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Frankenstein took hold of popular culture from the moment it was published. Every generation finds within it a vibrant, on-point conversation, be that 19th-, 20th-, or 21st-century readers. As Halloween approaches, there is perhaps no better time to meet the two central characters of the novel, follow them across Europe, onto the ice of the polar North, and consider how the horrific is perhaps best seen in a bloody mirror. To aid in that expedition, here are books, comics, films, and websites to explore.

Crafting has seemingly been around forever, but now more than ever, these creative outlets have taken on new importance in people's lives. Here are some resources that will help you get started on a craft. 

Persuasion, the newest Jane Austen adaptation, arrives on July 15, from Netflix. Assist viewers, readers, and listeners who want more Austen with these suggestions.

The 2022 Tour de France begins on July 1 and runs through July 24, as it winds its way across France. Cycling fans will be watching daily to see who makes the best time, who wins in the mountains, and who has the fastest sprint finish. Some fans will also be tuned in to see the glories of the French countryside and aerial views of the many French châteaux. Help patrons who enjoy “Le Tour” make the most of it with these supporting resources.

Looking for ways to celebrate Pride Month outside of the parade? Many institutions and organizations have made their projects and collections accessible online, so readers can brush up on their knowledge of queer history. Alternatively, there are an array of films and books that cover topics ranging from the origin of Pride Month to personal queer histories. With this list, readers can discover history that may be new to them in the comfort of their home.

To celebrate Pride Month, here are 12 fiction titles featuring queer characters to expand your library's LGBTQIA+ collection.

Museum exhibitions mean great art gathered in one location, but they also often translate into long lines, hard-to-get tickets, and, unless the exhibition is nearby, travel expenses. Added to these impediments, unless one is constantly on the lookout, shows can be overlooked, only discovered after they close. Thankfully many museums do their best to create a visual and aural record of the exhibition online through images, illustrated lectures, audio guides, and gallery talks.

Jillian Rudes didn’t grow up reading manga. But when she discovered it in her first year as a school librarian, she realized that it is a critical format for teaching, cultivating a love of reading, and giving kids what they want, and took a deep dive in, reading everything she could get her hands on.  

During a job hunt while unemployed, Jessica Chaney learned about the opening of CLOUD901, Memphis Public Library’s social, creative, production, research, and performance technology lab. Chaney thought she might be able to contribute her film experience—but library leadership realized she had management potential.

Bill Smith’s love for community service and music led to him work with Dallas Public Library (DPL) staff and volunteers to create a schedule of classes in musical instruction and theory for underserved communities. 

With disinformation more prevalent than ever, teaching students how to analyze and understand what’s coming at them has never been more important.

The Outreach Department at High Plains Library District in Erie, CO, was a seven-person department when Brittany Raines became supervisor. Under her leadership, it grew to 25 staff spread out across the entire county and was retitled as MOVE (Mobile, Outreach, Virtual, and Experiences).  

As 2020 Maryland Library Association (MLA) Conference Director, rather than cancel the conference due to the pandemic, Naomi Keppler worked with staff to reenvision the event online, collaborating with MLA’s technology committee to build a virtual platform that other states replicated.

Barbara Alvarez, while teaching at three iSchools, focuses on building community partnerships for health. To investigate the pandemic’s impact on abortion services for Wisconsin residents, Alvarez conducted weekly mystery calls to 29 abortion clinics in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, and upper Michigan..

A few years ago, Melissa Thom attended Nerd Camp for the first time. “I was hooked,” she says. “It’s such a high-energy day where educators, librarians, teachers, illustrators, and authors are all there to nerd out about books. And it’s such an amazing model—it’s a free event, and everybody is there because of the pure joy of books and reading and literacy.” 

Marquita Gooch-Voyd—who became the first person of color to receive the Georgia Public Librarian of the Year award in 2020—sees the impact that technology can have on patrons’ lives and careers. 

