Month: October 2020

Programming Ideas

Virtual and Augmented Reality! An #alsc20 Highlight by Eileen Drummond

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Virtual Reality, augmented reality – what is the difference?  How can a non- video game playing librarian like myself, incorporate this technology into a library program?  My own inclination is to shy away from technology that I don’t understand because I worry how I can help young people utilize that technology.  The 2020 Institute session “Virtual and Augmented Reality: Designing Immersive Learning Youth Programs” led by Zachary Stier introduces librarians to the idea of using virtual and augmented reality to educate and enhance the learning experiences of young people.  Augmented Reality is what the game Pokemon Go is.  It is interacting with digital elements using a smart device.  Virtual Reality is being immersed in an entirely new world.  I initially wondered  how can video games could be educational because the video games that my sons play, Fortnite and Star Wars Battlefront, do not seem to have much learning potential.  To…

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Blogger Chelsey Roos

Child Sexual Abuse: Supporting Young Survivors Through Collection Development

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According to the CDC, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys will experience sexual abuse at some point in childhood. A statistic like that takes your breath away. The last thing we want to think about when we’re helping a child find their next favorite book is whether they’ve experienced some form of sexual abuse or harassment. We can’t tell just by looking if the kids who come into our library have experienced abuse, but we can make sure we have the resources we need to help them.

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Virtual Institute 2020

An #alsc20 Highlight by Jennifer Minehardt

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Wow, what an awesome two days spent at this year’s virtual ALSC National Institute! There were so many wonderful programs to choose from over the course of two days. I’m excited to go back and watch some of the sessions I missed! With that being said, I can’t wait to talk about this amazing new book, We Are Water Protectors, written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. We spent a wonderful hour and fifteen minutes listening to the author and illustrator talk about their work and their different processes and how they came to collaborate on this book together. This is an own voices story told by both an indigenous author and illustrator. The author told us that this book is her love letter to the people of the Standing Rock movement as well as all the indigenous people that are fighting to protect their water sources as…

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Blogger Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee

Spotlight On: The Library Services to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers

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  ALSC has several process committees and task forces that members have the opportunity to serve on.  The Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee is shining a light on all of these groups to let membership know why these groups were formed, what they are doing now, and how our members can join or show support for the work each group is doing.  This month, the co-chairs of The Library Services to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers Committee, Joe Prince of Bowling Green State University and Jaime Eastman of the Plano Public Library, were kind enough to respond to some questions about their committee’s work.   Can you share a brief history of the committee?  Although established in 1964, the Library Service to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers committee had, until recently, been tasked with administering Candlewick Press’ Light the Way Grant. This commitment required a lot of our time and focus, though…

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Awards & Scholarships

Apply Now for Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Program Grant

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It may seem like summer reading just ended, but many of us are already planning what our programs will look like for next year. As you envision Summer Reading 2021, would an extra $3,000 help your program to be more innovative? ALSC and the Programs and Services Recognition Committee are now accepting online applications for the ALSC/Baker & Taylor Summer Reading Grant. This $3,000 grant is designed to encourage reading programs for children in public libraries, while recognizing ALSC members for outstanding program development. Due to COVID-19, the committee will consider proposals for virtual programming, as well as in-person programs which can take into account public health and safety measures Each application will be judged on the following: The plan and outline submitted for a theme-based summer reading program in a public library Program ideas that are open to all children (birth – 14 years) The committee encourages innovative proposals involving…

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Virtual Institute 2020

An #alsc20 Highlight from Beatrice Canales

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The 2020 ALSC Institute was a new experience for me. This experience was the first time I attended the institute and since it was virtual, I had the time to savor many parts of it. The parts I could not attend was recorded so I will enjoy the conference later next week. As an educator, the two sessions that I enjoyed the most were, “Family Matters: Sharing Generational Love in Children’s Literature” and “Partnering to Improve Indigenous Representation”. The best part of these sessions and the overall sense of the conference pertain to the passion and responsibility of all librarians, educators, writers, illustrators, and more to show children of all ages that they matter. The “Family Matters: Sharing Generational Love in Children’s Literature” session demonstrated to the audience that “emotional truth” reigns in writing children’s literature. The audience felt that truth in the stories that the authors and illustrators used…

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