The Book Nook

Think before you link

2011-12-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about linking. No, really.
In my last post, all the links of titles go to Amazon.com where you can buy the book, browse similar titles, etc. Today I was thinking that I should really link to IndieBound.org where you can buy books online from independent bookstores.
Then today, in a post unrelated to linking, librarian of awesome Andy Woodworth put the following note at the bottom of his blog post:
"Note: I’ve decided from now on to use links to LibraryThing rather than Amazon or WorldCat. In doing so, I’d like to urge my fellow bloggers to link to sites like LibraryThing rather than those sites when mentioning books."
AHA! I am not the only one thinking about linking. I usually just link to Amazon out of habit. WorldCat, the epic library catalog of everywhere, is awesome too because you can punch in your zip code and find a library near you that has the book you're looking for. But LibraryThing is a different animal altogether. It's a social "hey what are you reading" type of site, and since libraries are social "hey what are you reading" types of institutions, I think I will follow Andy's lead. And also, my personal LibraryThing is over there ----> showing you what I've read. I recently started adding all of the books that I've read since 2001 which just existed in my old blue notebook labeled BOOKS. I started in January of 2001 as my New Year's resolution and I think it might be the only resolution I've ever kept.
So hurrah for LibraryThing! And since it's so close to the New Year, why don't you start your own as your resolution?

Ex libris,

Marissa

Photo from Flickr user Etrusia UK, used under a Creative Commons license

Best of the Year from SLJ

2011-12-20T18:43:00.001-05:00

I read lots of book reviews for children and teens. As I approached the children's desk this evening, I noticed the latest School Library Journal sitting there. It's the December issue sporting the "Best of 2011" lists. I am not going reprint the lists here, rather, I will make note of books on the lists that I have read and what I thought. It's SLJ through the Marissa filter.

1. A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka
This is a sweet wordless picture book about a dog named Daisy and her beloved red ball. But what happens when the ball is no longer? I liked this book because I'm a dog lover, so it turned me into mush. Also, the artwork is very dynamic and Daisy is an expressive pup. Such a simple concept beautifully rendered.

2. Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
This is Hubbard's debut novel, but you wouldn't know that by reading it. Set at a boys' boarding school, 16-year-old Alex must make tough decisions about friendship, loyalty, and the truth in the wake of a friend's death. I felt it was very A Separate Peace meets Dead Poets' Society. Nice job.

3. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
This is a poignant tale of a boy, Conor, dealing with grief and feeling invisible. At night, he is visited by a monster in the form of a tree who will tell him three tales, and then Conor must tell one of his own-- the truth. This book got a lot of buzz, and I enjoyed it. The illustrations are haunting.

4. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
This book left ME wonderstruck, so much so that I bought two copies to give as gifts this Christmas. Parallel stories intertwine about museums, deafness, and family. Selznick is a master, and his drawings are amazing. LOVED this one.

5. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
I feel like Stiefvater really hit her stride with this one. I liked her Wolves of Mercy Falls series and her faerie books, but this is her best so far, for me. Featuring deadly, carnivorous water horses, a tiny windswept island, two teenagers fighting to win what they want the most, plenty of action, and a dab of romance, this grabbed me and didn't let go.

6. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Holy smokes (and bones). I finished this book a couple days ago and it was so so so good. A new twist in the paranormal genre: angels and demons. Angels, you scoff? BADASS angels. Demons, you whine? Surprisingly TENDER demons. Karou is a 17-year-old art student in Prague (note to self: GO TO PRAGUE) who, in her spare time, runs errands for a demon named Brimstone. On one of these errands, she meets Akiva, an angel who tries to kill her. However, she finds herself strangely drawn to him, and when the truth about Karou's heritage is revealed, you will be amazed. This book unfolds slowly, but oh so satisfyingly.

7. Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman
Who knew that nature is full of spirals? When I saw this title, the only spiral I could think of was a snail's shell. But there are so many more, and they each have a specific purpose. The illustrations in this are gorgeous and the back matter explains in detail the animals and plants featured in the book. Lovely.

Enjoy!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Poor neglected blog.

2011-12-06T23:40:00.003-05:00

It has been awhile. I read somewhere that some ridiculous percentage of blogs are abandoned after a few posts. It's sad. I have joined and am posting on DNBRD lately. And there's the 1001 Books too. So I am around on the web, and I really don't want to let go of this blog just yet. So hang in there, blog!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Of the Book, By the Book, For the Book

2011-08-22T19:33:00.000-04:00

I took a course in History of the Book this summer, and it was breathtaking. No other way to describe it. Handling old books, learning about how things were printed, seeing treasures from centuries ago...it was awesome. Then in July, my aunt Marcy suggested I read People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. It centers around a book conservator who has been invited to work on a Haggadah (special book recited at the Seder meal in the Jewish tradition) that was thought to be lost. The history of this particular book is traced through artifacts that the rare book conservator finds in its binding. There is a twist at the end, too. I highly recommend it!

Ex libris,
Marissa

The Girl Who Reads Scandinavian Noir.

2010-12-14T19:52:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I haven't ever written a blog post about Scandinavian noir. So here's how it all started: I was in college and had to take my world literature requirement for my English major. I chose Global Detective Fiction a) because it fulfilled the requirement, b) I had a crush on the professor, and c) it sounded cool. Perfect, right? And it was.
In that class, in addition to books that took place in Italy (written by Donna Leon) and Africa (written by Alexander McCall-Smith), we read Henning Mankell's Sidetracked which is set in Sweden. I was hooked. It was so dark and multi-faceted that I had to read more. So I read more by Mankell, and then some Karin Fossum (Norway), Kjell Eriksson (Sweden again), and Arnaldur Indridason (Iceland). The whole genre is fascinating. First, it's COLD in the winter, which makes the hideous crimes mean more, at least to me, because it would seem that there would be less crime since people are inside trying not to freeze to death. If you are making that effort of killing someone, it better work and be worth the trouble. Second, the nights are long and dark, which is spooky. The countries are very isolated, especially Iceland which is just floating out there in the middle of the North Atlantic, so one could easily kill someone and get away on a boat, or toss a body into the sea. Finally, these are not vast countries, so there is a great sense of local color, food, and names that often end in -son or -dottir.
That brings me to Stieg Larsson. He wrote the wildly popular Millenium Trilogy consisting of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. At first, I thought this was another author who jumped onto the bandwagon. But I was so wrong. I've only read Dragon Tattoo so far, but it was so exceedingly amazing and carefully crafted that I could not stop reading it. I then watched the Swedish movie of the book, starring Noomi Rapace, and I was clinging to my couch. I can't even describe the detail that Larsson has put in his books. Dragon Tattoo starts off slow with a lot of background, as most of the Scandinavian noir that I've read does. It is rather boring, to be honest. But then BAM! You're hooked into this complex web of awesome.
I read that Larsson intended the Millenium Trilogy to be ten books, but sadly he died suddenly in 2004 leaving us with only three. Also, there may possibly be a fourth book out there in the ether, but it is unclear if it is supposed to be fourth or fifth in the series. Larsson wasn't married, but he did have a longtime partner, but since he didn't leave a will, his estate goes to his father and brother under Swedish law. However, Larsson's partner Eva Gabrielson has the laptop with the fourth book but won't publish it unless she gets rights to Larsson's literary property. It's all very convoluted and mysterious. If you're intrigued, you can check out this website about Larsson and the whole series, characters, etc.
So, in summary, try some Scandinavian noir! I like Henning Mankell and Karin Fossum the most. Stieg Larsson is absolutely amazing and I hope the fourth book gets published someday. In the meantime, the Millenium Trilogy is intense, violent, and breathtaking and I recommend it. If you're not a book person, the books have been made into films in Sweden that are available in the US, and the US film industry is making them here into what I anticipate will be watered-down versions. Get the originals and watch them with the subtitles ON.

