What do you consider the most important role of the ALSC President? What are the necessary skills to be ALSC President? What strengths would you bring to the office?
The most important role of the ALSC President is to be a leader in implementing the ALSC mission of “forging excellence in library services for all children.” The ALSC President must have strong skills in the areas of communication; organization and planning; and problem solving. In my role as the Priority Group Consultant for the ALSC award committees, I have had the opportunity to develop these valuable skills working closely with members of the ALSC Executive Committee, award committee members, ALSC members at large, as well as publishers and members of the public with an interest in children’s literature. This experience has prepared me well to engage a wide range of perspectives and to communicate clearly and with transparency in a timely, organized fashion. I am confident that I can bring intelligence, commitment, perseverance, and respect for all members to the office of ALSC president.
With limited financial resources and many other ALA divisions (AASL, YALSA, PLA, to name a few) as well as other national, state and local organizations serving professionals who work with youth, why should someone choose to join ALSC?
As the world’s largest organization committed to the support and development of library services to children, ALSC is unique in bringing together a wide variety of professionals committed to excellent library services to children: teachers and day care providers; school and public librarians; college and university professors; publishers, authors and illustrators; booksellers and museum administrators; and all who work with children. As a division within the world’s oldest library organization, we have the experiences and resources to provide our members with a vast array of professional experiences that include service on award committees, participation in national literacy initiatives, and partnerships with national organizations that work on behalf of children.
What services do you feel ALSC provides that are valuable to new members? To long term members? What are your ideas for reaching members? What are your ideas to recruit new members?
I think that one of the best ways ALSC reaches and recruits new members, retains long-term members and serves both groups is by providing a variety of opportunities for participation in the association. I believe that we need to offer more training opportunities directly related to committee service along the lines of the Morris Book Evaluation Seminar. I feel that it is important that ALSC utilizes existing and emerging technologies to increase the possibilities for virtual committee service and online continuing education. By providing more regional programs like the successful ALSC Institute, we are welcoming members who may be unable to attend the ALA Annual Conference or the Midwinter Meeting. I believe we can foster mentoring by expanding the “meet-and-greet” conference event where new members are introduced to the work of ALSC through our leaders and long-term members. I think it is vital that we provide open discussions and focus groups for members to share their thoughts about our current services and their ideas for future ones.
Please explain the importance of the ALSC Strategic Plan. What is the biggest challenge facing ALSC?
The ALSC Strategic Plan–guided by our core organizational values–focuses on short-term goals (advocacy, collaboration and education) that help achieve the long-term mission of our association to provide excellent library services for all children. The ALSC Strategic Plan identifies and allocates resources for achieving these goals and the method and means for determining whether or not these goals have been achieved. I think it is imperative in these tough economic times that we provide a variety of prospects for our members–our greatest resource–to participate in the work of the association to meet these strategic goals.
How do you respond to the comment that our organization is too much about awards and not enough about children?
The ALSC book and media awards are arguably the jewels in our collective crown. Not only do these awards shine a beacon on the most distinguished literature and media for children, I believe their high profile ensures public awareness of the value of books, reading and library services to children. I also believe that our association is much more than these prizes. ALSC supports national literacy initiatives like Kids@Your Library and EL día de los libros/El día de los niños. ALSC endorses library grant programs like the ALSC/BWI/Summer Reading Grant and Bookpalooza. ALSC has established competencies for and encourages research about library services to children, as well as publishing outstanding professional resources. Our association also supports legislation at the federal, state and local level that directly impacts library services to children. This is just a sampling of our association’s advocacy, initiatives and programs that benefit all children.
What area of library service to children is your favorite? If elected, what topic would you like to highlight for a pre-conference?
I believe–like so many of my librarian colleagues–that all children deserve to see themselves in their literature. As the International Board on Books for Young People espouses, books build “bridges to understanding.” My career as a librarian working with children in school and public libraries has often emphasized multicultural and international children’s books. I have used this literature that reflects the communities I have served when developing programming for children, my favorite aspect of library service to children.
I have also pursued this aspect of library service to children by writing several articles related to multicultural and international children’s books; serving as chair of the Batchelder and the “retired” Selection of Children’s Books and Materials from Various Cultures committee; working as a fellow at the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany; and as a member of the first USBBY Outstanding International Books committee. Given this interest and for an ALSC pre-conference, I am interested in sponsoring an event devoted to library services to and literature for children who are members of underserved communities in the U.S.
If elected, what topic would you like to highlight for the Charlemae Rollins President’s Program?
I suspect that reading came easy for many of us who chose to become children’s librarians. While this was my experience growing up, it has not always been the case with the children I have worked with over the last twenty-five years. These children have humbled me with their struggle to extract meaning from the written word. For this reason and in service to ALSC’s mission of serving “all children” and guaranteeing “a strong foundation for reading,” I am interested in having a nationally recognized expert on reading, literacy and/or child development as the keynote speaker at the Charlemae Rollins President’s Program.
How has ALSC membership impacted your life? How has your membership in ALSC impacted library service to children?
I am grateful for the tremendous impact ALSC has had on my life; perhaps the most important being the opportunities it has provided for my continued professional growth and development. The knowledge and leadership skills I have gained through service on a variety of ALSC committees and attendance at ALSC programs has directly impacted the programs and services I have delivered to children and their families in schools, libraries, bookstores, museums and other community organizations. It has also influenced the courses I have taught in colleges and universities to students, teachers, librarians, authors and illustrators; the book reviews and professional articles that I have written; and the programs I have participated in at professional conferences.
[Note from ALSC Blog manager: Thanks so very much to both candidates for their willingness to answer my questions so thoroughly on such short notice. Viki Ash’s responses to these questions are at https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/?p=737.]