Category: Conferences/Meetings/Institutes
Presenting all #alsc22 general session speakers!
Dr. Nicole A. Cooke is taking the podium to present our Big Ideas Session at the ALSC National Institute this fall! And just like that…our General Session Speaker line-up is stacked! ALSC members, you can take advantage of a member-exclusive early bird rate when you register by June 30, 2022. This deadline is just a few weeks away, which is hard to believe, and we’re really excited to be together again! In case you missed it, below is a round-up of our speakers, which can also be found on the ALSC website. Opening General – Thursday, September 29, 2022Christina Soontornvat This Opening General Session is generously sponsored by Scholastic. Friday Morning – September 30, 2022Big Ideas with Dr. Nicole A. Cooke This Big Ideas Session is generously sponsored by ALSC’s Carole D. Fiore Leadership Endowment Fund. Saturday Morning – Saturday, October 1, 2022Collaborative Authorship with Adam Gidwitz and Hena Khan This…
We’re looking for Conference Bloggers for the Annual ALA Conference
It’s getting close to #alaac22! One month from today, the 2022 ALA Annual Conference will be in full swing, live and in-person, in Washington, DC! Are you attending? We’d love to have you participate as a Conference Blogger for the ALSC Blog!
Collaboration and Equity for Summer Programs: A Recap of a #PLA2022 Preconference
The PLA conference was over a month ago, but I’m still unpacking the preconference I attended. “Best Practices for Summer Learning Based on Racial Equity” was a half day workshop presented by Christy Estrovitz from the San Francisco Public Library, Sheryl Evans Davis from the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, Christi Farrah from the Massachusetts Library System, and Elizabeth McChesney from the National Summer Learning Association. The workshop revolved around the 2021 “Everybody Reads” summer program sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library along with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. Like everyone else, the Library had to think fast about how to offer a summer reading program during the pandemic. The program consisted of a kit that included a 38 page full color booklet that featured eleven books for a variety of ages. Each book is a positive portrayal of an underrepresented community. The booklet includes activities to go along…
Intellectual Freedom Round-Up
It’s been a busy time for the vital work of protecting the right to read, and so here are some updates from the Public Library Association (PLA) 2022 Conference and National Library Week
Kal Penn Closes Out #PLA2022
I found it interesting that Kal Penn brought us back to the concept of Imposter Syndrome this evening as the closing speaker for #PLA2022. Of course, not everyone may have attended the Career Self-Care Session where Erin Collier-Plummer spoke of managing imposter syndrome, but I had and so it struck a chord. Why do so many of us not give ourselves enough credit for being the right person for a job – having the qualifications and the passion to do it and do it well? Hearing Kal Penn’s journey from being a successful actor to serving as Associate Director of White Office for Public Engagement for President Barack Obama was inspiring enough. But after entertaining us with the details, I was surprised to hear Kal Penn talk of Imposter Syndrome – that even this accomplished individual was hesitant about his qualifications. What resonated with me was that it was his…
Accessibility of All Sorts #PLA2022
The #PLA2022 Virtual Conference had multiple opportunities to learn more about accessibility, while the conference itself utilized captioning throughout and sign language interpreters for the headline speakers. This struck me as especially pertinent in the week that the movie CODA was recognized for outstanding performances of its cast – many of whom are deaf – and that I am writing a reading response for Cece Bell’s graphic novel El Deafo. Sonia and Scott Norris spoke on Scalable Web Accessibility Training for Library Staff in Every Position. They shared fundamental accessibility components as well as more advanced ones for your library’s web team to utilize. The training should be meaningful and relatable to staff while complying with state laws. Just as we translate library information to a variety of languages, and utilize multiple marketing tools to reach different audiences, we should strive to meet the needs of the members of our…
The Library’s Role in Equitable College Prep #PLA2022
Not every child who wants to go to college has the monetary resources to help pay for college prep classes and tutors. But the library can step in and help with phenomenal free resources. Aryssa Damron of the DCPL discussed how the library can help high school students find the tools they need to get into college. The most important thing we can do is to update our own knowledge. Things have recently changed! Do you know the top scores for the big tests? The top SAT score is now 1600, and the top ACT score is 36. Take a look through the Common App and the Common Black App and familiarize yourself with the requirements and the schools that each application represents. Evaluating your collection is crucial. Nothing in the physical collection should be older than two years. Your test prep books should be located in a highly visible…