Enjoy the darkness.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Meeting Linda Greenlaw!

2010-07-07T22:41:00.004-04:00

I was just on Cape Cod for the holiday weekend, and Linda Greenlaw was making an appearance at Booksmith in Falmouth, MA. The coincidence is that I had just finished listening to Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm on the ride up to the Cape, which is the book that first referenced Greenlaw and the sinking of her ship's sister boat, the Andrea Gail. Junger's book was later made into a movie. Greenlaw just released a new book, Seaworthy, about her return to swordfishing after ten years. She spoke about her book, and she is well-spoken and quite hilarious. She's written mostly nonfiction, but has authored two mysteries. I asked her which she preferred, and she said that she thought fiction would be easier because "you just make shit up" (HA!), but she prefers writing about what she knows. Greenlaw also spoke about the situation in the Gulf, her experiences in the publishing world, and the time she was most scared on a trip (when a crew member died onboard and had to be packed in ice in the fish hold). She's been fishing since the age of nineteen and, even though she got a degree in English from Colby College, she went back to fishing because she loves it. I admire people who have such conviction and pursue their passion! I had her sign my book and told her that she had done something much more adventurous with her English major than I had with mine, and I told her I was a librarian, to which she responded that librarians are, by far, the smartest people she knows. I couldn't believe she said that! It was so great to meet her. My dad and I had a great time and we both bought her book-- which I was originally going to get my dad for his birthday, but alas, I will have to find a different present for him.

Linda's biography and information about her books are available on her website.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Birthday book.

2010-06-17T10:10:00.002-04:00

This is the second year I've bought a book for the library I work at. This year, I chose Playing With Books by Jason Thompson. The book is full of great ideas for using old books. We've already used the paperback postcards tutorial for a drop-in teen craft at my library, and we're going to be using the kusudama flowers tutorial next week. In addition, Thompson is the proprietor of Rag & Bone Bindery, a bindery that creates gorgeous albums and journals. I wanted to work for Rag & Bone after college, although there wasn't an opening and it was a pipe dream! I bought my sister one of their paper page albums after my niece was born, and it's now the only thing she ever asks for.

In summary, giving a gift on your birthday is good karma, as is finding new uses for old books. And if you need a new book, try Rag & Bone.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Summer reading!

2010-06-16T17:24:00.006-04:00

Today is the last day of school in the town where I work, which means it's time for summer reading! I always loved summer reading. Here are a few of my goals for this summer.

1. Get through the top ten of the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. My sister and I started the list and she's already through the top thirty! You can read about our progress on The 1001 Books Project (shameless plug). :)
2. Read the next few of the Luxe books by Anna Godbersen. They are pure YA escapism.
3. Read a few more of Cara Black's Paris mysteries. I love Paris so much and these bring me back.
4. Read a lot of YA! I love YA books. I'm looking at my "to read" list and a lot of them are YA.

I have a class starting July 6, so we'll see how I do with these goals. What are you reading this summer?

Ex libris,

Marissa

Do Nothing But Read podcast of awesomeness.

2010-06-15T19:12:00.004-04:00

About six months ago, Jill Thompson, an awesome cartoonist, tweeted about Do Nothing But Read Day, launched by a library student named Amanda. Since then, Amanda and I have become, I like to think, thick as thieves. We are Twitter friends and I hope we get to hang out in real life one day! In addition to running her own Do Nothing But Read Day blog, she also contributes to another blog called the Modern Day Pirates. On said blog, she collaborates with her longtime friend Brandon on a podcast about reading! They've done seven episodes to date, and it's great and funny and interesting and you should check it out. I never really understood podcasts, but I subscribed to this one and I love it. I listen to it while I'm shelving in the library, and I have laughed out loud and earned weird looks from library patrons. I also have added a bunch more titles to my "want to read" list. So go subscribe now and enjoy! And check out those blogs, which are updated way more often than mine and have better web design!

Ex libris,

Marissa

"We Will Not Be Shushed"

2010-06-15T17:46:00.002-04:00

Libraries in New York are facing budget cuts, as are libraries everywhere. I don't understand why politicians and other lawmakers always think that it's a good idea to cut libraries because they offer so many services! It makes me angry! Well, the Brooklyn Public Library hosted an event called "We Will Not Be Shushed." It was a 24-hour read-in to protest proposed budget cuts. The New York Times ran an article about the event that you can read here. What a great way to advocate for your library! Great idea, Brooklyn!

Also, I changed the blog design...like?

Ex libris,

Marissa

In which I profusely apologize for blog neglect and name some MUST READS.

2010-06-02T06:13:00.006-04:00

Dear blog, I am sorry for neglecting you. I will not make excuses for my behavior. Just know that I am sorry.

I read 76 books in 2009, and now, almost halfway through 2010, I'm up to around 30. Here's the best so far, January through May.

1. Going Bovine by Libba Bray. This book won the Printz award this year, and rightfully so! I laughed, cried, sang Man of La Mancha, and gained new respect for yard gnomes. Libba talks about the book here.
2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Teens fight to the death in a gigantic arena. Dystopia, scifi, romance all in one, plus it's a trilogy, so the amazingness is not confined to one book! The third in the trilogy, Mockingjay, comes out in August. Kudos to Suzanne for not drawing this series out longer than it needs to be.
3. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. Another YA dystopia novel. Actually, this whole list is YA because that's one of the courses I took this past semester, and YA literature is AMAZING right now. In this one, there is a terrorist attack and San Francisco becomes a police state. Marcus, a tech-saavy teenager, has to bring down the Department of Homeland Security. There is a lot of tech-speak in here, but it is fascinating. Cory Doctorow allows his book to be downloaded for free and this guy Bill Clementson has created a hyperlinked version of the bibliography which you will appreciate once you finish the book!
4. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan. Two of the greatest YA authors + two boys named Will Grayson + a chance meeting = GOLD. I so don't want to give anything away, so I won't, but go read this nownownow.
5. Gentlemen by Michael Northrop. I feel that this book has flown a bit under the radar, but it's definitely one of the best I've read so far this year. What would you do if you thought your teacher had murdered your best friend? The three protagonists of this book suspect their English teacher of kidnapping their friend and stuffing his body in a barrel after the teacher starts acting strangely toward them. The power of suggestion looms large in this mystery. A great read.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T23:58:00.003-05:00

I got a lot of great reads for Christmas, BUT...

this post isn't about that.

It's about my awesome dad, who is hilarious and amazing and that is why I am posting this holiday-themed video of him. Enjoy, and a very merry Christmas!

Ex libris,

Marissa

The smartest card won't necessarily make you smarter...

2009-12-20T17:55:00.002-05:00

I came across this story while poking around on the interwebs today. Sure, the incident happened over 3 years ago, but it is still hilarious. Remember, potential criminals-- library cards are ID, too!

I can just imagine the guy going to the library the next day: "Can you look me up? I think I left my card somewhere...oh CRAP!"

Lolz.

Ex libris,

Marissa

The snow is coming, why not read?

2009-12-19T11:16:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, make sure you stay in and read all day. It's ok, you are allowed. Here is the info from a Wisconsin library school student at her blog. How clever are library school students, anyway??? :D

Ex libris,

Marissa

Books are hott.

2009-12-15T17:34:00.003-05:00

I really really really love books. I'd say I was a bibliophile, bookworm, or bluestocking (bas bleu), but I recently came across a sexier term while reading reviews on Amazon.com. Ready???

