July 1, 2024
ENCORE EPISODE: Library Joy and Inclusivity: Mychal Threets on the Transformative Power of Libraries
Mychal Threets is a librarian currently collaborating with PBS Kids. He's known for his viral videos highlighting library joy. At the time of this recording he was the Supervising Librarian for Solano County Library.
Mychal began his journey with libraries at a young age, getting his first library card and job at the same branch he eventually supervised. Raised in Solano County, Mychal has a passion for libraries and the role they play in communities. He is known for his engaging social media presence, where he spreads "Library Joy" and highlights the positive impact of libraries.
Key Discussion Points:
- Mychal's journey to becoming a librarian, including his personal struggles and how libraries provided refuge and a career path.
- The role of libraries as safe havens for diverse community members, including those seeking refuge and social services.
- The challenges and importance of addressing book bans, particularly their impact on marginalized communities.
- Strategies for libraries and authors to collaborate, promoting literacy and access to diverse books.
- The influence of young, dynamic librarians in transforming library services and engaging communities through social media.
- Popular book recommendations for various age groups, emphasizing inclusivity and representation.
Mychal Threets shared his inspiring journey and the essential role libraries play in communities. He emphasized the importance of inclusivity, combating book bans, and fostering collaboration between libraries and authors to promote literacy.
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Chapters
00:31 - Library Joy
08:51 - Library Advocacy and Book Bans
17:31 - Library Collaboration and Social Media Impact
23:34 - Diverse Book Recommendations and Reading Joy
Transcript
WEBVTT
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Hi everyone.
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This is the last Encore episode for the summer.
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation we recorded last year with Michael Threatts, an advocate for the importance of libraries and an all-around delightful human, and next week we will have an all-new episode with Hannah Dusold, editor at Andrew McNeil, and we're really looking forward to that conversation.
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So please join us for that if you can, and until then, stay cool wherever you are.
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Welcome back to Writers with Wrinkles friends.
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Thank you for joining us for episode 24.
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Today we are excited to welcome Michael Threats to the podcast.
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Michael is a supervising librarian for Solano County Library.
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He got his first library card and first library job at this library branch he currently supervises.
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He grew up in Solano County and was raised by books and libraries.
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Thank you so much for joining us, michael.
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We're super excited to talk to you.
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Thank you for having me.
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I'm excited to join.
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Okay, so I just have to jump in and say I'm a super fan and that is like an understatement.
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I, when I originally saw your one of your first videos, I was just like, oh my God, this guy is amazing.
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Like you're so joyful and I'm like he needs a PBS show, like he needs a show of his own, and so that is like my mission in life.
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But I just you're just amazing.
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I just love your videos.
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I look forward to seeing your videos when I go on to Twitter and I'm almost like a stalker at this point, so I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable no, no, oh my goodness, just like.
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If she shows up in your library, just call me and I will come.
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I will make that call.
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I truly appreciate all I'm trying to do is push Library Joy, book Joy all the amazing work library workers do.
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I'll also highlight the amazing stories that library visitors give us when they're visiting.
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I'm so happy that you went and tried to get it.
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Those are my favorite videos of yours when you're recounting interactions with patrons and just the funny things that people say.
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Of course, we encourage all our listeners to get on and follow you and we'll put that information in the podcast notes so they can enjoy your videos as well.
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Well, and I feel like it's not just about books, it's like also, you're just talking about, you know, positivity and just it's just.
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It's more than that, it's more than literacy, it's just you're spreading so much love, and there's been times when I literally had a bad day and I go on Twitter and I'm like, oh my God, he's doing something really funny and positive.
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But he's doing something really funny and positive, so it kind of turns my frown upside down.
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So kudos to you, because you're doing a fantastic job.
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I'm so excited I think that's exactly what I'm trying to get across and that's what I try to do as a librarian, as a supervising librarian is that there is so much more than books.
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Like I obviously love books raised by books raised by libraries, there's so many people than books.
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I obviously love books raised by books raised by libraries.
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There's so many people who come to the library each day just to seek refuge, and that's what we're trying to do.
