Monday, October 31, 2022

Saturday, October 8, 2022

OELMA 2022 keynote

Thank you again to the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA), in particular Kris Kronik, Karen Gedeon, Lisa Barnes-Prince, and your team, for inviting me to keynote (along with my friend Donalyn Miller) your first in-person conference since 2019. It was a privilege!

photo: Donalyn Miller

Donalyn is every bit as great a speaker as you've heard.


Questions that can come up when your talk is during lunch.

I happened upon two of my Junior Library Guild books 
on a table in front of the JLG booth.

This was the sixth state library conference I've had the opportunity to keynote; the others were in Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Michigan, and (virtually) Pennsylvania.

Feedback on my keynote:

  • LOVED Marc Tyler Nobleman!
  • I went home and watched the Marc Nobleman documentary. Loved it!
  • Nobleman is an excellent speaker. His connection to research as solving a mystery would be an excellent way to introduce research to students of any age. Would definitely like to see him return to OELMA.
  • Uplifting.
  • Marc was amazing!
  • I adored them both. (Donalyn) Miller reminded me why I became a librarian; Nobleman gave me more tools as a teacher librarian assisting with research.
  • Loved MTN's connection to research and primary sources.
  • multiple responses of passionate, inspiring, informative

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

The third and fourth stage plays about Bill Finger

Even before Bill Finger's name was officially added to the Batman credit line on 9/18/15, two stage plays about him (that I know of) were mounted. 

The first, Fathers of the Dark Knight, was written by Roberto Williams and debuted in 2014 in New York (specifically, at Bill's alma mater, DeWitt Clinton High School). 

The second, Co-Creator, was written by Lenny Schwartz and debuted in April 2015 in Rhode Island.

Now there are (at least) two more. 

Bill Finger: Rise of the Bat, a reimagining by Schwartz, was produced over the past month in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New York, with the same cast each time. Thanks to Lenny, I had the honor of attending opening night in NYC. (Warning: in this play, a character says I won't stop talking about Bill Finger. I guess this post helps prove him correct.)


If you look not so carefully, you may spot me here:


The Mark of Kane, written by Mark Pracht, will run in Chicago starting later this month. I hope bats align and I can see this one, too.