BIBLIOSEXUAL

How great is that? I'm totally a bibliosexual. (You can click through the link...just the Urban Dictionary definition, nothing scandalous).
I am so using this now. I tried to edit my Facebook orientation to "bibliosexual," but it doesn't work that way. There are just checkboxes for men or women under "Interested in." I guess they wanted to avoid sketchiosity.

Homo, hetero, or bi? Nope, BIB. :D

Ex libris,

Marissa

The Sketchbook Project

2009-12-04T14:03:00.002-05:00

First things first-- done with my fall semester! It's such a relief. So now I need to get started on the Sketchbook Project!

The Sketchbook Project is run through a very very cool group called Art House Co-op. The project works like this: After I signed up, I received my theme for the sketchbook. Then I received the sketchbook in the mail. It has a barcode on it and a book pocket. The theme is also printed next to the barcode. I have to complete the book and send it back, and it will be in several exhibitions. Then it will be in a permanent library of sketchbooks and the barcode will be linked into a database! It's the best of both worlds for me-- libraries and art. Full deets are here, but the deadline to sign up is long gone (sorry).

The themes are randomly assigned out of thirty possible themes. My theme is how to save the world. I have tentatively titled it "Live Simply/Simply Live" because I feel like everything is way too complicated these days. The world would be a better, cleaner, and more peaceful place if we just simplified things. I want to incorporate the Shaker song "Simple Gifts" into my piece as well.

What do you think? Any ideas on how to save the world? Once I get my project going, I'll post photos in my Art House profile. I can use it as an online portfolio, as well, which is super cool.

Phewwww, I really need to get back into art. I hope this is a great jumping off point.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Blog for the 1001 Books Project

2009-10-18T19:58:00.004-04:00

I've created a blog for the 1001 Books Project. Please follow us and comment often! Also, any motivational tools, such as carrot cake, would be much appreciated.

Ex libris,

Marissa

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." -Lao Tzu

2009-10-11T11:09:00.006-04:00

In my case, the journey of one thousand and one books begins with one text message. A few days ago, my sister texted me and asked if I wanted to join her in reading every book listed in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. I gave her and her husband a copy of this book last Christmas. I was totally onboard. So now Emily (my sister), Mike (my brother-in-law) and I are going to read them all. Last night, I bought myself a copy of the book so I could follow along with the reviews and criticisms. The books are listed chronologically, but we're going to read them as listed in the index-- alphabetically. I think this is a great idea because I don't think I'd want to read a whole bunch of, say, Victorian novels all in a row.

This morning, I went through the list and checked off every book I've read from the list and it turns out I've read fifty-two of them. Not bad. That means I've been averaging two books from the list every year I've been alive. Obviously, I wasn't reading any of these books as a small child, but still. I have a list of every book I've read since 2001, so for most of them, I can pinpoint when I read it. If I don't reread any of the fifty-two, I'm already down to nine hundred forty-nine books to read before I die. If we assume that the average woman lives to seventy-eight, I have fifty-two years to read nine hundred forty-nine books. Which means that I need to read eighteen and one quarter books each year from the list. Definitely doable! (And yes, I used a calculator).

The first book is Aaron's Rod by D.H. Lawrence, originally published in 1922. I've requested it through interlibrary loan. I'll keep you posted on my progress. This is like Julie & Julia, except it's more like Emily, Marissa, Mike, & A Whole Bunch of Authors. Oooh, maybe we should have a blog. Interesting...

Ex libris,

Marissa

Read no evil?

2009-09-28T17:28:00.006-04:00

September 26-October 3 is Banned Books Week. A few of my personal favorites from the lists:

Looking for Alaska by John Green
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Celebrate the freedom to read!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Something to ponder.

2009-08-03T00:22:00.003-04:00

suggested by Spelling Search

"What would you do if the internet disappeared tomorrow? Are we becoming too dependent on the internet for our information and social interactivity?"

I was intrigued by this blog prompt and decided to share. If the Internet disappeared tomorrow, I feel like contact with others would dry up. Sure, we have telephones and addresses, but the Internet is a convenient way to stay in touch, and I feel like losing the Internet would be very isolating. On the flip side, it would be so freeing. Imagine just using your computer to type a document or edit photos! No constantly checking email or Facebook. I know I am very dependent on the Internet. It's how I go to school, for heaven's sake. But not having people expecting you to be always available...ahhh.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Is that the what?

2009-08-01T22:12:00.004-04:00

I just finished listening to Dave Eggers' What is the What yesterday. It has always intrigued me when I've seen it in the library-- the title and the cover. I decided the fastest why I'd get through it would be to listen to it. It is amazing. I admit I didn't know much about the Lost Boys of Sudan, nor do I really understand the conflict in the region. But it's not necessary to enjoy this book. Valentino's trek to Ethiopia and then Kenya is sad but compelling. His way of referring to people (TV Boy, Quiet Baby, Christian Neighbors) is so simple yet logical. While the action of the story goes on, Valentino describes his time fleeing his home in Sudan. It is basically one large flashback grounded in his life in Atlanta where he is not really known. He tells his story so we know where he comes from. He also addresses people indirectly to tell his story ("I was like you, TV Boy...) As usual, I don't want to go too much into the book because I feel like it should be experienced without my personal slant on it. I loved it, though, and I didn't think I would. If you know nothing about the conflicts in Sudan, fear not, Blog Reader. Stripped down, it is a bildungsroman (thank you 11th grade English teacher Ms. Smith). However, Valentino's coming of age is a much longer path (literally) than any you have ever heard of and, while full of hardship, is ultimately quite triumphant. I loved how the book ended...I will not reveal, but it gave me a real sense of perseverance. Also, it ended logically, not tied up in a neat little bow.

Dion Graham is the audiobook's narrator and brings the book to life so much that I felt that this wasn't a book I was listening to, it was someone telling me a story directly. As if it was just told to me. Graham is in "The Wire," which I don't watch but I hear is really good.

Valentino Achak Deng, the Sudanese refugee who is the book's protagonist, is a real person. The book is billed as a novel, but it is based on Valentino's life. He runs a foundation called the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation that rebuilds Sudanese communities that have been decimated by the war.

A great read or listen! One of my top for the year so far, I think.

Ex libris,

Marissa

The Whisper Initiative

2009-07-13T12:09:00.002-04:00

There was a complaint the other day that the Children's staff was too loud. I find this a little bit hilarious because the kids are loud, so I feel our loudness is justified. Nevertheless, libraries are supposed to be quiet places, so my pal Ketti and I launched "The Whisper Initiative." It was her idea and she named it, but I was totally onboard. We were both on the Children's desk and whenever we got asked a question, we spoke in a whisper to the patrons. And you know what? They lowered their voices as well! So maybe that is the answer...sort of a "monkey see, monkey do" type thing.

Unrelated: my class is chugging along. I have a lot of work to do, plus my job, so it is tough, but only about 5 more weeks of reference, then a mini-break before the fall semester! Yay! And also, it was my birthday on June 17. I'm 26 now, which is scary, BUT I know what I want to do for a career, so that is awesome.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Happy Birthday to me!

2009-06-17T12:22:00.002-04:00

I am 26 today!

The grind. I'm back to it.

2009-06-03T22:35:00.004-04:00

I had a brief break from school in which I read books, chilled, and basically soaked in free time after work. My summer semester just started this week (Monday). I find it rather amusing that I blog when I have homework to do, but don't blog at all when I have free-ish time. Hmm.

Went to the CLA conference last month which totally rocked and reaffirmed that I'm in the right career. Phew. Oh and I got a scholarship! Yay! Thanks to the Fairfield Libraries Administrators Group.

