Shelf Check #554

In response to #HeterosexualPrideDay trending:

Shelf Check #537

At Jezebel: "Be Suspicious of the New Harper Lee Novel"

At The Toast: "Questions I have About the Harper Lee Editor Interview"

Shelf Check #505

Shelf Check #502

Shelf Check #501

Human Library at Ottawa Public Library
Public Checks Out Human Library Books at Utah State

Shelf Check #484

Previously on the Berman Scale: Shelf Check 379

The Lover's Dictionary, by David Levithan

"Love the cataloger; hate the catalog" magnet

UPDATE: the subject heading at WorldCat included "man-woman relationships" this morning. That's gone now, and it's just "Couples--fiction." Hooray! via Catalogablog

Shelf Check #461

Jump Rope with a Muslim

Shelf Check #450

FYI: In 2008, Jamie LaRue posted the contents of a letter he'd written in response to a patron's request that Uncle Bobby's Wedding be removed from the picture book area (it's cataloged as a picture book in LaRue's system). The letter is polite, well-considered, careful, concerned, solidly argued, and awesome. You can read it here.

Shelf Check #449

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Why Were You Banned? (Chronicle of Higher Education)
Banned Books Week 2010

Proud as a button

Happy Pride Month! For a while I've mulled over how to be visibly out at the reference desk. I'm always out when it comes up in conversation with a patron, but I wanted a way to nonverbally indicate to queer or questioning patrons that there's a GLBTQ-friendly library person on board.

I've added a new button to Shelf Check's tiny Zazzle store for Pride 2010. You can buy it here for $1.45 (93 cents in bulk. I set all Shelf Check stuff at Zazzle's base prices). I'm going to get one to wear on my unfortunately-required lanyard. I think the text also works for libraryfolk who are straight supporters of GLBTQ equality (beginning with collection development!), queer outreach, and generally making the library a welcoming place for GLBTQ people:



Update: As of June 1, coupon code SHIPTHANKS10 at Zazzle gives you free S/H on orders up to $10.

Shelf Check #386

Keith Richards, Librarian? at The Huffington Post

Shelf Check #379

"Berman Scale" named in honor of this Berman.
No kidding:

Shelf Check #363

Shelf Check #342

(Response to Gathering Storm, A Gaythering Storm, and Gay Penguin Fable 'Tango' Marks Three Years at Top of Challenged Books List.)

See also this button in Shelf Check's Zazzle store, such as it is, at the base price of $1.95 because I'm interested in people wearing it, not in making money off it. You can also change it (font, text, etc.) or make your own.

Shelf Check #340

Attempts to remove children’s book on male penguin couple parenting chick continue: And Tango Makes Three tops ALA's 2008 Top Ten list of most frequently challenged books--ALA

Previous tangles with Tango:

Shelf Check #334

December 10, 2008

"No Gays for a Day" Day

Shelf Check #300

It takes two to vilify 'Tango' -- book ban brouhahas picking up speed--Children's Book Examiner

Shelf Check #285

Shelf Check #268

Concerns Beyond Just Where The Wild Things Are (Sendak interview in the Times)

Note: why at 80? "Sendak said that the idea of a gay man writing children books would have hurt his career when he was in his 20s and 30s." I think he's right [might add 40s and 50s], and don't think this cartoon is all that funny. But when my reaction to the story was "Let the wild rumpus begin!", my partner said, "You have to put that in a strip," so here it is.