Chapter 17, Fall 2021
OPEN BOOK The Boulder Public Library Staff Newsletter
In This Issue 2 A Message from Monnie 3 Library Limelight: Jaime Kopke 5 EDI Column: We're Recruiting! 6 New Faces: Main 8 "September" with David Farnan 9 Smells Like Teen Spirit: Teen Staff 14 Volunteer Spotlight: Teens 16 Stats from the Stacks: Teen Volunteer Edition 17 Teen Picks: New Opportunity 20 Carnegie Cache: Back-to-School 22 Shine a Light on: Your Next Great Read 24 Summer of Discovery: Wrap-up 26 Artist's Corner: Jennifer Lord 30 Dream Escapes: Staff Dream of Post-COVID Adventures 35 Personal Staff Milestones
All Open Book content is part of the public record.
Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient. -Steve Marabol
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 A Message from Monnie Monnie Nilsson, Editor
"A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
Merriam-Webster's definition of resilience: 1: the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress 2: an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change In this fall edition of Open Book, my message to you all is brief: Wow, are we resilient! As the days get cooler, the leaves start changing, and pumpkin spice lattes are back, I can’t stop thinking about how we’ve changed through the last few seasons. I marvel at how wonderfully capable, resourceful and tenacious this organization is. We are calm while handling a multitude of variables. We plow ahead with our planning and operations in the midst of ongoing uncertainty. We continue to be hopeful and adept as we build on lessons learned. We are truly a collaborative team. It’s encouraging to be working with so many "skilled sailors."
Open Book Team Katherine Bertone Christine Burke Nicole Docimo Louise Fordyce Julian Ingram Jennifer Lord Monnie Nilsson Aspen Walker
Happy Fall, everybody. We hope you enjoy this edition.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Library Limelight: Jaime Kopke Monnie Nilsson
Can you give us a short overview of a typical day in your department? What’s your favorite part of your daily work and of your job overall? PEO programs specific spaces in the library and also coordinates the library’s larger scale happenings. I enjoy how varied the work is, it changes from day to day and all throughout the year. We are constantly collaborating with community partners which brings a new element to every project. Our days consist of lots of meetings, working at the computer, and running programs. A day may find us writing up reports, scheduling new events, and filling in budgets or helping to hang artwork in the gallery… constantly reminding people to please use the hanging system. They never listen. Name the cities you’ve lived in prior to working at BPL. Which was your favorite and why?
Jaime Kopke, Program, Events and Outreach Manager with Sam Barsky, known for his pictorial knitting projects.
How long have you worked at the Boulder Public Library? Just a little over five years. Tell us one thing about yourself that might surprise us.
Boston to Austin to New Orleans to Denver to London to Denver and now Golden. Even though I wasn’t that enthralled by London when I lived there, I now often find myself feeling nostalgic about it. The summer I was (supposed to be) writing my dissertation we lived in a little town on the French coast called Guethary. I could easily move back to France, it was the most beautiful place I’ve been. Beaches, baguettes, slow living.
A few years after college I had an apprenticeship down in New Orleans with a wallpaper company called Flavor Paper. It got me interested in design. I ran a design blog for years and wrote for other design websites and magazines. I used to travel all over the world to design fairs to write about new trends and designers. 3
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Can you share some of the more satisfying experiences you've had at work in the library? What’s the most bizarre or funny experience you’ve had at work in the library? The week I spent with Sam Barsky and his wife Deborah was pretty wonderful. I was thrilled that 1) David let me cold call this internet celebrity I heard on NPR, 2) Sam agreed to an exhibition and 3) he knit Boulder-specific sweaters for the public to check out on their library cards. I had no clue if the check-out idea would work, and it turned out to be magical. When Sam and his wife arrived, they asked for our PR person and photographer to go with them to the sites he had knitted (for his selfies of course). I laughed and said I guess that’s me. It was incredible how many people recognized Sam at Chautauqua!
If you didn't work at the library what would your "pie-in-the-sky" dream job be? Probably to run a small historical museum where I had full reign over the place and plenty of funding. That or to run a mythical museum–I have had a project in my head for a long time called the Museum of Other. Maybe it will happen someday!
What type/genre of books do you gravitate to? What do you avoid? I’ve been on a non-fiction kick for a while and I need to break free. Please someone pass me a light-hearted fiction! Is there a nickname that your family members/children call you?
partner/
Some friends call me J, that’s not very exciting. I think it’s hilarious when people call me by my last name, like I’m a football player. I don’t really mind though. One other fact is that I do not have a middle name, just an initial, S. My parents gave me an initial with the idea I could pick my own name at any point. I think I finally have something I like, but I’ll probably wait until I start my new life in France to enact it.
Newspaper clipping of Jaime as a child that reads "Jaime Kopke straightens out her team's tire before rolling it back to the starting line during last Thursday's library field day."
All photos courtesy of Jaime Kopke. 4
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
BPL’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team has accomplished a lot in a year, and is recruiting new members! Jennifer Lord The Boulder Public Library’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Team was proposed to LTeam in July 2019. After recruiting 11 amazing members, we began formally meeting together in 2020. We have accomplished a lot despite the pandemic, and acknowledge that our work is just beginning. Some of our members will be rotating off the team this year, so we’re ready for some new faces! In September, the first BPL All Staff Survey will have been completed. The fruits of the survey, along with the Recruitment, Hiring, & Retention plan will inform the upcoming work of the team. The EDI team is looking for 3-4 new members. JOIN the EDI TEAM! Representation from all workgroups is encouraged in order to garner support from a broad range of staff. We especially request participation from our branches. The group meets on the fourth Thursday of each month from 9:15-10:30am, with action items being worked on independently between meetings. Each member will serve one to three years on the team with part of the group rotating out every year to ensure continuity of work and knowledge and to invigorate the team with fresh perspectives. Members should expect to dedicate 3-5 hours per month towards this work. Talk with your supervisor, and look out for our open call in September!
