Week #5

(21.-25.10.2024)

Mäntytie (ES)

Some reshelving, checking in and out, classes visiting.... Monday started like a usual day.

We selected some books for our Halloween display and I did a theme table for UN Day (24.10.). After that I crafted some Halloween decorations and inventorised reading circle books. The reading circle just describes books that are reserved to be used for reading in lessons and have longer loan periods.

Tuesday more of the usual and more decorations for Halloween and keeping the spooky shelf stocked. They are going out like hotcakes. I also did a display for the "I wonder why" books we have that nobody is borrowing. To check for potential victims. After a long time the book about why camels have humps went out. I take that as a partial success. Started to cover the reading circle books I inventorised yesterday.

Wednesday... Again... more of the usual, see above. I printed and drew some more Halloween decorations and hung everything up. Some more covering books.....

Thursday. FINALLY!

THE DAY HAS COMETH!

Helsingin Kirjamessut! Helsinki Book Fair 2024!

*internal screaming*

We had a budget and we absolutely used it. Wisely? I think so...?

First, we went to the antique area for some nice deals on used books. There I had my first encounter with "things that are just different outside Germany". I saw a Finnish copy of "Mein Kampf". Taisteluni. Randomly chilling on a shelf. And another one. And... another one? And they were just available ... I was a bit confused to be fair. In Germany they are just so much more restricted? But yes. Even some original copies in German. Those were behind glass though. I had mixed feelings about that.. Talked a bit with my mentor about it... Still felt weird about it. I don't know... But back to the enjoyable stuff!

I was tasked to find non-fiction books for elementary school. And that I did. Mäkela seems to be the book seller for children's books in Finland. We even got a cute tote bag gifted. Peppe on ihana. Peppe is (a) good (boy). With the book character on it dancing with a bunny. My mentor gifted it to me after the fair. Hidden message?!?

I wished I knew more Finnish at this point. Could have gotten a few good deals? Finland does not have fixed book prices. I also noticed again, that Finns are just obsessed with Donald Duck (Aku Ankka). Found a huge shelf just about him. There was also a funny chair in book design and I saw the most fashionable librarian dress in my life. Books all over.

I also got to meet an author of a series my mentor wanted for our older kids. We didn't recognize him at first as such and it was a little awkward when he asked if he should sign our copy. But he did so and sent a nice message to all our studentsthat would open the book. We might also be able to invite him for a reading. Maybe. Ehkä.

I got a new Moomin tote bag that I am in love with. Who can resist a pouting moomin troll?! Some postcards, stickers and reflectors. Those are a big thing in Finland. And I love them. I started a collection. You put them on your bag and jackets so everyone can see each other better in the dark autumn and winter days. Which I definitely realize are in front of our doors now. I have flowers, rubber boots, cats, dogs, leaves and berries... There is no end to the myriad of designs.

My favorite purchase at the fair was definitely the shark non-fiction book "Everything you know about sharks is NONSENSE". It had some haptics going for it, a catchy title and I am a big advocator of how awesome sharks are! My job in Mäntytie is done. Youth is more educated now. ;) And I read it with my boyfriend. He liked ti too and was proud of my improvements in Finnish. Long way to go still though.

Valimotie (MS-HS)

Friday, a little exhausted, my mentor and me both were not that productive but we reshelved and covered books together and finished up the Halloween wall display in the hallway. The matching books to those covers we put into a theme table in the library.

Weekend!