The Crew
Diurnal Phase
Ryan Spellman
Media Extraordinaire and Opening Speaker
Ryan spends his day job among troves of books, which has presented him with a rather large "to read" book list. His discovery of steampunk literature grew this list exponentially and there is now no fear of running out of ideas on what to read next. By night, when his nose isn't crammed in a book, he spends the majority of his time clanking around with one new creation or another. Normally a quiet, reserved fellow, he can surprisingly rattle on and on about steampunk and will be sharing some of his basic discoveries with us.
Media Extraordinaire and Opening Speaker
Ryan spends his day job among troves of books, which has presented him with a rather large "to read" book list. His discovery of steampunk literature grew this list exponentially and there is now no fear of running out of ideas on what to read next. By night, when his nose isn't crammed in a book, he spends the majority of his time clanking around with one new creation or another. Normally a quiet, reserved fellow, he can surprisingly rattle on and on about steampunk and will be sharing some of his basic discoveries with us.
Todd Bastin
Steamed Hat Steward and Adult Program Coordinator
Todd Bastin is a librarian at Athens Public Library, and serves as the Adult Programming Coordinator there. Todd is the descendant of English tenant farmers who lost their plough-rights in the Victorian Period to the “munching rights” of their landlords’ herds of sheep; consequently his ancestors moved to the city, got rid of their country accents with elocution lessons, and became house servants for gentlefolk; all the while they saved their money so they could book ship to Canada, and find a better life where they could buy cheap farmland and make an independent living, free of any class system. Todd has loved history since his earliest memories of childhood, and has loved science fiction almost as long. His first experience of steampunk was back in the 1980s, either reading Michael Moorcock’s Warlord of the Air, or seeing Stephen Spielberg’s film, Young Sherlock Holmes. He has been scheming with various allied librarians to do a steampunk festival at the library since 2010, and finally found the perfect alliance to make it all happen by partnering with the Athens County Historical Society and Museum!
Steamed Hat Steward and Adult Program Coordinator
Todd Bastin is a librarian at Athens Public Library, and serves as the Adult Programming Coordinator there. Todd is the descendant of English tenant farmers who lost their plough-rights in the Victorian Period to the “munching rights” of their landlords’ herds of sheep; consequently his ancestors moved to the city, got rid of their country accents with elocution lessons, and became house servants for gentlefolk; all the while they saved their money so they could book ship to Canada, and find a better life where they could buy cheap farmland and make an independent living, free of any class system. Todd has loved history since his earliest memories of childhood, and has loved science fiction almost as long. His first experience of steampunk was back in the 1980s, either reading Michael Moorcock’s Warlord of the Air, or seeing Stephen Spielberg’s film, Young Sherlock Holmes. He has been scheming with various allied librarians to do a steampunk festival at the library since 2010, and finally found the perfect alliance to make it all happen by partnering with the Athens County Historical Society and Museum!
Laura O'Neil
Jane of All Trades and Teen Library Coordinator
Laura O'Neil has dutifully served the Athens County Public Libraries since 2010 Anno Domini in the most distinguished capacity of Teen Librarian. Particular skills include duplication machines, the procurement of new books, expeditious typing, the creation of new accounts for the purpose of sending and receiving electronic mail, and the speculative recommendation of exceptional reading material for distinguishing patrons of all ages.
Jane of All Trades and Teen Library Coordinator
Laura O'Neil has dutifully served the Athens County Public Libraries since 2010 Anno Domini in the most distinguished capacity of Teen Librarian. Particular skills include duplication machines, the procurement of new books, expeditious typing, the creation of new accounts for the purpose of sending and receiving electronic mail, and the speculative recommendation of exceptional reading material for distinguishing patrons of all ages.