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
On 4/15/21, I had the privilege of delivering the 1.5-hour opening keynote for the Pennsylvania School Librarians Conference…from my basement office. Shoeless.
Such are our times.
Sometimes your work and a conference theme just understand one another.
I’m lucky that my story is so twisty that it holds attention whether shared on stage or by screen. Because we are now all members of Zoom Nation, I tell viewers (AKA audience members) to think of my talk not as yet another yammering head in a box but rather as a very low-budget Netflix film. I don’t know if that makes the experience more palatable for anyone, but I want them to know I empathize.
The conference organizers kindly shared with me the feedback I received. A sampling by category:
GENERAL
“What a tremendous presentation! Absolutely brought tears to my eyes. We learned some excellent strategies for teaching primary source that we can all incorporate into our lessons.”
“What a story! I was a fan of Boys of Steel…but what a change Marc made [for Bill Finger’s] legacy. I will share with my students for years to come.”
“I love how he used his investigative skills to uncover the truth. Great speaking skills! I’m playing the recording for my husband.”
“Marc is a great storyteller! So inspiring!”
“I loved Marc’s tenacity and positive attitude!”
“Being able to hear from a terrific author, I didn’t realize how deeply I had been starved of that, and it helped breathe life into my library soul.”
“Marc’s depth of knowledge and passion for his writing and books is impeccable.”
“This entire presentation was amazing!”
“This was so good!”
BRINGING ME TO THEIR SCHOOL
“I just LOVED this keynote! I can’t wait to figure out how to get Marc to present for my school.”
“Would love to have Marc speak at my school!”
“Fascinating. I would love to host an author visit at my school and feel this is such a great story for all my students to hear.”
“I loved Marc’s strategies for conducting research and I hope to be able to have him do a school visit with us in the future.”
TAKEAWAYS ON RESEARCH
“This presenter was a research all-star. I can use his examples of deep research to inspire students to keep digging for information.”
“His research experience was incredible. Something students would love to hear about.”
“I teach research skills to high school students and one of the most important attributes to be successful is perseverance. Marc’s story is a perfect example of this.”
“Marc’s talk is a great public service announcement for the research cycle/process!”
“I will share his ideas with the MS and LS librarians. I will use his examples of research and use of primary sources in my instructional classes. Good for advisory groups!”
“I would love to use your story to teach students that the internet is not the only resource.”
“Demonstrating his perseverance and commitment to finding the truth through primary source research can serve as a great role model for our students.”
“Ask questions now—you don’t know if you’ll ever get the chance to again.”
TAKEAWAYS ON OTHER EDUCATIONAL TOPICS
“I have SO many ideas to utilize Marc’s story to teach my students more about intellectual property, the value of personal story, the importance of credit and honesty, and the power of each individual person.”
“Marc gave excellent ideas on lessons about truth and history, intellectual property, and the power of research. Even though I teach HS students, I think discussing the stories he uncovered can be a great lesson.”
“I already ordered Marc’s book. It can be used to teach copyright, research skills, ask questions you can’t Google, letter writing, and persistence. I will suggest this book to my teachers as a mentor text.”
“I would love to share with my students Marc’s story about the importance of proper credit. Such an impactful message!”
“I am planning on using his book with a lesson on plagiarism for my elementary students.”
“Teaching people to speak up for injustice is part of being a good citizen.”
“I had never considered evaluating credit to see if there was an error that needed correction.”
THE POWER OF A SINGLE VOICE
“The idea that there is always truth to be told. That one person CAN make a difference. And that we all need to speak up when the truth is not out.”
“The story demonstrated how one person can make a difference in history.”
“There is so much from this keynote that can be utilized in my work. This is such a wonderful example of the impact one person can have.”
“It was a wonderful message about every voice having power and learning how to use your voice for good.”
“WHAT INFORMATION WAS OF GREATEST VALUE TO YOU?”
“Can I say all of it? I particularly enjoyed Marc’s passion for the project, the way he connected with the community during the course of his research. I’m not sure he realized what a part of the story he has become by inserting himself into the journey as our guide. The narrator is a strong voice that keeps the story alive. We are all stories, and I thank Marc for sharing his and Bill’s.”
“This was one of the best keynotes I have heard!”
“I was in awe of the entire story.”
“Marc had such a passion in his presentation that was infectious.”
“A captivating, real-world example of the research process for a book that was relevant to adults and children alike.”
The day before Independence Day, I got up early to speak to 300-500 students between the ages of 14-18. The talk started at 7:30 am...for me.
Yes, the talk was not from around here, and the students were unseen. I was speaking to the community of GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai—by way of North Carolina, by way of Zoom. Since I was in NC on vacation, sharing a beach rental house with my family and two other families with whom we podded, I wanted to be quiet at that hour...so I sat on the front porch. It was the first keynote I have delivered a) outdoors and b) without shoes.
The podium.