A REVIEW OF THE EDI TEAM’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM 2019-PRESENT : Established group agreements, managed multiple workloads with passion & high integrity, and incorporated personal work/growth into our EDI projects Advocated for pronouns to be added to staff name badges and email signatures Crafted a BPL-wide EDI-focused performance goal that is part of all staff’s 2020 goals Drafted our mission statement Created a communications plan Monthly post in BPL Training Opportunity channel EDI share at every staff chat Standing piece in Open Book Worked within our own projects & departments to advocate for diversity, equity, & inclusion Specifically integrate EDI values into our daily work Reading, training, personal immersion in EDI valuesbased materials Crafted a BPL staff survey to “take the temperature” & help us establish priorities for future work Successfully lobbied for Homeless Library Academy training for all BPL staff Members spent ~8-12 hours per month on EDI work; the original proposal anticipated 2-3 hours per month Crafted a hiring vision statement Created a recruitment, hiring, & retention plan, which is under review from an outside consultant team
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NEW S E C FA LANEY JONES blic Library as I u P r e ld u o B e h t t to be working a d e it c x e m a I ! y y MLIS. I actually m d e t le p m o c Hello, I'm Lane t s 4.5 years and ju r o f r e so it comes full ld , u e o f B a C in s d d e e v e li S e e v h a h ation essays in t c li p p a l o o h c s d wrote my gra to work here. y it n u rt o p p o e h circle to have t ons, mostly on y n a c e h t o t in p riding my bike u y o j n e I , ry ra b li to various t u o g in o g e im Outside of the t f lso spend a lot o a I . s d a py hours! p ro a l h e v t s ra e g b d e n h a t t f o ir d Denver in search d n a r e ld u o B in restaurants , literary, ry ra o p m e t n o c are favorite genres y m d n a g in d a tions and Other re lu e o v S lo is I , ly e e t rs u la o d c a Of st book I have re e b e h T . n io t ic f and historical Brosh. Problems by Allie
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S S O R H T MEREDI I’m not only a new Library Sp ecialist working at the Main Library and the Meadows Bran I’m a (relatively) new Colorad ch, an--I moved to Denver from Ta lla ha ssee, Florida last November, so I am still enchan ted by snow and low humidit y. I'm thrilled to be both in th state and in the Boulder Publi e c Library! My MLIS is from Florida Stat e University and I spent ten years on campus there work small academic libraries and ing in helping patrons navigate spec ial ize d information resources. I also had a blast teaching an undergrad class on religion an d twentieth century fantasy literature, and finished a dis sertation on mid-century ch urch libraries in the US. Beca passionate about connecting use I’m people with meaningful infor mation and experiences, live performance and library wo rk scratch a very similar itch for me, so I devoted most of spare time to the Tallahassee my arts community. I performed in and facilitated community theatre and Irish stepdance shows, doing everything from set painting to social media management to serving as a board member. Although I ha ven’t been on stage in quite while, I still love a good music a al! These days, when I'm not at the library, I enjoy knitting sweaters, listening to podcas and exploring Colorado with ts, my husband (it’s so beautiful he re we’re going to have to learn to camp!). I use the leisurely commute into Boulder to catc h up on my genre fiction.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
A Word from David: September David Farnan
Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember? Ba-dee-ya, dancin’ in September Ba-de-ya, never was a cloudy day There was a…. Ba-dee-ya [dee-ya, dee-ya] say, do you remember? Ba-dee-ya [dee-ya, dee-ya], dancin’ in September Ba-dee-ya [dee-ya, dee-ya], golden dreams were shiny days -Earth, Wind & Fire
I do not know if it is a strength or a weakness, but I am pretty good about living in the moment. I don’t dwell in the past. I have few regrets. But I am also really bad at being able to anticipate things. I am okay at planning stuff, but "looking forward" is almost laughable for me. Whether deliberately or simply by happenstance, autumn or Halloween seem a million miles away. I find myself living in such a way that I mostly deal with things that come my way. An old friend once said to me, “You don’t like the way things are. You like things the way they are.” I took that as a compliment. With that in mind, I know that I have spent too much time wanting for the pandemic to be over, too much time wishing the library’s financial hardships would pass, friends would return,
or I would get another chance at some small thing or another. I try to tell myself that it is just a kind of longing. And while I suppose longing has its place in life, I mostly recognize it as the flight and fancy of that dull grey matter, (my socalled "brain") attempting to come up with things to wish for and strive for, simply to distract me from where I am. Wanting wants me to neglect living, distract me from appreciating all the things I have….like friends, a roof over my head, or a good song in it. Which brings me to where I started: ear worms. Recently, I was driving with my family. The windows were down and the radio was blasting Lizzo and Lady Gaga and some song I had never heard by Sia. In the rear-view mirror, I caught a glimpse of my sons in the back seat. The youngest was singing with his eyes closed and dancing his arm out the window in the wind. The eldest was turned sideways, knees tucked up, eyes half closed, hair blowing in his face, a faint smile as he watched the cars and weeds and buildings pass by along Pearl Parkway. It made me happy. Or "happy/sad" as they say in the movie Home. It made me want to capture the moment. It made me wonder: why do the songs of summer sound so good? Why do they stay with us? Summer is ending again. Children are back in school. Maybe you tried on an old sweater recently. Perhaps to ward off a chill, perhaps to see if it still fit. I am grateful for the everyday things that keep us glued together. Not so much for the memories, but rather for the making of them.
Ba-dee ya, dee-ya, dee ya. -David 8
SMELLS LIKE...
Meet staff who work with teens and learn about teen volunteers
n o l Dil
Rachel
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
When you were a teen, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be an interior decorator or designer. When my family was shopping for a house when we moved to Florida from New York, I was about 12 and loved seeing all the ways the model homes were decorated. I loved the creative ways they were decorated and I thought I want to do that! I also distinctly remember “playing library” when I was younger, where I would scan books with a fake pen scanner and put a slip of paper in the books with a due date on it! What was your all-time favorite food? I loved anything my grandma (on my dad’s side) made, although my grandma on my mom’s side was a great cook too! I remember when I was a child, being called on the phone by my cousin who lived down the street saying, “Grandma’s here and she’s making pizza!” And then my other cousin and I literally ran down the street to get some! What music were you listening to? When I was a teen I was very into Nirvana and Tori Amos. I went to see Nirvana for what ended up being their last tour and will always remember it. I loved going to see live music as a teen, and still do!
