Are you burning to share your latest programming win with your colleagues? Have you been working through a problem and willing to share what you’ve learned? If so, you might consider sharing your thoughts in a “Best Practices” piece for an upcoming issue of Children & Libraries. These short pieces are 1500 words or less and are intended to cover successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the real world experiences of children’s library staff. They also can help you reflect on your own experiences and work!
Unsure of what to write about? Here are a few ideas for getting started:
- Share your favorite or most challenging summer reading program: Share the good and the not so good.
- Give an overview of your back-to-school plans : How will you connect with local educators? How does your public library support your local School Library Media Specialists?
- Reflect on your outreach efforts : Are there any community partnerships that you are particularly proud of? How do you make and maintain meaningful connections?
- Current events: Reflect or report on the state of library services to children. Share your library advocacy stories.
- Looking ahead: What are you excited about?
Submissions to Children & Libraries are welcomed on a rolling basis. If you are interested in writing a “Best Practices” piece, or have another article idea that you would like to publish, please reach out to the Editor, Sharon Verbeten (childrenandlibraries@gmail.com). The journal also welcomes high resolution photographs from programming or other library events provided there is a signed waiver from caregivers for any children whose faces are pictured.
Children and Libraries is the journal of the Association for Library Services to Children. “[I]t primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education for librarians working with children, and showcases current scholarly research and practice in library service to children and significant activities and initiatives of the Association” (http://www.ala.org/alsc/publications-resources/cal). Our publication is dedicated to sharing content to promote the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of library service to children.
Share reflections on your work and learn from other practitioners. You can read past issues of Children & Libraries online. We look forward to your submissions!
This post addresses the following ALSC Core Competencies: V. Advocacy & Outreach; VII. Professionalism and Professional Development.
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Co-chairs Amalia E. Butler and Jacquie Kociubuk are writing this post on behalf of the ALSC Children & Libraries Editorial Advisory Committee.
Vincent Blade
I am so impressed and challenged by the information shared here and in the comments of your readers. I am working on a post for Education, as well, so it’s a timely visit. It is an important post, and I’ve not taken enough time to write it yet just thinking and researching so far.