Hello! Manuela Aronofsky and Tina Bartholoma here. We’re the current co-chairs of the ALSC Children and Technology Committee. The ALSC C&T Committee is a virtual committee, so to stay connected and collaborate with members across time zones, we have adopted a handful of favorite digital tools. Today we will share what they are and how we use them for our committee work.
Category: Committees
Anticipating Great Things to Come in 2022!
The first few weeks of the New Year are re-energizing and refreshing. Like the first page of a new book, New Year’s Day feels crisp and pristine, and is filled with the anticipation of great things to come. As ALSC President, it is my hope that this year brings with it positive change and advancement in the work of transforming ALSC, transforming Children’s Librarianship, and transforming communities through libraries. Change comes only through active participation, and at ALSC it specially comes in the form of greater opportunities to serve on Process and/or Awards Committees. Active committee participants become the driving voice of change within ALSC. ALSC is a volunteer-powered organization. Our strength and our organizational effectiveness is dependent on member engagement. Together, we are able to consolidate expertise and share resources. For many ALSC members, committee participation has historically been prohibitive due to lack of financial backing from their institutions. …
Gratitude
The season of thanks and giving is upon us! In this second year of the pandemic, gratitude is grander, more profound, and even sweeter. In the Public Awareness and Advocacy committee, we are particularly grateful for ALSC and all children’s services workers. ALSC staff and volunteers have kept up the great work in the midst of shutdowns, furloughs, and staff shortages. It is because of them we are able to join together (usually virtually) and continue to do the work of supporting our libraries and communities. They have continued meeting regularly, posting to the blog, and doing good work on behalf of children’s service workers everywhere. Children’s services workers have provided virtual and outdoor programs, take home crafts, and online reference without skipping a beat. Their hard work on behalf of their community has kept children and families engaged. This holiday season, the ALSC Public Awareness and Advocacy committee is…
ALSC Budget Committee: Follow the Money
ALSC is a busy organization, juggling a huge array of activities from hosting multi-day educational conferences to generating booklists that help caregivers explain complex current events to children. All those projects cost money. Have you ever wondered where ALSC gets its funding? And how the money from your dues gets spent? The Budget Committee wants to answer your questions! Check out our new infographic designed to give ALSC members an overview of where our money comes from and where it goes. If you have other budget-related questions, fire away in the comments or drop in to one of our meetings to learn more about ALSC’s finances. Nancy Funes is a Children’s Librarian at the Salt Lake City Public Library System, serving the west side communities of Salt Lake City, UT. Nancy is a current member of the ALSC Budget committee and the ALSC Notable Children’s Books committee. She received her…
Making a Connection: How Serving on a Process Committee Helped Me Get Through a Global Pandemic
I know that everyone is always interested in what it’s like to serve on the Newbery or Caldecott or other selection committees. I’ve served on the Newbery Committee and it is certainly an amazing experience. But don’t discount the strong connections you can make serving on process committees.
Memoirs of a Process Committee Member: How ALSC Has Helped Me Strengthen Skills
As I try to write my final blog post as a member of the Membership Committee, I have found myself reflecting quite a bit about my two years with this fun and engaging process committee. I recall getting my committee appointment from past president Cecilia McGowan and the excitement of being appointed to my first ALSC committee. I had been involved in ALSC as part of the Peer Mentoring Program in 2016 and served as an Emerging Leader in 2018 but committee work was different. I also had a vague understanding of what serving on Membership would be like and the reality far exceeded my expectations. Here of some highlights of skills I got to strengthen while being a part of this fantastic committee.
The Self-Care I Needed to Survive the Pandemic
As I reflect on this past year, one thing that kept me motivated was the routine of meeting with my ALSC committee members. Though we were working on shared interests and committee charges, the act of being a part of a team gave me the self care I needed to survive the pandemic. Each of us takes care of ourselves in unique ways. There are some days when we just need to survive and do nothing. There are other days when we want to take action and unleash our sense of ambition. I have my share of both of these mental capacities but overall, I know that I thrive knowing that I am a part of something bigger and that I can make a real impact with my work. Working on committees kept me balanced between personal self-care and connecting to the value of Children’s Services. Seeing how our colleagues…
Get Involved in ALSC
So you’ve joined ALSC, what next? This post is for anyone looking to get involved in ALSC. There are several current and upcoming opportunities for ALSC members that I want to share with you today. Tune in to a Committee Meeting While many of the selection committees have closed meetings, did you know that all ALSC process committee meetings are open to ALSC members? Serving on a process committee is a fun way to get involved in ALSC while contributing meaningful work and getting to know fellow library workers all over the country. You can find agendas and schedules for upcoming meetings on the ALSC Community space on ALA Connect. Sitting in on a committee meeting is a great way to find out more about the work that our organization is doing and to “try on” committees to see where you might want to get involved in ALSC. It’s also…