If you could tell your teen self anything right now or give her a piece of advice, what would it be? I would tell her to spend more time with her true friends, they are not that easy to find, and you may not always live near one another. Oh, and be nicer to your sister, she might be your best friend one day. What made you want to work with teens? I was a high school teacher, then a middle school teacher when I first graduated college. After that, I discovered working in libraries and how much I loved it and realized that working as a librarian with teens was a perfect way to blend my experience together and best serve others. Plus teens are really fun to be around! Who was your bestie? My best friend in high school was Julie, I call her Jules and we still see each other once in a while. For a few years, she owned her own yoga 10 studio in Chicago!
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
If you could tell your teen self anything right now or give her a piece of advice, what would it be? “You are going to love being gay.” But I would also tell her she needs to break off unhealthy friendships sooner. What made you want to work with teens?
When you were a teen, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was little I actually wanted to be a masseuse, but in high school I wanted to be a mathematician because I loved math. But it was when I was choosing a major for college that I actually decided to go with librarian. I realized how much I loved working at the library at my part-time job and how I could definitely do that for the rest of my life. What was your all-time favorite food? It was and still is lasagna because how could you go wrong with pasta, marinara sauce and cheese?
My old boss Angie, she was the head of youth services and worked very closely with the teens, creating and running programs and really getting them into loving the library and books. Not only did I have so much fun going to and helping with those programs, I also saw how amazing it was when she reached those teens and gave them a place to express themselves, which made me realize how much I would love to do that as well. Who was your bestie? My best friend was and is Leia (pronounced Leah, but named after Princess Leia) and she is as interested in Japan as I am and is currently living over there studying Japanese and art.
What music were you listening to? I’ve never really been a huge music listener and because of that I have more favorite songs than artists. But I enjoyed most things pop and I did and still have a big love for Fall Out Boy.
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When you were a teen, what did you want to be when you grew up? I was obsessed with the medical field. My family is full of doctors and nurses and that was something I always had an interest in. I even started pre-reqs in college for nursing school! What was your all-time favorite food? Strawberry poptarts and my mom’s spaghetti. My mom’s spaghetti is still my favorite food in the world, I don’t eat poptarts (as often). If you could tell your teen self anything right now or give them a piece of advice, what would it be? I’d encourage my teen self to sign up for rodeo and color guard. As the oldest sibling I worked a lot in high school and when I wasn’t working I was babysitting my sisters. As fun as helping raise them was, I regret not being able to be a part of more extracurriculars and am trying to make up for it now!
What music were you listening to? The Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Deftones, The Dresden Dolls—I still do. I've always loved live music, too. What made you want to work with teens? When I first started working in libraries, I was interested in academic/special librarianship, but my first librarian job was a part-time teen librarian. I really enjoyed it, and just have a knack for connecting with them. My teen years were probably the most challenging in my life, and maybe that helps. Who was your bestie? A girl named Samantha. She always marched to the beat of her own drum (still does), never cared what anyone thought about her, and is one of the sharpest people I know. 12
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
If you could tell your teen self anything right now or give them a piece of advice, what would it be?
When you were a teen, what did you want to be when you grew up? I honestly didn't think about it a lot until the end of high school, when I decided for sure that I wanted to be a forensic psychologist working with murderers. That idea lasted until I realized that I'm super emotional and it would be too much for me to take on! I also dreamed of being a writer, which is definitely more of a realistic goal for me. What was your all-time favorite food? It was, and is, potatoes! I love them. They are also super interesting, believe it or not!
I would say don't struggle so much to be what you think you SHOULD be. People are all different, and you don't have to move far away from home or push yourself into really uncomfortable places to mature. You can do it at your own pace and still be kind to yourself. Also, eventually you will figure out how to deal with your hair. What made you want to work with teens? I love working with young people at the library! I think it's so important to establish libraries as welcoming spaces from a young age, and make them part of someone's entire life. I also love hearing teens' amazing ideas and creativity, and discussing the great juvenile and YA books out there. Who was your bestie?
What music were you listening to? My sophomore year of high school I was introduced to 3rd wave ska and this became my main music for years! Also senior year I discovered The Clash and then got REAL into punk rock, but in, like, a nerdy kind of way. I still have quite a soft spot for vintage Reel Big Fish.
My bestie, Sarah, is still my bestie now! We've known each other since we were 10 so that makes *mumble mumble* years of friendship. Fun fact: she is now a doctor! She is also terrified of moths. We all contain multitudes. 13
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Volunteer Spotlight: Teen Volunteers from Summer of Discovery and Boulder Teen Advisory Board Christine Burke We have many committed teens who support the library. Throughout the pandemic, the Boulder Teen Advisory Board (BTAB) has continued to meet, led by staff Leanne Slater and Julian Ingram. Then, this summer, teens were our primary helpers to register the 4,135 Summer of Discovery (SOD) participants who logged over 2 million minutes! Since January, 22 teens have volunteered 253 hours with BTAB, supporting multiple library programs and projects. This summer, we had the help of 74 teen volunteers who helped at both Main and Meadows for the SOD program, and volunteered 1,062 hours, filling 559 separate shifts at both locations! Keep reading to learn a little more about a few of our amazing teen volunteers.
Teen volunteers Chloe Manning and Bennett McDannell together at the SOD tables My name is Christopher Smit and I am a Volunteer for the Boulder Teen Advisory Board (BTAB). I love aviation and plan to work in one of its sectors. I also swim and I watch soccer. I’m Andrew Goldwasser. I am an 8th grader at Centennial Middle School. Not surprisingly, II love to read, I love all things related to aviation and planes, I play Minecraft, and I have a tendency to stay up late reading horror/romcoms!
