Computational thinking…okay, so that’s a big word! I kinda sorta knew what it meant, but I was so interested to see how this might translate into practical information that I could use at my library. And that’s why I was really glad that I attended this afternoon’s session on computational thinking (CT) for young children—“Making the Connection: Early Literacy and Computational Thinking for Young Children,” led by Claudia Haines of Homer (Alaska) Public Library and Paula Langsam of the D.C. Public Library. It was jam-packed with people, tips, ideas, and lots of hands-on activities. Oh, plus dancing! You really couldn’t ask for more. During this session, we learned about several important CT skills, including pattern recognition, decomposition, algorithm design, and abstraction. Again, these seem like really big words, but when you get past that, you start to see how these skills can be taught to young children in some easy…
Category: ALA Midwinter 2019
ALA Candidates Forum #alamw19
I always try to attend the ALA Candidates Forum at Midwinter if my schedule allows. Hearing from the candidates in person is a great opportunity to learn about their backgrounds, qualifications, and visions. This afternoon we heard from two candidates for ALA Treasurer, Maggie Farrell and Andrew K. Pace, as well as two candidates for ALA President, Julius C. Jefferson Jr. and Lance M. Werner. They each gave 5 minute statements, followed by an informative Q & A session with audience members. Topics that were mentioned numerous times by all the candidates include the organizational structure of ALA as well as its goals of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The session was taped, so look to YouTube sometime after Midwinter to watch it. And don’t forget to vote in the ALA election, which runs from March 11 – April 3, 2019.
Pushing on the Frontier: Disability Access and the Future of Libraries #alamw19
“We have to work together on this.” Wise words from Kate Deibel, Inclusion and Accessibility Librarian at Syracuse University Libraries. Her presentation on disability access in libraries really has me thinking of all the ways we can make our library more accessible and how that applies to library services for children. Kate’s suggestion to involve patrons and staff in the planning process when preparing for increased accessibility certainly resonates. We can ask children and caregivers what they would like to see. If you’re doing a survey though, you must remember to make it accessible. It defeats the point of the survey if the patrons you’re trying to reach can’t complete that survey. Kate also discussed web accessibility in detail and how many vendors websites are not accessible. She recommends that if we stand together in demanding more accessibility for our patrons and staff, we will succeed. It may take some…
Building Global Readers #alamw19
Highly caffeinated, thrilled to be here, and slightly sleep deprived, I’m amazed to already find myself more than halfway through the second day at #alamw19. It has been an absolute whirlwind of non-stop activity and I am patting myself on the back for packing comfortable shoes and snacks. The seemingly ends miles of the convention center have certainly been wearing holes in the soles of shoes! In my limited spare moments I find myself pulling out my 2019 USBBY Outstanding International Books list from the United States Board on Books for Young People’s reception last night to research titles I definitely want to get my hands on. USBBY is the United States section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) that works to “promote international understanding and good will through books for children and adolescents” and produces an annual list of honored international titles for children grades…
Anti-Bias Education and Children’s Literature #alamw19
I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to attend this morning’s session, Leadership and ALSC. What a great chance to meet some new people and start having important conversations about the steps that we’ve taken and need to keep on taking in regards to diversity and racial justice. This morning’s keynote speaker, Debbie LeeKeenan, raised so many important and thought-provoking points—it’s hard to know where to start! I would happily listen to the entire presentation again, as it was packed with such important stuff.Here are a few of the takeaways that I will be pondering long after this conference has come to a close:• Being fair is not the same as being equal. Equality is everyone getting the same thing, but equity is everyone getting what they need. This could look different for all of us and the people we connect with, but it’s a vitally important concept for…
#alamw19 So You Want to Podcast…
Our teen librarian and I have been talking about starting a Podcast Club for 5th-8th graders. In our Children’s Services Department we serve ages birth-6th grade and the Teen Services Department serves grades 7th-12th. We have started doing crossover programs for grades 5th-8th to make the transition smoother for kids going from the Children’s department to the Teen department. We’ve both been interested in podcasting but know nothing about it. Today’s panel discussion So You Want to Podcast… was very informative and helped me realize that I don’t have to be afraid of podcasting. Panelists Phil Morehart (Dewey Decibel podcast), Gwen Glazer (The Librarian Is In), Adriane Juarez (Library Leadership Podcast) and Joseph Janes (Documents That Changed the World) discussed their podcasts and everything that goes into making them successful. Here were some of the main take aways for me: “Writing to be heard is different than writing to be…
Debbie LeeKeenan: Provoking Courageous Conversations #alamw19
I always try to attend the Leadership and ALSC session at ALA Conferences because I find it useful as both a networking tool and also as a way to expand my professional knowledge on topics relevant to children’s librarianship. Today’s meeting was no exception!
ALA Washington Office Updates #alamw19 #leadalsc
Useful advocacy tools – hot off the press from your ALA Washington Office! Kathi Kromer, Executive Director, shared some great news and amazing resources this morning at “Leadership & ALSC.” Visit http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/wo to download a 2019 ALA Year-Round Advocacy Checklist with a Congressional Calendar on the back, a visual guide to how “ALA Advocates on the Path to Federal Appropriations,” and more. Kathi shared that during the 115th Congress that just ended, there were 13,556 bills introduced, of which only 443 became law. But out of those, 5 that were ALA priorities became law! This is a great success, and something they hope to build on this coming year with the new 116th Congress. To welcome the 116th Congress, the most diverse our country’s ever seen, the ALA DC Office has 3D printed “Library Challenge” coins they are going to give new Congress members. These coins were made at DC Public…