Superhero TWIN

Ok, I have a slight confession to make. This blog post has NOTHING to do with libraries or silly songs.

So, um, recently, I've become addicted to YouTube. Aside from Dr. Pepper, I don't think I've ever been addicted to anything before, so as far as addictions go, I think this YouTube one is fairly safe. ANYWAY... I found this cool new band called Sons of Admirals. FYI: Their names references an old English theater troop. They only have one song together, but all 4 guys are teens and record independently and YouTube silly stuff fairly often.

ANYWAY Does anyone find it funny how many times I say "ANYWAY?" Charlie is in charge of their videos and webpage and today released a new video... where he becomes a superhero and wears tights. 

Now my question is... WHY do all these people get to be superheroes, yet I can't get my own Super Chriss action figure? HUH??? Life just doesn't seem fair anymore.


 

Oh, and my favorite quote from the whole video....

And as someone who has an entire drawer in their bedroom dedicated just to dressing up clothes....

Yep, yet another twin found on YouTube.

Breaking Out into Song

So last year I was invited to this cool conference in San Francisco. YAY for winning cool trips... especially when they happen on my bday.... So attendees had to stand up, introduce themselves and tell some random fact that no one would ever guess about them. Mine? That I randomly break out into song and dance. 

Now for those of you who follow my blog or know me in person, I'm sure you're not surprised. BUT from other people there, I got a lot of funny looks. Totally randomly my sister Amy also won a trip to the same conference and she was like... "Um, NO, for real, she does." Of course I had to then perform the banana chant... in front of a bunch of people... and on camera. BTW, if no one has ever seen a room full of adults perform the banana chant, it's a sight to see.


ANYWHO, so I have decided I want an iTouch. Not because I can listen to music or surf the Internet in random places sans laptop or even because I'm a Mac fan. No, the whole reason why I want an iTouch is because I found this cool app that if you sing a song into it, it will automatically put it to music. Um instant record. I randomly told a few coworkers thinking they would be so excited and like "OMG, that is SOOOO you and I can't wait to hear!" Well, they did say "OMG," but they sounded rathered pained when they did....


So this morning, I was surfing YouTube and came across an old video by John Green, author of 2010 Gateway nominee Paper Towns. John and his brother Hank cofounded the Nerdfighters Movement, and Hank like myself is a little... um... obsessed...dedicated to breaking out into silly songs. It's like we're twins or something. 


Sometimes John doesn't appreciate his brother's talent so much....

Hank, I want to begin by congratulating your rap song yesterday. Uh, I laughed a lot. I wasn't always laughing with you, but I laughed a lot.

It so reminded me of a few certain people who get tears in their eyes when they see me doing my thing.
 
BTW, randomly cool fact.... John is totally obsessed about cataloging his home library. Fiction is separated out by living and dead authors.

So further proof that Hank and I are like total twins... or something....

After the Lights Go Out...

PA SYSTEM: May I have your attention please. The library will be closing in 5 minutes. Please take any books and other materials to the checkout desk now. Again, the library will close in 5 minutes.

YOUNG CHILD: Whaaaaaaahhhhhh! I don't wanna go!

MOM: But honey, the library is closing. And if you don't leave, the library monsters will eat you.

OK, so I've never head a mom tell their two year old that a library monster will eat them, but parents do tell their kids some weird stuff to get them to leave.... Like the mom that said we would lock the kids in and not let them leave until morning... which actually made the child want to stay even longer.

So.... What really happens when libraries close for the night?

Unfortunately, childrens and teen librarians at 
Oshawa Public Libraries let out secrets slip.  Evil Canadian librarians!

Book Nerd Paradise

I SOOOOOO want to be this guy when I grow up....

And BTW, yet ANOTHER person bragging that they got to go to ALA and I DID NOT. **humph** I think we should boycott libraries worldwide until TPTB decide to send me, too! I mean, who wouldn't want me there?!?!? I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy to keep me away from my Mo....

My favorite quote of it all.... "This conference is kinda like the highlight of the young adult literature social calendar." And again, it mentions how superheroes are in libraries... even if they aren't wearing capes and superhero masks... like me.

