Thursday, May 5, 2016

Awesome New-to-Me Blogs

I'm celebrating 5 years of this blog, albeit a little late (even though I sincerely thought that my blog's birthday was tomorrow. I swear).

I really can't tell you how much your following my blog means to me. I've lately been revisiting some of my older posts, and how much has changed around here has quite frankly been ridiculous. Thanks, reader, for hanging around! And thanks to everyone who creates their own corners of the web to share what works for them. Putting yourself out there isn't the easiest thing to do, and I appreciate the hell outta you for it.

Last year, when I actually remembered my blog's birthday, I shared my favorite new-to-me blogs. I thought I would do the same this year. Last year's post focused mainly on programming blogs, and this year I've widened my librarianing scope a bit. Here's a snapshot of my new favorites:

Storytime Full STEAM Ahead: okay so this first one IS a programming blog, and it's a pretty great one. Valerie was in my cohort in grad school, and her first job after getting her MLIS was at a science museum. She's now incorporating all those fun science-y things into her library programming and blogging about it so we can do it, too. Check out this awesome post about practicing map-making with "We're Going on a Bear Hunt." And her very first post helps you start to think of yourself in a more science-y way.


Constructive Summer: Erin and Rachel chat about a whole lot of librarian stuff on their blog. And a lot of times I don't even understand it, and 3 hours later I'm down some Library Internet hole of opinion pieces about stuff that people have passionate opinions about (that I didn't even know existed). I first started following with this post in response to Michelle Millet and Jessica Olin's In The Library with a Lead Pipe article. I started thinking about how, while I've got 5 years in libraries, I definitely consider myself in the beginning of my mid-career as an adult. It's been kinda weird, because up until my last job I had been the youngest coworker in my offices by at least ten years. And because of this post I've started to actively follow younger librarians on Twitter and otherwise invite my younger cohorts to the table.(Bonus points that this blog is named after one of favorite jam-out-in-the-car songs).

She Blinded Me with Library Science: I hope Kelly continues to write because what she has so far has been completely awesome. I first fell in blog-love with SBMWLS when I read this post . Not specifically for the content, because that's good too, but for the story she shares about RIF. I remember the first time I had a realization like this: it was in one of my first education courses, and the whole class was talking about putting students on tracks in high school like it was the worst thing in the world. Oh and also, MY high school had a tracking system. I'd like to think it kept more people interested in school, to actually be learning things they could use in our blue collar community rather than telling everyone that the only future is college for some reason, but you know. Totally. ANYWAY, her post on LIS and class is another great one.


Librarian Burnout: This blog isn't for everyone, but it is for a lot of people. Maria posts her own experiences and she also welcomes guest posts. I won't point out specific posts and instead invite you to peruse as you need it.


By the Books: I'm usually not into book review blogs, but Amy connects every book she reads to personal stories and revelations. I love this one about You Are a Badass. I'm hooked. So hooked that this isn't even a library blog.


Whimsy Librarian: Okay, so granted I just started following Jessica after she was named a 2016 Mover and Shaker (congrats!) so it's not like I followed her blog before it was cool or anything. BUT I absolutely adore how she writes out programming plans and THEN reflects on how everything went. Her most recent post on an Outreach Storytime at a local museum is an example of that.


The Wobbly Way: Lauren is another non-librarian. I found her blog through a cerebral palsy group I'm a part of on Facebook. If you're interested in a voice that is funny and insightful while tackling ableist issues-- and simply "living life with a disability" issues, check this one out!


..so that's my second annual blog birthday roundup!
What are your favorite new-to-you blogs?

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