The Public Library Association has extended the deadline for applications for their 3M Leadership Institute. Presented by PLA and 3M, the Leadership Institute is a daylong preconference focused on developing leaders and encouraging change within the library profession. Participants will learn how to set a strategy for change, how to handle various challenges and what [...]

I don’t have to tell you what day it is today. I’ll bet that your library is decorated in orange pumpkins, black bats, and other slightly scarier critters and creatures. If you had storytime today (as I did), you already had a stash of Halloween stories and songs at your disposal. Maybe you’re having an [...]

A few of our great libraries offer special programs that focus our attention on the best writers and illustrators for children providing us with the opportunity to learn so much about the books and stories we love to share with children.
For those of  you in the New York area (or who can swing a trip that [...]

The ALSC Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship is designed to allow you to spend a month or more, (yes, you read that correctly), a month or more, reading and studying at the Baldwin Library of the George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainsville.
O.K., you do need to meet a few qualifications before the ALSC Bechtel [...]

I’m Steven Engelfried, ALSC member and Children’s Librarian in the Early Childhood Outreach Department of Multnomah County Library.  And I’m a Children’s Deskaholic.  It all started with my first children’s librarian job, with the Alameda County Library in
California.  I was fresh out of library school, nervous about story times, clueless about partnerships…but on my first [...]

submitted by Jan Watkins, ALSC Priority Group VII Consultant
The main mission of the Priority Group VII (Partnerships) committees is to communicate with other organizations that serve young people in order to encourage partnerships. We are charged to identify, evaluate and recommend ways of working with other organizations and groups that have children as their focus [...]

Although this will only be accessible to librarians in the New York metro area, I wanted to share the news about the world premiere of SIMEON’S GIFT, a new, hour-long musical created by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton. The play will be performed at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY from November 23-25, [...]

I read a heartwarming article in the Seattle Times on October 7th about Second Life improving the quality of real life for many.  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003931084_netavatar07.html
It talks about a wheel-chair bound woman who is able to find physical freedom to walk, run and dance in Second Life, an autistic fellow who is able to learn social cues by chatting in [...]

Submitted by Julie Corsaro, ALSC Priority Group Consultant VI (Awards)
1. “The Newbery Medal seems to be selected by a group of librarians who have no idea what kids actually like to read. Kids only read these books for school assignments.”
While the criteria state that the Newbery award is not “for popularity,” it also says “committee [...]

As Priority Consultant for ALSC Priority Group IV, Organizational Support, my role is to facilitate the committees that review, recommend and prepare polices and budgets and to advise on issues affecting the organizational structure of the division.  Sounds kind of dry, doesn’t it?  But it’s not, because this group of committees contains the backbone of [...]