Y'all--the hold shelf is a wonder and a gift. I know I spend way more time on screens than I wish for myself, but being able to go to my library website and put things on hold is just a pure delight. And living where we do, they often show up pretty quickly. I had three books ready today! I am a librarian and avid reader so hold shelves really, really ring my bell.
I am participating in a #RamadanReadathon and had ordered several titles including Fledgling by S.K. Ali for a readalong. S.K. Ali also wrote Love from A to Z, which I really love. I had a fun time writing about it here. Coincidentally, I had visited the Aga Khan museum in Toronto and had seen an ancient text that is part of a plot point in the book so I really connected with it.
I'm not Muslim, but back in 2016, S.K. Ali and Karuna Riazi were chatting on Twitter and came up with the hashtag #Muslimshelfspace. Here's a video that tells the story of how that came about and how it progressed.
I shared a photo from my school library that ended up in this video, but realized that my bookshelves at home didn't really have any Muslim authors. I decided that my reading needed to be diversified not only in my school library, but also at home. I had already been reading widely in children's lit for my job as a teacher librarian, but decided to broaden my personal reading too. I discovered the #RamadanReadathon as I searched for ways to find titles recommended by Muslim readers and have been participating most years. It's a great way to learn about a culture beyond my own, but I have also spent many enjoyable hours absorbed in wonderful stories.
Ramadan Readathon sounds fascinating. And it is good to read books by different authors. I am reading a book set in Assam in the time of Aurangazeb. This is the first time I am reading about Assam in spite of being an Indian. I always feel there is so much to read and not enough time.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same - so much to read and so little time. And there is so much about history and the rest of the world that I want to know.
DeleteCrystal, great idea to find new titles on the #RamadanReadathon. It is more important than ever to read outside of our cultures today. It was nice meeting you today at the Slice meet up.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice to meet you too! Thanks.
DeleteAlthough I do have a challenge of visiting every branch of my city library (nearly 75! I think I'm up to 25), the hold feature is my favorite thing ever. I will confess that sometimes I'm completely surprised by a book that shows up and can't remember requesting it, but reading serendipity is a joy anyway so it's all good.
ReplyDeleteYes! And it is always a little surprising when a pile of them come at the same time even when requested separately. Then it is a reading marathon. ;)
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