Action Shot

Here is a moment in my career if ever I saw one! Please note that my desk is not typically this messy - this must have been a crazy day, as also indicated by the pinched facial expression. Many of the tools of my librarian's trade are in evidence here: coffee cup, date due cards, stack of books waiting to be read, and several boxes in the background waiting to be dealt with. The "First Lines" bulletin board in the background is, indeed, the same tired-out display that I bragged about back in August. Clearly it just hasn't made it to the top of my to-do list yet, plus I'm waiting for all of the youth book awards to be announced in January so those books can be the focus ... Eh, forget it. I'll just buy the Twilight and New Moon READ posters, grab the staple gun, and call it a day.

That's one good-lookin' bulletin board!

So I waited all summer for inspiration to strike, and when this librarian's lightning bolt strikes, it strikes in a big way. I put together this bulletin board that is now ready for ogling on the first day of school. I must admit, I am totally one to stand around and admire my own bulletin boards after creating them. But why should I have all the fun? Now you, too, can enjoy this beauty! In case it's a little hard to make out all the text, the center panel exclaims: FIRST LINES THAT SAY 'READ ME!' Colorful, eye-catching book covers are accompanied by each book's intriguing first line(s). The smaller pieces of flair are bookmarks, placed amongst the book covers. I think my favorite is this ringer from Monster by A. Lee Martinez: "The thing was big and white and hairy, and it was eating all the ice cream in the walk-in freezer." I also enjoy this opener from Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee: "Mother spent $700 on a treadmill 'from Santa' that I will never use." These books are bound to be popular this year, given the tremendous influence of my bulletin boards on the reading habits of local youths. FYI, if you click on the picture you will see the bulletin board in all of its glorious detail. The smaller picture is a little grainy for my taste.