Tell me a little bit about yourself—who you are, what you like to do? I’m Chloe Manning, an incoming sophomore and a voracious reader! I love going on bike rides with my friends, crocheting, and baking. I'm Pranav Kadekodi, and I'm a rising junior who attends Fairview High School. In my spare time, I like to read, and I like to make retro video games (Snake, Pac-Man, Pong, etc).
Teen volunteer Lizzy Marquis and adult volunteer Vicki Ruskin help BPL staff Karen and Leanne 14
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Why did you decide to volunteer with the library? Chloe: Looking back on what an astonishing difference reading has made and continues to make in my life, I realized I wanted to be a part of people discovering joy and passion for reading. Pranav: I decided to volunteer with the library because Fairview's National Honor Society chapter recommended it to me as a non-stressful way to get volunteer hours while also getting the opportunity to meet new people. Christopher: I decided to volunteer because I loved going to the library but because of COVID19 I had to stay home and I needed something to do so my mom found BTAB. I joined in May of 2020. Andrew: I decided to volunteer at the library because of all the places to volunteer, it was the one that I could read the most at, as well as try to convince other people to read more. Also, it would be a good way to improve my social skills.
Our fearless leaders for all things teens—Julian and Leanne—enjoying a restful moment in the Teen Space before the Teen Volunteer Appreciation Party in August. What have you enjoyed most about your volunteer role this summer? Chloe: Seeing how excited the kids got about reading and how proud of themselves they were! I loved making a couple of amazing friends and having long conversations with the person I was volunteering with. Pranav: I enjoyed meeting other volunteers and getting to know them during my shifts. Christopher: I have really enjoyed participating in events and helping organize the Summer of Discovery. Andrew: I enjoyed being able to read tons more over the summer, as well as having the ability to talk with other people who share a lot of interests with me
Teen volunteer Lizzie Marquis modeling mask best practices!
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021 When you weren’t volunteering this summer, what did you do? Chloe: I watched movies, hung out with friends, and went on really long walks. Christopher: Nothing much, I did a lot of reading and sports. Andrew: I read a lot, started running more on a treadmill, watched lots of rom-coms with my mom, and played video games/flight sims. What tips do you have for any other teens who might want to get involved? Chloe: If you’re anxious about becoming a volunteer and having to interact with people regularly, this is a great opportunity to give yourself a little push and really make a difference! And, if you are ever confused or overwhelmed, all the staff are kind, accommodating people who are seriously happy to help you :) Don't be afraid to ask questions. Christopher: Join! You're going to make new friends and have so much fun.
STATS FROM THE STACKS UNTEER EDITION TEEN VOL
74
# of teen volunteers this summer! 63 SOD volunteers and 15 Teen Picks book review writers. (4 teens did both!)
# of volunteer serivce hours earned by SOD and Teen Picks volunteers
559
1,062
# of separate shifts, assignments, and site visits for teen volunteers
# of teens that have volunteered for the Boulder Teen Advisory Board (BTAB)since January 1, 2021
253
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# of volunteer service hours earned through BTAB (87 hours earned between June 1 and August 25!)
# of teen attendees at the Teen Volunteer Appreciation Party in August
30
Anything you want to tell library staff? Pranav: Thanks for being so nice to us throughout the program! The only reason I knew how to do anything was because of the help from you all.
Teen volunteer Saskia visiting the Teen Space on its reopening day.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Teen Picks: A New Volunteer Opportunity Julian Ingram One of the things Leanne and I struggled with during the pandemic was telling our teen volunteers that we didn't have many service opportunities for them outside of BTAB at this time. However as summer inched nearer, the hubbub that is Summer of Discovery allowed us to recruit many teen volunteers to man the SoD sign-up tables. Something we didn't anticipate were parents not allowing their teens to volunteer in person as a COVID precaution. Luckily, our volunteer coordinator Kate Kelsch had shared the many creative teen volunteer opportunities libraries were experimenting with during COVID. One idea that spoke to our patrons' needs was Teen Picks! Teen Picks are teen-written book reviews for our website in exchange for volunteer service hours. And wow, our teens didn't disappoint! Misery: A Novel by Stephen King We look forward to continuing to offer this opportunity during the school year, in hopes that it will help teens who may find themselves overcommitted and unable to volunteer more fully. It's a plus that we'll have an opportunity in case COVID ramps up more, too. We hope you enjoy this sampling of Teen Picks reviews! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for new reviews that publish to the library's Staff Picks blog every Sunday. See what the cool kids are reading these days! Shout outs to Kate, Christine, Brett, Leanne, Dillon, and Lisa for your help making this happen!
Misery is a manifestation of some of my worst fears. The book follows an author named Paul Sheldon, who has recently been in a serious accident in the mountains. He has also recently been taken captive by his biggest fan, Annie Wilkes. Annie originally "takes care of" Paul, giving him pain meds, but not taking him to a hospital. It then turns into a cycle of torture into getting what she wants. Unable to leave, Paul is trapped with Annie, a raging psychopath, in a place where no one is looking for him. Content warning: Abuse, Gore, Violence. - Gianna, 11th grade teen volunteer 17
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune Queer romance and sci-fi superhero adventure merge to create the genre crossover of the century in this explosive YA debut. Nick Bell is a fan-fiction writer obsessed with the elusive Extraordinary named Shadow Star. But what will happen when Nick runs into Shadow Star on the street? Featuring laugh-outloud comedy, plenty of secondhand embarrassment, secret identities, captivating superhero action, and an occasionally oblivious protagonist who will steal your heart from page one, The Extraordinaries is a mustread YA book for anyone who needs a pick-me-up in the form of a good laugh. Also be sure to read the incredible sequel, Flash Fire, of which I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader’s copy! Content warning: Drugs. - Mary, 9th grade teen volunteer
Skyward by Brandon Sanderson This is the type of book you can lose a lot of time reading. The setting for me was an instant hit, though I am a sucker for the "humanity coming back from the brink" trope. The main character, Spensa, is a sympathetic hero out of the gates, viewing everything under the lens of a heroic epic. The setup with the competitive cadets and the futuristic dog fights are like Top Gun in all the best ways. This is a really fun read! - Oscar, 10th grade teen volunteer
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Look Both Ways in the Barrio Blanco by Judith Robbins Rose I first read this book when I was in 6th grade. More than three years later, the humor and sensitivity and charming, authentic voice that it's written with haven't faded for me. This coming-of-age story about an immigrant family forces the reader to imagine every character complexly. Protagonist Jacinta is determined, loving, and tough, but she's also impetuous, envious, angry, argumentative. The book is not only relevant, but unpredictable, filled with nuance, and utterly unique. If you have followed current events in any capacity over the last few years or are especially drawn in by complex character development, this book is for you!
