A little about me...
A proud Ravenclaw in London- 2008
Hello! My name is Stacey Costabile and I am a recent graduate of the Masters of Library Science program at the School of Library and Information Science of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
As a child, books were some of my closest friends. I often found myself seeking adventure and excitement in the pages of my favorite books. Quite often the phrase, "STACEY! Put down that book at the dinner table!!" was heard by my exasperated mother.
As an adult, I relish the opportunity to share that same passion for reading and to help students find their own pathway into their imagination. Where else can you travel to so many places without ever having to leave the comfort of your room? :)
I am a proud geek who enjoys science fiction, fantasy, Shakespeare, anime, computers and gaming. On the other end of the spectrum, I also enjoy knitting, sewing, acting, designing paper products (such as wedding invitations) and of course, curling up with a good book and my kitten on my lap!
" Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they'll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back." ~"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
Favorite Books:
The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince, Pride & Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre, The Age of Innocence, The Eyre Affair, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, The Egypt Game, Corduroy and Strega Nona.
Favorite Picture Book Authors:
Mo Willems, William Joyce, Kevin Henkes, David Shannon and
Tomi DePaola.
Favorite Young Adult Authors:
Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Richelle Mead, Garth Nix, Sherman Alexie, John Green and Rick Riordan.
Favorite Manga:
Fruits Basket, Trinity Blood, Negima!, Chrono Crusade, Chobits and Inuyasha.
Favorite Graphic Novels/Comics:
Maus, Sandman series, the Plain Janes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Bone, X-Men, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 and V for Vendetta.
I have always believed that the primary purpose of a youth services librarian is to develop a life-long love of reading in children and young adults. Literacy is the key to future success in the academic and professional world. By getting students excited about reading we open the doors to the individual creative process. It has been my personal experience that if you are passionate about a title and share that passion with your patrons, it can become contagious. I have heard it said both that Harry Potter is the reason for literacy in the newest generation and also that it has not triggered the much-awaited reading renaissance in young children. I personally believe that it was the passion that librarians, teachers and booksellers showed for the initial books that helped to engage, excite and encourage a generation of children (and adults!) to read for pleasure. If we as professionals continue to promote well-written and inspiring literature to students, while showing our own passion for the titles, our patrons will benefit and be bound to become swept up in the excitement as well.
As technology evolves, librarians must continue to develop their professional skill set in order to stay abreast of an ever-changing environment of technological advancements. We must be able to understand and converse in current technology in order to help students in their quest to obtain the most relevant information in an ever-expanding “cyberspace” environment. We need to explore new ways to bring information to where our patrons are at, whether it's via chat reference, social networking or blogs. It's an exciting time to be a librarian and I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm with a new generation of digital natives!