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Women in Horror Month: “She’s a librarian, ok?”

Hi, my name is Kirsten Kowalewski, and I am a librarian.

I am currently living in a state where the governor just attempted to use tax dollars to start a state-run news service and is recommending cutting library funding. The past two weeks have also been the culmination of a year of hostility from the governor and the state board of education toward our elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, who is, like me, trained as a librarian and school media specialist and is a certified teacher.  The state legislature is stripping her of her powers and assigning them to the state board. When Indiana Senate president David Long was asked about it, he implied that she wasn’t up to the job. “She’s a librarian, ok?” This has left me steaming.

The Librarian Avengers are putting you on notice, Mr. Long.

So, what’s all this got to do with women in horror?

A number of awesome librarians have contributed to promoting the horror genre and keeping this website alive. Many of them are women, and all of them are amazing. I have been lucky to work with Becky Siegel Spratford (author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror Fiction), Patricia O. Mathews (author of the reader’s advisory guide Fang-tastic Fiction), Lucy Lockley (also known as the RAT Queen), Kelly Fann, Julie Adams, and others, and to connect through the site with Heather Whiteside Ward. If you want horror fiction to thrive, and its audience to grow, you’ve got to have the librarians on your side, and (whether it’s right or not) a lot of librarians are women.

In conclusion, I give you Evie Carnahan, Librarian Most Likely To Break A Mummy’s Curse:

 

 

Don’t underestimate the librarian. It could be your last mistake.

Posted on February 2, 2015 by , Reply

New Educator Resources Page

One of the top drivers of traffic to MonsterLibrarian.com is a lesson plan on writing scary stories by Kellie Hayden. So I know many teachers visit our site, even if it’s just for a minute. In an effort to better serve the educators who visit us, I’ve started an Educator Resources page, with links to lesson plans, webquests, booklists, and activities related to Halloween, scary stories, and whatever else I think might be of interest to teachers and librarians looking for ideas or ways to integrate cool scary (or not so scary) stuff into what you’re doing. If you have additional resources to suggest you can send us suggestions at monsterlibrarian@monsterlibrarian.com. Just title your email “Educator Resources” , so it won’t get lost in the shuffle.

Posted on October 22, 2011 by , Reply

Libraries are educational institutions? Who knew?

Library Journal noted in this article that the Supreme Court of Suffolk County, New York, has formally ruled that libraries are educational institutions. According to the ruling, libraries “serve the same inherently beneficial effects on the community as do schools”.

This ruling applies only to libraries in New York, but the LAUSD ought to sit up and take notice.

If libraries are educational institutions, librarians are educators. Even if they don’t take attendance daily.

 

Posted on June 5, 2011 by , Reply