About Abby Kingsbury
I have a varied background: a degree in English from Haverford College; many years of specialty toy retail sales management experience; an M.A. in Children’s Literature with a focus on Reader Response theory from Simmons University; Level I Certification in the Wilson Reading System; several years teaching phonology, reading, and writing to elementary special education students at an elementary school; and experience writing book reviews for The Horn Book Guide.
For the last sixteen years I have been the head children's librarian at a small suburban public library, a job which I love, and which happily incorporates all of my education and experience.
I am a current MLIS candidate at Simmons University School of Library and Information Science. Completed courses include: Information Sources and Services, Information Organization, Principles of Management, Technology for Information Professionals, Library Collections and Materials for Children, Organizational/Information Ethics, Independent Study on the Ethics of Curbside Services in COVID, Independent Study on Children's Programming in COVID, and Readers' Advisory.
I am a member of ALA, PLA, MLA, ALSC, CORE, and RUSA.
Personal Passions
In addition to my passion for children's literature, librarianship, and being a children's librarian, I am also passionate about cats, music, jewelry-making, and dressing up for Halloween at work. For Halloween 2018, my husband dressed up as The Riddler, and I dressed up as Batgirl (pictured below). Other favorite costumes of mine have been Olivia the Pig from the Ian Falconer picturebooks, Truly Scrumptious from the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Princess in Black from Shannon Hale's chapter book series. I love going the extra mile when dressing up for Halloween at work, since it makes the library's patrons - adults, teens, and children - smile.
Jewelry Making
In my free time, I love to make wire-wrapped jewelry. To see examples of my work, please visit the Facebook page for my jewelry business, Ophelia's Jewelry.
My Cats
In the summer of 2013, my husband and I rescued a family of kittens who were born to a feral mother cat in our yard. It took two months of setting traps every day, but we were able to rescue all five kittens and also to trap, spay, and release their feral mother. Two of the kittens went to live with one of my colleagues at the library, and the other three (Moses, Millie, and Moxie) live with us and bring us great joy every day. They are the best cats ever, and well worth all the effort it took to trap them eight years ago!