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We're trying to be a positive place for everybody.
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The library is for everybody.
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That's the whole point of it being a free institution.
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I hope people know that there are obviously rules, but also there are rules.
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There are very simple rules to follow, all very obvious rules to follow.
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As long as you follow those rules, you're always welcome at the library, and that's my, that's my whole.
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Joy is to hear people's stories is to learn about them is to show them this that they're welcome at the library I feel like right now too, with libraries kind of absorbing some of the societal pressure for people who are houseless or have other issues, who show up at the library, exactly as you said, seeking refuge of many flavors, you know, being having somewhere warm to go, having a bathroom to access, being able to get fresh water, I mean, things that would have been under social service in the past are now falling to the library and I mean I have a master's of library science myself and there was no training in the social aspect.
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The more social worker type thing that is is being being forced on you guys to to manage, and do you, I mean, do you find that a challenge in your library system?
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It is.
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I think a lot of it is.
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Yeah, it counts for me, especially as a new supervising librarian.
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I've been a supervising librarian for about three months now.
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Congratulations.
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That's like a promotion, that's recent, that's so fun Good.
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Exactly.
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Yeah, it is difficult, and it is tough to handle all of those situations, mainly because you have various members of the library staff who are trying to help these people but also make sure that they don't disturb other library users, which does happen.
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But I think for me like I was talking to people today.
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The stance I take is that these are people who do need our help.
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So that's what we need, reiter reiterate to them that we understand that they're down on their luck.
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We also like to be the same as them, but we assume that they're going to take the initiative, that they're going to take the stance, that they're going to be upset, that they're going to assume that people like me are going to be against them.
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And that's what we're trying to show them that we are in fact for them.
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And that's what we're trying to show them that we are in fact for them.
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We're trying to help them.
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We don't have the resources, but we're not trying to jam them up.
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We're trying to like we recognize the space.
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We have instances in my library where sometimes they'll block the loading dock, places where libraries have to enter and I have to tell them like I'm so sorry, you can't be here.
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This is where people have to come and step by, this is where they have to enter the workplace, but you're more than welcome to be in the library when we're open.
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I think that's what they don't realize.
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They think like they're never allowed.
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I have to assure them that you absolutely are welcome to come inside.
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Like I'm not trying to ruin your day, I know that you're trying to stay.
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I'm in California so I'm like I know you're trying to stay out of the rain, which rarely happens.
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I know you're trying to stay out of the rain, you're just trying to stay safe, so again, I'm trying to help you.
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I'm willing to do what I can for you.
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You just got to work with me.
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I'm not trying to kick you out, like Lyra is for everybody.
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I'm like, as long as you follow the rules, I'm your friend.
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I'm trying to hear your story.
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I'm like I'm like I'm an empathetic person, like it is my goal to help you.
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I want to find out.
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I know there's not as many unhoused services as there should be, so I'm like I would love to hear your story.
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Figure out how the library can help you, figure out how I can work with a mayor, work with board of supervisors, work with city council members that make things happen for you Library doesn't have all the answers.
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You, the library, doesn't have all the answers, but we are indeed here to help you and point you towards the right resources.
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So how did you decide that you wanted to become a librarian?
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Is that something that you've always wanted to do?
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It's not.
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I did grow up in libraries.
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I had my first library card at my current library when I was five years old but it's never something I considered I grew up with women as librarians with white women as librarians.
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It never dawned on me that it was something I could become.
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I pursued the military all my life.
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My dad was in the military.
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That didn't work out for me, I think when I was going through anxiety and depression and panic disorder very severely, I kind of refuged back to the library.
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I was like this is where I feel safe, let me get here, let me get my bearings back.
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And I think honestly I don't even remember if I saw a job opening or if I just walked up to a person who originally became one of my supervisors and I asked her.
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I said how do you become a librarian?
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She showed me where you apply to become a library shelver and that was almost 10 years ago when I applied to become a library shelver.
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Got the job.
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I applied as a library aide, library assistant.
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Got that job.
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Almost two years later I applied to that job thinking if I ever, if I happen to get this job, maybe the library world, book world is for me.
