Happy (early) Father’s Day

Enjoy this guest post by FDL Reference Assistant and new dad Jacob Roberts!

So I recently discovered what it is like to be a dad—exhausting, but rewarding. Leading up to the big day I found that the number one thing I could do was have no expectations. People were generous with tips, advice, and opinions; but when it boiled down to it I knew every baby will be different and it was best to prepare for the day with no expectations. I would have to say leading up to the day that my beautiful daughter, Josephine, would come into this world was the hardest thing I had to wait for. There is nothing like it, because you cannot count down the days. The baby will come when their ready, and then you find yourself scrambling around preparing for everything you realize you had forgotten about for the past nine to ten months.

Now that she has arrived, though, I have to say it is a bit surreal. Throughout the pregnancy I had read plenty of articles with my wife, and even read a book titled, First-Time Dad by John Fuller, and nothing told me the somersault your brain does once you realize you are responsible for an actual human-being. Now that it has been a few weeks, I am starting to see the things those articles and books talked about, but it makes me wonder if they forget about that initial flood of emotions at the hospital. Self-help books can only get a dad so far, until they realize they have to figure out their own quirky ways of doing things. Maybe that is the best thing those books and articles can do. Maybe they are there to reassure dads that another guy has done it before them, and now it’s time for a new dad to put their own spin on parenting.

One thing that I have decided to do with Josephine, is to read her five books a day. As I get busier, I know this will be more challenging, and may even go down to two or three a day. However, I believe reading is a great time for helping her learn those fundamental skills of imagination, reading, and language while also giving us some daddy-daughter time each day. I have always thought books have so much to teach us, and they really are the window to the world. If somebody can learn to read, then they can learn anything.

Having spent so much of these last few weeks reading children’s books to Josephine, I have realized there are some good books and some subpar books. I will stray from defaming some books I realize are deemed classics and family-favorites, especially because I know every household has its favorites. Instead, I will share some of the books that I found extra meaningful for our family. One book that my wife grew up reading was Sam McBratney’s Guess How Much I Love You. This book didn’t have much meaning to me before Josephine, but I now find it a favorite of our household as well (we even have the Spanish version—Adivina Cuanto Te Quiero!). I also have come to enjoy reading all of the Winnie the Pooh books we have at home. Pooh’s adventures with his friends are always light-hearted and show what friendship and love should be. One other type of book I like to read to Josephine are our collection of bedtime stories. It may change in the future, but as of right now my favorite to read to her before bed is Sandra Boynton’s Pajama Time. I love that she uses animals in all of her books, just like her The Going-To-Bed Book, but I just love how fun and catchy it is to read Pajama Time to Josie.

After all that has been said, I look forward to the days, weeks, months, and years to come that Josie and I will share as dad and daughter. By the time she is grown we will have shared so many memories, and I can only hope that a good chunk of those will be spent enjoying the literature this world has to offer.

Post by Jacob Roberts, Reference Assistant

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.

June is LGBT+ Pride Month

“Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots in Manhattan. The Stonewall riots were a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States… Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBT Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.”
Library of Congress – About LGBT Pride Month

Happy Pride Month, everyone! Libraries have always been safe spaces for marginalized and disenfranchised groups, and this includes any and all members of the LGBT+ community. FDL proudly supports information access for all and the right for all to exist comfortably and safely. We also have some pretty great material focusing on LGBT+ history or created by LGBT+ individuals. This list is by no means comprehensive, so if there’s something you would like but don’t see here, ask and we’ll do our best to get it for you.

• For a history of the Stonewall Riots and the beginning of the fight for equal rights, check out this amazing history of the event with Stonewall: Breaking Out in the Fight for Gay Rights by Ann Bausum.
• For a more personal look at individuals, take a look at The Letter Q: Queer Writers’ Notes to Their Younger Selves, featuring Gregory Maguire (Wicked), Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City), and many more.
• For a look at the niche ball/drag scene of the late 80s and early 90s, Paris is Burning is an amazing film. Joseph Cassara has also come out with a fictional account of the time documented in Paris is Burning with his novel, The House of Impossible Beauties.
• Angels in America by Tony Kushner is a must read for a fictional account (both individually and globally) of the AIDS crisis of the 80s and 90s. Or, you can watch the two part HBO adaptation, starring Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, and Jeffrey Wright.
• YA fiction is absolutely crushing it with queer voices right now. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli was just made into the movie Love, Simon (still in theaters). Other great YA books featuring LGBT+ characters include Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills, Dreadnought by April Daniels, Lizard Radio by Pat Schmatz, and Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith.

Post by Carey Gibbons, Reference Specialist

About #FDL

Welcome to #FDL! #FDL is a twice weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria. Twice a week, library staff will make posts that highlight some aspect of library life and relate it to you – our readers. Have you ever wanted to know which Dewey number represented a certain topic? Are you looking for book recommendations based on your favorite television show or television recommendations based on your favorite book? Have you ever wondered about the secret details of librarian life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then #FDL is for you. We look forward to writing posts that are informative and entertaining and hope that you enjoy getting better acquainted with Fondulac District Library.