In case you ever think your friendly neighborhood HLS librarians are crazy, here’s something to compare us with. This year’s book cart drill team championships were just held at the American Library Association annual meeting in Chicago.
Yes, that’s right: book cart drill team championships. This unique sport is native to the library profession and involves librarians, costumes, music, choreography, and, of course, tricked out book carts.
If you cannot imagine such an event, NPR has helpfully provided a brief video segment featuring this year’s grand prize winners, the Oak Park Public Library Warrior Librarians in their Wagnerian costumes swooping around to “Ride of the Valkyries.” The runners up from the Des Plaines, IL Public Library featured a Grease theme and book carts done up like T-birds.
There are, as yet, no plans to organize an HLSL team.