’t include your digital borrowing.

I know I read a lot of books, so to know that I have the public library, in addition to my job as a school librarian, saves me quite a lot of money. In this photo from September, my borrowing totaled over $42,000. That’s a car. It’s a salary. It’s a lot of groceries (well not as much anymore).

I know there are libraries whose digital borrowing receipts include “you saved X dollars by borrowing these items”, which I also love.

We should continue to celebrate what public libraries do from hosting events and community gatherings, to still the thing as old as time– lending books. Thank you to people like Benjamin Franklin and Andrew Carnegie, all the librarians and library staff, and communities that support their libraries!

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 19, 2023 in Events, Miscellaneous

Waiting for new books like…

14 Nov

A hiccup in putting in our first big book order of the year put us about a week behind. I’ve had a student checking almost daily for the shipment to arrive after I confirmed that the book she’s waiting for is in the stacks of boxes that will arrive.

This is us, waiting for new books…

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 14, 2023 in Miscellaneous

Companions to reading

12 Nov

If I’m reading, there are only a few things that I need…

Tea
Book accessories like a book weight, bookmark, or beanie for my eReader
A refill on my tea
Bluetooth headphones if I’m listening to a book while running or walking the dog
Post-its and a possible writing utensil

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 12, 2023 in Miscellaneous

“Die puny human!”

09 Nov

No cooler words have been spoken by a character in fantasy, right? Cool like the millions of copies of the Inheritance Cycle series sold by Christopher Paolini and the many more now that Murtagh is out in the world. Cool to be the kid who started writing Eragon at fifteen because he was bored and wanted a challenge. Cool like the dozen high school students of mine who spent a dinner with him, getting signed copies of his books, and generally having a good time before his presentation through the New York State Writers Institute and The Book House. Cool like the student who had their cheek signed by him. Cool like the hundreds of people that showed up to share their express gratitude that he wrote the books because they saved them in some way whether it was the dragons or lines like “Die puny human.”

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 9, 2023 in Audiobooks, Authors, Book Birthday, Cover Love, Events, Fiction, Miscellaneous, Young Adult

Shelf talking

08 Nov

Student comes in holding Shiloh and asking if we have books that are similar. A short walk to the bookshelves and I had a basic understanding of why she liked the book and a fairly clear idea of the kind of reader she is.

A quick catalog search showed me that two books that automatically came to mind wouldn’t work because she wanted a physical book and we only had digital versions of the others.

We proceeded to walk the shelves where I’d pull a book up from the shelf, set it on top, talk about it for a minute, and then continue to walk again, repeating the process and reading her facial expressions. I usually get to a point where I stop and ask them if they want me to continue or if they’ve had enough. Depending on their answer, I’ll keep shelf talking or I’ll tell them that I’ll leave them alone to choose and to bring whatever they want to take up to the desk to check out.

Do I secretly celebrate when they bring something up to the desk? Of course. Do I do a virtual backflip if it’s one of the ones that I recommended? Heck yes. Did she? Totally.

And it’s THE reason I love being a school librarian. I do it for the shelf talking.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 8, 2023 in Fiction, Miscellaneous, Young Adult

Words in different ways

03 Nov

Last year a teacher approached us to collaborate on a new school activity- an Open Mic Night where kids could come stand in front of an audience in a coffee shop-like atmosphere and perform. I said absolutely, sign me up. It was another opportunity for students to participate in an activity that celebrates creativity and uses our beautiful new library as the backdrop.

Because the teacher is a performer himself, he led the charge to sign students up and emceed the night, which included fantastically goofy segues. I would set the scene with snacks and hot drinks, atmospheric decorations like glowing tea lights, and advertise the heck out of it.

Last year we hosted several and we’re on track to do three this year. Wednesday night was the first and as is with last year’s, I am awed by their capacity to perform. This session included all singing and a few instruments, but we have seen spoken word and poetry. One student performed an original song and a duet spun the fast-moving Hamilton track, “The Schuyler Sisters” to finish out the night and blow our minds. Whether they were doing karaoke or embodying Elvis, it’s all just words… words in different ways and whether we’re reading words on a page as a book or listening to a song, it’s worth thinking about all of the innovative ways words can be arranged and affect us.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 3, 2023 in Events, Miscellaneous, Reflections

Indie bookstores

02 Nov

Local indie bookstores are the best. It’s a place where community events celebrate reading culture, books and tangential reading items can be purchased for personal delight or as a gift, and everybody knows your name? Yes, well there are a few booksellers at my local bookstore that I’ve known for years both in a professional capacity and a personal one.

I was delighted during a recent visit that Cheryl remembered my love for the manga series Witch Hat Atelier and she mentioned that the spinoff series Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen was coming out. She said she’d order one for me if I wanted. Absolutely!

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon. In chilly upstate New York weather I drove on over after getting the call and I’m now the proud owner of the first volume in the new series.

Thank you to The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza for being a friend! Plus, for the cheap seats in the back, local indie bookstores are the best.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on November 2, 2023 in Book Birthday, Manga, Miscellaneous, Reflections, Young Adult

No moss

18 Oct

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

Current book mantra.

There are no moss on my books because they’re constantly being shifted, moved, read, returned, shared, and opened. Right now I am in a constant state of reading.

The snapshots above are forty-eight of the recently-read books that encompass

Books for a panel I moderated for School Library Journal
Nonfiction books for a subcommittee to help determine ‘best’ books of the year
(Secret books that are invisible because I’m on an awards committee and can’t share)
Manga because I’m trading books back and forth with my son
Recently published books that are getting some buzz because I’m constantly on the lookout for books to purchase and recommend
Picture books because they’re beautiful
… and a smattering of other titles that fell into my lap

I’ve got books on my phone in ereading apps, books in my purse, one squirreled away in the car, several in my school bag, and a stack at work.

There will never be a shortage of books to read. What I do have a shortage of sometimes is time to read them. Can I get a week’s vacation to do nothing but read- alone, with tea, a comfy blanket, and gently falling rain in the background?

Books are life and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on October 18, 2023 in Miscellaneous

Surrounded by book people

24 Aug

As the summer draws to a close and most Northeast educators begin to look toward their classrooms and the return of students, I spent a day surrounded by book people. And it was lovely.

For the last several years, my presenter-in-crime Stacey Rattner and I have shared the best books of the year to our local area educators and I’ve looked forward to every one of them and am sad when it is done. However, within the last two years, we’ve been invited to present to other local cooperatives that coordinate librarian and teacher professional development to do the same during the school year– so the adrenaline rush of preparing for a presentation and delivering it lasts the whole year through now. I’m both grateful for the opportunity to meet other librarians and educators, read as many books as I can to be the most prepared I can be, and find entertaining and inspiring activities to break up the time that can be useful in their own practice.

I’ve written about it before and will reiterate it again, my passion for running professional development is directly related to the work I have to put in to deliver it. That’s deep learning for me. So preparation begins as soon as the date it booked. I often mull over the possible theme and organization for quite a while, writing down a note here or there and then leveling up to a brainstorm.

I’ll save a love letter to Stacey for another post and instead offer a toast to the wonderful librarians and educators who came out on one of the only sunny days our summer has offered (so much rain!) to be ready for the school year for their students and share their thoughts, opinions, and book love with one another.

What is your favorite kind of professional development? What is a lasting memory you have from a past event?

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Posted by Alicia Abdul on August 24, 2023 in Miscellaneous