@justbeyondthepages
Recent MLIS grad and prison librarian. I write about all things libraries, books, information access (Blog under development/hiatus)📚📜 Sam Ward, She/They Opinions are strictly my own and do not represent my employer.
If THE LIBRARIANS on PBS Independent Lens airs past your bedtime tonight, don’t worry. You can also stream it via the PBS app and on the PBS Independent Lens YouTube channel starting at noon EST Monday. @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social
Many of you already know that our colleague and founding board member, Fobazi Ettarh, has passed away. We want to take a moment to acknowledge her loss and honor what she meant to libraries, our community, and her friends and loved ones.
www.thrivelib.com/news/honoring-fobazi-ettarh
First Person: ‘They ban books by Black authors. Then they tell us to celebrate Black History Month.’ Story via @opencampus.org.
The update here left me weepy with how full of love it is. If you can help with end of life expenses, here's where and how.
We've just published the most thorough, comprehensive, and easy-to-use 2026 election calendar! We've got every filing deadline, primary, and runoff, all in one handy bookmarkable package. Check it out here -->
The public library is an essential component of a 21st-century left political project as an example of both what is already available to us and what can be improved upon in the future. The library is a public good, and it is free as a public service.
I want more people to make the connections.
Gather up a group of friends for the online premiere of @thelibrariansfilm.bsky.social on PBS February 9th! Or check it out on their app and watch it on your own timetable that day! It's a powerful look at the attacks on school boards and the freedom to read. www.pbs.org/independentl...
In solidarity with all those standing up for our communities against the brutality of immigrant detention and ICE occupation, we're offering free ebooks of three crucial books about migrant justice and border abolition.
We’ve also added a list of additional recommended reading:
Just to clarify, this is a national service but is coordinated through state/regional libraries: www.loc.gov/nls/find-you...
It felt like Christmas all over again when this device and cartridges with 20 books combined came in the mail!
My coworker was laughing at my excitement as I was figuring out how it works so I could confidently show my patron this afternoon.
Accessibility rocks!
For the first time since starting this job, I have a patron who qualifies for / requested talking books from our state's library services for the blind and print disabled. 📚📜
(Image: A black and grey talking book, white cartridge, and blue case.)
(Not My State): www.pbclibrary.org/talking-books/)
Oh hey, looks like Libby has a built in spot to let them know what we all think of their recent announcement about allowing AI books in their systems.
📣FREE RESOURCE ALERT🎉For the entire month of January our latest issue of BOOKLIST will be FREE & OPEN TO ALL! Spotlighting readers' advisory, book discussions, & early reading it has everything you need to plan, program, and prepare for 2026! Train staff, teach students, and read now: bit.ly/452A0vp
If you haven’t had a chance to see The Librarians yet, there is a virtual screening happening this Saturday, January 10 at 8pm ET.
tinyurl.com/TheLibrarian...
Sam is wearing Master’s graduation regalia with a lemon yellow hood and is holding a zine up to the camera that says “Welcome To The Library!” with an image of a stack of books below it.
Sam is wearing Master’s graduation regalia with a lemon yellow hood and is holding a stack of her favorite books including A Walk In the Woods, The Future Always Makes Me So Thirsty, and That Librarian.
Sam is wearing Master’s graduation regalia with a lemon yellow hood and is smiling while looking into the distance off frame.
A blooper picture of Sam attempting to balance a stack of books and making a funny face in concentration. They are wearing Master’s graduation regalia with a lemon yellow hood.
It’s official! I have finally graduated with my MLIS, and I could not be more thrilled, grateful, and (a little) exhausted from this journey so far. 📚 📜
Taking a rest for now but I have some cool plans for my next steps in the new year ✨
It feels so strange to be at work on Christmas Eve (We're getting tomorrow and Friday off instead this year.), but me and my light up wreath earrings are keeping things festive ❄️🎄🎁
Archivists/librarians please share the coolest thing in your collections that will never be digitized.
They Sent Me a Pile of Christmas Cards. I Shared Them With My Whole Prison.
From the press release: "We are particularly encouraged by the data showing that library access fosters critical prosocial behaviors, such as empathy, conflict resolution, and self-regulation, that are vital for successful re-entry."
ed.cde.state.co.us/newsbureau/n...
A study just came out of Colorado looking at prison libraries' contributions to pro-social behavior / reentry success, and I am very much looking forward to diving into it this evening to see their findings! 📚📜
www.lrs.org/the-prism-pr...
Scrolling through this feed during my lunch breaks has really helped me through some tough periods at work, and I just want to say thank you for putting it together!
Any #Skybrarians looking for free education? OSU offers a free Teaching Information Literacy Course!
u.osu.edu/teachinginfo...
I already posted about this but genuinely, this is why we don't back down. (And even if this hadn't happened, we'd have kept fighting.)
Every year for the last several, I've put together a bookish gift guide where everything is under $30. Here's your gifts for readers on a budget guide for 2025: bookriot.com/gifts-for-re...
I am very hopeful for good news in the new year!
Nothing is for sure, but HR will be submitting an appeal to request that my position become fulltime as soon as I give them proof of graduation.
Rank-wise, I've actually worked there just long enough to cap out at Librarian III.
Aaaand the final assignment is done! Now for the (arguably more difficult) part of waiting for those last grades to come in and hoping they're all good 😅
Thank you! 😊
Capstone portfolio was accepted, regalia is ordered, and I’m finishing up my final class assignment this afternoon. Graduation is so close I can taste it!
📚📜