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I got the job and I just kept on going.
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From there.
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I got my bachelor's in communications.
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I got my master's of library information science.
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And then now, 10 years later from that day, I was like maybe the library world is for me.
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I fully committed to it.
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And I've now become a supervised librarian for the very same library system, the only library system I ever worked for.
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So you started right at the bottom shelving books and kind of climbed all the ranks.
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That's such a that is such a cool story, because that's exactly how it happens, right?
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I mean it's it seems so almost like fate that you ended up back there in your time of need to the place that that gave you refuge and made you feel good and safe, and then just climbed up and you know, like in a couple of years you're going to be running the whole thing Like that's the trajectory it's going to be your library system in you know, a hot minute.
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That's terrifying, but it looks like it.
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I don't know if I ever prepared for it.
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I feel like I've told people before.
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I feel like I would be sent away from the library three months after becoming the director.
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But all of us are doing good things that are a side of it.
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As the supervising librarian.
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Does that keep you?
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Do you end up with as much interaction with the patrons as you did when you were lower down the ranks?
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Or do you feel like you're doing more admin stuff now rather than interacting?
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Or are you just like in it all day?
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You're just there and in it and anything that comes up kind of is something that you can.
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You you'll be involved in.
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That's a great question.
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I think at this point, I'm very much in it all day long.
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Previously this job, I was in marketing for three years, so I oversaw social media and the website.
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So we're lucky enough to go from.
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We have nine branches in my library system, so I was able to visit them, see what's going on.
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Previous to that, I was a children's librarian, so in this role I think there definitely is more administrative roles working on schedules, working on time cards but I have so many opportunities to listen to people's stories.
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For instance, the other day I saw I just shared on TikTok and Instagram and Twitter about how a little girl came into the library with her mom and was walking back to the children's section.
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She saw one of our book displays and she turned super suddenly, put her hands on her hips, struck the power pose and I saw that her mom was taking her picture.
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I love those stories.
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That's my favorite part of being a library worker.
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I was like, oh my goodness, posing in a library.
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I'm all about that, yes.
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And her mom was like yes, she started cracking up dying laughing.
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She was like she's so weird, she's a crazy child.
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She loves the library.
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She insisted on a picture in her favorite place.
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So for me that's the stories I look for.
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I look for the theme, no matter what role I'm in, and it's cool for me as a supervisor to push those stories for funding from our Friends of the Library, members and other staff that kids are coming in taking pictures.
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They want to see all the joy.
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I see a little bit of everything.
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Sometimes it is just administrative stuff, but often I do still get to see all the joy.
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So I see a little bit of everything.
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Sometimes it is just administrative stuff, but often I do still get to see, see the stories, because I'm kind of a I'm still a younger person who's like, yeah, whatever, whatever it used to be, let's, let's destroy that.
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I want to know what's going on.
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I want to try figure out a way to make this, this, the best place for as many people as possible so kind of speaking of that, or I know this is kind of a weird transition, but book banning like I feel like we really need to address that.
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Like how has that affected you and how has that affected your library?
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Like that's such a it's such a brutal topic right now and so sad and scary.
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Like how are you dealing with that?
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I mean, we're lucky that we live in California, but it's still happening here in California, so how are you handling that?
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I'm the same as you.
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I live in California, so I'm very lucky in that myself and my library, my library and my librarians and my library workers.
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My library branches have not been impacted by as many specific library but I think, as a public library worker, as a supporter of school librarians, we're always impacted by book bans, no matter where they are.
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It's very offensive, it's very concerning for any staff, any library worker, because any book ban impacts anybody.
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For instance, I know that there have been a bunch of book bans around Dr Seuss and that's very controversial For me personally.
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I think it's difficult because I understand that Dr Seuss has apologized for his work.
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I believe that the book Horton Hears a who and the whos in that story are the little people, the people with the little voice.
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I know that that's his apology for the racist work that he created.
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So those book bans are very difficult, whereas books like JK Rowling, who has not apologized, is much more difficult for her.
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I know many people feel her comments and her circumstances are transphobic, which makes it very difficult for a welcoming library.
