[OYAN] How do you holiday?

[Peggy O'Kane]

At the Maggie Osgood Library we are only beginning to build traditions. My volunteers and I came in costume today and read a Halloween book for story hour.
We celebrated Indigenous People's Day earlier this month.
During December we will honor the holidays that celebrate the return of the sun and the changing of the year: Chanukah, Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Bodhi, Festivus and Yule. (Diwali is in November this year but I will include it in my list.)  I don't think I have books on all of these but I will put together a handout that includes all of them as part of my primary display. My story hours will feature as many of these holidays as possible.
My goal is to include not exclude
Peggy O'Kane
Director
Maggie Osgood library
Lowell
________________________________
From: OYAN <oyan-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> on behalf of Lisa Elliott via OYAN <oyan at omls.oregon.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2023 12:30 PM
To: oyan at omls.oregon.gov <oyan at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: [OYAN] How do you holiday?


Hey people! It’s that annual day of spookiness so beloved by so many. I’m sure many of your libraries try to avoid obvious celebrations of dominant culture holidays, but Halloween seems to get a bit more flexibility. I mean, it’s so fun, and what kid doesn’t love wearing a costume to the library? I too relish any opportunity to incorporate ridiculous sartorial choices into my professional life. It’s worth pondering, though, who are we excluding when we don the slay apparel and slap pumpkin stickies on our spines? What about the next holidays? You know, the annual colonialism commemoration feast and the day of gift-giving with dubious ties to the birth of a particular resident of Galilee…



I’m curious to know how your libraries handle holidays: Do you let them pass without remark? Do you decorate? Do you put on programs? Do you put out displays? What holidays do you choose to acknowledge? Do you have holiday spine labels in your teen collections? Do you have a written policy? Have you worked with community partners or your staff to plan culturally competent celebrations? Please, share!



And a bonus question in recognition of the day: What is the gnarliest YA horror book you’ve read? I know Hell Follows With Us<https://wccls.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S143C4064744> has made a lot of people queasy. There were some delightfully gruesome moments in Half Bad<https://wccls.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S143C2066338> and The Honeys<https://wccls.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S143C4094922>, and this isn’t YA, but there was a scene in Mexican Gothic<https://wccls.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S143C3774660> that was so gross and surprising I had an audible response.



Happy hauntings!

-Lisa



Lisa N Elliott

Young Adult Librarian

Tigard Public Library

(503) 718-2654

lisae at tigard-or.gov<mailto:lisae at tigard-or.gov>

she|her|hers



Work Schedule

Tuesdays-Saturdays



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