Karen Toonen
@ktoonen.bsky.social
Book Pusher (Librarian); Lover of Story (esp Audio); Puppy Mommy; Respect Existence or Expect Resistance! 🤨 (she/her)
Reposted by Karen Toonen
I don't give a single solitary fuck about what happens to Bill Clinton, specifically, but I also want to go on record as saying there is no one, famous or a personal friend, who I hold so dear that if they were a rapist, I would not want that news coming out. Name, shame, prosecute. ALL. OF. THEM.
December 20, 2025 at 5:23 AM
I don't give a single solitary fuck about what happens to Bill Clinton, specifically, but I also want to go on record as saying there is no one, famous or a personal friend, who I hold so dear that if they were a rapist, I would not want that news coming out. Name, shame, prosecute. ALL. OF. THEM.
Reposted by Karen Toonen
When library funding goes up, crime tends to go down
Want Safer Neighborhoods? Invest in Libraries
When library funding goes up, crime tends to go down
buff.ly
December 20, 2025 at 1:01 PM
When library funding goes up, crime tends to go down
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Since yesterday, many people have DM’d to say that they were strongly affected by my essay & wished they could share it.
So I've revised, expanded, & posted it for free on both Substack & Patreon.
Please feel free to share.
www.patreon.com/posts/this-i...
catvalente.substack.com/p/this-is-wh...
So I've revised, expanded, & posted it for free on both Substack & Patreon.
Please feel free to share.
www.patreon.com/posts/this-i...
catvalente.substack.com/p/this-is-wh...
December 19, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Since yesterday, many people have DM’d to say that they were strongly affected by my essay & wished they could share it.
So I've revised, expanded, & posted it for free on both Substack & Patreon.
Please feel free to share.
www.patreon.com/posts/this-i...
catvalente.substack.com/p/this-is-wh...
So I've revised, expanded, & posted it for free on both Substack & Patreon.
Please feel free to share.
www.patreon.com/posts/this-i...
catvalente.substack.com/p/this-is-wh...
👇 THIS is the way 👇
The best way to protect your patrons, the library, and yourself is to keep no information that isn't absolutely necessary for library operations
You can’t turn over information that doesn't exist
You can’t turn over information that doesn't exist
December 20, 2025 at 10:18 PM
👇 THIS is the way 👇
Reposted by Karen Toonen
"We. Deserve. Better."
That's a party slogan we can all get behind eh?
That's a party slogan we can all get behind eh?
December 20, 2025 at 12:09 AM
"We. Deserve. Better."
That's a party slogan we can all get behind eh?
That's a party slogan we can all get behind eh?
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Late but it’s #libfaves25 day 6. BUFFALO HUNTER HUNTER by @sgj.bsky.social @sagapressbooks.bsky.social
Reimagines the vampire mythos and reframes American history. Brilliant and will shatter you.
Reimagines the vampire mythos and reframes American history. Brilliant and will shatter you.
December 13, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Late but it’s #libfaves25 day 6. BUFFALO HUNTER HUNTER by @sgj.bsky.social @sagapressbooks.bsky.social
Reimagines the vampire mythos and reframes American history. Brilliant and will shatter you.
Reimagines the vampire mythos and reframes American history. Brilliant and will shatter you.
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Reposted by Karen Toonen
"My Grandfather's Cat" is a cross-Canada organization that helps dying seniors find homes for their beloved animals. They also offer a senior's pet food pantry, to help support low income seniors.
Please consider donating as a gift for the pet lover in your life.
www.mygrandfatherscat.ca
Please consider donating as a gift for the pet lover in your life.
www.mygrandfatherscat.ca
support fill the dishes — My Grandfather's Cat
www.mygrandfatherscat.ca
December 13, 2025 at 4:57 PM
"My Grandfather's Cat" is a cross-Canada organization that helps dying seniors find homes for their beloved animals. They also offer a senior's pet food pantry, to help support low income seniors.
