The ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture is an annual event that started in 1970. Each year, a chosen lecturer prepares a paper and talk considered to be a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature. Most recently, Bryan Collier presented the 2023 lecture, and Rita Williams Garcia is slated to present in 2024. The complete list of past lecturers is on the ALSC website.
Dear Reader, Meet CAL
Hey ALSC Members, have you read Children and Libraries lately? Children and Libraries (CAL) is ALSC’s quarterly journal written by members just like you. When I was a fresh MLIS graduate and working as the only children’s librarian at my first job it was hard to find peers that I could rely on. Having already been a member of ALSC, however, I relied (and still do!) heavily on CAL. While I didn’t know many youth librarians in the field yet, I now recognize many names in each issue of CAL – for the articles they are authoring and the great work they are doing. Children and Libraries is an excellent form of continuing education for any librarian working with youth whether you’re new to the field or looking for new tips and best practices.
ALA Annual 2023 Program Preview #alaac23
Today I’m thrilled to share two programs selected by the ALSC Programming Committee for the 2023 ALA Annual Conference! I can’t wait to attend both of these sessions and I hope you will join me!
Where in the USA is Ms. Amber?
Today, we are officially beginning our road trip across the United States with the first stop– Washington, D.C. I’m doing what I can to help teach American and World history in a fun way, from cup stacking to line dancing, sharing my love for history as I go.
Radicalizing Self-Care in Librarianship
“…I thought about the fact that although books don’t have feelings, the librarians forced to remove them from the shelves do.” Xochitl Gonzalez, “The Librarians Are Not Okay.” The Atlantic, March 15, 2023 Book challenges, protests against gender and racial inclusivity, salary stagnation, skyrocketing inflation, opiate overdoses, bad branch managers, years of being ‘essential workers’ -– we all know there isn’t a bath long or bubbly enough to repair the damage that long-term chronic stress does to the body and mind. Public librarians are housekeepers, zookeepers, referees, therapists, mandated reporters, front line emergency workers, cleaners of unidentified effluvia and other duties as assigned. This is why bubbles-and-polish commodified self-care simply does not suffice. Most of us have, at this point, heard about the Urban Librarians Unite’s 2022 Urban Trauma Study, so I will not go into great detail about it here. In short, public-facing librarians experience significant trauma on a daily…
Happening around ALSC
Spring is a busy time in ALSC as we prepare for the ALA Annual Conference, which marks the culmination of the awards year as we honor our book and media winners. ALSC also hosts education programs; membership, discussion group, and meet-up meetings, the Charlemae Hill Rollins President’s Program (Leading with Your Hands and Your Heart: A Conversation about Leading from Wherever You Are), and more at the June conference. Advance registration prices runs through June 16 if you haven’t registered yet. And, hurry, if you are planning to attend the Newbery-Caldecott-Legacy Banquet on Sunday, June 25, tickets are close to selling out. (And, by the way, Judy Blume is headlining the conference’s opening session on June 23!) ALSC webinars in June ALSC also is presenting two webinars in June, a two-part series on Trauma Informed Supervision for Library Leaders. Part one, Understanding Trauma Informed Supervision, will be held on Wednesday,…
Big Ticket Library Purchases
A lot of libraries around me have gotten renovations, and it’s always fun to check out what a library adds. In fact I’m pretty sure every library worker finds themselves lurking around local libraries while on vacation to see what they might have. Some items I see are totally unique while others are becoming more common. Here are some “big ticket items” that have been surfacing in more libraries around the country.
The Changing Face of Summer Reading
Spring is in the air here in Washington, D.C. and I find myself thinking ahead to the upcoming summer months. We will be starting our annual Summer Reading Challenge soon. At my library, this is geared towards people of all ages though it is more popular with the children. In past years, we have had game boards with different activities for each age range including our youngest patrons ages birth to five. Some of these activities are as simple as reciting your ABC’s. Older preschoolers have had the opportunity to practice writing. These activities seem geared towards early literacy which we know is very important for emerging readers. In addition, we often have special guest performers who get the children further excited. Past visitors have included science programs as well as storytellers. We also have had the Washington Nationals, our local baseball team, as one of our sponsors. This has…