2021 was an exciting year for everyone. Sure, some of it was not great – nobody will be sorry to see the global pandemic ending. But some of it was pretty good and had some positive parts.
While we did not get a chance to get to everything we wanted to do this year, we and our libraries have accomplished a lot of good things.
Check out some of our most-read articles over the past year:
- Reader’s Advisory: Storywalk titles!
- Leaving Facebook
- Science Fair idea generator
- Carolyn Bauer Extended Mini Grant Report
- High School Reading Challenge
- Training Tips: Student Library Assistant Training Guide: Shelving Basics
- A treasure trove of book display ideas
- Messages of Inclusion: A grassroots campaign for turbulent times
- Local High School Library Launches Makerspace Programming
- The FART Test and website evaluation
- Policies on teens and library cards
- Training Tips: Reader’s Advisory tips
- Spotlight Program: DIY Steampunk Costume Pieces
- AASL Recommended Apps: PBS Kids Video
- Turmoil in the fanfiction World:Sexy Times With Wangxian
- What Happens When Someone Doesn’t Like One Of Our Books?
- Self-Care In the Library: Types of Rest
We have enjoyed putting out our training podcast Linking Our Libraries. You can listen in your favorite podcast app, or stream on our website. Over the last year, these are our most downloaded episodes:
- Episode 501: Cataloging
- Episode 806 Reference Interview
- Episode 808: Library Board Members
- Episode 801: Library Gardens
- Episode 803: Makerspaces
- Episode 804 Cultural Competencies
- Episode 809: The Future! Strategic Planning and Needs Assessment
- Episode 807: Teen Services
- Episode 802: Hosting Virtual Events
- Episode 805: Podcasting
- Browsing Books: Kilen Woods State Park
- Browsing Books: Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
- Bonus Episode Media Landscapes and 23 Things
- Browsing Books: Savanna Portage State Park
- Browsing Books: Freeborn County
- Browsing Books: Judge Magney State Park
- Browsing Books: McCarthy Beach State Park
- Browsing Books: Cascade State Park
- Book Bites: Under the Banner of Heaven
- Browsing Books: Hayes Lake State Park
- Browsing Books: Fort Snelling State Park
- Browsing Books: Mahnomen County
- Episode 810: Episode 100 of Linking Our Libraries!
- Browsing Books: Aitkin County
- Browsing Books: Anoka County
And we always enjoy our reader’s advisory podcast book group: Reading With Libraries. Here are our most downloaded episodes for 2021:
- Episode 413 True Crime
- Episode 513: Running
- Episode 608: Psychological Thrillers
- Episode 610: Pandemics II
- Episode 609: Winter Mysteries
- Episode 611: Minnesota
- Podcast Episode Bonus 61: Bridgerton!
- Podcast Episode Bonus 62: Soul!
- BONUS Episode: Fanfiction
- Browsing Books: MN Valley State Recreation Area
- Browsing Books: Crow Wing State Park
- Browsing Books: Hill Annex Mine State Park
- Browsing Books: Wild River State Park
- Browsing Books: Mille Lacs Kathio park
- Podcast Bonus Episode 64: Nomadland
- Browsing Books: Judge Magney State Park
- Browsing Books: Sakatah Lake State Park
- Bonus Episode 63: The Mandalorian
- Bonus Pop Culture: In The Heights
- Bonus Episode: Pop Culture: Black Widow
- Episode 414 Narrative Non-Fiction
- Browsing Books: Temperance River State Park
- Browsing Books: Tettegouche State Park
- Browsing Books: Fort Snelling State Park
- Browsing Books: Hayes Lake State Park