During some recent discussions to restructure the ALSC committees, it was decided that the ALSC Building Partnerships committee would end after ALA Annual 2020. The hope is that partnerships can be worked into all of the different committee work that ALSC does, rather than have a separate committee for this charge.
Category: Commitment to Client Group
Fantasy and Sci-Fi Children’s Novels from Diverse Perspectives
I had been looking forward to this year’s Summer Reading theme, Imagine Your Story, since it was announced a few years ago. Fantasy is one of my favorite genres and I knew the programs and displays we could have around that theme would be wonderful. Of course like most things in 2020 things are not going the way I expected.
ALSC Annual Membership Meeting
If you didn’t know ALSC had its annual membership meeting in early June, that’s okay! It’s archived here and I recommend checking it out. The switch to virtual programming and meetings is annoying in some ways, but it has increased accessibility for many. That includes this opportunity to attend a meeting that, in the past, you would have had to go to the Annual Conference for. The ALSC Annual Membership Meeting began with Dr. Claudette McLinn accepting the Distinguished Service Award. Watch the recording for Dr. McLinn’s lovely speech, including highlights of her long career in school libraries and children’s literature. Next were updates on ALSC business, including the status of events like the Arbuthnot Lecture, the National Institute, and the Children’s Literature Legacy Lecture. The Public Awareness Committee shared some ways to adapt the Championing Children’s Services Kit to today’s world. A long conversation followed, moderated by the ALSC…
Meet a Library Rock Star!
I think John Arthur, Director of the Englewood Public Library in Englewood, New Jersey, is a Library Rock Star!
Book Care Packages: A Curbside Service
One new service my library has debuted since closing our doors to the public due to COVID-19 is Book Care Packages and they’re going like gangbusters. Patrons fill out a form on our website to request a Book Care Package (personalized selections) or a Grab Bag (“random” selections for either ages 0-3, ages 3-6, or ages 6-8). I’ve wanted to offer this type of service for many years. With our patrons unable to browse the shelves, now was the perfect time to get it going. Many libraries offer similar services. I based our Book Care Packages form on Seattle Public Library’s Your Next 5 Books reading recommendation forms. Other libraries offering similar services include Hinsdale (IL) Public Library’s Book Boxes, Coos Bay Public Library’s BookBox, Eisenhower Public Library’s YA’ll Read Teen Subscription Boxes, and Greenwood (IN) Public Library’s Your Next Favorite Book. Some of these libraries include trinkets or candy…
19 Positive Summer Reading Activities During COVID
Adapt If COVID has taught me anything, it is to keep in mind the one-word slogan of Navy SEALS: Adapt. We are public librarians. We adapt. We adapted during the digital age to maintain our relevance. COVID is not going to stop us. Irrespective of where you are right now, summer reading has boiled down to three options: passive, curbside or virtual. We remain in the unique position of being able to touch the lives and hearts of our community. We have a responsibility to remain positive, and to disseminate hope. Read on to see how 19 positive summer reading activities during COVID can make the difference. 1 – Radio I’ll never forget growing up the impact just one radio station had on my hometown. The station was 45 minutes away by car, but everyone in my school knew it; always had it on. You couldn’t see the DJs, but…
Early Childhood Resource: The State of Babies Yearbook
Earlier this month, Zero to Three debuted the State of Babies Yearbook 2020. The Yearbook is a huge collection of data about children 0-3 that has been compiled and organized to allow users to see national trends and trends by state. Data from the Census Bureau and the National Survey of Children’s Health, among others, are used to show profiles of specific indicators that are critical to the healthy development of the very young. Compilations like this one can be extremely valuable to librarians. We can use it to advocate for programs and services, develop initiatives, write grants and obtain other funding and simply be aware of some of the factors that have a big impact on our youngest patrons and their families. It is also an important reminder about how important things like the Census are to gather data – without them, we don’t have a clear picture.
The Problem with Classic Literature
When was the last time you took a good, honest look at the classic titles on your library’s shelves? Now more than ever, we need to be considering not only the harm some of our childhood favorites do to children of color – particularly Black children – but also the messages they send to white children.