I’ve finally made it back to Ohio, and I am so energized by all of the wonderful work I saw happening over the last few days at #alamw17. My last afternoon in Atlanta, I listened to an ALSC Board of Directors meeting where the ALSC Valuation and Advocacy Research Task Force presented their report and recommendations. For those of you (like me) who are not / were not aware of the Task Force, they were charged two years ago to:
Author: JoAnna Schofield
The Importance of Metrics in Youth Services at #alamw17
How do we use metrics and quantitative data to express our value? Throughout this conference I have spoken with a variety of librarians from around the country (who work in a wide range of settings) about this very topic, and it seems like a question everyone is asking! This afternoon I attended a session sponsored by PLA titled “Managing with Data: PLAmetrics” that showcased different reports and filters, and it left me wanting more. (For more information check out http://www.plametrics.org) I want a more indepth conversation about metrics within our profession. As youth librarians, what data should we be collecting? What questions should we be asking? How can we band together and share this data so we can truly assess the impact our profession is having on our communities at large? Librarians serving youth have tremendously powerful anecdotal evidence of the impact we are making, but we are often missing the statistical…
#alamw17 Exhibit Hall ARCs Day 2
What upcoming book releases should you be keeping your eyes open for if you are #alscleftbehind ? Today’s bounty from the exhibit hall included: The titles I’m most excited to read are: Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff -JoAnna Schofield, Cuyahoga County Public Library (Ohio)
#alamw17 Exhibit Hall ARCs
Part of my favorite part of conferences is seeing all of the new books and #kidlit the publishers want to highlight for us. I tried to grab a variety of middle grade, teen, and adult titles to increase my repertoire and provide a highlight for everyone #alscleftbehind. Some of the titles I’m most excited to read are: Carve the Mark by Veronica Mark Max by Sarah Cohen-Scali The Careful Undressing of Love by Corey Ann Haydu One Last Word by Nikki Grimes I’ll make sure to check the exhibit hall today for new goodies to keep your eyes open for if you’re #alscleftbehind! -JoAnna Schofield, Cuyahoga County Public Library (Ohio)
Library Advocacy In Less Than Three Minutes (S. 3391)
No surprise to anyone who watches television, reads the newspaper, works in a library, or listens to music on YouTube, the US Presidential Election is in 22 days. While the overwhelming majority of Americans are focusing solely on influencing the outcome of this important election, other matters of importance are still happening in Washington and require the voice of each and every one of your library advocates.
A Taste of the Exhibit Hall if You’re #leftbehind! #alaac16
One of my favorite parts of attending any library conference is discovering new materials I may not have otherwise found. Last night I finished reading gena/finn by Hannah Moskowitz and Kat Helgeson, which I had picked up at ALA Midwinter as an ARC. It was a quick, fun read that I probably wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. If you’re #leftbehind and looking for some interesting books to keep on your radar, take a look at some of the titles I picked up in the exhibit hall today!
Play With These Great Apps If You’re #leftbehind! #alaac16
Sitting in the AASL Best Apps for Teaching and Learning has me so energized for returning to my library and sharing these with families and kids! As a media mentor, I’m always looking for new, high quality apps… And here’s a list! -JoAnna Schofield, Youth Programming Coordinator, Cuyahoga County Public Library (Ohio)
Be a part of the 2016 Emerging Leaders Poster Session Even If You’re #leftbehind! #alaac16
Left behind? Still traveling to Orlando? Have no fear! You can still view the ALSC Environmental Scan created by the 2016 Emerging Leaders Group D presented at today’s Emerging Leader poster session and ALSC Board meeting.