Babak Zarin has expanded Access Services at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) to include accessibility in all forms, developed and conducted an accessibility audit, and shared information and insight through presentations for other library systems and one-on-one conversations with library staff. The Deaf Culture Digital Library is the culmination of two years’ work reviewing and developing a program to meet the needs of the Deaf and hearing-impaired community, not just within CRRL, but throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Robin Davis knows that “accessibility isn’t one person’s domain, but everyone’s responsibility.” This shows in the work she does with her colleagues at North Carolina State University (NCSU) Libraries in the User Experience department and on the recently formed Accessibility Committee, as well as mentoring students. 

No matter how robust a library’s services, they can’t reach those who aren’t aware of them. St. Louis County Library (SLCL) Reference Manager Jennifer Gibson has been working to bridge the library’s outreach gap in several critical areas. 

Throughout his career, Elisandro Cabada has been closely involved with the creation of tech spaces in libraries, including the design and development of the IDEA Lab, and the Breakerspace digital scholarship and innovation center at the University of Minnesota’s Walter Library. In addition, he is currently developing library services for CI COM—described as the world’s first engineering-based college of medicine—with a focus on "innovative instructional support, scholarly productivity tools, and entrepreneurship."

Jessica Fitzpatrick meets student athletes on their turf as she grows the next generation of book enthusiasts. “I became aware that our athletes weren’t reading because of how many different responsibilities they handled,” she explains. “At a Title 1 school, our students are not only busy being athletes, students, and just teenagers but they are also working to put food on the table and support their families.”  

Queens Public Library’s (QPL) Immediate Access: Technology Reentry program helps new parolees overcome the many barriers to restarting their lives outside of prison. Program Manager Jill Anderson is an expert in removing roadblocks. This includes listening to program participants and community partners about what they need or can offer, and to funders about what opportunities are available.

When life gives you honeybees, make honey. That could be the motto of Amy Thatcher, manager of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Richmond Branch. “I believe pushing against boundaries yields opportunity,” she says. “Be adventurous. Try implementing what appears to be impossible. Most of the time, it’s possible.”  

When Nicole Bryan took on the position of Neighborhood Library Supervisor for the Macon Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) in January 2020, she could not have imagined guiding her branch through a pandemic. In those two years, however, Bryan developed outdoor community programming, a systemwide special edition library card, and programs to reinforce community connections.

When Amy Hermon transitioned from being a history teacher to a school librarian, she found that her on-campus support network drastically dwindled. Teachers and staff were great, but there was no one with the same job available to talk to and draw inspiration from. This inspired Hermon “to create something that has the potential to help people all around the world, and then commit to creating that connection week in and week out.” In 2018, she created School Librarians United.

Jane Gov believes that “to really understand what teens want, they must be involved in the planning.” This is the foundation for the Teen Volunteer and Teen Advisory Board (TAB) programs. The programs’ goal is to be strategic in how the library utilizes the skills of volunteers, and to support a team that doesn’t only give advice and assist with library activities, but creates ideas and makes them happen. 

Among Katie DiSalvo-Thronson projects is building a portal for students and families in need with information about finding food, housing and rental assistance, unemployment, and mental health resources. Knowing that many students didn’t have access to the internet, she worked to produce a print version included with free lunches distributed by local schools. 

Ady Huertas grew up in the library, first while learning English as a preteen and then at 16 serving as library aide at the San Diego Public Library. She celebrates 25 years with the system this year. 

“It’s been the most rewarding career move I never anticipated,” Luke Kirkland says of becoming a librarian. Kirkland initially set out to be a musician, but found his stride leading the teen department at Waltham Public Library. “I’m incredibly honored to receive this recognition. The credit should really go to the teens who made the Teen Room and Real Talk the space that it is.”  

Perry joined Mid-Continent Public Library in 2013 in the new role of business specialist. She spent four years working on a plan to provide business information education in Spanish with two community partners, hosted a support group during quarantine about virtual programming, and helped develop a small business support team that was active in the community.

