Blown Away

Blown Away

I am in oodles of awe at what Meggie did for April 2021. She had asked if it would be okay to do a Dandy-inspired theme, and I was like “oh heck yeah!” Next thing I know, I’m walking into the office and these dandelions are stashed all around it. I mean, I was blown…

Don’t Tread On What I Read

Don’t Tread On What I Read

If you’re a librarian in the U.S. right now, things have been alarming if not downright dangerous for us and our patrons. And when I feel overwhelmed with emotions, many times it is art that helps me process them. This time, I still feel just as upset as when I began this design. And so…

Even More Signs

Even More Signs

Okay, so it turned out that my three part new sign series has a fourth part. What can I say? I rebel against…uh, numbers? Along with our directional and informational signs from 2015, I realized that our “rules” signs also needed a refresh. BEFORE: AFTER: In the After picture, the library images behind the children…

A Great Update

A Great Update

Besides recently giving our library’s community space a much needed update, I’ve also been trying to make our office a bit nicer. I share this office with Jennifer, our Children’s Librarian, and it’s pretty much the hub for the rest of our team. The doorway leading out to the circulation desk has had its share…

Book End Cozy Redux

Book End Cozy Redux

This is the third, and final, sign revamp post. Here is part one and part two in case you missed them. As I went to look for my post on what I call “book end cozies,” I realized that my first post about them was buried in a holiday post. Oops. And at the beginning…

Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times

This is the second part of my series of signage in the library. I only feel slightly sorry if you just punched your monitor because I used the word “signage.” The English language, despite decades of trying to pin it down, remains awesomely fluid. Anywho. (heh) In the first part of this series I discussed…

Redesign Sign Time

Redesign Sign Time

While our library spaces are closed to the public, we have been busy completing tasks that have long been on our to-do lists. For me, one of those things has been updating our signs throughout the Children’s Library. After unintentionally letting some things stagnate between 5-8 years, it seems painfully obvious that I need to…

Mi  Máscara

Mi  Máscara

Claudia Depkin from Haverstraw King’s Daughters Public Library contacted me with a request: might I create a Spanish version of my My Mask Protects My Community designs? Why yes, yes I might. And did. In case you were wondering, I chose the mask colors based on South American countries’ flags. And I’m grateful for my…

Get Your Mask On

Get Your Mask On

One month ago, Angie Manfredi had brought RAYGUN to my attention in regards to good mask options. I highly recommend a local Iowa business, Raygun. Like with all of their products, they are made with NO sweatshop labor and, in fact, Union labor. Angie Manfredi Then, a few days ago, librarianmusings2017 suggested</a>&nbsp;that I should make…

Sign After Sign

Sign After Sign

Oh hai! To say the very least: my life has ramped up intensity almost to my breaking point. But I miss blogging! But blogging takes time and energy – two things that I have very little of right now! It’s a Catch-Shmoopitty-Shmoo! But I’ve had a handful of library workers, from Nebraska and beyond, reach…

Have a Beautiful Day

Have a Beautiful Day

I could bore y’all with the origin story of how I got this idea, but I’d rather just get to the good stuff: the sharing! Look at what I did: I created the minimalist yet diverse images and quotes to go in our activity tables’ window. The idea is to swap out the quotes every…

Our Early Literacy Corner

Our Early Literacy Corner

A few weeks ago, Cory Eckert of Storytime Underground fame shared a quote on Facebook from Earlier Is Easier about how important repetition is in a child’s life: Repetition is a key ingredient to building a healthy brain. When your child asks for the same book, activity or outfit again and again, this is really…