- Kylie, 10th grade teen volunteer
It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas In this story about friendship, family, and culture, Cindy moves from Compton to Newport Beach. She is Iranian-American. As Iran appears more in the news for taking American hostages in the 1970's, Cindy can't help but notice the anti-Iranian sentiments among her peers. In this hilarious chapter book, Cindy learns the power of true friendship and family in finding a way to fit in. - Anonymous, 11th grade teen volunteer
Check out the rest of the Teen Picks book reviews on our website! 19
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
CARNEGIE CACHE: Back-to-School Nicole Docimo Please enjoy these photos from the Carnegie Library to get you in the back-to-school spirit! Notice the changing fashion and hairstyles over the years from 1886 to 1971.
Above: View of an 1886 Central School class with their teacher Miss Holbrook and superintendent N.B. Webb. Call# 210-2-17, from A.A. Paddock Collection: Schools, part of the Museum of Boulder Collection. Left: Group portrait of an 8th-grade class at Mapleton School, 1899. Call# 180-1-1, from the Johnston family collection, part of the Museum of Boulder collection.
1909 stereograph of school children at Niwot School, entitled "The Coming generation" by photographer Ed Tangen. Call# 210-1-31, from the A.A. Paddock Collection: Schools, part of the Museum of Boulder Collection. 20
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
1928 photograph of a 4th-grade class at Whittier School, by photographer Charles Snow. Call# 720-1-5, from the Jessie K. Fitzpatrick collection.
1956-57 7th and 8th-grade class at Pleasant View School. Call# 610-1a-6 from Carnegie Library Small Collections: Schools.
1971 4th-grade class at Baseline Elementary. Call# 182-1-10 from Elsie Clyncke Anderson Collection, part of the Museum of Boulder Collection. 21
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Shine a Light On: Your Next Great Read (YNGR) Terzah Becker During the sad spring of last year, after our physical libraries abruptly closed and staff started working from home, patrons needed good reads more than ever. But they couldn’t come in to browse or get in-person suggestions from our friendly librarians. The solution? Former Patron Services ace Johanna Dadisman and I, both on the virtual Social Media team, put our heads together…and Your Next Great Read—identical to a program BPL’s early Social Media team used pre-2010 to boost our following—was reborn in early June 2020. Now, more than a year later, it’s still going strong. In 2020, we helped 253 patrons find books via the program, and through August 31, 2021, we are on track to pass that handily, with 203 patrons helped. How does it work? Every Thursday from 1-3 p.m. you’ll find as many book-loving staff as have time hovering over the “Recommended Read” channel in Teams, waiting to hear which books patrons are telling us they loved. Rachel Garfield-Levine looks out for patrons commenting on our Instagram, and I watch Facebook. We post all requests to the Teams channel—and staff riff off of each other’s suggestions, often trading funny comments and revelations about what we ourselves have loved (and hated) reading as we build a list we think that particular person might like. Once we have that list, we post it as a reply to their comment.
One of several images used on social media channels for the YNGR program. Here is a real exchange from our August 5, 2021, Facebook post: Patron: Circe, The Hummingbird’s Daughter, and Queen of America. (Thank you!) BPL: You are so welcome! Try one or more of these and then let us know what you think: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks; Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi; A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes; Ariadne by Jennifer Saint; The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker; and the translation of The Odyssey by Emily Wilson. Patron: What a brilliant list! I just read Year of Wonders and adored it. And now I can’t wait to try the others. Thank you so much!
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021 That kind of praise (humble-brag) is normal for us. And it’s not only patrons who get a lift from the Recommended Read. Staff from all departments across the library look forward to Thursdays, when we have a space for one of the basics that led many of us to work at the library in the first place: our love of reading. Alice E.: I love it when I can go "Oooh! Ooh! I know one!" Brett K.: We have such a well-rounded and wellread group of staff participants, and I love it when people we don’t get to hear from very often chime in when they have the perfect book for someone. What a great way to connect with patrons, sharpen our readers’ advisory skills, and have fun at the same time! Gina S.: It's been wonderful to get to know our colleagues in such a fun environment, to see their amazing talents and watch them riff off each other's comments—RR behind the scenes has a life of its own! It is so good to laugh aloud. Jennifer L.: This channel/program is so fun. I got to know people more deeply through participating in this program. I've learned a lot more about RA. And even read several books because of the great recommends. I use this channel to search results for YNGR forms or even helping patrons live. The community building aka humor in here is aaaamazing, and has been super supportive in this isolating year. Julian I.: This Teams channel is so unique, and connects so many of us from all departments and library locations—and that's what I love about it most. We are awesome and unstoppable together when it comes to books
and information! It's a team made up of truly passionate people, and the jokes are a bright spot in my day and often make me giggle. It is also a great break in the day when I'm overwhelmed or bored with online work. It reinvigorates my brain! Lara H.: This part of our offerings has really kept me going throughout this past year. I wanted to work at a public library because I love books, and I love people, and I have a particular, irrepressible enthusiasm for matching the two. A couple of patrons mentioned to me that they'd been extremely isolated over the pandemic and that this service gave them opportunities to feel genuinely connected to other people. I also think we all bring such diverse perspectives to each request! Tim M.: I was skeptical of the number of staff resources dedicated to this weekly program. But then I joined the group more actively and found out how beneficial it is for staff in building community, connections, and just a fun outlet for bookish conversation. These are all things that the pandemic suddenly ripped from our work lives last spring and RR really filled this void in a unique and unexpected way. The fact that staff want to multi-task for these two hours speaks to the value they place on this service. And feedback from the public has been glowing! Another reminder for me that the best things in life can be hard to quantify! 23
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Brett Keniston, a Recommended Read stalwart and the creator of the form-based Your Next Great Read reading list service through Ask-aLibrarian, notes that the same Teams channel is used as a resource all week every week for that service. Staff rely on each other to build richer reading lists than one person could create alone. “We have created 73 personalized lists for patrons so far this year” and counting, Brett notes. “This group is amazing!” Regulars to helping with the service even have our inside jokes, particularly about books that patrons keep coming back to and that we are, well, kind of tired of. Want to know which titles we’re talking about? Join us on Teams in the Recommended Read channel next Thursday and we’ll dish! All staff are welcome!
