What’s new in Open Shelf: June 2021

In this month’s issue of Open Shelf, we are excited to unveil a new quarterly series called Picturebooks to heal the heart, an analysis and recommendation of picturebooks which can act as powerful agents of social change in library work like storytimes or as welcome additions to our collections. 

We also welcome two discussions of equity, diversity and inclusion work in the library, one a recorded conversation between Martha Attridge Bufton and Dr. Monica Eileen Patterson and the other a reflection on a research guide at the University of TorontoMusic Library.

There is a recounting and synthesis of learnings from a Community Conversations series hosted by OPLA’s Community Led Committee about successful digital community engagements from across southern Ontario. Also, the culture@work series returns with a profile of Tiffany Miller.

We continue to welcome applicants for the position of interim editor in chief of Open Shelf as well as submissions for next month’s special unconference issue. These are two very exciting opportunities that our team recommends for any who might be interested. 

Finally, you may notice a change in format to how we list articles below in this space, with a new section for recent pieces from our partner publications. This is where you will find pieces like the open letter published in InsideOCULA last month and, we hope, much more very soon.  

Here are the stories we feature this month, in the order that they appear in the magazine:

• Picturebooks that heal the heart: Challenge and transitions
• Weeding as an anti-racist practice: A conversation with Dr. Monica Eileen Patterson
• Supporting communities through successful engagement
• culture@work: Tiffany Miller
• Supporting equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of Toronto Music Library
• Word of the month: Subject heading
• 793.71: “Shelving 101”
• Call for applications: Interim editor in chief
• Call for submissions: July unconference issue

Here is a selection of recently-published pieces from partner publications:

InsideOCULA

• Open letter protesting the sudden laying off of four librarians at OCADU

Also, check out our Twitter account at @OpenShelfOLA.

CONTRIBUTE TO OPEN SHELF
Have you ever considered writing for Open Shelf? Do you have an idea for a story that you think Open Shelf readers would like to read about? If you answered yes to either of these questions, contact us at OpenShelfOLA@gmail.com and let us know!