Behind the Camera: 5 Female Directors to Watch
It’s also heartening to see that after her snub last year the Academy realized that it had a diversity problem; this year (for the first time) there are people of color nominated in every major acting category and in the director’s category. This is likely the result of a diversified voting pool this year which leads to a more diverse selection of nominees. While this is certainly progress, there still has never been a female Black director nominated for an Oscar. So, instead of focusing on this year’s nominees (love you, Moonlight) I’m going to focus on a handful of films directed by African-American women that you should definitely seek out.
The History of Black History Month
When the call first went out for blog post topics to celebrate Black History Month (also known as African-American History month), I responded that I’d like to write a “History … Continued
The Best Short Stories by African American Authors
I cannot even tell you how long it has been since I picked up a collection of short stories (seriously…it’s pretty embarrassing). But I have always loved diving into a good short story. Filled with symbolism and a conclusion that doesn’t take 300 pages to get to, they are a true literary snack. Or in some cases like, Children of the Night: The Best Short Stories by Black Writers 1967 to the Present, a great meal.
Verónica Reyes Presents Poetry from Bordered Lives
The first time you pick up Chopper! Chopper! Poetry from Bordered Lives, the temptation to dig through your old college textbooks for your Spanish/English dictionary might be hard to resist. Verónica Reyes charges her lines—nearly every single one—with the sharp electricity of her East L.A. tongue. It’s this dance, this lingual limbo, that transports you straight into the streets of her city. Not tethering herself to English alone allows her to draw beauty from both languages, to choose her words twice as thoughtfully.
Works for Me: Tools for a Successful Job Search!
Creating a resume and nailing a job interview: These are two things that can make even the most confident job seeker feel some anxiety. Good news though! This is exactly what the Job and Career Education Center (JCEC) at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Main Library can help you with.
Books, Glory, Awesomeness… How A YA Trivia Contest Reignited This Librarian’s Reading Fire
For those not in the know, Battle of the Books is like pub trivia without the booze, that instead focuses on a specific book list for each participating grade level, all while bringing TONS of teens from all over the city and county together in their love of reading (and the thrill of competition!). One of my favorite parts about this program is the collaboration that goes into suggesting book titles to make the final cut, which happens across the Library and even beyond Teen Services (teamwork makes the dream work!). And if you’re anything like me, you get to experience a new genre/author/writing style than what you might normally pick out for yourself to read.
Tournament of Sadness: Round 4
This is the fourth in a series of posts I will be writing to determine the most depressing movie we have in the library’s film collection. I will be watching 16 devastating movies in the coming months — feel free to join in the “fun” and share your feedback!
Throwback Thursday: In Praise of the Short Stack
One of the many things I love about CLP – Main (oh, let me count the ways …) is how we feature new short story collections in their own special place. I adore short stories. Adore them. Alas, from talking with my bookish friends, I know that sentiment isn’t shared by every reader: they’re very much of a you-either-like-’em-or-you-don’t kind of genre. Here’s why I love them, along with some of my favorites.
A Year to Read
This year, I’ve set intentions to read much more than I currently do and engage in as many joyful experiences in my daily life as I possibly can. The catalyst for this isn’t the “new year, new me” resolutions that I normally make and break, but rather my experiences over the last 18 months working for the Library. This place is seriously joyful.
Throwback Thursday: Books (But no Snakes) On a Plane
I try not to go anywhere without at least one book. You never know when you’re going to be stuck in rush-hour bus traffic, or sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room, or standing in line at the bank. Might as well have something to read, just in case, right? Here’s a quick peek at some of the books I took.