The Mindful Librarian

The Mindful Librarian

From the ML Stacks Vol. 12

June 24, 2023

Katy O.'s avatar
Katy O.
Jun 24, 2023
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courtesy of Merriam-Webster

This edition of the stacks brings you a few interesting online reads, a bonkers podcast I have been listening to, July releases I have read and enjoyed, and my July book notebook page!

  • I can’t stop listening to this investigative podcast ~ I don’t do true crime, but this one isn’t scary or grisly ~ it’s just bananas

  • Sophie had me nodding along and wishing that the internet DID have hours of operation

  • Melissa does a beautiful job of writing about what summer rest looks like for many educators, including myself

  • Last week I wrote about books that pushed me out of the personal finance classroom, and this article about We Buy Ugly Houses ties in perfectly with one of my recommendations.

  • Renee does a great job pushing audiobooks here and shares her audiobook sources ~ they’re the same as mine!

  • Anna shares wonderful recommendations for books that place us in the natural world

  • Natalie does a perfect job of summarizing how to find your genre sweet spot, and helped me crystalize what I like in a mystery story ~ I want it to be from the investigator’s POV, have a female (or sensitive male) detective, no gratuitous violent descriptions, and be written in a witty or whimsical tone.

I am writing and scheduling this newsletter almost a week early (due to our camping trip!) in the most delightful corner of my favorite public library. One of the librarians referred to me as a library celebrity tonight when I mentioned that I’d be visiting another library that evening while waiting for a baseball game. She joked that I could decide which I like better, and when I said that there was no contest because in any other library I’m just a visitor, but in this one everyone knows me and I’m at home, she said, “Of course we do, you’re our library celebrity!” She was referring to me being there so often and requesting SO MANY BOOKS for pickup, but I blushed. There is no higher compliment in the world, my friends.

July Releases

As is typical, July is a pretty slim release month, but there were still five books I really enjoyed and an entire page of releases I recorded in my book notebook!

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