I switched up my conference sessions on Saturday and went to a career development workshop on dealing with difficult people in the workplace. I have found that happiness in a job can be highly dependent on coworkers and Dr. Eileen O’ Grady had most of the answers (they exist)! My top takeaways: Identify who you are dealing with. Bullies, emotional vampires, narcissists- they all have different characteristics and different ways to deal with. Take care of yourself first and your needs. Identify what is non negotiable (eight hours of sleep, exercise etc.) and go from there. Care about yourself enough to assert yourself and advocate for change. Learn the difference between “I statements” and “You statements” and use them when needed. Silent withdrawal is harmful to everything and does not help a situation. I’ll end with this quote O’Grady posted by Cy Wakeman “Your happiness or engagement (at work) is…
Author: Emily Bayci
Digging deeper in kids minds with honor winners at ALSC Preconference!
The ALSC preconference was a fabulous celebration of the 2019 ALSC Award winning authors and illustrators.
Awesome #ALAAC hidden gems!
It’s so easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle at ALA. There are so many resources and it can be overwhelming so I wanted to give a shout out to a few! Other perks include a yoga room, the shuttle service and the Annual app which is literally my lifeline and the Networking Uncommons. Take advantage of the amazing opportunities!
Fun facts from Honor Authors and Illustrators at #alaac19
During the beginning of the ALSC preconference, we were treated to speed introductions from the 2019 honor winning authors and illustrators. Here are some of the fun facts I learned: Many of the honor winners grew up in libraries and love libraries. #represent Grace Lin entered a writing contest as a kid in 1990. She got 4th place. The winner? Dav Pilkey! Catherine Thimmesh failed an Accelerated Reader test for a book she wrote. Sergio Ruzzier was considered a terrible reader as a kid. Pronounce David Lies last name as LEEZ and Oge Mora’s first name as OK. Catherine Gilbert Murdock could use help and weeding in her garden if anyone could use a summer job! Nancy Meyers spends two hours a day in a second grade classroom, “embedded with the troops.” Some of the winners hobbies include bicycling, cooking, painting and gardening. Grace Lin’s lucky number is nine….
Mothers and daughters and working and living
My relationship with my mother has always been a complicated one. She is the first person I go to in times of stress, in times of joy, in times of frustration. There are times I could be with her for hours and times I couldn’t get further away. There are times I feel like I know her better than anyone and times she feels like a stranger. Throughout the years we’ve had our ups and downs but the one thing that has remained consistent: she is my number one advocate during good times and bad.
Literary March Madness
March Madness is in full swing! Yes the basketball games have officially begun but the college basketball tournament has expanded to a phenomena of competitions and brackets galore. A “one day” goal of mine is for a literary march madness bracket at the library. I’d like to delve deeper than a “battle of the best picture books.” Here are some ideas– let me know which one is your favorite. Or better yet add some ideas of your own! Battle of the Illustrations. This entire bracket would be based in pictures and would be renowned pictures from different picture books. From the hilarious toilet scene in “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch, to the riveting conclusion of “This Is Not My Hat” by Jon Klassen to the scene where the zookeeper’s wife returns all the animals to their rightful homes in “Good Night Gorilla” by Peggy Rathmann. The possibilities are gorgeous…
A Book Themed Baby Shower
As a children’s librarian, most of what I do ends up being literary or book themed. My baby shower was no exception. Now, it’s time to share the fun ideas with all the readers. Classic and contemporary titles make for delicious food and an entertaining party! Disclaimer: Pinterest was the source of many of these ideas, because, Pinterest! Do you have any other ideas of books that could make for cute dishes? Let us know in the comments! This post addresses the following ALSC Core Competencies: V. Outreach and Advocacy VII. Professionalism and Professional Development. Emily Bayci-Mroczek Children’s Librarian at the Naperville Public Library in Naperville, Illinois. She can reached at emroczek@naperville-lib.org
Bettering Big Book Usage in Story time
A big book is large and in charge and can command a room. Big books are one of my favorite items to use in story time, with a large or small group. But they are so overwhelming. Here are some tips on taking big books and using them to their BIG advantage.