Please consider donating as a gift for the pet lover in your life.
www.mygrandfatherscat.ca
Please consider donating as a gift for the pet lover in your life.
www.mygrandfatherscat.ca
Reposted by Karen Toonen
This is my friend's cat. Its name is Cookie Swirl, and it disappeared in the American section of Charlotte airport on 11/10. We're asking for your help. She doesn't have any other socials, so if you can post it widely to see if anyone knows where it is. It's a little thing, but matters a lot to her.
December 12, 2025 at 10:22 PM
This is my friend's cat. Its name is Cookie Swirl, and it disappeared in the American section of Charlotte airport on 11/10. We're asking for your help. She doesn't have any other socials, so if you can post it widely to see if anyone knows where it is. It's a little thing, but matters a lot to her.
Reposted by Karen Toonen
I haven't reminded you of this for awhile. It's not too late to nominate me....I mean, someone! It's not too late to nominate someone for the award! 🤣😂
Nominations close December 15th. So it's *almost* too late, but NOT QUITE YET!
ilovelibraries.org/love-my-libr...
Nominations close December 15th. So it's *almost* too late, but NOT QUITE YET!
ilovelibraries.org/love-my-libr...
I Love My Librarian Award
Nominate a librarian you love for the 2026 I Love My Librarian Award - they could win $5,000 and the recognition of a lifetime! Nominations close December 15, 2025!
ilovelibraries.org
December 11, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I haven't reminded you of this for awhile. It's not too late to nominate me....I mean, someone! It's not too late to nominate someone for the award! 🤣😂
Nominations close December 15th. So it's *almost* too late, but NOT QUITE YET!
ilovelibraries.org/love-my-libr...
Nominations close December 15th. So it's *almost* too late, but NOT QUITE YET!
ilovelibraries.org/love-my-libr...
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Reposted by Karen Toonen
If you’re looking for proof that magical places still exist, I ask you to simply walk into your local library.
December 7, 2025 at 4:46 PM
If you’re looking for proof that magical places still exist, I ask you to simply walk into your local library.
All of it ...
I'm starting to wonder how much "the male loneliness epidemic" is just straight and bisexual women identifying low-effort, mean, and incompetent men and choosing not to date, marry, and tolerate them anymore
December 6, 2025 at 10:06 PM
All of it ...
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Discworld QOTD, from Interesting Times
“‘Am I alone in thinking, by the way, that it doesn’t add to the status of the University to have an ape on the faculty?’
‘Yes,’ said Ridcully flatly. ‘You are. We’ve got the only librarian who can rip off your arm with his leg. People respect that.’”
“‘Am I alone in thinking, by the way, that it doesn’t add to the status of the University to have an ape on the faculty?’
‘Yes,’ said Ridcully flatly. ‘You are. We’ve got the only librarian who can rip off your arm with his leg. People respect that.’”
Discworld QOTD, from The Color of Magic
November 27, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Discworld QOTD, from Interesting Times
“‘Am I alone in thinking, by the way, that it doesn’t add to the status of the University to have an ape on the faculty?’
‘Yes,’ said Ridcully flatly. ‘You are. We’ve got the only librarian who can rip off your arm with his leg. People respect that.’”
“‘Am I alone in thinking, by the way, that it doesn’t add to the status of the University to have an ape on the faculty?’
‘Yes,’ said Ridcully flatly. ‘You are. We’ve got the only librarian who can rip off your arm with his leg. People respect that.’”
Reposted by Karen Toonen
“The decision was made to exclude me from the filmed production of Swan Lake because I was told my brown skin would disrupt the aesthetic.” ~ Misty Copeland
When folks gripe about DEI, remind them who benefited from shutting out dancers like Copeland. That pattern runs through our whole history.
When folks gripe about DEI, remind them who benefited from shutting out dancers like Copeland. That pattern runs through our whole history.