Got my grade back for cataloging: A- omggggggg! Thank God. Cataloging is tricky business. This semester I'm taking my reference course. Lecture notes are staring at me accusingly from my bed.

I'll make up a recommended summer reading list soon and post it. Please comment if you read (or have already read) a book from the list.

Finally, if you aren't playing Farm Town on Facebook, I am sad for you and you should add it and become my neighbor so I can get a trophy. This is also what I did on my summer vacation. :)

Ex libris,

Marissa

I did it.

2009-04-14T19:41:00.003-04:00

I did it. I joined Twitter. We'll see if I keep it up. For now, you can follow me. There is a link in my blog sidebar. As if I didn't have enough of an online presence before, right? Oh man.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Tired tired tired.

2009-04-14T17:41:00.003-04:00

MAN. I've been off since Thursday afternoon, today is my first day back, and I am dead. I was shelving and I got so stressed, then it was busy on the circ desk, and now I'm in children's and it's quiet...for now. I feel like that sleepy Yorkie (not a picture of my dog, but still a cutie!). And I'm here until 8 because I am closing. Man oh man.
I did come across 2 copies of Real Simple on a cart today and they looked good, so I checked them out. I'm also done with that huge cataloging project, so that is a relief. And tomorrow I'm going to see Jesus Christ Superstar with my librarian friend Nick. I just need a good good rest tonight and I will get my library skillz back.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Happy National Library Week

2009-04-14T09:43:00.007-04:00

Happy National Library Week! It started on April 12 and runs through April 18. Today is National Library Workers Day. Go show the folks who work at your library some love. Here is a link to the NLW homepage at ALA. There doesn't seem to be the awesome commercials for NLW like there was last year, but commercials or no, supporting libraries is always important and definitely needed this year what with the economic downturn boosting use.

The theme this year is "Worlds connect @ your library." Can I justify joining and using Twitter as a way of celebrating? That's connecting with different worlds. I swore I'd never get on Twitter...but then I said the same thing about MySpace and restarting a blog and Flickr. Hmm. Stay tuned...I am undecided on Twitter yet.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Respect the catalogers.

2009-04-07T18:21:00.003-04:00

I have an assignment for my cataloging class due on Sunday and it has been tough. We're collecting bibliographic records for Doris Lessing-- 20 books by her and 20 books about her. Then we have to use the Library of Congress rules to make a shelflist with the items in the proper order. Sounds simple, yes? Not quite. The Library of Congress has these rules, but not a lot of information on how to apply them. It's like an ancient society where the traditions are passed down orally but never actually written down or explained. I've been struggling with it for awhile now, but today I made a breakthrough. I have seen a pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel. I still have to check my formatting and dates and I need to find out if we're supposed to include subject headings. Then I have to write my commentary on why shelflisting table is tricky to use. Hmm. Because it is totally arbitrary? And there is no explanation? What if the last person who knows how to catalog properly dies? There needs to be a backup person. This could all end in tragedy and misshelved books.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Two sticks and some string.

2009-04-05T22:15:00.006-04:00

I've been knitting a lot lately and I've recently bought a LOT of yarn. (In my defense, it was on sale and it is sooooo beautiful.) I also just got Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Free Range Knitter through interlibrary loan, and it is cracking me up. I've already read two of her other books and I love her quirky style. I read and laugh, read and laugh, and then go knit. Here's a quote from Free Range Knitter that got me going. Stephanie on (not) living alone:

"I harbor a suspicion that I am tidy (inasmuch as I am tidy), organized (same thing), and behaving properly (going to work) only because I have other people living around me who would hold me accountable or phone someone if I gave into my natural urges to drink nothing but coffee and wine, eat nothing but chocolate and wasabi peas, and do nothing but sit around knitting in my underpants while watching old movies." (Free Range Knitter, page 32.)

OMG. THAT IS ME. I laughed so hard because that quote is exactly me. When my parents go to the Cape for the weekend and/or I am left to my own devices, I go a little weird. Plus, I love coffee, wine, chocolate, wasabi peas, and knitting. It is totally within the realm of possibility.

Stephanie's blog is more of the same amazingness. It is nice to know that I am not alone!

Ex libris,

Marissa

I'm Nobody, who are you?

2009-04-05T18:42:00.004-04:00

I finished Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book this week, and it was brilliant. It read beautifully and every piece worked. I work with a woman who is a big Gaiman fan, and there was a great article about him in School Library Journal recently, so when we finally got our copies in and one came up on hold for me, I dove in. Gaiman's writing is so subtle that you 1. forget you're reading a children's book and 2. find it perfectly normal that a boy grows up in a graveyard. And the illustrations by Dave McKean are simple and stunning. I recommend it! Also, Gaiman just won the Newbery Award for this book and posted the tweet heard 'round the world when he found out that he won. Awesome.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Where I'm from

2009-03-24T18:59:00.004-04:00

This is so beautiful, I took it from Julie. The template is here. I'm pretty satisfied with mine. Why don't you try it in honor of National Poetry Month?

I am from handmade afghans, from Five Alive and devil dogs.

I am from the half round windows, red ceilings, and worn gravel driveways.

I am from the riotous forsythia, the pastel cherry tree, and the smellgoods.

I am from pysanky and creative spirits, from Jean and Jay and theirs.

I am from the worriers and optimists.

From light golden brown hair and beautiful eyes.

I am from Catholicism, spiritual through myself.

I'm from Connecticut, the Cherokee, and Europe, kielbasa and potatoes.

From the sisters jumping rope at midnight, the epic eyebrows of Euie, and the mischievous brothers playing with firecrackers.

I am from Chapman Street and Flushing, from wartime love notes accompanying onions, from the roots of the tamarack tree and the cracked sidewalk pieces.

Slow down, breathe, and chill.

2009-03-17T22:18:00.006-04:00

Agh.
I knew (re)starting a blog might not be the best idea because I am not the world's most consistent poster. But I did, and it's been awhile, so that's that. It may be because of a BOOK I just read (oh, look at that segue!)

In Praise of Slowness by Carl Honoré
Here is Carl's website for the book.

The book is basically about slowing down in just about everything-- eating, sex, driving, living. It details how being slower can actually mean living a better life. It's fascinating and I recommend you read it-- but take your time. :)
I have always tried to stop and smell the roses, but it's been hard lately with work and school. I don't do much else besides those two things. When I do have free time, I nap. I haven't seen some (most) of my college friends since graduation. I never wanted to be that girl, but here I am. And you'd think that a library job would be slow, but it's not. So I've been trying to not get so keyed up about things. I've been sick the past two days and I took a sick day and didn't feel too guilty. I've tried not to worry that I don't have an assignment for school started yet-- it's due April 12. I am trying to regain the Marissa I always tried to be. It's hard and definitely not instantaneous, but I credit Carl's book with giving me a little jab.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Books into television programs.

2009-01-19T12:34:00.004-05:00

So I am having the laziest weekend ever (not counting shoveling snow while my dad is away in Vermont). I am committing the sin of SLOTH. I love it.
On the advice of Michelle and Eileen, my library girlz, I checked out season 1 of "Dexter." Oh my gracious, it is amazing. I am so into it. I think my mom is concerned that I'm salivating over a serial killer, but I have been known to have questionable taste in the past. But did you know that the show is based on Jeff Lindsay's Darkly Dreaming Dexter? I have the book checked out but I haven't read it yet (too busy watching the show). I wonder if it's going to be a let down or even better than the show. I am a believer that the book is always better than the movie, and I am interested to see if the same goes for TV shows. However, is it worth it to read now that I know what will happen (mostly)? Should I treat it as a readalong and read, then watch? I'm halfway through the season. I have so many books that I want to read, and I don't have Jeff Lindsay's book high on the list, but should this book trump the others since I am watching the show?