Shortly before Gregory Stall completed his MLIS, two simultaneous internships—at the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress—introduced him to the excitement of public programming with formidable collections. At New York Public Library (NYPL), he has tapped into his own curiosity to stoke interest and bring the community to the library, both in person and virtually.  

Raemona Little Taylor is not satisfied with libraries’ success as spaces of inclusion. “I feel like the first step is acknowledging the long history of libraries as segregated spaces,” she says. “Until libraries and librarians grapple with their history as gatekeepers for white-dominant culture, they will struggle to create welcoming and inclusive workplaces where diverse workers feel like they truly belong.” 

Dieter Cantu knows the power of education. And after having spent three years incarcerated in Texas’s juvenile justice system, he also knows the difficulties teens face getting an education in those systems.

Xenia Yolanda Hernández has collaborated with agencies and nonprofits to help families and businesses in Saint Paul, MN, most impacted by the economic fallout of the pandemic.

After George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, Cindy Khatri advocated for Downers Grove Public Library (DGPL) to issue its first anti-hate statement. She was then tasked with writing the next, following the March 2021 murder of eight people at three Atlanta spas, six of whom were Asian women. She recruited Van McGary as coauthor because “I don’t know if I can do this on my own, and I want to share my platform of power,” she remembers thinking. “We’ve been a dynamic duo ever since.” 

In late 2020, Sophie Kenney founded the Reaching Across Illinois System (RAILS) BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) Library Workers group. At the first meeting, Kenney opened the floor to anyone who wanted to be a co-leader, paying forward the leadership opportunities she’d received. Heidi Estrada stepped up. “The rest is amazing history,” says Estrada. 

Librarians face problems ranging from budgets to book challenges, and it takes time, effort, and dedication to battle them. Elissa Malespina was galvanized to act when the South Orange–Maplewood  district, where she lived and formerly worked, wanted to reduce the number of librarians in the middle and high schools. It didn’t happen overnight, but eventually the positions were restored. 

Jessica Alvarado was drawn to library work after seeing how involved the Dallas Public Library (DPL) was within the city and local communities and loves being able to provide diverse, inclusive, and engaging programming. Recently Alvarado has become one of the lead creators of the city’s first Poet Laureate, created to encourage greater literacy awareness and advocacy for the literary arts in the Dallas community.

Jeanie Austin is a champion of information for people experiencing incarceration and returning from it. Previously a juvenile detention center librarian, they not only provide direct service to local facilities, but broadened San Francisco Public Library’s (SFPL) JARS letter-writing reference service program to incarcerated patrons throughout the country.

Virginia Cononie is a tireless advocate for libraries. She conceived, compiled, published, and promoted the book Share Your Story, a collection of more than 100 testimonials and photos from library supporters to be sent to lawmakers in the state of South Carolina, illustrating the value of libraries in their communities.

Initially hesitant to pursue librarianship, Lorisia MacLeod realized early in her career that the field would allow her to combine her interests in leadership, information, people, and advocacy—and has found ample opportunity to incorporate them all.

While working at Norfolk Public Library during the pandemic, Patricia Kendalls observed an increase in the public’s needs around mental health. During programs, patrons would talk “about how stressed and fearful [they] were," she recalls. "I gleaned from these conversations that the community needed avenues to deal with the many stresses that society was facing.”

“TikTok feels like a small city in the prairies,” says Jessie Loyer. She uses her @IndigenousLibrarian account to teach more than 28,000 followers about historical trauma, repatriation, and other Indigenous topics—significant in a field where Indigenous people and culture are underrepresented.

Lessa Kanani‘opua Pelayo-Lozada has become an effective champion of Asian American and Pacific Islander library workers and a strong voice in the American Library Association (ALA) and the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, where she was the first Pacific Islander to serve as executive director. She is now ALA president-elect.