Maybe I need to again petition for my superhero action figure...

Plus, he got to meet another of my favorite authors David Levithan. 

Oh, and BTW, whomever goes to ALA next year... without me AGAIN..., I soooo want that gavel swag.

The Insulting Librarian

We've all had those patrons at whom we've wanted to scream "WTH?!?!?!" Come on. You can admit it. I won't tell anyone. PROMISE.


Some of us even have little homemade voodoo dolls... and an extra stash of stick pins at our desks.... Not that we've ever used them or anything... but.... Well... ok... may once... or twice....


Anyway, we've all met the patrons who have had enough, but what do you think happens when it's the librarian who has no constructive release of bad energy? like my voodoo doll....

Idea : How to Get Teens Into the Library

Known Fact: Libraries struggle to get teens into the library. I have tried my best to bring in the masses with Summer Reading Dances, pet rock training schools, and good old fashioned bribery, but it's just too hard to compete the the average teen's busy life style....

Or it WAS....

I found the solution. No need to thank me. Ok, if you REALLY want to, do so by nominating ME for the I LOVE MY LIBRARIAN AWARD. No pressure.... Have you started the application process yet? **sigh**


 Oh yeah..... Solution. Wait for it.... 

Wait for it....

Library Flash Mob Dance Parties!  **wild applause**

Did I hear skepticism in your applause? You don't quite believe it will bring teens in en mass?  **sigh** Skeptics. Just check out what happened at the Seattle Public Library earlier this summer.....
  


Told ya so!

Oh, Melissaaaaaaaa!!!!

The Power of Twitter

Librarian Andy Woodworth tweeted

ATTN LIBRARIAN TWEEPS: Need help getting @oldspice guy to say a few words regarding libraries. RT plz. Thanks.

Wanna know what happened???

Come on.

Guess.

Give up yet?

Hmmm....  I need this power o' the tweet.


MAYBE if I tweeted...

@The_Pigeon : Plz visit. Will let you drive bus. Promise.

 Anyone think it will work?

If Librarians Had Super Powers

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? from Library Beat on Vimeo.

What would happen if librarians could have a super power? Think they would use it for good?

Librarians at NSLS were asked just that. What super power would you have??? Answers run the gambit from flying to invisibility to "brewing coffee in my mouth." Anyone think Greg has a twin in Illinois? Kinda scary thought, I know.

 

Well, I already know what my superhero costume would look like. We all know how super fly I look in my pink feather wig, lipstick face mask, and Super Grover Super Fly tee. 

But as far as super POWERS???

• Turn into Fancy Nancy at will....
• Convince Sarah that yes, we really DO need to have the Pigeon Party come to town and perform "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" just for me... and have Mo in the audience... and then the audience would BEG me to do my rendition of DLTPDTB... and then I would get standing ovations... and Hollywood contracts... and Mo would dedicate his next Pigeon book to me.... Mo Willems adores me. It's TRUE, I tell you. A person can't just make this stuff up....
• Be awarded the I LOVE MY LIBRARIAN award due to thousands of patrons nominating me as the greatest library lady... ever.
• Oh, yeah, and world peace.

Oooohhhh, then I could get me own action figure....

Would anyone else care to share their own coveted super power?

Can You Help Me Now?

I've gotten calls from several states away before..., but from the half way around the world???


Glad to know librarians have my back in case the need arises....

PROTEST: Library Commercial SANS Moi

I am OFFICIALLY jealous! 




I am DENIED my inalienable right to star in a silly library commercial... and then they put a serious one up on YouTube.  **sigh**   I'm feeling a little unloved here people. A little unloved.

Does anyone else have flashbacks of Pigeon upon seeing Hilary behind the wheel???

My ONLY consolation.... At the time of this posting, MY library YouTube video has more viewings than Jr. Now I'm SURE that if a certain library director would have asked me to do the Banana Chant while wearing a pink boa in the Jr. video, it would have gone viral by now.  **grumbles**  

Maybe next time, they'll learn. 