Maybe I am overthinking this...

Showtime's website for "Dexter"

Ok, I'm going to read the book. From the synopsis on the website for the book it seems that it is going to be good! Thanks, blog, for letting me work it out in your virtual pages.

Ex libris,

Marissa

First book of '09

2009-01-05T17:57:00.002-05:00

So I haven't done either of the resolutions I said I would in my last post. But I did finish my first book for 2009, Chris Bohjalian's The Double Bind. I listened to it, actually, and I was about to finish it on Saturday on my drive home, and I had to drive around the neighborhood and finally just park in the driveway and listen because I wasn't going to wait two days to finish it! It was recommended by my big sister, and it blew me out of the water. Clicking on this link will take you to Bohjalian's website and a blurb about the book. Honestly, reading the blurb doesn't do the book justice. It is so intricate and multi-layered and excellent. Go to your public library and get it!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Hello 2009!

2009-01-01T11:50:00.006-05:00

I've been keeping a list of every book I've read since January 2001. I tally up the number at the end of each year. Last night, just before bed, I tallied up how many books I read in 2008 and it came to-- get ready-- ninety-three. That is a lot. Granted, some were children's books and some were audio books, but still. I feel quite accomplished!
Highlights from my list for 2008:
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris (audio book)
The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby, Jr.
Triangle by Katharine Weber
500 Handmade Books: Inspiring Interpretations of a Timeless Form juried by Steve Miller
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
The Glass-Blowers by Daphne Du Maurier
Bliss by Lauren Myracle
Black Seconds by Karin Fossum
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

And onto resolutions for the New Year... I'd definitely like to get back to making books. I'd like to make a book a day, however small and simple the binding. I'd also like to take a photo a day. I don't know yet. I feel like making a resolution is just a promise to break it. We'll see.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Coolness discovered.

2008-12-30T19:14:00.005-05:00

So I was reading through all the back issues of American Libraries Direct that are emailed to me weekly and I found this cool blog of a librarian up in Massachusetts. It's witty and I think the guy (yes, an actual male librarian) is pretty cute. So I thought I'd pass along the coolness. I like librarian blogs because I can relate to them. You may not, but give this one a look-see just once, just for kicks.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Schooled.

2008-12-09T19:49:00.004-05:00

I'm done with my first semester of library school! All in all, it went well. I got my grade back for Intro to Information Technology-- A minus. I'm still waiting on my grade for Foundations of Librarianship, but I was more concerned about the other class. Next semester I'm taking a course in cataloging. But in the meantime, I'm on school break! I'm reading for pleasure! I'm currently engrossed in Murder in the Marais by Cara Black. A change for me-- I usually read Scandinavian crime fiction. In fact, I did a display table at work featuring Scandinavian crime fiction. But this mystery is set in France and I'm liking it a lot. I'm going to try and cram in as much pleasure reading as possible from now until January 26, which is the first day of spring semester.

More on Cara Black and her mysteries set in Paris.

Ex libris,

Marissa

UPDATE: My grade for Foundations of Librarianship-- A plus.

Rule of 50 and other Pearls of wisdom.

2008-10-16T07:56:00.005-04:00

I had to write a biographical sketch for school on a figure in the library world, and I chose Nancy Pearl. What a cool woman. Nancy was the director of the Seattle Public Library and has written books on reader's advisory. She calls herself a promiscuous reader and I think that is a noble form of promiscuity. Her rule of 50 is such: Give a book 50 pages and if you don't like it, don't continue. If you are over the age of 50, subtract your age from 100 and that is how many pages you should read before deciding to continue. I like this idea. I also think that if you've had a library book out for months and months and haven't been reading it, it's obviously not engaging you, so return it. I have many books begun but they're jut sitting there with their bookmarks in them. I'm in school, but I've had these books out since waaaaay before then, so I can't use that as an excuse. Even reading a page a day is doable, but I'm just not. So I will be reading more promiscuously from now on.

Also, Nancy is the model for novelty store Archie McPhee's librarian action figure. I myself own the deluxe model.

More about Nancy Pearl.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Excellent service, that monorail kitteh.

2008-10-09T20:50:00.003-04:00

I got this on I Can Has Cheezburger and, although I am more of a dog person, I love the lolcats. Especially library-related ones.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Happy Banned Books Week!

2008-09-27T13:18:00.005-04:00

Freedom to read is so important. Therefore, I wanted to post the most frequently challenged books for 2007. Here they are:

1. “And Tango Makes Three,” by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence

3. “Olive’s Ocean,” by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language

4. “The Golden Compass,” by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint

5. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism

6. “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,

7. “TTYL,” by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

8. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit

9. “It’s Perfectly Normal,” by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit

10. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

For more information about ALA's Banned Books Week, go here. In the meantime, go read, and be thankful you can read whatever you like.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Kudos to library clerks!

2008-09-15T20:30:00.002-04:00

I thought this article was awesome. This observant library clerk noticed some fishy activities and the offender was caught. :)

Also, I joined ALA and I feel all official now!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Just because we have comfy chairs doesn't mean the library is your living room.

2008-09-06T18:34:00.003-04:00

I was working the circ desk today when a woman and her daughter came up, obviously shaken. They said that this creepy dude had been following them around and they were afraid he was going to follow them to their car. He had been crouching down to look at some books, but it became evident that he was...ah...pleasuring himself. In the stacks of the public library. Gross! I didn't get to speak to anyone else about it until a little later because we were so busy today. I feel bad. He basically got away with it. But I will not forget his face, creepy pedophile mustache and all. YOU HEAR ME, CREEPY DUDE? YOU WILL BE VANQUISHED!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Yay for September!

2008-09-04T09:53:00.005-04:00

It's almost fall! The leaves here are beginning to turn very slowly. There are a few trees with some fiery tips, but that's it so far. Other things that are new:

-- I began my MLS on Tuesday, which is part of why I've been remiss in blogging. So far it's a good chunk of reading and I have an essay to work on. I am kind of nervous, but I always get back-to-school jitters. I can do it. :)
-- Two bits about Stephenie Meyer:
1. The FAQ for Breaking Dawn are posted on her website, and I think they're great at clearing up some of my questions about the book. Check it out and decide for yourself, but SPOIER WARNING!
2. Apparently, Stephenie's draft of Midnight Sun was posted without permission and then distributed all over the Internet, and now she doesn't know if she'll ever finish it. Some people can spoil things for everyone! Read what Stephenie wrote regarding this breach of copyright.
-- If you like reading my blog, please add yourself to my "Readers" list over there under my Etsy shop. I just added this new Google widget today and I think it's really cool. And, as always, feel free to comment.
-- I found this article about ways to catch up on reading that has some good advice. I don't like it when people are obnoxious in waiting rooms, either, and reading a book is a great way to pass the time anywhere.

That's all for now.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Legalize books, man!

2008-08-27T07:48:00.000-04:00

This was the June 18 post on Toothpaste for Dinner, which is a pretty cool web comic.

What could be a better addiction than books?

Ex libris,

Marissa

Further thoughts on "Busted!" post

2008-08-26T18:22:00.006-04:00

I wrote in a previous post that librarians judge patrons on the books they read and talk about them behind their backs. Also, I have posted a few patron stories of my own about silly things that have happened to me, mostly in the children's library. That article really made me nervous, so for my own peace of mind I want to put down some thoughts.