Thank you to the following staff who have participated in YNGR so far:
Tony Burfield; Dillon Barnes; Melanie Borski-Howard; Karen Bowen; Celine Cooper; Alice Eccles; Louise Fordyce; Stella Fowler; Laura Hankins; Lara Hnizdo; Melissa Holladay; Lisa Holmberg; Julian Ingram; Shannon Kincaid; Kathy Lane; Jennifer Lord; Alicia Marian; Tim McClelland; Monnie Nilsson; Jess Rainy; Meredith Ross; Gina Scioscia; David Shugert; Leanne Slater. (And, of course, former staff Hannah Lackoff and Johanna Dadisman.)
Summer of Discovery Wrap-Up Anne Ledford As summer comes to end, we have a lot to celebrate about our Summer of Discovery program! Overall participation increased by 273.76% from last year and overall completion numbers increased by 164.81% from 2020. Comparing our statistics to past years, our participation, completion, and volunteer statistics are close to matching our 2018 and 2019 numbers and our programming statistics are higher than years past reflecting our broader reach with virtual audiences. Left: An SoD activity and display at Meadows.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021 We had a total of 95 volunteers who conducted 1,422 hours of service this year —many of whom did the bulk of interacting with participants, both to register them in Beanstack and to hand out prizes. Our programming attendance increased greatly due to the addition of virtual and simulcast programming to our regular inperson programming. We had 64 total programs, 10 in person, 53 virtual and 1 live simulcast program. Our in-person programs attracted 244 participants and our end-ofsummer concert with Jeff & Paige that was simulcast online drew an audience of approximately 500! Our SoD readers blew our community reading goal out of the water—we aimed for 500,000 minutes and the final total of cumulative minutes read by participants was a whopping 2,088,234 minutes! (Shout-out to David Farnan for upping the ante for our readers to read more by agreeing to let us dye his beard at 1 million minutes!) Much of this success of rebounding our numbers to pre-COVID rates is from our ability to conduct virtual school outreach (which we were not able to do in 2020) and our hiring of Bilingual Community Connectors to conduct direct community outreach. This quote from a volunteer nicely sums up why we do what we do each summer and how rewarding it can be: “I loved helping people and all the staff and patrons were so helpful and friendly! It was encouraging to me to see how many people the Summer of Discovery people helped to enjoy their summer reading more!”
Timelapse of David having his beard dyed in rainbow colors to celebrate reading over 1M minutes for Summer of Discovery. Many thanks to the many staff who made this year a success including: the entire SoD committee members, all public facing staff, Alyssa Setia, Lisa Holmberg, Kate Kelsch and Christine Burke. A personal shout-out to Jaime Kopke for being my co-captain and Leanne Slater for going above and beyond in her many roles that helped the program run smoothy.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Artist's Corner: In Coversation with Jennifer Lord Christine Burke
Christine: I’ve had a chance to look at Bigger View(s): Earth, Anthropocene, Beauty, in the hall a few times now. It looks amazing and I’m looking forward to learning more about the pieces and your process. Tell me a little bit about yourself: What’s your background? How long have you been painting and creating art? Jennifer: As cliché as it sounds, I’ve known I was an artist since childhood. I drew all the time as a kid. In high school I was always in the art room. I studied Visual Art in undergrad both right after high school, and then I finished my BA as a nontraditional student at Naropa University. That’s how I ended up in Boulder. I started painting landscapes in the style of Bigger View(s) in 2010.
For me, a successful painting is patient and reciprocal. I make gestures and follow the painting to a final composition. I keep the subject matter of the painting in heart-mind while working. The process is more emergent than descriptive. “Every Extinct Bird” has a strong horizon line. An event horizon is a point of no return, aka extinction. The center is a condensed group of colors, marks, and textures, the birds. The gestures below the horizon line reflect those above the horizon. There is a schmeared, shimmering, dragged effect across the painting with many soft edges. I started this painting with a mono-print, then enhanced, layered, and embellished. Paired with the collage “ aftermaths (augury)” by Noah Travis Phillips, which continues the extinction, rainbow and bird themes.
Christine: Tell me about this exhibit. Maybe you could describe one or two pieces in particular if you want to highlight any? I’m curious about each of them, but two that really caught my eye are “Every Extinct Bird” and “Blanket Bog.” Jennifer: Painting is research. Each painting in the exhibition involves thinking and making. One of my painting teachers called the physical act of applying paint manual labor. It involves time and the body. That teacher would also say that the hand is usually ahead of the mind. The hand will make marks that may offend the thinking mind. Rather than being quick to cover these up, the painter needs to be relaxed, open and spacious in order to see and to follow the lead of the hand.
