It brings me great pleasure to announce the opening of the staff picks theme – Arabian Nights. My inspiration for the theme came from Grace Lin’s TEDx talk on Windows and Mirrors. Grace Lin speaks about the importance of having windows, seeing a perspective outside your own, and mirrors, seeing a reflection of yourself, in books. Growing up, I found many windows in the books I read, but not many mirrors. I big part of my identity is my Palestinian culture. My father emphasizes the importance of our culture when we were younger an...

The “Hidden Treasures” collection is a group of resources inspired by my interests in art and dynamic and inclusive ways of learning. They are resources I discovered during my shifts at the library as I became more familiar with the physical space. They are materials t...

Staff pick books for November include a range of resources related to restorative and transformative justice, a holistic approach to harm that focuses on accountability and seeks to address the conditions that lead to violence, including the needs of the victim, offender, and community, rather t...

While the origin of witchcraft isn't known, witches have existed in some capacity from ancient times to modern day. The common depiction of witches with black hats, bubbling cauldrons and flying broomsticks was popularized by 18th century European tradition, however; witchcraft practices vary widely from culture to culture...

In the 1920s, Black artists, musicians, dancers, writers, and thinkers had settled into Harlem after the Great Migration and built a community where they could congregate and create. While Harlem is considered the epicenter of this prolific movement, other cities around the country saw their own related scenes spring from the ground up, and the innovations of those involved impacted the whole world.Teaching the Harlem Renaissance

The March Staff Picks collection of books for children and teens about Women and Girls in Sports, on the second floor of the Teachers College Gottesman Libraries, features profiles of outstanding female athletes of the past and present. The athletes include such notables as: sharpshooter Annie Oakley (b. 1860 - d. 1926); basketball player Agnes Morely Cleaveland (b. 1874 - d. 1958); road and track cyclist Tillie Anderson (b. 1875 ...

The word "potluck" comes from communal eating traditions. Whether bringing food to a friend on a visit or pooling resources in hard times, the "luck of the pot" provides nourishment for the body, the soul, and the community. The library is a gathering place for everyone. What better way to share who we are and what we do than with a book buffet curated with the "luck" of our catalog? Whether we're seasoned or still a little green, we library staff members part of the Teachers College melting pot to help you expand your information palate. We hope that the books we've brought to the table wi...

What makes a great children's book? This question has been on my mind for the past three years as I've curated the children's award winners and honors display. As a prospective school librarian, part of my training is to acclimate myself to the world of children's and young adult publishing in order to help growing readers flourish. The award lists are crucial tools in this process. Some awards focus on writing, some on illustration, some on both. Many have cultural focus or a core idea that drives the selection process, but many are also selected and judged...

May 1 marks International Workers' Day, chosen in memory of the Haymarket Affair: a general strike petitioning for the eight hour day set in 1886, the ensuing police violence, and other workers' rallies that followed. With teachers of all levels going on strike around the nation and the world in a fight for fair treatment, this month comes as a reminder of what workers have won and what they have at stake in the future. The idea for this collection began when I came across a...