Oklahoma Librarian

You may have heard that on March 14, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order  directing some federal agencies to reduce functions outside the scope of what is required. This inculdes the Insititute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as well as six others.  I want to share some information with you so we can be well informed and feel inspired to to reach out to our representatives. Most of the information I have comes from the American Library Association (ALA) , , the Oklahoma Library Association (OLA), the  American Alliance of Museums , and various news websites.   What does IMLS do? Established in 1996 under a Republican-led Congress, IMLS provides critical funding, research, and policy support for museums and libraries across all 50 states. It helps strengthen these institutions through: Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants – Funds distributed to state library agencies to support public, school, and academic libraries. Grants to Stat...

One of my most viewed posts on this blog is about scavenger hunts , so I’d like to give an update since I have been doing them for about two years now. Everyone has adored the hunts at my library. The teen and adult librarians have even created their own hunts to go along with the children's ones. We consistently have three hunts available for different age groups, and sometimes, we have four or five if special events are happening. I still design everything in Canva because it’s easy to reuse and create new designs when they’re all in one place. All of the items are about the size of my palm, and most have some sort of background to help make them more visible. Since most guests know about the hunts now, I haven’t had an item go missing in a long time. I also make sure to keep them away from the play area, since those tend to get picked up by little hands. Last summer, I decided to host extra hunts since the kids were complaining about doing the same one over and over again. I ask...

February was a very busy month! The biggest news? I moved to a new place! I’m excited to settle in and start making it feel like home. With all the packing and unpacking, I didn’t have as much time to read, and I even returned all my library books ahead of the move just to make sure none of them got lost. I still have lots of unpacking to do but I’m finally getting back into my TBR with a few audiobooks. So, let’s take a look at what I managed to read this month! February TBR Revisited This is my list from last month.  The Reckoning  by Caroline Peckham Love in Focus, Vol. 1  by Yoko Nogiri Cat + Gamer, Vol. 5  by Wataru Nadatani Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, Vol. 4  by Aidalro I read 2 of these books! Not too bad, all things considered.  Reading Stats Books Read in January 2025 Set Fire to the Gods by Kristen Simmons and Sara Raasch  ★★★★ ☆ Abstract: A gladiator that controls fire and a boy with a forbidden power have to kill their unkillab...

I've been thinking about some special events I can do this summer that either fit the color theme or sound like fun for me and the guests. This year I am in main contact for most of our museum events so I can't create every event I would like to. If you don't know, many libraries work with local organizations and museums. This can happen all year long but the summertime is our busy season so we try to fill it with fun things for everyone to do.  This is a list of my ideas both events and passive! Feel free to take any of these to make your own.  Rock Painting We have a Kindness Rock Garden at the front of our library that I was able to get set up last year . I want to have a painting event where I provide rocks, paint, paint pens, and brushes. Passive Art Puzzle I found these blank puzzle pieces on Amazon and would love to have guests color a piece and add them to the puzzle. I want to use a few pieces to write something like "Color Our Puzzle". Snail Mail Decora...

  Emily’s summer was supposed to be about helping her sister recover from an accident, not volunteering at the town’s medieval fair with her niece. The fair’s organizer, Simon, insists on sticking to his family’s traditions, but Emily has fresh ideas to make things easier and more fun for everyone. As the summer heats up, so do their clashes, sparking tension and unexpected chemistry that just might change everything for Emily. This book and the rest of this four-book series are lighthearted, funny, and perfect for anyone who loves medieval fairs or even just the idea of them. Emily and Simon's enemies-to-lovers romance will leave you smiling. With likable characters and an immersive atmosphere, it feels like enjoying a turkey leg on a hot day while dressed as a pirate.

January was a chilly and slower month for me. I got to cook for my group of friends twice in one weekend, which was fun to plan. I had a lot of car trouble that’s rolling over into February as well, with ups and downs as per usual. On the bright side, I was able to read a lot this month. I made time to sit down and work toward my reading goals, and it really paid off! January TBR Revisited This is my list from last month.  Ruthless Fae  by Caroline Peckham. The Dark Becomes Her  by Judy I. Lin Powerful  by Lauren Roberts Hell's Paradise Vol. 9  by Yuji Kaku Cat Gamer Vol. 3  by Wataru Nadatani Love's in Sight! Vol. 3  by Uoyama I got to all of these but Hell's Paradise! I thought I was farther along in the series but I was actually on vol. 5. Reading Stats These stats seem to actuate this time. As you can see, I read a lot of manga. There were many series that I wanted to start and catch up on. I'd like to continue reading these series until compl...