Jennifer Lord, Every Extinct Bird, 2017, Acrylic on panel, 24 x 32”
Noah Travis Phillips, aftermaths (augury), Printed imagery, Dimensions variable
David D’Agostino, Existence Tissue Series: Methane Gas Meltdown, Nature’s Creep, 2021, Mixed media collage on wood panels, 6 x6” & 4 x 4” 26
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Jennifer Lord, Blanket Bog, 2019, Acrylic on panel, 24 x 32” Noah Travis Phillips, true crime(s) landslide, Printed imagery, Dimensions variable
Extinction is permanent and irreversible. 187 bird species have gone extinct in the last 500 years, a span of time during which—in the absence of cataclysm—just three or four birds would normally disappear. Extinctions are not written in stone. Humanity can still prevent them. We just need to expand our field of view. When we devote energy and resources to saving species, it often works. A study published in 2019 found that conservation efforts have reduced bird extinction rates by 40 percent. Shown with two pieces from the “Existence Tissue” series by David D’Agostino (See corresponding photo of artwork below and on page 29): He writes: Landscape as the tissue that stitches your skin with the skin of your grandmother, of Jupiter, of Covid. You can’t really paint it. All landscape painting is a delusion. A vanishing trace of cosmic twists and turns and relentless vitality.
“Blanket Bog” started as a texture, with the two delineated rectangles, and with the dark shape in the lower-left corner. Initially, I didn’t know what I was painting, but it felt like a bog or swamp. Researching bogs, I was fascinated to learn about these unique ecosystems. Blanket bog is a type of peatland found in only a few parts of the world with cool, wet, and, usually, oceanic climates primarily in the northern hemisphere. “Bogs have distinctive assemblages of animal, fungal and plant species, and are of high importance for biodiversity, particularly in landscapes that are otherwise settled and farmed.” “In many places, the development of blanket bog was aided by deforestation carried out by prehistoric humans.” The peat formed in bogs is used as a fossil fuel either in electricity generation or for heating. Although the area of blanket bog in the UK is substantial, a significant amount has been degraded or lost due to industrial peat extraction, over-grazing, and repeated burning. Bogs are important for local biodiversity and are also carbon sinks. There are many highly specialized animals, fungi, and plants associated with the bog habitat. In the upper left of the painting is a demarcated rectangle. The marks within this mirror the composition of the whole painting, like a map. The red rectangle at the top of the piece is like an entrance or exit for the picture. The colors and textures help move the viewer’s eye through the landscape. I think of the upper left as a night sky. Christine: How did this collaboration come about among the three artists? What did you do to support each other through the process of creating this exhibit? 27
Chapter 16, Summer 2021 Jennifer: I curated this group of artists based both on aesthetic relationships and subject matter. David D’Agostino is a painter based in New Mexico. “His work is primarily informed by ecological crises and the various, often cryptic stories that arise as collapsing utterances from the natural world.” His work is beautiful, environmental, and contemplative with Zen and place as rich sources. Noah Travis Phillips is primarily a new media artist. Using appropriation, collage, and digital/analog remix strategies, their creative research cultivates personal mythologies in dialogue with the posthuman and Anthropocene. And myself, Jennifer Lord, I am primarily a painter, but also a Sogetsu ikebana artist, and taijiquan teacher in the Yang family lineage. Each artist worked independently to create these works. The exhibition’s cohesiveness is due to the sequencing and selection of work. Christine: These themes of humanity/extractive practices/climate crisis are all so heavy—what was the process like for you in developing these pieces (emotionally, physically, spiritually working through these concepts in your art)? Jennifer: When I am making work about climate change and environmental disasters, I want the final painting to amplify the beauty and harmony present in the natural world. This is not a gesture meant to assuage the viewer that "everything is going to be okay"; rather, my goal is to prompt reflection on these catastrophes and to open feelings and ultimately actions of care. Our extractive paradigm is destroying our home at a rate faster than can be replenished. We are literally eating the future. Facing the climate crisis is heavy, it is also empowering. The way out is through. Let’s consider “All we can save,” change our priorities, and get to work.
Christine: The presence of your work at the library is powerful. So many different members of our community will get a chance to interact with your art that may not otherwise. What do you hope folks will get from seeing this exhibit? How do you see the role of the library with your art? Jennifer: "Bigger View(s): Earth, Anthropocene, Beauty" has meta goals. Each piece of the title is meaningful. Bigger View(s) is about expanding one’s/the viewer's scope of awareness, while also referencing the tradition of landscape painting. Earth is not an abstract concept, rather Earth is a collection of beings in relationships. Earth is all the plants, animals, insects, humans, water, air, land systems, and the 4 billion year history of how these beings evolved together. Humanity is causing immense and irreversible damage to our only home, the planet Earth. The incredible shaping power of humanity is geological and gives our current era the title of Anthropocene.
From lower left clockwise: David D'Agostino: Polymer Island Flotsam, 16 x 20" painting; Jennifer Lord: The Place Where Time Runs Back on Itself, 24 x 32" painting; Noah Travis Phillips: Dark Pegasus Victory freeshape; JL: Carpe Diem ikebana. (on display at Meadows)
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Beauty is a powerful motivator for justice, equity, and positive change. As an artist, I am aligned with beauty. Beauty tends to be regarded as frivolous, but if we investigate beauty deeply, we find that it is life-sustaining and moreover a key component of justice and equality. In the book On Beauty and Being Just, Elaine Scarry writes, “At the moment we see something beautiful, we undergo a radical decentering. “ (111). Scarry describes the moment that we are touched by something beautiful as one that negates the self. We become more than ourselves in an encounter with a field of blooming flowers dotted with butterflies or when attending to the sunset. One’s perception shifts outward and one’s capacity for and desire to care extends. Care is a quality deeply needed in our current world. Care is powerful and has the ability to heal the many ills of our current paradigm, from racial injustice to the climate emergency.
From lower left clockwise: Noah Travis Phillips: Jackalope freeshape, Children dancing freeshape; Jennifer Lord: Water in the Place where Ice should be, 24 x 32" painting; NTP: Extinct freeshape; David D'Agostino: Green But. Fission Cloud, 20 x 16" painting. (at Meadows) I believe that artists and libraries have a special role in helping to address human-caused climate change. Artists see and can show connections between seemingly disparate events. Libraries are community connectors. Art, artists, and the library are powerful allies for social good. Christine: What else would you like to share? Jennifer: Our website created by Noah Travis Phillips can be found at bit.ly/biggerviews. It includes our reading list as well as the 2020 archived version with full moon online event.