Calvin Battles’s work includes monthly meetings with a network of nonprofits and service agencies to determine the most efficient and cost-effective ways to use their resources. About four years ago, they began discussing the criminalization of poverty and the impact it was having on their community.

As chair of the Oklahoma Library Association’s Technical Services Roundtable, Elizabeth Szkirpan passionately advocates for the rapidly changing technical services profession.

For spring 2022, tour a selection of noteworthy and inspirational gardens offering delight, calm, and beauty. 

The results from LJ’s Fall 2021 Public Library Fundraising Survey demonstrate how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the ways libraries conducted their fund­raising. Like so much else in the library field, the pandemic forced library staff, administrators, and Friends groups to reconsider the best ways both to raise funds and utilize them.

Publishers Weekly’s second U.S. Book Show, held virtually May 23–26, will lead off with an all-day track on May 24 specifically for librarians. The Libraries Are Essential program will include a roster of library leaders, educators, and advocates, as well as representatives from the American Library Association (ALA) and PEN America, examining issues currently at the forefront of library work.

Whether you want to spot birds in your own backyard or make dedicated birding treks, these suggestions will help you get started.

Interested in planting, cultivating, and delighting in spring flower bulbs? It is a lovely and easy entry into gardening. Bulbs can be planted in pots, in raised beds, or directly in the ground.

Travel the world through these film gems from the past several years; each is likely to reward viewers with new discoveries and appreciation.

Library workers are facing burnout in greater numbers and severity—and grappling with it as a systemic problem.

Why not embrace the epistolary life and become practiced in the art of letter-writing? From creative and crafty paper options, to beautiful pens, to the art of calligraphy, there are so many wonderful ways to say hello to family and friends near and far.

Obsessed with HBO’s The Gilded Age? Here is a list of resources for readers and viewers to fulfill their need for ballroom intrigue and more.

It feels like the entire English-speaking world is addicted to Wordle. Here are some other word games to keep you, and your thesaurus, busy.

The 2021 holidays have officially wrapped, halls undecked, New Year’s countdown completed. So, what to do now that watching winter holiday cinema is officially out of season? Why not consider upping the productivity of your couch time—we would never suggest you get up off the couch—by putting all those holiday pics you took last month to good use. You can create photo books, make pillows, or simply back up your images to ensure stress-free scrolling for years to come.

In this time of continuing uncertainty, it has become increasingly important to establish and maintain a sense of peace for ourselves and those closest to us. You can create your own grounding, even while riding waves of change, through practicing acceptance and being fully present in the moment. One of the best ways to incorporate these principles is through the daily practice of meditation.

Here are a few ways to relax, keep your stress levels low, and enjoy a relaxing holiday season.

Here are some sources to help you fill the freezer, yourself, and your loved ones with wholesome and delicious meals.

To celebrate this spooky season, we've rounded up some of the scariest films ever made across the world.

Whether you are a plant newbie or an experienced green thumb, we have rounded up some project ideas and resources to help you take the next step in indoor gardening.

There are many ways to get into the Halloween spirit and still be safe and socially distant. We have rounded up some ideas to help you and your friends and family enjoy Halloween this year.

The weather is getting crisper, pumpkins are out, and leaves are turning beautiful colors. Autumn is here, and it's a great time to indulge in some fun fall activities.

UPDATE: The Round Two application window is now open through October 29; awardees will be notified in mid-November. Register here for a webinar about the award program and how to apply for the current round on October 14 at 3 p.m. Eastern.

By using new learning strategies, language learning can be interesting and fun. We feature a series of options that can give you fluency in no time.

On September 9, Hawaii Gov. David Ige issued an executive order requiring all state facilities, including libraries, to require proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test for visitors 12 or older to enter. Since the mandate took effect on September 13, library employees throughout Hawaii have been contending with patron reactions ranging from gratitude to anger—including hurled library cards, vandalized cars, and a lot of frustration.

As the pandemic continues, we're all missing the things that made travel so appealing, including sharing new experiences with loved ones. The following sites can help you explore staycation options with ease.