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Another book ban is just in general.
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it's just super difficult for a library worker public libraries, school librarians because we're just trying to work towards access for books.
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All we're trying to do is encourage people to read, and banning books is the total opposite of that.
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It is the anti-book access.
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All we want is for people to fall in love with their books, and I think that's what makes it difficult is we just want people to read as they are Like.
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For me, a public librarian, I'm not concerned with people's reading level.
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I just want them to find joy in whatever they read.
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If it's a kid, if it's an early reader book, if it's picture books, if it's Mo Willems, if it's Peter Katsch, if it's when the Wild Things Are, if it's Arthur Reed, I just want them to find the joy.
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If it's chapter books, if it's Junie B Jones, if it's Amber, if it's Ramona Quimby, if it's Beverly Cleary, if it's Kelly Yang, if it's Jerry Craft, if it's Raina Tilgemeyer, we just want them falling in love with books.
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I think that's where the book banning comes in.
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Error is that?
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It's totally fine if people think that their kids are not ready for certain books.
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That's their decision as a parent, as they understand what their child is going through.
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But I hope the parents realize that book bans negatively impact kids because some kids are more advanced, are ready for different things than they are, and that's not a bad thing.
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Kids are just kids advanced differently.
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I don't have any kids.
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I've been raised around kids.
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I'm a kid who was raised in the library, raised by books, raised by libraries.
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You ban books, you negatively impact kids, especially in a book world where people of color have not always been welcome in literacy.
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And that's.
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I think the problem is that we're seeing book bans predominantly by people of color, by the LGBTQIA+, and that's the problem is that it is people's biases that are impacting book bans and we just want people to feel welcome in books as they are.
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They should be able to see themselves.
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That's the beauty of people like Holly Bailey as Ariel in the upcoming Little Mermaid books.
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That's the joy of Kehlani Juanita's illustrations representing Black characters, representing LGBTQIA plus characters.
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That's the beauty of Kelly Yang representing Asian American kids and families.
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There's so many thoughts on book bands.
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I just hope people know that they belong in books and people may feel differently, but I hope, no matter what people think, that they eventually realize that their thoughts are sometimes monstrous towards inclusion.
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Their thoughts are sometimes monstrous towards inclusion and I hope that they are able to forgive themselves and apologize and see that kids, that people, should be able to see themselves in books.
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Yeah, that's such a that's a great answer.
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It's such a disturbing trend and it doesn't seem to be getting better.
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But yeah, I think, if we can keep pushing that message of access and reflection super important especially, you know, it sounds like you've got it well in hand and you're in that position to really promote that message.
00:16:22.664 --> 00:16:27.427
So that's good to hear, that position to really promote that message so that's good to hear.
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We have another question, kind of slightly different how do you think that authors and librarians can work together to help promote this message of literacy and to make sure that we're supporting the books that we want kids to have access to?
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Do you think there's anything that you're doing in your library that you feel like you could get authors help with?
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We have a lot of writers as listeners.
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So that's kind of the gist of this is like what can, what can authors do to help you?
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That's amazing.
00:16:56.241 --> 00:17:01.846
No, I mean I think for for me, for I like for our library, for authors and librarians.
00:17:01.947 --> 00:17:03.335
It's super important to work together.
00:17:03.335 --> 00:17:04.826
I mean from a library system that super important to work together.
00:17:04.826 --> 00:17:09.539
I mean from a library system that is able to afford some visits from, from authors, but not all is.
00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:19.856
It's important for us to be able to have have authors visit, work with us, show, show on show our library users, their work, be have an opportunity to visit us.
00:17:19.856 --> 00:17:24.631
I mean, I think that's that's huge for our community to see how much authors care about them.
00:17:24.631 --> 00:17:50.743
Or just, even if they can't do that, to show support for public libraries, to tell people they should get a library card that libraries as much as they are books, if they have more than books, if there's musical instruments, if there's mental health kits, if there's movies if there's music, that there's audiobooks, e-books, seed lending libraries, board games, video games, more than that.
