Author: Christina Carpino

So frequently throughout this conference, I have heard first-hand accounts about the difference a particular book, books in general, or libraries have impacted their lives. This morning I attended a panel on anxiety and how literature can help children and teens to navigate mental health issues. It’s important for us as librarians to remember the power that stories can have to help us feel less alone. Children may lack the language needed to express themselves when they are experiencing anxiety or depression, but picture books and hearing stories may help them to identify and explain what they are going through. It gives caregivers and children a common language and a set of tools to deal with these complex emotions in a positive way. Older children and teens often feel isolated by these feelings. Reading about characters who are in a similar boat helps banish this isolation and perhaps give them…

This morning I went to a session entitled “The Library, Not Just For Books” which focused on how social-emotional learning can be integrated into maker activities. We all know how important social-emotional skills are, yet they are often set aside in schools in favor of more “important” traits like math and literacy. Libraries already play a huge role in social-emotional learning through the services they provide, but Velear Schrupp had some great ideas for how we can be more intentional in planning our maker activities to promote these skills. Here are a few highlights and ideas for you to implement at your library! Learn to focus. We started off by listening to a chime and having to indicate when we could no longer hear the sound. By having to focus on the diminishing sound, we were forced to tune out the noise of the rest of the conference and focus…

It may be pouring rain outside, but that hasn’t dampened people’s spirits. The crowds are building as we wait for the exhibit hall to open on the second day of ALA Midwinter 2020. I’ve already been able to snag some amazing ARCs that I’m really excited about, but I have another empty bag and I’m ready to dive in. I was prepared for the books. I saved extra space in my extra-large suitcase just for them. I’ve been reading the back of each book before I put it in my bag to make sure it’s something that my patrons and I will be interested in. I even went through my program last night to check out which booths had coupons for freebies or contests. But I was NOT prepared for how sore my arms are! Maybe I’m just out of shape (a definite possibility) but man…books are heavy! I have…

This is my very first ALA conference and I plan to make the most of it. I arrived today and met up with my ALSC mentor for lunch at Reading Market where we discussed my current goals over an amazing BBQ chicken sandwich. Then I hopped over to the Parkway Central branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia for a tour of their Rare Book Department including their current exhibit inspired by Aliki’s The Five Senses. This exhibit is family-friendly and combines science, literacy, and original artwork. There are interactive elements for kids (and adults!) of all ages. Then we got to check out the rest of the collection, which included a huge variety of manuscripts and artwork. Oh, and Charles Dicken’s pet raven (stuffed) and writing desk! Rumor has it that this bird was the inspiration for Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven. How cool is that!? Tonight I’ll be meeting up…