Blogger Maria Trivisonno

The 35th Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature for Youth

Back in February 2020, the board of the Virginia Hamilton Conference (of which I am a member) was eagerly planning the 35th anniversary of the longest-running event in the United States to focus exclusively on multicultural literature for children and young adults.  We were especially excited that our keynote speaker, illustrator Floyd Cooper, was planning on visiting area schools in conjunction with the Conference. And then…2020. 

Blogger Maria Trivisonno

Librarians Do the Darndest Things

There are so many unique roads to librarianship.  I know children’s librarians who are former teachers…along with some who are former lawyers. One colleague did a stint as an archeologist.  I, myself, was a television producer (long story!).  And some librarians continue to do cool jobs while being a librarian.  I’m friends with more than a few crafters extraordinaire, for example. 

Blogger Maria Trivisonno

Developing Executive Function @ the Library

Ever since Every Child Ready to Read focused children’s librarianship on scientific research and empowered librarians to see themselves as experts who can speak to parents, our field has increasingly looked to brain development to support our practices and inform what we do.  Early literacy, however, is not the only growth going on in the brains of our early childhood customers.  Executive Functioning skills start to develop at around 7-8 months and peak between ages 3-5.  Can librarians help with this development as well?

Blogger Maria Trivisonno

Back to School Outreach

Summer reading is coming to an end, and school is starting up soon. In fact, where I live, some schools start next week!  As we transition into fall, the start of a new semester gives librarians ample opportunities to reach out beyond our typical users and let non or infrequent users know about our programs and services.  Here are some tips that have worked for me over the years.

Blogger Maria Trivisonno

Serving the Whole Child

I recently had the opportunity to attend a discussion at the City Club of Cleveland pertaining to the Whole Child Framework adopted by the Ohio Department of Education.  Meryl Johnson, a member of the Ohio State Board of Education, Dr. Tracy Nájera, executive director of the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, and Joseph Spiccia, superintendent of the Wickliffe City School District were members of a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Lisa Damour, author, psychologist, and Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies, Case Western Reserve University.