First: judging patrons by what they read. I think that "judging" may be the wrong word. Rather, I can learn a lot about people by what they borrow from the library. Some people are just into reading bestsellers while others read all the James Patterson they can get their hands on. (Side note: James Patterson is a machine. Every other day there is a new one.) Some patrons are into high literature while others just read fluff. There is a psychology experiment in there somewhere just waiting to be analyzed.

Second: talking about patrons behind their backs. I think in every job, especially where one serves the public, there is behind-the-back mumbling. It is the way of the world. In libraries, know that we talk about the good patrons as well as the difficult ones. And also, pay your fines. It would make us a lot less grumbly.

Third: blogging about patrons. I find this to be a rather harmless activity (although I am clearly spooked by what happened to that Michigan lady). I am not looking to make money from my blog, I am sharing experiences that I found amusing. It is kind of like those TV specials about "The World's Dumbest Criminals," except there is (usually) no crime involved, just silliness. Also, my blog isn't just about library patrons. It is about books and art and library school and reading and all sorts of book-related stuff.

Ok, so I've said my bit. What do you think? Am I wrong to discuss my work experiences in this way?

Busted!

2008-08-26T08:46:00.005-04:00

A woman in Michigan was fired from her library job for writing a book about all the nutty things that go on and all the colorful patrons she deals with. Or dealt with, since she was fired. This article was emailed to me and some other staff by Melissa, our A/V librarian. Hmm. That makes me a little bit paranoid. Number one, I don't write under a pseudonym. Number two, I write about amusing patrons. I realize I have not disclosed the library I work at, but it's not that tricky to figure out, methinks.

However, I am not looking to make money from my patron stories. Fact.

I will be more judicious.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Unshelved.

2008-08-23T15:22:00.004-04:00

The comic there is yesterday's daily strip from Unshelved, the library comic strip. It is so funny, but yesterday's particularly got me because of the officer's desire to leave quickly without cleaning up the mess she made. I have totally turned into a library nerd because my first thought was, "She doesn't know the Dewey Decimal System! She'd shelve everything wrong and I would have to track it all down!"

HA. Shelving supervisor I am!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Reading while intoxicated.

2008-08-23T10:19:00.005-04:00

My good friend Chris posted this hilarious video clip on my Facebook the other day, and I had to include it here.

Then my friend Michelle watched it and was like, "Oh no, Marissa will have to reshelve all those books!" And I would. But I might die laughing first if someone slid into a bookcase after reading while intoxicated.

Hilarious.

Marissa

Patron stories: Laying down the law

2008-08-22T06:54:00.004-04:00

A Wisconsin woman was arrested for failing to pay her library fines. Apparently her fines amounted to about thirty dollars, but she ended up having to pay for bail in addition.

Thirty dollars? We have some patrons who owe us more than $100! We need some of those Wisconsin cops to show Connecticut cops how it's done.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Teens and tweens

2008-08-21T18:09:00.003-04:00

I was shelving over in the teen library today and I was overwhelmed by all the materials available. When I was growing up (which wasn't too long ago but things change so quickly) there was not really a genre for teenagers. There was Judy Blume and that was about it. Now there is so much available for so many reading levels and interests. I like to think that adults and their older kids are reading together and some dialogue is happening, because a lot of adults seem to like the young adult genre.

I sort of skipped from younger books to adult mysteries. I remember picking up a Mary Higgins Clark book in the sixth grade. Once high school rolled around, I was in honors and AP English, so I read the books for those classes, and in college I read just about every genre of literature for my English major. I wish there had been the teen/young adult genre when I was younger. I am reading these books now in order to make up for lost time, I suppose! I read The Book Thief last winter and it was so excellent. Another good one was Life as We Knew It. Teenagers now seem so much more worldly than they were ten years ago, and literature has adapted to them. It sounds old-ladyish to say it, but I hope they appreciate all the materials available now. It will be interesting to see how things change in the next ten years.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Blogging librarians

2008-08-21T09:31:00.004-04:00

As I troll around the interwebs, I keep finding more and more blogging librarians. I love it! My blog list keeps getting added to. I love to hear other people's patron stories and other ridiculousness. I think working in a library still has this quaint image, but man, it isn't true. It is a busy, hard, noisy job. That is why everyone blogs...because if we didn't, we'd kill the patrons and maybe each other. (I still want to get a blow gun with poison darts to take people out.)

If the patrons only knew, right?
We judge you by the books you read.
We have heard every story about why your books are late.
We know you took the book to the beach because it is full of sand.
We know you let your kids use our DVDs as coasters because they are sticky with apple juice.

We talk about you behind your backs.

And we blog about you, too!

Bwahaha.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Librarian - My Morning Jacket

2008-08-20T07:16:00.004-04:00

I first heard of My Morning Jacket when I picked up one of those free iTunes download cards at Starbucks a few weeks ago. The song was "I'm Amazed" and I liked it. I thought, "Good choice, Starbucks." I always pick up the free download cards but this was the first one I'd actually downloaded, so I was happy that it was a good one.

Then last night, I was searching around for a pair of librarian glasses. I was several pages into the Google results when I saw the result for My Morning Jacket's song "Librarian." I thought, "Aren't those the free iTunes download guys? They have a song about librarians?" So I read through the lyrics and I downloaded the song and let me just say...wow. It is such a resonant, beautiful song. I fell in love. Take a look or a listen and discover it for yourself. I won't go into deep song analysis because I think you should hear it yourself first, but I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Now I have to check out the rest of their tunes. Good job, My Morning Jacket! Bravo! (And aren't they lookers, as well?)

Ex libris,

Marissa

Book explosion!

2008-08-19T18:51:00.004-04:00

I got to work today and WHOA! The carts were overflowing. I freaked out a little bit because this is the fullest they've been since I became shelving supervisor in June. Everything will eventually get shelved, but it is a big mess right now. I put out an APB for all my shelvers to come in and help if they can. Everyone is returning from vacation and dropping their books off, and summer reading is winding down also. The children's carts are the worst because people take out tons of books at a time.

In other shelving news, one of our shelvers resigned on Saturday, so we're down a pair of hands. However, we'll be hiring two new shelvers for the fall, so that is great.

It ebbs and flows.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Waiting game

2008-08-18T21:35:00.003-04:00

So I registered on 1001 Journals for Journal 3031 out of Maine. The theme is "Look what I found!" I find all sorts of stuff in the library, so I'm excited to add my finds to this journal. Hopefully this will revive me a little bit. Now I must wait.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Bookmaking attention

2008-08-18T09:03:00.005-04:00

Last week at work I gave out two business cards. That's epic. The first one was to a library patron who had work in the library's current art exhibit. I bought a piece of his and he came to check out his books and I told him that I was the buyer. Then I pointed out my pieces in the show (both within sight of the circulation desk) and he asked for my card.

The second instance was the next day. I was walking from children's to the circ desk and a woman was looking at one of my books and we got into a long conversation about bookmaking. Apparently her daughter is a bookmaking instructor and we chatted about how I got started and how her daughter went to North Bennet Street School and how I have an Etsy shop and it was awesome. And I gave her my card.

So now I must make things for my shop tout de suite.

Ex libris,

Marissa

A curious dualism.

2008-08-16T10:32:00.004-04:00

I was just speaking to Lesley, who works in the children's library with me. Apparently there was an article about Tomi Ungerer in the New York Times a few weeks ago. He wrote and illustrated a bunch of children's books, which I knew, but I did not know that he also did erotic books. Interesting combination, no?

He illustrated Flat Stanley, which is a huge favorite of mine, in addition to writing and illustrating his own books. And erotica. There is an increased interest in his work now since the article (which is why there are a pile of his books sitting on one of our carts waiting to be shelved). However, I'm surprised that there aren't any "concerned parents" getting all huffy about the erotic books. Now, we don't have any of those sexy tomes in our library, but I'm sure there are some folks who would like to ban all his books in case there is anything subversive in them. It will be interesting to see how this develops (or if it develops at all), especially since a number of his children's books are being republished in the fall.