I had been asked to speak about "your journey, Batman & Bill, and the concept of identity in a digital world." I don't know how well I covered the third topic, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and was honored that it was part of a larger event: a 6-hour live stream fundraiser. The teen organizers of the event (some shown below) were helping fellow students who lack resources for distance learning. #educationuninterrupted
Thank you to Sheldon Dias and your colleagues for the invite and kind words.
It’s been claimed that the “three most written-about subjects of all time are Jesus, the Civil War, and the Titanic.” From October 11-18, my three most talked-about subjects were Batman, fairies, and the Queen Mary 2, which (probably in large part because it was my first cruise) reminded me of the Titanic. Cruise ships like to provide nonstop stimulation for their passengers, especially on days at sea when no excursion options exist. I believe this is why cruises began to invite all kinds of experts and enthusiasts to speak on board. I am now one of those enthusiasts. It took roughly a year of prep before stepping foot onto the gangway, and I’m not talking about my lectures (as they are called in the cruise biz). I mean learning best practices for being a cruise lecturer plus the logistics of scheduling travel of any kind. In recent years, it seems, the role of cruise lecturers has expanded; they are now expected to be available to guests even when they are offstage. We’re there to share, then to interact at any point if guests would like to chat. (Of course, most speakers would be recognizable only to those passengers who have attended their lectures, and fewer than 100 of my ship’s 2,600 passengers did so. Always a lot of competition!) My cruise (Quebec-Halifax-New York) lasted six days, two of which were at sea, so I was scheduled for two lectures: one on 10/15, the other on 10/17. First talk (Bill Finger) went well. Second one (fairies)…went. Well, I think it went well to the audience, but unbeknownst to them, in the two hours before I spoke, I got seasick…four times. I still wasn’t myself when I went onstage, but (by land or by sea) the show must go on. And I had taken steps to feel better, including something I don’t normally do (onstage or otherwise): I chewed gum. Specifically ginger gum, because ginger can reduce nausea. This was my last full day on the ship, and the only day when the sea was rough. Apparently, it was one of the choppiest days at sea the ship had experienced in a while. The stage was gently rocking the whole time I was on it, but I did my best to keep my mind on my material and somehow managed to get through it. Then I slept most of the rest of the day. Thank you to Cunard and cruise agent Tim Castle for inviting me on board. It was a privilege and a pleasure. Highlights:
My wife Daniela and I before boarding, with the ship behind us.
The lifejacket fit.
The ship’s library. The bookcases were illuminated.
Every night, every one of them had to be locked
manually.
On our first night, I played the 10 pm movie trivia in the ship’s pub.
I won a bottle of wine.
Batmoose. (It’s Canada.)
Daniela on the top-deck helipad.
Saguenay, Quebec. We took a boat tour on the fjord.
The ship’s nightclub, G32. Most of the passengers were in their sixties
or older. G32 was not crowded.
Every night, the program for the following day was slid under the door.
This one announces the first of my two lectures. One of the other speakers
was Roger McGuinn, frontman of the Byrds. He shared some great
anecdotes about the 1960s rock and folk scene.
The entrance to the auditorium where lecturers spoke and
where movies were shown (none of which we went to).
That guy in the front row sat there for both of my talks and
both times kept his hand on his head the whole time.
A few dozen of the hundreds of small placards identifying
food options at the buffet.
My favorite item at the buffet.
(See my author bio for The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra.)
Sunrise as we pulled into Halifax. That white dot at top left is the moon.
Just before 6 am.
Just after 6 am. (Daniela is behind the porthole.)
The yellow flag signals that the ship is free of disease.
My sunrise shipboard shadow with the
moon still visible.
Peggy’s Cove, Halifax. Lighthouses and bagpipers
are both fun to observe, so here is a two-for-one.
I thought it was funny to see a “Buses Only” barricade
haphazardly misplaced on the rocky terrain surrounding
the lighthouse.
A cool wave slide in Halifax.
A funny yet sad sign at a pier craft market in Halifax that caters
to the cruise crowd. Come on, people—be considerate!
One of many historical signs on board, this one
about how the ship kept children entertained.
The running path on board was deck 7, the only deck that encircled
the ship. Three laps roughly equaled one mile. I ran it twice; a third day I had
to run on a treadmill at the gym due to wet weather.
Time-lapse of one (walking) lap around deck 7.
To photograph this long banner asking other ships to keep a safe distance,
I had to stretch my arm out over the water.
If that seems reckless, it won’t compared to this.
During the second-to-last dinner, the 160+ chefs who worked in the biggest restaurant on the ship were invited out for a hearty round of applause.
My second ship lecture (but first while seasick).
Showing off Eliza Wheeler’s bewitching illustrator photo
for Fairy Spell.
Hard to tell here, but I had a bigger turnout for the second
lecture.
Ship lectures were filmed to be broadcast on a loop
on a channel on the stateroom TVs.
My wife took this postcard-ready photo on the day the sea
was roughest.
The ship going under the Verrazano Bridge (3-foot clearance) in New York.
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