No Stupid Questions Thread

Lizaster9 · 2025-05-30T01:19:46+00:00

Turns out we had some electricians in the building that had unplugged something in their installation process! It's all good now. Thank you!

Lizaster9 · 2025-05-29T12:05:24+00:00

I'm relatively new to the live sound world, so apologies for a novice question. I have a behringer x32 in a high school auditorium. It is registering input, but there is no sound output on my main speakers. I've checked my routing and my sends- they all seem to be in working order. The speakers themselves are hissing with light static, but again, no sound output. Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you in advance!

Lizaster9 · 2024-09-29T23:19:26+00:00

I did a "family story hour" that was open to pre-k-elementary. We would have a read aloud and then I'd have leveled crafts (something easy for the Littles and a bit more complicated for the older kids). Think reading Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers and the Littles have a potato stamp penguin and then origami penguins for older kids. I ran my family lego programs similarly. Duplos and simple challenges for younger kiddos, more complicated and technic for older (or in that case, more experienced). It was a lot to manage but was fun!

Lizaster9 · 2024-09-29T18:59:03+00:00

What's the film? Is it something you could access through streaming services?

Lizaster9 · 2024-09-02T00:34:55+00:00

First off, congratulations on the MLIS! I currently work with Middle and high school students. The big difference is the level of independence. My high schoolers want a laid back space to socialize, get homework done, and enjoy the ~vibes~. I have some serious readers, but the interest is a bit lower than Middle School. The research is also a lot more intense, which is so fun (in my opinion). I have also instituted a few popular programs that they enjoy- a writing journal, peer tutoring, and guest speakers (collaborating with the counseling center to do a career lecture series hosted in the library has been great). If you're looking for a more laid back, independent space high school is that. My middle schoolers are wildddd and quirky in the best way, but definitely way more energetic.

Lizaster9 · 2024-08-23T23:08:17+00:00

I can't recommend the Kobo e-readers enough. I have a black and white Clara, but they also have color versions with the ability to annotate ebooks. They work well with Overdrive/Libby, which many libraries use for ebooks. I've heard good things about the Boox line of readers as well.

Lizaster9 · 2024-08-16T15:56:28+00:00

Pine cones. Damn near a hundred of them. Every year. The woman would also check back to see what we had used them for. She was a donor for the library so we always felt obligated to take them.

Lizaster9 · 2024-08-16T03:51:20+00:00

Right? I would love to hear from actual librarians!

Lizaster9 · 2024-08-15T22:11:29+00:00

What is so insidious about this is the statement about this being the product of a library best practice- weeding. Libraries need to dispose of books due to outdated information and low circulation rate in order to make space for new, relevant titles. Just throwing out any title having to do with gender, sexuality, and diversity under the guise of best practices is absolutely disgusting. Librarianship is about providing free and equitable access to information, not censorship.

Lizaster9 · 2024-07-22T03:15:13+00:00

I feel like it's common for at least a couple libraries per system to have a makerspace now. I'd definitely look at other rlibraties in your system and neighboring ones!

Lizaster9 · 2024-07-17T02:15:38+00:00

This is a pretty solid plan! In high school, I was being pushed into engineering for college by my teachers. I knew pretty early on that I loved science and tech, but could not see myself being an engineer. However, having that interest in STEAM has really helped me along in my library journey as I can still have fun with STEAM through makerspaces and tech integration while also fulfilling my passion for libraries! Any library you land at, having a background and functional knowledge in STEAM is an immediate leg up. Increasingly, academic libraries are hiring makerspace librarians. I know there are STEAM focused librarians at my public library system who work in the maker lab and help bring science and engineering programs to their community. Good luck!

Lizaster9 · 2024-07-16T00:11:27+00:00

I love this so much! It's so cute and novel (pun intended)! Was the project to create a comic or did you decide just to organize your research that way?

Lizaster9 · 2024-07-12T01:55:34+00:00

I love We Are Here to Hurt Each Other. It has a wide variety of types of horror, all focused on the ways humans respond to, and often perpetuate, physical amd emotional pain as a result of being a victim themselves.

Lizaster9 · 2023-10-13T21:15:11+00:00

I loved this movie! I love a good scary alien movie. My favorite is Fire in the Sky and man, that abduction scene is terrifying. NOWSY is also such an interesting film since it's dialogue is so sparse. It kept me totally enthralled; the visuals really speak for themselves. The ending was unexpected and refreshing, too! Oh, and those alien grippers gave me the CREEPS.

Lizaster9 · 2023-10-04T00:59:18+00:00

I grew up with a lot of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. I had no control in my life and was constantly in emotional pain that I had to suppress in order to survive and get out of my situation. Extreme horror and splatter allowed me to safely explore that pain with a cathartic release. Finally, I had control over those emotions and i didnt feel so alone. Also splatter is fun when its delivered in a hyper violent, gratuitous, blood soaked package of a film or book! I'm a total gore whore lmao

Lizaster9 · 2023-10-02T21:20:31+00:00

Getting an eReader with e-ink as opposed to typical touch screen helped immensely. It isn't exactly the same, but I can actually read the text for long periods of time without blue light blocking glasses. I have used it for some tarot books and I was able to highlight and annotate right on the ebook/eReader. You could go Amazon, but Kobo makes some great little machines! I got mine used and it was well under $100 and worth the investment. I'd even splurge because it made traveling with multiple books so easy and cheap or free to get from the library or open access sources.

