Sponsored by Sponsored by Lerner Books
Teen life is hard enough, but for teens who are LGBTQ, it can be even harder. When do you decide to come out? How do you meet people to date? Queer is a humorous and honest guide that helps LGBTQ teens come out to friends and family, navigate their social life, figure out if a crush is also queer, and challenge bigotry and homophobia. Personal stories from the authors and sidebars on queer history provide relatable context. This completely revised and updated edition is a must-read for any teen who thinks they might be queer or knows someone who is.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
- The Chicago Public Library goes fine free!
- Get to know librarian Jean Armour Polly, who was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame for her instrumental work in bringing free internet access to public libraries.
Cool Library Updates
- The Brooklyn Public Library system has reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 40% since 2006! Read more about their eco-friendly policies here.
- Three Edinburgh libraries trial “dog friendly days.” ALL THE LIBRARY DOGGOS!!
- A look at this public library’s health fair.
- Ralph McDaniels, an NYC rap icon, is now the hip-hop coordinator for the Queens Public Library, providing educational and creative programming for all 65 branches.
Worth Reading
- A look at the complicated and problematic history of Melvil Dewey and his contributions to the library world.
- Banned Books Week: How to handle challenges.
- How to host a Battle of the Books competition.
- Setting up a teen summer intern program at your library.
- Viewing academic libraries as student success hubs.
- The Bowling Green State University’s Pop Culture Library has the largest collection of romance fiction in any academic library.
- A 17th century secret passage at an Oxford University College gets transformed into a library.
- An incredible look at Syria’s secret library.
Book Adaptations in the News
- Andrew Scott (aka “Hot Priest” from Fleabag and Moriarty from Sherlock) has been cast as Tom Ripley in the new Showtime adaptation.
- Anna Maiche joins the cast of Tiny Pretty Things.
- Chelsea Handler’s memoir, Life Will Be the Death of Me, is being adapted as a TV series.
- There’s a trailer for the BBC adaptation of The War of the Worlds.
- An update on Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Death on the Nile.
Books & Authors in the News
- Anna Pasternak, great-niece of Boris Pasternak (the author of Doctor Zhivago), claims copyright infringement against Lara Prescott’s debut novel, The Secrets We Kept. Penguin Random House has dismissed these claims as “simply without any merit.”
- Author Kelly Link purchases a bookstore.
Numbers & Trends
- One in five Americans now listen to audiobooks.
Award News
- MacArthur Genius Grant award winners are announced, including Ocean Vuong and Valeria Luiselli! Here’s a reading list if you want to get caught up on these authors’ works.
- The Center for Fiction announces the shortlist for the First Novel Prize. If you want even more suggestions, you can check out the longlist here.
- A full list of all the 2019 Emmy award winners.
- The longlist for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.
- LeVar Burton is hosting the 70th National Book Awards!
Pop Cultured
- Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum will be reprising their roles from the original Jurassic Park in Jurassic World 3. Will their reprised roles be similar to Jeff Goldblum’s “reprised role” in Jurassic World 2? Is this a blatant cash grab? Do I care one bit? (Nope!)
- Pottermore is shutting down and transitioning to a new website called The Wizarding World that will expand to honor future Harry Potter projects that may not fit within Pottermore’s scope.
- We have a teaser trailer already for Stranger Things, Season 4. We’re not in Hawkins anymore…
- 10 best true crime podcasts
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
- Tips on writing disability.
- A book thief (not a “bookworm,” as this article incorrectly claims) stole 7,000 books from university libraries to resell, and has been sentenced to approximately 2 years in jail.
- A new Kurt Vonnegut museum opens in Indianapolis.
- Halloween decor for book lovers.
- A new Harry Potter holiday home collection from Pottery Barn. Want want want ALL THE THINGS!!
- Helpful readathon hacks.
Thanks for hanging! See everyone on Tuesday!
–Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently re-reading The Good House by Tananarive Due.