Blanket Bog 24 x 32" monoprint and acrylic on panel Full texture for/of a very special ecosystem
Bigger View(s): Earth, Anthropocene, Beauty The artists David D’Agostino, Jennifer Lord, and Noah Travis Phillips create multi-centered, parallel simultaneous realities that celebrate nature, disrupt humanity's extractive paradigms and anthropocene legacies, and suggest that another world is possible.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Dream Escapes: Staff Dream of Post-COVID Adventures Louise Fordyce First, thank you to all the BPL staff who shared these photos and anecdotes when I posted the call for your next “dream escape” last month. Due to the sheer volume of responses, for those of you who sent multiple photos, there was only space for one image from each of you. As someone who always prioritizes travel that involves proximity to the sea (probably a result of growing up on a largish island!) it resonated to discover there is a recurring theme amongst many of your photos—lots of beaches, windswept shorelines and tropical ocean views.
Where do you look forward to visiting once traveling further afield is possible again? Louise F.: I am Kicking off our Dream Escapes photo montage with this teeny tiny cove at the foot of Deer Isle, Maine. In late summer 2018, I went to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts for "Knit Maine," a three day residential retreat full of knitting classes in the most beautiful setting. Neel W.: I'd like to visit this little Island near Matara, Sri Lanka, where I was born when I next return home:
Matara, Sri Lanka Alyssa S.: SO many places, but one place I'd love to return to is the Dominican Republic:
Deer Isle, ME
Sunset, Dominican Republic 30
Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Tessa A.: My husband and I would love to go back to our honeymoon place at Pineapple Fields resort on Eleuthera, Bahamas. Hardly anyone there so you feel like you have your own private beach. Pink sand and turquoise water...where the conch and the lemon sharks play (don't worry, they're gentle sharks!). You can just see against the bank on the beach, the tan and white dog, Sophie, the resident/welcome committee and protector...she escorted you out on the beach when you visited it and would lie outside your condo door to keep watch. Pineapple Fields forever...excuse the song references. Cornwall, UK Ruth S.: I spent the summer after my freshman year in college in 1992 working and living on Kauai. My college roommate at the time was from there and still lives there today. I left right before hurricane Iniki hit and destroyed the island. I have not been back since. I am finally getting a chance to go back, this time with my girls, at the end of June this year! Can’t wait!
Eleuthera, Bahamas
Katherine R: I want to go to where I went to university. I haven’t been since I moved here.
Rachel G.: I really want to go back to Cornwall and eat some pasties!!
Jess R.: We really want to take my son to the beaches I grew up playing on, all along the Forgotten Coast of Northern Florida. Soft white sugar sand, clear water, small waves, and tons of pelicans and dolphins....and almost no people. Wrightsville Beach, NC. 31
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Donegal, Ireland Heading inland away from the sea ... Terzah B.: I’ve been to the southwest of Ireland but never the northwest. I'd love to go to County Donegal and spend my days with my husband walking old paths and sleeping at night in cozy B&Bs. I know I should want to go to places I've never been before, but the truth is I'll always just want to go back to Ireland. Dillon B.: I can’t wait to get back to Japan.
Edisto Island, SC
Hannah L.: Can’t wait to visit my family where I grew up in Friendship, Maine. Christine B.: Returning to where I grew up in South Carolina. Japan
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Celine C.: There are so many places I’d go back to, but Lake Atitlán in Guatemala (and in particular, this cozy and beautiful hostel where I took this photo) really stands out right now. The lake is surrounded by volcanos and villages and is truly magical.
Aimee S.: Disney castle at Walt Disney World. This is one of our dream escapes. Lauren C.: I'd like to return to NYC and the libraries and public spaces. “A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.” - John Milton
NYPL Library Lion, Patience, guarding the south side of the library's steps. Masked of course! Tony B.: I'm gonna take highways 36 and 191 through Kansas again for some more dreamscape necessities.
Lake Atitlán,Guatemala Stella F.: The Acropolis
Acropolis of Athens, Greece
Empty Highway, Kansas
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021 Johanna D.: I would like to see my family again. This photo was taken at my grandfather’s 80th birthday:
Hope you have enjoyed some virtual travel from your co-workers at BPL. Closing out with this gorgeous sunset from Kauai. Melanie B.: Kauai. We were supposed to go back for Cassee's graduation. I miss it!!
Kauai, Hawaii Karen B.: Monachyle Scottish Highlands.
Mhor
at
Highlands, Scotland
Balquidder,
Note: Not all d reams ha ve correspon ding phot os. Please ch eck back for photo upd ates when dreams b ecome reality. 34
Chapter 17, Fall 2021
After deferring college for a year, Melanie B.’s daughter Cassee is off to Western Washington University, September 2021. Photo courtesy of Melanie Howard.
Shannon K.’s daughter Tiernan celebrates high school graduation, May 2021. Photo courtesy of Shannon Kincaid.
Tier nan
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Jennifer L. helps daughter Aurora settle into her dorm room for her first year at Smith College, August 2021. Photo credit Jennifer Lord.
Dillon B. and Evangeline Allen tie the knot in Boulder on June 13, 2021. Photo courtesy of Dillon Barnes.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Terzah B.’s twins Will and Ruth give dog Spencer a goodbye before heading off to their first day of high school, August 2021. Photo credit Terzah Becker.
Kate K.’s son Sheamus is all ready for the first day of high school, August 2021. Photo courtesy of Kate Kelsch.
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Chapter 17, Fall 2021
Tim M., wife Katie, and kids Lula and Bodie welcomed Orly Jane on September 15, 2021. Photo courtesy of Tim McClelland.
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THANK YOU FOR READING. Stay tuned for updates from L-Team, more re-opening news, and Reynolds and North Boulder Library construction info in our next edition!
Share your feedback: nilssonm@boulderlibrary.org