After a year and a half of virtual networking, many public and academic library leaders and employees were looking forward to attending in-person conferences again, while many others remained apprehensive about travel and large group events. As library organizations and associations began finalizing plans for fall and winter conferences, they needed to balance people’s wishes for some semblance of normalcy—in-person sessions and networking, shared meals, hugs and handshakes, tote bags—with a range of safety and liability concerns.

There's much to celebrate about the onset of autumn, from hay rides to apple cider to scary movies. We offer some great DIY concepts for you to adapt as your own.

It remains to be seen whether governments that relaxed or eliminated their mask mandates will move as quickly and decisively to put them back in place. But libraries shouldn’t wait for them to do so.

With many of us staying put the last year and a half amid the pandemic, the importance of where we spend our time has never been more evident. We offer advice on how to reorganize and restyle. 

Whether you're a longtime dog owner, welcomed a pooch early pandemic, or are just now considering bringing a pet into your home, there are lots of online resources to help you find, care for, entertain, and even travel with your furry best friend.

Who doesn't like looking at new spaces and envisioning a different life? We feature several ways to browse real estate listings, allowing to escape and daydream.

Looking for ideas for family-friendly vacations or staycations? We offer options for taking to the road or engaging in some armchair travel.

Crafting has always been around, but over the course of the pandemic, these creative outlets have taken on more importance. Here are tips on getting started.

Everything old is new again, or so the saying goes. Scrolling is the new browsing, and there are some excellent finds to be had. Here's where to start.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is a $1.9 trillion stimulus package passed by Congress on March 10. It includes targeted funding for various sectors of the economy and government impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from agriculture to small businesses to education—and libraries. Here are the ins and outs of how new federal funds will reach public libraries and how they can be spent.

The popularity of public library streaming media entertainment spiked during the pandemic. What’s next?

I never imagined that we would find ourselves honoring a second class of Movers & Shakers at a distance owing to the pandemic—albeit now with an end, perhaps, in sight.

Bridget B. Striker was en route to her own wedding when she told her groom that her favorite part of her career as an archaeologist and mapping specialist was researching at libraries. It brought to mind the Purpose Diagram, which shows that purpose exists where one’s passion, profession, vocation, and mission intersect. She decided in that moment to pursue her MLS. The rest, she says, is local history.

While teaching a challenging concept to middle schoolers, Ozy Aloziem told a student, “Practice makes perfect.” The student responded, “Practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes progress”—a light bulb moment for Aloziem that would guide and shape her approach to her work. She believes that we must keep working, she says, and if we fail, learn and try again.

Whether he’s helping community members impacted by wildfires or creating a storywalk and drive-thru storytime during quarantine, County Librarian Todd Deck takes his cues from Tehama County Library patrons’ needs. “Connecting with the community is a foundational tool in being a catalyst for positive change,” says Deck.

When Google’s sister company Wing began using drones in 2019, Kelly Passek’s family was an early adopter. Passek realized the technology could help her meet library goals: She wanted to increase book checkouts and prevent summer slide.

Millie Plotkin’s recovery from an eating disorder began during library school, when she received treatment. Several years later, she heard someone use the phrase “eating disorders information clearinghouse” at a conference. “That planted the seed of an idea that I could combine these two important parts of my life,” says Plotkin. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck last spring, Nini Beegan, organizational learning and innovation coordinator for Maryland State Library (MSL), quickly realized how Zoom could help libraries during quarantine. “I noticed how much our libraries were struggling with communication—amongst staff, with customers, and amongst libraries,” Beegan said. “Maryland has a history of libraries working very closely together, and we are used to communicating easily.”

Four days after her school closed due to COVID-19, Amanda Jones, Teacher-Librarian at Live Oak Middle Library in Watson, LA, launched her first virtual trip for students and their families. To date, she’s completed 50 such trips, with topics ranging from the Renaissance and the Mars Perseverance Rover to Uganda and Nepal.