Check out the article. It's quite interesting and he seems like a cool guy. I love artists.

Also, if you do a Google image search for Tomi Ungerer, you can see some of his work (including some of the naughty bits).

Ex libris,

Marissa

New look

2008-08-15T06:48:00.002-04:00

I have been playing with my blog template, as you can see. I liked the one I had but I couldn't resist trying something new. So I'll leave it this way for now and see how it goes. I like all the red, but the other one felt much more journal-y to me. Come back soon, it'll probably be different!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Finding the creative spirit...again.

2008-08-14T18:04:00.008-04:00

I have been in such a creative rut lately. I haven't made a book in I can't tell you how long. Also, my studio space is all put away in preparation for the baby shower we're having for my sister over Labor Day weekend, so I don't have anything visually stimulating to set me off.

I feel like I have a lot of stuff to work with but I'm afraid of ruining something and not making it "cool" enough. For example, I have a packet of letters I bought at the Clignacourt flea market in Paris in 2004, but if I use them I won't have them any longer and what if I make something from them that turns out awful? Silly, I know, but I can't shake the creative apprehension.

This book Artist's Journals and Sketchbooks is pretty awesome and has lots of image transfer ideas and ways to be spontaneous. I think I am overthinking things too much in my desire for precision. Also, I don't have the bookmaking drive that I once had. I have fallen into the trap of yarn. Even though I love knitting and crocheting, I feel like I've lost a part of myself since I haven't made a book in awhile. And since it's been awhile, part of me feels like I might as well give it up because I won't ever get back the mad skillz I once had.

Altered Books, Collaborative Journals, and Other Adventures in Bookmaking is a great resource too. My former art professor Maryjean Viano Crowe is featured in it, and I always get jazzed by looking at her work. She basically taught me everything I know about bookmaking. It is because of her that I got to intern at The Center for Book Arts in New York and I've been in a number of exhibitions.

I think I may have the cure for my creativity ailment, however: 1001 Journals. I was walking over to Starbucks the other day and I saw a bumper sticker for 1000 Journals, and when I went to the website it redirected me. How cool is this website? It is a bunch of collaborative journals! Two years ago I tried to get a round robin book going among some friends, but it was dead in the water and I still don't have the book back. I think I may register on 1001 Journals and start collaborating with strangers because other people always have the coolest techniques. Then I can do a little work at a time and hopefully put my creative spirit back together. And I'll be able to work without pulling out all my supplies, and I'll have to be spontaneous because I'll have to send the book along to the next person.

I'll let you know what happens.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Patron stories: Directionally challenged

2008-08-12T18:45:00.003-04:00

This just happened while I was sitting here at the children's desk.

Patron: Is this the circulation desk?
Me: No, it's out there. (points)
Patron: Out where you check out?
Me: Um...yeah.

Checking out implies circulation, yes? Where books circulate in and out of the library?

Bueller?

Patron stories: Late start on summer reading

2008-08-12T09:30:00.001-04:00

Last week, a woman came into the children's library while my pal Ketti and I were on the desk. She looked a little confused, so I said, "Can I help you?" She said, "Yeaaah, umm, my daughter got a reading list at the end of school? And we can't find it? Do you have a copy of it?"

I think the schools should stop giving out the lists because everyone loses them. We have all of them for the local schools in a large white binder, which I pointed out to this woman.

A minute later, she's back up at the desk with the binder in her hands. She says, "Soooo, what do I do now? Do I have to, like, remember the books and then find them? Or do you maybe have a piece of paper I can write them down on?"

Ketti and I gave each other a look. Was this woman for real? It's like she had never been in a library before. I think maybe that was true. Ketti said that she could photocopy the list or write down the books and then use the card catalog to find them on the shelves. She might as well have been speaking Greek.

The patron also needed the list on which to write down her daughter's books. Apparently, they lost that too and the daughter was upset that she might not have the right paper when school starts again in a few weeks. And then here was the clincher for me: "My daughter has to read TWO books!"

I almost died. Now, I know everyone is not a reader, but two books over the course of two months? It was like someone had asked her daughter to eat a plate of maggots.

They found their books and the woman thanked me, which was nice because a lot of people have zero manners. I found it so amusing that she thought she'd have to remember the books and then hunt for them. TWO of them no less. But at least she made the effort to come to the library and get started on summer reading, even though it was late.

Patrons are funny.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Dewey is love.

2008-08-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

The Dewey Decimal System of Love by Josephine Carr was the perfect post-Breaking Dawn read for me! Obviously tailored to librarians, but delightfully so. It is humorous, heartwarming, with a bit of mystery thrown in. It shows that there truly is someone out there for everyone. Also, each chapter theme is introduced with a recommendation for more reading on the subject directing the reader to the correct Dewey number. Very fun, lighthearted, quick read.

Josephine Carr's website for the book

Ex libris,

Marissa

Breaking Dawn

2008-08-07T22:56:00.001-04:00

I finished Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn yesterday. There are all sorts of reviews clogging up the Internet, but I couldn't avoid adding my thoughts here because I couldn't find a review that described how I felt now that the Twilight Saga is over (from Bella's point of view, anyway).

