“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” – Fred Rogers What an amazing session this afternoon at #alsc22 on “True Play” presented by Carissa Christner and Holly Storck-Post from Madison Public Library. They led us on a play exploration to begin with: can you recall a favorite memory of play from your childhood? Stop and think for a moment. Did adults tell you how to play? True Play is deep and uninterrupted engagement in the activity of one’s own choice. Sounds simple doesn’t it?? And indeed, simplicity is a key factor. They reviewed the history of play at their library, from play literacy (themed type activities), playful activities in storytime (though still adult designed), and talked about the importance of play. Did you know that for young children movement…
Category: Conferences/Meetings/Institutes
True Play at Libraries #alsc22
Presenters Carissa Christner, Madison Public Library, and Holly Storck-Post from Madison Public Library led a discussion about true play to a packed room this afternoon. Carissa Christner defined true play as deep and uninterrupted engagement in the activity of one’s own choice. The presenters then led the audience through a presentation of how they implemented true play spaces at their branches and the opportunities and challenges that cropped up during the development and implementation phases.
You Can Take the Librarian Out of the Library…
Or can you? An hour after landing in Kansas City for #ALSC22, I was already on my way to the Central branch of the Kansas City Public Library system. I loved it so much that I came back the next day to watch storytime and catch up on work email before the opening session!
Mindful Movement: Yoga Programs for Youth #alsc22
The first full day of ALSC Institute is underway, and I started my morning off with yoga! Leigh Ramey, Youth Services Consultant for the South Carolina State Library presented a wonderfully interactive session on Yoga Programs for Youth. Participants were invited to try yoga poses, games and mindfulness practices, all adaptable to differing skill levels from preschoolers and caregivers up to tween and teens.
Evaluating AAPI Youth Literature at #alsc22
Did you know there’s a rubric for evaluating Asian American and Pacific Islander Youth Literature? At this morning’s “More than a Checkbox” at #alsc22, Amy Kyung-Eun Breslin, Sarah Park Dahlen, Kristen Kwisnek, and Becky Leathersich shared key elements from the rubric and then led us through applying the rubric to different books.They emphasized the critical importance of visibility, problems of the Model Minority stereotype, that context and nuance are essential to evaluation. Other key factors are power and agency of characters – who are the heroes? can they solve problems? Take a look at author/illustrator agency – are they a cultural insider? What research have they done? Is there a co-author who is an insider? And they encouraged us to think about what impact the book might have on an AAPI child listening to a non-AAPI person read it aloud.
#alsc22 My First ALSC Institute
Connecting with colleagues, presentations from favorite authors, and listening to librarians share insights through education programs on library service to children and families. There is a lot I am looking forward to in these three short days.
Opening night at #alsc22
So I was going to write about the opening session highlights at #alsc22. And I will. Though I want to start with how good it is to be at an in-person conference again. To be in a room with people who care passionately about the things that you care about. To sit around a table sharing a meal with conversations about mock Caldecotts and Newberys, about favorite books of the year, about booktalks and reader’s advisory. It was a pleasure just to be in the room.
Live from Kansas City…
…it’s #ALSC2022! I’m thrilled to be at my first-ever conference – for ALSC, for libraries, for… anything! Looking ahead to this weekend, I’m keeping my mind open and ready to learn from the experience. While the official festivities have yet to begin, I’m here to share some initial thoughts.