Summer Reading Silly Library Commercial

Cincinnati claims to have the busiest public library in the whole nation.  True, they are in a fairly large town, but I chose to believe it is because they rock their silly library commercials.  
  

Silly library commercials=more patrons through the door.  

Just another reason why my great and darling director should make full use of my talents.  **hint, hint, hint**

 

Librarians Can't Tell Jokes

Summer Reading has started!  In the first 5 days, we signed up 1,565 kids and 146 teens.  That averages 30 kids per hour. Anyone else totally crash all weekend?  Next year maybe the board will give us combat pay for the first week....  NOTE  TO SELF: Check with Jim.  Bring Diet Pepsi bribe.

Librarians at the Springfield Public Library in Canada kick off the summer right... with a library joke booth.  Kids and staff alike step in and get their joke YouTubed.  Only problem... librarians can't tell jokes....




PS Props to Brandy who signed up 15 teens on Friday alone.

Dude! Where's My Book?!:?!

I think I helped these guys last week....

Most important thing we learn, if you call a book, it will not come.

Will This Coming Staff Day Be Just as Fun???

Now at DBRL, we do have a pretty cool library director (except for the fact that for some reason she will not allow for me to wear a feather boa every day  **pouts**).  But I did not know exactly how cool Melissa was until I ran across some old video footage of a past Staff Day. 

As many of you know, Staff Day is just around the corner.  One can only hope this one will be just as memorable.

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Program to Get Your Adrenaline Pumping

Having already perfected the arts of Story Time, Shhhhing, Reader's Advisory, Librarian Pranking, the Banana Chant, I have decided to share my wondrous talents help Marilyn come up with adult programming ideas.  

During finals week, students at NYU gather at the law library and dance WITHOUT music for 60 seconds....  They do it for a full week and have themes each time.  ("Party in the USA," "Awkward Dance Moves," "Dirty Dancing," etc.)  WHY?  Let's off steam, keeps them from falling asleep, future lawyers need to practice their dance moves, adrenaline start pumping again,....  

There is NO sound to this video, so it can be watched with full effect on desk.

 

So, Marilyn, how we should do this program....

• Steal the Russ Mobile and hang a disco ball and strobe lights in the Quiet Reading Room.
• Each night... say at 7:45... lower the ball and start the lights.
• Start the Conga Line, the Tush Push, or maybe even the Banana Chant with positioning dancing patrons close to the glass walls.
• Dance for 5 mins.  (1 min is not REALLY enough to get the adrenaline pumping again.)

Now, I know you're thinking, CHRISS, JUST HOW MUCH DR. PEPPER HAVE YOU DRUNK TODAY????   (Only 1 glass... so far.)  But think about all of the community members driving by who would get curious and come into the library to check us out and join in with their own dancing moves.  We could be like Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act.  Pretty soon, all of the study tables will be packed, no books will be left on the shelves, we'll run out of new library cards... and all because of starting a Silent Library Dance Party during finals week.


Please, dear readers, let Marilyn know by posting below just how much you want to show all of Broadway your boogie moves while helping students get through those long hours of studying.  And MAYBE if we become famous enough Nancy Pearl will invite us to DANCE for her much the same way Whoopi was invited to sing for the Pope.

Shelvers

The library would be in CHAOS without the shelvers. In this library commercial, library shelvers explain the ins and outs of the shelving system.  Can't you just see Sharon and Sheryl hamming this one up (wearing pink boas of course)?

Library Dance Videos???

First Betty Glover gave us her infamous library workout video.  But now librarians from Worthington, OH, are trying to teach us how to dance to Michael Jackson songs???  I think we can pass on trying to recreate this "masterpiece."  Stephens College may laugh us out of town if we tried..., but it is good for a laugh or two.

Cavemen at the Library

Apparently even cavemen knew to ask a librarian when they had a question....



Wonder if the commercial will now say "Ask a Librarian.  So easy even a caveman can do it."  **snicker**

Barack Would Make a Good Librarian....

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Gothem City Librarian

Anyone accurately guess the other librarian with her own action figure?  If you said Batgirl, you were right.  Enjoy her pilot episode... that apparently never got aired on TV.  


She's a little on the feisty side....