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

Ok, so. Before I get into the nitty-gritty, let me just say that I liked Breaking Dawn. A lot. I had mixed feelings while reading, but at the conclusion, I was satisfied.
Now the nitty-gritty. In skimming online reviews, I have found that there is a lot of uproar about Bella and Edward finally having sex and, subsequently, a half human/half vampire child. I find that Stephenie Meyer is being accused of condoning teenage sex and pregnancy. I say this is bullshit. The bargain was made in Eclipse that Edward wanted to marry Bella and then they would do the deed + love each other forever. Well, hello, they got married. And then they had (tastefully written and, in my opinion, hott) sex. They were both true to their word. To say that Meyer is suggesting that teenagers go get it on is absurd. Sure, Bella is a little young (ok, a lot young) to be getting married, but she is sure that Edward is right for her, and vice versa. She makes a commitment. In these times where twelve-year-olds are giving blowjobs on the school bus, Bella is honorable. Plus, I think that kids who are readers are probably better informed and more conscientious than kids who avoid reading like the plague, and therefore don't read Bella's actions as a blueprint for their own lives.
As a result of their actions, Bella gets unexpectedly pregnant. (Male vampires are able to father children, who knew?) While I was originally a bit surprised by this development, I looked at how many pages were left in the book and thought, ok, well SOMETHING has to happen, so this is it. Bella's decision to keep the baby despite Edward's protestations show her making the right choices for her. AGAIN. So tell me how that is a bad example? Personally, I think the right to choose is important. While I don't know what I would do given the same circumstances, I think that having the option is a good one. Meyer doesn't make Bella's decision into some big pro-life rally. She simply shows Bella taking responsibility and choosing what she thinks is best.
I was a bit disturbed by the parasitic, accelerated pregnancy that Bella endured. It was definitely macabre. I thought Meyer should've told that particular part of the story from Bella or Edward's point of view, not Jacob's. Also, I thought it a little silly that Bella didn't really flinch at the idea of drinking blood. In Twilight, she passes out in biology from a finger prick. She needed to show some aversion. Again, better achieved from her point of view. The delivery of the baby seemed like a scene out of Carrie or Alien to me. I suppose it couldn't be more tender since the child was draining Bella's life. However, I wanted Edward's changing her into a vampire to be more passionate and less frantic. Looking back, it falls in line with the rest of the story, but at the time I was disappointed.
Now, about Meyer condoning teen pregnancy. Again, I find that a silly accusation. Bella is married. She is not sleeping around with the football team or whatever, and oops, baby. It was unexpected, but again, there was a commitment between Bella and Edward and they were going to be together forever. And you know what? It's fiction. These are circumstances that will never happen in real life.
I am amused that there is a backlash against the name of the baby, Renesmee Carlie. In some reviews, it is being compared to the name of Harry Potter's child, Albus Severus, in atrocity. I don't love the name Renesmee but I like the sentiment behind it. I'm not wild about Albus Severus either, but it fits the story. It's better than all they Madisynne Meckenzee Cierra SueVanna kids that are walking around and will never learn to spell properly because their names are intentionally mispelled. Renesmee grew on me. Not loving the Carlie part, but again, it fits the story. Go here if you want to read a ton of hilarious, terrible baby names.
Next bit: Bella as a vampire. As soon as she became a vampire, she was much less real to me. Clearly, that was going to be the case. I like that she discovers her abilities and we discover them with her, but a teeny part of me wanted her to still be a little clumsy. Just at first. Her lack of bloodlust I found a little frustrating, though. Newborns are supposed to be vicious, and I had hoped she'd almost attack someone, namely, Jessica the fickle friend. I found it a little too convenient that she had so much self-control. There needed to be a little more action there for my taste. Maybe just the desire for blood explored a little more. However, the vampire sex drive I thoroughly enjoyed. It's true, I live vicariously through fictional characters, which is a little depressing. And I was feeling down on myself for still being a virgin while all the vampire love was happening. But I snapped out of it. Again, it is just a book. I like how Meyer makes me care so much. I forget that it is fantasy sometimes.
I do wish that there was a bit more mothering between Bella and Renesmee. It seemed a little forced. I do think it rocks that Jacob imprinted on Renesmee, though. I called that one, and I think it tied up Jacob's story well. Phew. And Renesmee sounds like the cutest child ever. But I wanted more mommy time between her and Bella. It was like, "Hey, I just had a baby and turned into a vampire. Let me go take down some elk!" Wouldn't you insist on seeing the baby, especially since you almost died carrying her?
The gigantic vampire gathering was interesting. I was expecting the Volturi to fight and not just off Irina. But maybe in the future?
The reunion with Charlie seemed a little forced as well, as did the obtaining of the forged documents. Hmm. I don't think they were out of place, but I do think they could've been blended in more smoothly.
So what's next? I have to lend out my copy of Twilight to my friend Eileen, so I can't reread the whole series right away. I am taking a break from the supernatural for now, but I do intend to read the saga all the way through. I am also looking forward to the movie version of Twilight in December. My final thoughts on Breaking Dawn: a bit contrived in a few spots, but in hindsight blends in very well with the series as a whole. Meyer has created some amazing characters and has left the door open just a tiny bit to continue if she chooses. I think continuing from Bella's perspective would be forced, but I look forward to Edward's story in Midnight Sun. I'd also like to see an Edward-centric version of Breaking Dawn. Meyer also does a good job indicating the commitment Bella and Edward have for each other. Again, not suggesting that everyone finds their soulmate at 17, but to wait until you are ready.
P.S. The release party I helped organize went really well! Yay, success.

Etsy

2008-07-24T09:28:00.000-04:00

I just added my Etsy shop to my blog. It is over there on the side under "About Me." I love Etsy and have pretty decent luck with it. It's been awhile since I added anything new, but I have ideas and will hopefully put them into action soon when I get a minute!
My shop is named PunkAndEuie and I primarily make books. Check it out!

Ex libris,

Marissa

Bibliomania.

2008-07-17T09:03:00.001-04:00

I sit here basking in the aftereffects of The House of Paper by Carlos Maria Dominguez. My friend Ketti recommended this one to me, and I'm thrilled that she did. Here is a book-- a small book of only about one hundred pages-- that explores the lengths of bibliomania and how books can be destructive to one's self. That is a boring sentence I just wrote and does not do the book any sort of justice whatsoever, but I am so taken by the book that I can't even write about it. Here is a review from Fine Books & Collections magazine that gives a better summary than I could. Clearly there is a reason why I am not a book reviewer by profession. :)

"To build up a library is to create a life. It's never just a random collection of books." from The House of Paper by Carlos Maria Domiguez, page 35.

Ex libris,

Marissa

Books about books.

2008-07-15T09:27:00.001-04:00

Just this morning, I finished Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman. It is an excellent book about books. Sometimes b-a-b can be very dry. I imagine the whole genre only appeals to bibliophiles like myself. Fadiman's book, however, is lively and engaging. I found myself laughing aloud (at the hairdresser, no less, so I got weird looks).

I picked up the book while I was shelving at work. I was initially taken by the title because ex libris is a favorite phrase of mine. It's Latin for "from the library (of)". I find it curious that the books about books come right after computer manuals in Dewey, but that's a different story. Anyway, I checked the book out to add to my HUGE stack of library books. I like to mix up fiction and nonfiction so I always have an option of what to read.

A favorite part:

on shopping in secondhand bookstores:
"'Alas,' wrote Henry Ward Beecher. 'Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore!'...In secondhand bookstores, each volume is one-of-a-kind, neither replaceable from a publisher's warehouse nor visually identical to its original siblings, which have accreted individuality with every change of ownership. If I don't buy the book now, I may never have another chance. And therefore, like Beecher, who believed the temptations of drink were paltry compared with the temptations of books, I am weak."

I am extraordinarily weak when it comes to secondhand bookstores. I also relate to Fadiman in the way that she is a compulsive proofreader/officer of the grammar police, she has a particular pen she likes to write with, and she treats her books roughly as a sign of intimacy. It was a great read!

Check it out.

Ex libris,

Marissa

The Twilight Saga

2008-07-10T10:29:00.003-04:00

I never thought I could get sucked into a series the way I did with J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter, but it has happened with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga.

I was skeptical when Jenn, a friend of mine/teen librarian extraordinaire, suggested the first in the series, Twilight. I then read New Moon and Eclipse and I am officially hooked. Meyer's characterizations are so real and she makes the idea of vampires among us plausible. She also has this amazing way of creating such heat and sexual tension between Bella and Edward, the two main characters. However, she doesn't make the book a teen sex fest. Indeed, there is no more than some intense kissing in the first three books. Whether this is a reflection of Meyer's Mormon faith or just the storyline, I don't know. But I find it a refreshing change from all the other media that is geared toward teens.

Breaking Dawn, the fourth and last in the series, is being released on August 2. I pretty much volunteered to co-run a release party for the new book at the library I work at, and I am so excited about it. I was so gung ho that I got some other library employees reading the books, and methinks they are going to help out, too. We're going to have a trivia contest, a scavenger hunt, some crafty goodness, a lot of red food, and we're giving the book out at the stroke of midnight. It is going to ROCK.

I don't think Meyer's series will take away from the success of Rowling's Harry Potter because it is a different audience. I do think Stephenie Meyer is going to go far in her literary career. In my impatience for Breaking Dawn, I picked up her first adult novel The Host and I'm enjoying it. It is much more sci-fi than fantasy (think "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" circa 1956), but not unpleasantly so as I find most sci-fi to be.

I highly recommend the Twilight saga for some fun, intense fantasy reading!

Stephenie Meyer's website

Ex libris,

Marissa

Be bookish.

2008-07-03T07:31:00.000-04:00

I like books. Making them, reading them, buying them. I work in a library and I do some bookbinding, so it would be safe to say that books are pretty much everything. This blog is about--you guessed it--books. So enjoy.

Ex libris,

Marissa