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NSVRC Blogs by Melissa Powers


Melissa is a Librarian at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape. Melissa has experience working in youth corrections as a direct care staff and case manager. She also has experience working in the publishing field as a book buyer. Melissa holds a B.A. from Adams State University of Colorado, an M.S.L.S. in Library Science from Clarion University, and an M.P.S. in Instructional Design through Fort Hayes State University. She is an absolute book lover and enjoys spreading her love for books and the movement to others.

The NSVRC Library highlights parts of its collection that promote diversity, equity, and feminism to children.

Happy Holidays!  The holiday season can be a joyful and happy time but can also come with a ton of stress and anxiety (even if you welcome and enjoy the holiday season).  This time of year can also be a dark time for some especially for those who have lost someone.  Managing our mental health is important regardless of the time of year, but it is also essential during the holidays.

The holiday season is coming at us in full force. Before Halloween was over, stores began putting out anything sparkly, red/green, and Santa like, shoving anything having to do with Thanksgiving to a back corner.

In the library world, we believe in the right to read and the freedom for anyone to choose what they want to read, regardless of the content. In recognition of these beliefs, the Respect Together Libraries stand together with other libraries all over the country to support Banned Books Week. This year’s time of recognition runs from September 18-24 2022, with the continued theme from last year of, “Books Unite Us.

June 19, 1865 is a day that is held in high regards for this country, but more importantly for Black people who have come before, those in today’s society, and those who will come in the future. Respect Together is proud to recognize Juneteenth with the knowledge that racism and anti-Black racism is a root cause of sexual violence. I encourage everyone to check out the blog Respect Together is proud to honor Juneteenth to learn more.

The teal is out, the events have been planned, and the 2022 SAAM campaign is in full swing. With the theme of Building Safe Online Spaces Together, I wanted to highlight some fantastic resources that are held within the Respect Together Library collection. My hope is that folks can potentially use these and our many other resources to enhance the campaigns that centers and organizations have worked tirelessly to execute.

Children’s books, adult non-fiction, and film capture the essence of Women’s History Month.

We highlight three adult books and three children’s books in celebration of Black History Month.

Check out these tips and tools to help navigate our library collections.

With holidays swiftly approaching, schools are about to let out and families may be spending a lot of time together under one roof. These days can hit like a whirlwind and be gone before we know it - or they could drag on with stress, anxiety, and boredom. Since the best thing we can give our kids is our time, I wanted to share a few children’s books held within the Respect Together library that kids can read on their own or with caregivers or loved ones.