Whether he’s tossing books at pep rallies, writing grants, developing community partnerships, or convening a student roundtable to improve the school, Dustin Hensley is driven to serve students.

When students came to the library looking for their course textbooks because they couldn’t afford to buy them, Capital Community College’s Director of Library Services Eileen Rhodes started promoting Open Educational Resources (OER). “This became a passion of mine, as I saw…the relief on students’ faces when I informed them that their book was available online for free,” she says.

For the past five years, Heather De Forest has worked to expand the Community Scholars Program, which provides free access to scholarly publications to staff members at nonprofits and charities throughout British Columbia.

When the pandemic began, Marzena Ermler knew job seekers would need help beyond the résumé critiques and mock interviews that New York Public Library’s (NYPL) Career Services team previously offered. “I began brainstorming for a new pandemic-friendly job search service,” she says. Ermler launched what she calls resilience coaching, helping job seekers manage their stress and mental health. Volunteers have provided over 2,500 hours of coaching, she says. 

In summer 2017, Jennifer Sturge took part in the Lilead Fellowship Summer Institute. Participants were challenged to find their why—their core mission as a school librarian. When she returned to her district, she surveyed her colleagues about their whys. One shared realization was the need for diversified collections that reflect the student population. “I want them to see themselves in our collection,” she says.

After the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd in 2020, Christopher Stewart, library media specialist at Bell High School, part of the District of Columbia Public Schools, knew his students wanted to protest peacefully and was determined to help. Armed with books, water, snacks, milk (in case students were teargassed), and hand sanitizer, Stewart joined them in protests.

“I came to librarianship with a problem,” says Shaneé Yvette Murrain, director of community engagement at Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). As both an undergraduate at the HBCU Bethune-Cookman University and a master’s student in divinity at Drew University, she couldn’t find primary sources documenting historic Black churches—traditions, women’s leadership, memberships—in digital collections. In her final year, the university’s theological librarian introduced her to the field.

Inspired to pursue librarianship by the range of services provided at her local public library, Zeineb Yousif has worked tirelessly to promote digital access to her university’s research and collections. “I loved the idea of having a job where I could help lots of different people while getting to regularly try doing something new,” she says.

A stack of bundled newspapers from a defunct bookstore in Cairo. Dailies from Republican-era China. Imperial Russian broadsheets dating as far back as 1782. More than 1,000 independent and revolutionary newspapers from 19th-century Mexico. These are a few of the multilingual, globe-spanning media resources that Bryan Benilous has digitized through the East View Global Press Archive.

Emma Molls works with researchers who are interested in shaking things up in publishing—and so is she. As Publishing Services Librarian for the University of Minnesota (UMN) Libraries, Molls leads the development of her department’s core principles. These statements outline the program’s values to guide Publishing Services through changes and shifts in open access (OA) and scholarly publishing.

Not only does Makiba Foster run her own library’s African American Research Library and Cultural Center, she is also a key convener of such centers across the country. She leads Archiving the Black Web, a project that brings together Black collecting institutions, from public libraries to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to map out the future of digitally curating the Black experience. This first-of-its-kind initiative launched during the pandemic—funded by a $150,000 National Leadership Grant from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program—focuses on how to best archive the plethora of digitally born Black culture and content.

As libraries began closing their buildings in March 2020, Callan Bignoli noticed a disconnect between the message being sent by administrators—that libraries should continue to demonstrate value and resilience in the face of looming budget cuts—and what she was hearing from workers, that they felt unsafe being asked to continue working, even behind the scenes or providing curbside pickup; afraid for their jobs if they refused (or even if they didn’t); and dismissed by those telling them to step up.

From her start in publishing to her current work as a librarian at Simmons University, Stacy Collins has always called for structural change. In her own words, she aims not only to educate others about systems of oppression but also to disrupt those interrelated systems through her work and scholarship.