Live music on the Front Porch Stage outside the Exhibit Hall.
Category: ALA Midwinter 2013
14 Sweet Memories of 2013 ALA Midwinter in Seattle!
Though it has been a little over two weeks since ALA Midwinter in Seattle, there are still (and will always be) so many sweet memories of all the good work that happened, the creativity that continued (and was born), the friendships that deepened and the new ones that began, and how we all worked hard to continue in our journey to create a better future for children through libraries. As your President, here are just a few (14 since it is Valentine’s Day) of my highlights on your behalf, if you were there I know you have your own list. If you weren’t in Seattle, please know that we need and welcome your contributions through virtual committee work, contributions to ALSC publications, notes on ALSC-L, participation in our online communications via ALSC Community Forums, Facebook and Twitter. Here’s my 14…. One of my very favorite parts of any conference is…
Why Common Core State Standards Matter #alamw13
Sunday at Midwinter, the Young Adult Reference Services Committee (YARS) of RUSA’s Reference Services Section (RSS) hosted a Discussion Group on The Common Core. Academic, School and Public Librarians filled the room to learn more about The Common Core and discuss its impact on the profession. I was privileged to lead the discussion with Rose Luna and Margaux DelGuidice. The discussion began with a three-minute video explaining the Common Core State Standards http://edupln.ning.com/video/video/show?id=4241570:Video:195143 followed by myself, Rose Luna and Margaux DelGuidice sharing an overview of the Common Core, how Librarians can support teachers as they implement the Common Core and a wealth of resources. The Common Core State Standards have been adopted by Forty-five states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education. These standards will require students to exhibit three essential practices across the all content areas. Demonstrate independence and perseverance. Construct arguments, comprehend, critique…
Top Titles for Tweens 2013
Top Titles for Tweens ALSC’s School-Age Programs and Services Committee is happy to share with you a list of this year’s Youth Media Award winners that are especially suited to those in-between patrons, those who straddle that line between little kid and teenager, ages 10 to 14. That’s right, the tweens! Please feel free to use our selected list of winners for collection development, for booktalking, or to generate some program ideas for the tweens in your library. And let us know in the comments if we missed an award-winning book that the tweens you know and love are reading. Andrew Carnegie Award for Excellence in Children’s Video Katja Torneman, producer of “Anna, Emma and the Condors” Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults “Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America,” written by Andrea…
Time to pack and head home #alamw13
With yummy snacks and good company, last night’s ALSC/YALSA Joint Member Reception was a great way to end up the Conference. It’s been a good conference, and now it’s time to head home, full of new ideas and plans for my Library.
What Libraries Are to Tom Angleberger #alamw13
The Wrap Up/Rev Up program at conference is meant to simultaneously get folks psyched for the next conference and to put a cherry on top of the one that is ending. Today’s program featured Chris Alexander, of Star Wars Origami fame, and Tom Angleberger, genius behind the Origami Yoda book and others, flanked by R2-D2 and a number of other Star Wars characters. The audience members folded Boba Fetts and Yodas, and it was great fun. The most impactful statement of the session–the one that I’ll really be ruminating on for months to come–was shared by Angleberger at the very end of the program. Angleberger is known for populating his books with real children; real children who, in real life, may very often be considered different or special, often derogatorily. But, says Angleberger: “Being special is like having a superpower. Schools, too often, are kryptonite. But libraries–libraries are the bat…
What does the Maker Movement mean for youth services? #alamw13
I have long been enamored of the idea of maker spaces in libraries. While I am hesitant to make any statements that would come across as endorsing a particular type or focus of “making,” I have to say that I love the idea of making the library a center for active, hands-on learning and engagement. Traditional services can feel very passive–reading, listening, watching media, etc. But making? That’s a horse of a different color. I’m in a session talking about making in the context of 3D printers, robotics, tools, and other larger-scale maker initiatives. My question, though, looks to the less expensive, the less formal. Namely: what does the maker movement mean for youth services? Arguably, we’ve been engaged (and engaging kids) in making from the very beginning: crafts at story time, LEGO club, STEM programs with building/engineering components… Michelle Kilty, a children’s librarian in Illinois, got me thinking about…
Day in the Life of a Children’s Librarian at #alamw13
While schedules vary greatly for the attendees of the ALA Midwinter Meeting–many of my colleagues have far more committee work than I do–I thought it might be fun to offer a look into one of my conference days here in Seattle. The following day was my Sunday. 6:45 a.m. — Wake up, shower, get dressed, review my schedule for the day. 8:15 a.m. — Stop for coffee on my way to a meeting. 8:30 a.m. — ALSC All Committee Meeting. I sat in on the meeting of the School-Age Programs and Services Committee, which I blogged about briefly yesterday. I also caught the tail end of the discussion at the Children & Technology Task Force. 10:30 a.m. — Scholastic Picture Book Preview. Scholastic authors and illustrators shared their upcoming books; Stephen Savage, Tom Lichtenheld, and Amy Krouse Rosenthal really got the audience laughing. I also enjoyed talking to colleagues during…