Insta Update

In my attempt to connect this post to my holiday break that starts today, I’m beginning with A Christmas Carol. We’re all familiar with the message of redemption after Scrooge visits his own past, present, and future. In cinematic adaptations of the Dickens’ novella, we often see Scrooge and his ghosts peering through windows at those in his life.

1938 Movie Adaptation of “A Christmas Carol”

Several years ago, I posted about my personal use of Instagram in the library. This isn’t the way my students use the platform but rather about meeting the personal challenge of posting once per day, considering my role through fresh eyes. This time, instead of reflecting on my own posting, I want to consider myself as participant and viewer.

I admit that I like to live vicariously through beautiful libraries…

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is pretty-spaces.jpg — The NYPL, Strand, and the Morgan, some NYC favorites

Or following the Los Angeles Public Library as they visually document spaces referenced in Susan Orlean’s The Library Book, so I can see how new media can enhance the old…

LA Central Public Library, past and present

Or marveling at #bookfacefriday.

Or stalking books and contests.

If you haven’t read The Poet X, seek it out over break.

Or keeping up with AISL and its librarians.

But my favorite is just getting a snapshot into others’ libraries. Staged shots are beautiful, but I like seeing what average days look like for other librarians. Their displays. Their students. Their teaching space. Their sense of humor. The books they are reading. My students laugh when I show them my stream, and I’m in no way Insta’s average user. Libraries, libraries everywhere…