storytime katie

*quietly creeps into the blog*

Hey, y’all. Since the last time I blogged…I settled into my new job in my third library, WordPress changed the entire way to make a post, and we entered a global pandemic. Naturally, it seems like the perfect time to dust off the blog and return to posting on a semi-regular schedule.

I have to admit that I don’t entirely know what today’s blog readers are looking for. And I’m not even sure what would be helpful for me in the archiving aspect of my blog. But I do know that I have a pile of storytimes and themes, loads of new flannelboards, a laptop of my own again, and lots of opinions.

So, hang around and see what happens here…you know, if you still want to!

I’m standing for election on the Caldecott 2018 ballot. First of all, I’d like to say that I’m incredibly humbled and honored by this and still can’t believe that it’s happening.

But it IS happening, starting today. If you’re a member of ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children), you can vote as soon as your ballot is emailed to you. Here’s some links for information on the ALA Election process or the 2016 ALSC Elections.

So, just a few quick things about me and my qualifications:

• I’ve served on two YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) selection list committees: Outstanding Books for the College Bound in 2014 and Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults in 2016. I also chaired the PPYA list in 2016.
• I’ve served for the past two years on the Monarch Award, Illinois’s K-3rd state reader’s choice award committee: 2016 Nominees and 2017 Nominees. I still have one term on the Monarchs which will end this January before the Caldecott term will start.
• I was one of the attendees for the Bill Morris Seminar this past Midwinter (Boston 2016).
• I am registered for ALSC’s class The Caldecott Medal: Understanding Distinguished Art in Picture Books for this spring of 2016.

Above all, I am committed to children’s librarianship and love to give back to the community. Being on the Caldecott Committee would, in my opinion, be the ultimate lasting contribution to the field. It would give me an opportunity to be a part of a decision that would change the lives of libraries, children, and illustrators permanently.

Thank you very much for reading this post.

If you’d like to know a lot more details about my involvement in the field, please visit my online resume.

Can you believe that I’ve been here for five years? I really, really cannot.

I missed the actual anniversary (which Facebook says is September 17th), but it’s still anniversary month so it counts, right?

This is my 609th post on Storytime Katie. SIX HUNDRED AND NINE POSTS. The number just boggles my brain.

I’d like to thank the wonderful people who come here daily to read, the amazing people who check in every now and again, and all of my fantastic friends that I’ve met through this fabulous adventure! Readers are why I’ve kept blogging so long and make me feel like a true rock star every day. I cannot say thank you enough. Pretend I just wrote thank you 609 times.

THANK YOU!

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In unrelated news…

You’ll likely notice a decline in the amount of posts as we near the end of the year. I actually scheduled nearly all of the summer’s posts back during my May auntiecation (vacation with the dogs — my fabulous nephews) and only managed to write up a few in August’s auntiecation. But fear not, storytime resumes in October and I’ll have some more amazing ideas to post and discuss once I’m back to Toddler & Family Storytimes. I’ve got a new program to debut on the blog and a new series all about the kits that I’ve spent the last year creating with Target grant funds.

Here’s to another five years or 609 posts — whichever comes first!

Step Up Readers: a website devoted to all things beginning readers. And that’s all I’m going to say here. If you want to know more, click on over!

In case you were looking for another way to read the blog, I made a Facebook page yesterday, which you can find here: Storytime Katie on Facebook.

It’ll be a round-up of the blog posts and I may consider adding original content like sneak peeks at flannelboards and links to relevant library posts/issues.

Like if you’d like!

This year, Storytime Underground is asking anyone who wants to participate to set goals for 2015, write about them, and support one another.

At least my resolutions have nothing to do with procrastination…

Library Life

1. Stop checking my email first thing every morning. I get bogged down so fast by email and it just frustrates me. I’d rather accomplish something large every morning before the little stuff starts.

2. Start delegating more. My biggest adjustment that I’m still working on at my new (ten months in) job is learning that I am no longer a one librarian department. That we have building/maintenance staff around the clock. That I have two other coworkers that just do storytimes and early lit work.

3. Continue getting to know the patrons and the collection. I’m finally in a good ordering routine, but I need to up my readers advisory game, particularly in middle grade.

4. Actually practice and learn the ukulele. I’ve had one for two years and kept thinking “one day” and “when I have time”. I need to *make* time.

Professional Life

1. Keep up with committee work. I’m chairing Popular Paperbacks for YALSA, am on the Public Awareness Committee for ALSC, Illinois’s K-3rd state choice award (Monarch Committee), and YALSA’s Summer Reading and Learning Taskforce.

2. Answer email immediately after opening even if it’s an “I’m working on it”. I feel this is especially important as a chair.

Blog Life

1. Post a Flannel Friday submission every week. I have so many flannelboards that have never gotten their own posts simply because I have gotten around to it. I’ve been working on this for a week or so and am scheduled through April.

2. Actually write my series on favorite storytime tools. I’ve had the logo designed for over a year and no posts. Tons of ideas and I hope it will be a great resource to share outside of my storytime theme posts.

3. Get better about commenting. I read nearly 100 storytime and library blogs and I’m awful at commenting on them.

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They always say that resolutions work better with concrete goals, so here are the ones I can assign numbers to:

1. Read one middle grade book a month for fun. This will be a nice break from YA novels and picture books.

2. Learn and perform three uke songs.

3. 52 Flannel Fridays.

4. One storytime series post a month.

5. Five meaningful comments per month.

I think I’ve got this, but I’m always optimistic when setting goals…

Good luck to everyone participating!