Be a part of history! Join the Notable Children’s Books meetings from the comfort and privacy of your home or office. The ALSC Notable Children’s Books committee is taking their public discussions to you! This committee normally holds their evaluation meetings in an open, public forum at the Mid-Winter and Annual conferences. Without an in-person Annual Conference, the committee will host their discussions over Zoom, and YOU are invited to listen in. Audience members do not contribute to the discussion, but listen as the committee members debate each of the items on their discussion lists as they search for materials that meet the Notable criteria. This is an opportunity to hear about some children’s books that have been published in the first half of 2020; it is also an opportunity to learn about the evaluation process. Two meetings to be held on Wednesday, July 1 and Thursday July 2 at 1:00 pm Central…
Month: June 2020
Notable Children’s Recordings, Discussion List – Summer 2020
Be a part of history! Join the Notable Children’s Recordings meetings from the comfort and privacy of your home or office. The ALSC Notable Children’s Recordings committee is taking their public discussions to you!
19 Positive Summer Reading Activities During COVID
Adapt If COVID has taught me anything, it is to keep in mind the one-word slogan of Navy SEALS: Adapt. We are public librarians. We adapt. We adapted during the digital age to maintain our relevance. COVID is not going to stop us. Irrespective of where you are right now, summer reading has boiled down to three options: passive, curbside or virtual. We remain in the unique position of being able to touch the lives and hearts of our community. We have a responsibility to remain positive, and to disseminate hope. Read on to see how 19 positive summer reading activities during COVID can make the difference. 1 – Radio I’ll never forget growing up the impact just one radio station had on my hometown. The station was 45 minutes away by car, but everyone in my school knew it; always had it on. You couldn’t see the DJs, but…
The ALA Book Award Celebration #TheBookAwardCelebration
Today was supposed to be the Newbery Caldecott Legacy Banquet — the big celebration of children’s books at the ALA Annual Conference which honors some of the best of the best in children’s books which were published last year. As we all know, due to the pandemic, the “in person” conference was cancelled this year, and with it, the “in person” Banquet. But never fear! ALA has come up with an astounding day celebrating even more books for youth in an all day celebration! It’s The ALA Book Award Celebration! And that day is TODAY! Read on for for more information from the official ALA anouncement which gives all the details: The American Library Association (ALA) is offering an exciting new free all-day virtual event celebrating the winners of several of its major book awards, including the esteemed Newbery and Caldecott medals, the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, the Printz Award,…
#alavirtual20 is NOT over!
I’m going to be honest – working full-time (from home), with a five year old has not allowed for a typical conference experience. At this point (and conference is “officially” over), I have been able to view three sessions. They were excellent, but THREE! In case you are wondering – you should check out the Opening Session featuring Misty Copeland, Matthew Cordell, and Healing Reading Trauma: Rebuilding a Love of Reading Through Libraries for Liberation – they are all fantastic. This weekend, I look forward to catching up. I am so thankful that sessions have been recorded. Usually, I scroll through Twitter and feel “session envy.” Now, I can go back and attend whatever session I want. And, OF COURSE, I am thrilled for the day long event on Sunday, available at ALA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/AmLibraryAssociation. Do I wish I were dressing up and attending the banquet live? YES!…
An Abundance of Questions and Uncertainty
If you are like me, you are in the midst of Summer Reading planning and execution. You may also be working on plans for curbside service or well into the process of performing curbside for your patrons. Maybe your library is open to the public or will be in the near future. Or, maybe you are still working from home. No matter where you are in this stage of COVID-19, we all have a little something in common: we all have questions and feel some sense of uncertainty. What’s the next step? How do I serve my community in the midst of all these changes? What happens when virtual programming just isn’t working or kids and tweens just aren’t able to access your programs? How in the world do I put together a Summer Reading Program when I can’t have programs in the building or do outreach? What do I…
#alavirtual20 National Associations of Librarians of Color (NALCo)
The National Associations of Librarians of Color (NALCo) presented several dynamic programs during #alavirtual20. NALCo members also co-presented and served as panelists for other programs throughout the duration of the Virtual Event. Programs included but were not limited to: AILA President’s Program: Honouring and Respecting Relationship: Rethinking Library Praxis Behind the Wires: American Concentration Camps Then and Now (APALA LIVE) E. J. Josey’s 1964 Charge: ‘Keep on Pushing’ (BCALA LIVE) Treasure Hunters at Libraries? Why Not!! (CALA LIVE) Juntos: Latinx Family Engagement at Your Library ALA President, Julius C. Jefferson, Jr , recently released a statement: ALA takes responsibility for past racism, pledges a more equitable association. As libraries work to become more intentional about improving internal and external relationships, reexamine outreach efforts, and reevaluate services provided to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, they can look to the work of NALCo for examples of best practices, positive…
Closing Session with Natalie Portman at #ALAVirtual20
The Closing Session of ALA Virtual Conference 2020 featured Natalie Portman, who has a new picture book coming out called Natalie Portman’s Fables, being interviewed by librarian Betsy Bird. [Betsy made a funny slip when she was listing Natalie’s credentials and called her an “Archivist” when she meant to say “Activist.” Only a librarian! Natalie said that would be cool!] The main idea of the book, which includes three stories, is to rewrite beloved stories with more female characters. She noticed when she had a daughter after having a son that people had given her boy baby “classics” that all seemed to feature male characters. Then they gave her girl baby books with feminist slants — but does a toddler really need to be told she’ll encounter obstacles? She would change the pronouns in the stories she reads to have more female characters — and decided to write a book…