December 4, 2025 at 1:22 AM
“The decision was made to exclude me from the filmed production of Swan Lake because I was told my brown skin would disrupt the aesthetic.” ~ Misty Copeland
When folks gripe about DEI, remind them who benefited from shutting out dancers like Copeland. That pattern runs through our whole history.
When folks gripe about DEI, remind them who benefited from shutting out dancers like Copeland. That pattern runs through our whole history.
👇YES! 👇
Same with books. I'm in it for the journey, not surprises.
Same with books. I'm in it for the journey, not surprises.
Not for me! I don’t care about spoilers. I feel safer knowing I’m not about to have an unexpected painful experience.
Doesn't that kind of spoil the purpose of watching the show?
December 4, 2025 at 2:32 AM
👇YES! 👇
Same with books. I'm in it for the journey, not surprises.
Same with books. I'm in it for the journey, not surprises.
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Hey all,
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
Fellowship
theonion.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Hey all,
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
The Onion is accepting applicants for our writing, video and graphics fellowships.
Fellowships last six months, pay well, and provide full benefits.
You can apply at theonion.com/fellowship.
Reposted by Karen Toonen
If you love horror (or want to know more about the genre) then check out Why I Love Horror edited by @raforall.bsky.social
Why I Love Horror: Essays on Horror Literature
Essays on Horror Literature
bookshop.org
November 30, 2025 at 3:51 PM
If you love horror (or want to know more about the genre) then check out Why I Love Horror edited by @raforall.bsky.social
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Anybody who is like “Piracy is activism!”—trust me, supporting your local library is about 1000% more effective activism, and it’s still free for you and authors still get paid!
November 26, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Anybody who is like “Piracy is activism!”—trust me, supporting your local library is about 1000% more effective activism, and it’s still free for you and authors still get paid!
Reposted by Karen Toonen
THREAD.
3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.
We decided to call him Jim.
This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.
We decided to call him Jim.
This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
November 26, 2025 at 8:44 PM
THREAD.
3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.
We decided to call him Jim.
This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.
We decided to call him Jim.
This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
Reposted by Karen Toonen
What if the true meaning of Christmas is supporting small businesses so the oligarchs have a very shitty season?
😚
😚
November 23, 2025 at 5:58 PM
What if the true meaning of Christmas is supporting small businesses so the oligarchs have a very shitty season?
😚
😚
Reposted by Karen Toonen
the key to overcoming imposter syndrome lies not in understanding that you're better than this but in accepting that everyone else is worse than this
November 21, 2025 at 5:12 PM
the key to overcoming imposter syndrome lies not in understanding that you're better than this but in accepting that everyone else is worse than this
Reposted by Karen Toonen
Check out the full list of workshops and panels for our Spring Fling Writers Conference!
#WriterSky #AuthorSky #Amwriting #Chicago #ChicagoWriter #RomanceWriter
www.chicagonorthromancewriters.com/spring-fling-1
#WriterSky #AuthorSky #Amwriting #Chicago #ChicagoWriter #RomanceWriter
www.chicagonorthromancewriters.com/spring-fling-1
November 15, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Check out the full list of workshops and panels for our Spring Fling Writers Conference!
#WriterSky #AuthorSky #Amwriting #Chicago #ChicagoWriter #RomanceWriter
www.chicagonorthromancewriters.com/spring-fling-1
#WriterSky #AuthorSky #Amwriting #Chicago #ChicagoWriter #RomanceWriter
www.chicagonorthromancewriters.com/spring-fling-1
Reposted by Karen Toonen
I know it's really about control, but the way these evil monsters talk about banning books to save the children out of one side of their mouths, and downplay an actual pedophile out of the other is rage inducing
November 14, 2025 at 12:49 AM
I know it's really about control, but the way these evil monsters talk about banning books to save the children out of one side of their mouths, and downplay an actual pedophile out of the other is rage inducing