Return to Book'd Home

Haley - Programs Specialist

Flurry of Chaos and Giggles

Hello everyone! I'm Haley, a Programs Specialist in the Programming and Outreach department at MCL with two staff baking awards under my belt. I help develop the centralized programs for our 12 branches including learning kits, trivia nights, board game nights, large family events and SRC. My undergraduate degree was in Arts and Technology from the University of Texas at Dallas where I focused on video editing and motion graphics for educational purposes and have used it on occasion while working for the library. I’m very gregarious, outgoing and love to be on the stage so you may have seen me at storytimes, as emcee for events, and on our social media. Currently, I’m in my third semester at Emporia State University pursuing my MLIS.

On a more personal note, I’ve got a wonderful husband and two dogs. I typically read fantasy and sci-fi novels with a heavy splash of graphic novels, but occasionally venture out into magical realism and non-fiction. I’m a self-proclaimed geek and love casually playing puzzle and role-playing games on my Switch, participating-in and talking about tabletop games, board games, and watching various things on YouTube. I hate beetles, the texture of raw coconut, and being alone for long periods of time.
 

Tuning Into the Great A'Tuin: A Guide to Starting Discworld

Terry Pratchett’s "Discworld" series can be absolutely daunting with 41 novels written over the course of 32 years. If you're a fan of odd British humor, fantastically imaginative worlds, and a sprinkling of social commentary, then the Discworld may be your cup of tea. Though, with the amount of material that it offers, it may be more like a bucket of tea.

Discworld has…

I Don't Get It...

I hope I'm not the only one that has picked up a book, settled down for the night to read, opened it up and... just did not click with it. I want to read it! I want to enjoy it! But sometimes the book's just so much smarter than me. These are books that I want to read, or have read, but left me feeling more confused than anything else.

Virtually on My Nightstand

I absolutely adore eReaders. I have a Kindle Paperwhite and read basically every night on it. But, eBooks can get expensive! Thankfully, Mid-Columbia Libraries has a huge eBook collection available through Overdrive! You can check things out straight to your Kindle, iPad, smartphone or other gadget with your library card! This is a list of the mishmash of eBooks that I'm currently…

Picturesque Picture Books

Picture books aren't always for toddlers or young'uns. I am often blown away by the talent of the illustrators of these books and can't help picking up just a few to flip through just to look at those pretty pictures (despite not having any kids)! These are some of my personal favorites where the art just brings me joy and excitement, and usually you get a cute story to boot!

Sage Advice: Best Cookbooks Your Library Card Can Buy

Recipe for Finding Cookbooks

Ingredients:

  • 1 Non-Fiction Section 
  • 1 MCL Library Card
  • Free Thyme Time

Process:

  1. Set Non-Fiction Section to 641-642
  2. Separate unwanted books from wanted books
  3. Whip through wanted books throughly to ensure actual wanting
  4. Let set in arms or bag until ready…

Thought Bubbles and Grawlixes

Sometimes the sheer number of volumes of a comic book series or graphic novels on a library shelf can be intimidating. Or, it's frustrating when 40 people have a hold on the first issue. These are some of my favorite graphic novels that don't go on forever or switch universes or undo what was written. I especially enjoy them for their art, how they present their…