00:17:50.763 --> 00:17:59.667
So I think, as long as authors are willing to support us because we always support them, we love them so much we're always willing to have them at our libraries.
00:17:59.667 --> 00:18:07.729
That's the most important part, just to show that we're working together to be inclusive, to be diverse, to be equitable for all.
00:18:08.790 --> 00:18:16.305
So I know that a lot of times picture book authors that's a really easy fit because they can come in and do story time.
00:18:16.305 --> 00:18:25.724
Do you see a way for, like middle grade writers, ya adult fiction authors to come in and do events at your library?
00:18:25.724 --> 00:18:28.817
I mean, do you look for that range as well?
00:18:30.162 --> 00:18:31.064
We absolutely do.
00:18:31.064 --> 00:18:38.843
I mean, I'm always trying to get the Jerry Craft, the Kelly Yangs, the Raina Togelmeyers, even for adults, stephen King's To the World.
00:18:38.843 --> 00:18:39.731
It's just a matter of.
00:18:39.731 --> 00:18:43.340
Those are super popular authors, so oftentimes the budget is tough.
00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:45.874
I mean the ones you mentioned the picture book author.
00:18:45.874 --> 00:18:52.959
It's easier to have them because they can guest star for story times, but we're always willing to have book talks.
00:18:52.959 --> 00:19:00.215
We're always willing to have Instagram talks, twitter talks, to even feature TikToks to share with one another.
00:19:00.215 --> 00:19:01.256
To share with one another.
00:19:01.936 --> 00:19:12.224
So if, for example, like and I know this goes to libraries all over the country what is the best way for authors to, you know, reach out?
00:19:12.224 --> 00:19:15.166
Should they reach out to the main line?
00:19:15.166 --> 00:19:25.431
Is there usually like a portal or something that often you know they can reach out and make contact and arrange for these visits or these contacts Like?
00:19:25.431 --> 00:19:27.419
What's the best way for authors to do that?
00:19:28.971 --> 00:19:38.698
I would say for authors, oftentimes, as far as libraries go, it's best to go through the library website to access the email pages.
00:19:38.698 --> 00:19:42.971
Just to call libraries, ask for the person charged.
00:19:42.971 --> 00:19:49.564
Otherwise they utilize library social media Twitter, instagram, facebook, tiktok.
00:19:49.564 --> 00:19:51.256
Contact us through there.
00:19:51.256 --> 00:19:56.442
We're usually available to respond and encourage and engage authors.
00:19:56.442 --> 00:19:58.877
Everybody try to give visits that way.
00:19:59.650 --> 00:20:15.903
Well, it's so funny that you should mention all the social media, the TikTok and stuff like that, because we've been seeing this, this huge influx of hip young librarians, like making an impact through social media, doing the fun reels and doing all the fun stuff.
00:20:15.903 --> 00:20:17.673
Like how you know?
00:20:17.673 --> 00:20:19.880
Where do you think what's what's driving this trend?
00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:20.961
Like how did this happen?
00:20:21.849 --> 00:20:22.971
Wow, what a great question.
00:20:22.971 --> 00:20:28.161
I think a lot of it is just that people who are younger librarians.
00:20:28.161 --> 00:20:30.664
I think we're just we're ready for something new.
00:20:30.664 --> 00:20:39.940
I think that we're happy for what the library has played in our life and we know how much the library can impact the world.
00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:53.598
I think that even though I'm for instance, instance, I'm 33 years old, I think that the that the library's role I mean the children's librarian that I had when I was a kid is still still still librarian for the system I work for.
00:20:53.659 --> 00:21:04.073
So I think, for me, for a lot of like library influencers, if you will I think we're just super thankful for the people who inspired us, who impacted our lives.
00:21:04.073 --> 00:21:04.559
So I think I've yeah, I think that's really what it is is.
00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.118
We're just super thankful for the people who inspired us, who impacted our lives.
00:21:05.118 --> 00:21:10.480
So I think, yeah, I think that's really what it is is we're just trying to impact the future for us.
00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:15.621
For me, I don't have any kids, but I'm around kids every single day.
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I know how important the library can be for them.
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