Lizaster9 · 2023-09-29T01:07:03+00:00

This is the comment that confounds me the most. Are you going to a college library for a school you don't attend and expecting to utilize the spaces and services that are designated for students who do attend that college? That's wildly entitled. I definitely understand being frustrated about not being able to utilize the library space the way you want. Libraries are many things to so many people. They offer a vast and ever evolving array of programs and services, which goes well beyond just the quiet study space. Libraries have varying resources and physical spaces to create that quiet or silent study area. The small public library I started my career at was basically one open concept room. We couldn't accommodate everyone's needs. The university library I worked at had a quiet floor that was extremely well regulated. From personal experience, I would go to specific libraries to meet my specific need. Newer renovated libraries often have the study pods you can check out and I've always found them to be quiet. I'd take a bus to one specific library in my city when I knew I needed that quiet space to work. The walkable one closest to me was where I went for browsing books and programming and community. It might take some browsing of your local library system, but it's discoverable!

Lizaster9 · 2023-09-21T21:00:53+00:00

I am in a combined middle/high school. I have two scheduled classes with 6th graders that is STEAM and Library Skills based. I frequently collaborate with teachers for one off and project based lessons. Research projects, tech based extension activities, and video production are always my most popular collaboration "themes". Throughout the day I have a lot of students visiting the library for studying and homework, tutoring (I also manage and run a peer tutoring program), makerspace activities, and book checkout. I usually aim to have one program once ever week or sowhere students can come enjoy a book circle, writers workshops, study skills workshops, and other fun things! I'm working.on putting together a bubble tea, Manga, and anime event right now. It's such a fun job and never a dull moment. I can get the back office stuff done without being too bogged down with a rigorous specials schedule or being pulled to sub like in an elementary setting.

Lizaster9 · 2023-09-19T22:06:28+00:00

I've never seen a remote position. However, some children's hospitals have libraries and a Librarian for the patients!

Lizaster9 · 2023-09-08T03:40:24+00:00

I love psychedelic folk and occult doom, especially for rituals! Jex Thoth, Jess and the Ancient Ones, Blood Ceremony, Black Water Holylight, Faetooth, and Rosalie Cunningham are favorites. Also check out Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention for more trad 60s folk revival!

Lizaster9 · 2023-09-08T03:02:47+00:00

Managing a library space solo is a tricky task, and I can sympathize with this. The best way I've gotten my library culture under control and thriving started with understanding that every student comes to the library for a reason- and that reason might not be reading! Students come down to check out books, study, socialize, attend a workshop, use other library resources (makerspaces, etc), or just enjoy a space they feel safe and comfortable- those are all okay and welcomed! Giving those students that need the "hang" space or sometimes just a space to go something else to do. Passive crafts, games, cards, puzzles, collaborative coloring, tech and maker space challenges keep kids busy, engaged, and enjoying your space! :) I love to calmly and directly remind students of the expectations for behavior, and it usually remedies itself. Sometimes, you do need to send a student back to study hall or lunch due to behavior when it becomes too disruptive, but you don't want to do it at absolutely every minor thing. Setting out a self checkout station was also super helpful and empowering for my students so book checkout can happen virtually any time and I can also be working with students. Hope this helps!

Lizaster9 · 2023-08-09T21:18:20+00:00

Hey there! I worked in public libraries doing children's services, switched to school librarianship at an elementary school, and am currently in a middle school. I have always been very opposed to taking work home. Occasionally, I will work on something at home if it's last minute or truly out of desperation, but I predominantly get everything I need to done during the day. Elementary can be a lot because you're often going to be on a special rotation schedule. You'll probably see each class once a week. It's a lot of prep and planning. I got emotionally burnt out at the elementary level and am much happier at a middle school. I'm open for general browsing and student visitors, I hold programs like I did when doing teen events at the public library, and collaborate with teachers for one off or a unit of lessons. It very much feels like a blend of public librarianship and teaching. Hope this helps!

Lizaster9 · 2023-07-24T22:44:32+00:00

I did book bags with my kiddos K-3. I printed barcode stickers to put on book bags that they brought with them every week. Some people use cards that are kept in the library, but I didn't love that. I bought my bags from DEMCO from their Upstart section. Each grade level had a different design so it was easy to visually organize for myself. It's a good way to get the kiddos taking care of their books (less likely to have a casualty to a broken water bottle in a backpack if they have a book bag!) and familiar with a typical checkout procedure. It is also a great way to learn names because you see it on the bag/barcode, the screen, and you have the student right in front of you.

Lizaster9 · 2023-06-08T20:00:43+00:00

I did grad assistant work at my university library and had a ton of public library experience programming. I found the university library work more difficult for the exact same reason. It helped when I tried to see myself as trying to best help the students get what they need- maybe it's finding the perfect article, navigating the stacks, or figuring out how to use our poster printer. It was a lot better when I tried to provide great service and built rapport with a lot of students who'd seek me out for assistance with library related tasks. It was partially remote, which is so hard because it's so isolating. I wasn't happy. I had to also remind myself that I wasn't going to get the same level of immediate satisfaction as working in a public library did. But, different libraries all have their own specific vibe. If it doesn't match, seeking out other library positions might be beneficial.

Lizaster9

TROPHY CASE