Chicago still has long coffee lines, it’s really snowing, and ALA staff is just an L ride away, but it’s just not the same around here without all of you! (I think most planes, trains, and cars have finally made it out, am I right?) It really was another magnificent Midwinter and my yesterday, Monday, was a great way to wrap it up. The Youth Media Awards, obviously! Congrats & thanks to all of the committees and staff who made it a reality. Well done, also, to the folks on the podium with the early morning responsibility and thrill of telling the world! Afterwards, I was reunited with my ALSC Budget Committee compatriots as we tied a bow on the preliminary proposed budget for FY16, which the Board later approved. We also recommended applying some of the generous Friends of ALSC donations to supporting early literacy work and connecting babies…
Category: Friends of ALSC
Day of Diversity @ #alamw15
It truly has been an amazing Day of Diversity, packed with Dialogue and Action in Children’s Literature and Library Programming! ALSC and the Children’s Book Council (CBC) put together an extraordinary line-up for today. Welcomed by ALSC President Ellen Riordan, we were charged up by a keynote from Dr. Camila Alire speaking on “From Broken Yolks to Party Folks: The Importance of Libraries and Literacy in Keeping Diversity Alive for Our Children.” This was followed by panels on the history and myths surrounding diversity in children’s literature and forming partnerships to share resources. Breakout sessions and lightning talks broadened and deepened the conversations which wrapped up with a “Moving Into Action” panel moderated by Satia Orange who cheered us all on to Do Something Dramatic next week, next month, and on after that to really make a difference. The brilliant ideas were flowing all day long so take a look…
ALSC Institute Reflections
Last month I was lucky enough to attend the 2014 ALSC National Institute in Oakland, California thanks to a generous scholarship awarded to me by the Friends of ALSC. I am so grateful for the time spent at the Institute last month and would like to thank the Friends for enabling me to participate in such a stellar weekend of learning and fun. And a huge thanks to everyone at ALSC who worked hard to put together the Institute! Some of my favorite moments from the Institute have to be the wonderful author presentations and panels, especially the hilarious author panel that took place at Children’s Fairyland with Jennifer Holmes, Daniel Handler and Mac Barnett. The crowd was filled with giggling librarians and even a few fairy wings! After our breakout sessions at the park, a reception awaited us in the Emerald City. There was even a yellow brick road!…
Making a list…checking it twice…
‘Tis the season for making lists! I am an inveterate list maker and reader. As a seasoned pro, (-crastinator, that is), I rely on them as valuable tools to organize and prioritize tasks that require attention, (and those that provide distraction). I have even made lists of the lists that I need to make! December, with its flurry of both personal and professional activity, provides expanded opportunity for their implementation and perusal. In addition to the usual daily to-do lists, there are the “best” lists of books and other media, shopping lists for holiday gifts and meals, and, of course, the ever growing list of all the loose ends to finish up by the end of the year. One item on the latter list is to send in my contribution to Friends of ALSC. Friends of ALSC was founded to enhance both our established programs and to support growth and…
You’ve Got a Friend(s) in ALSC….
This past year a brand new logo for the Friends of ALSC was unveiled along with the announcement of a direct URL address of http://www.ala.org/alsc/donate. We hope this new logo and new URL will help ALSC promote the work of the Friends group and the generous nature of its members. The Friends of ALSC also supported two ALSC Institute scholarships for Amanda Struckmeyer and Joella Peterson to attend the program in Indianapolis. Also supported were two Nook and a Book prizes: one during the Annual Conference raffle and one virtually for the ALSC eBadge Contest. As we gear up for further changes in 2013 for Friends of ALSC, we invite you to make a donation prior to the conclusion of 2012. The Friends membership year follows calendar year — January through December — and will culminate in an end-of-year thank you/membership drive letter highlighting the uses of Friends of ALSC…
#alsc12 Re-Energizes Scholarship Winner
If you’re involved in ALSC, chances are you’ve heard about ALSC Institutes. Experts from around the country come together for one weekend every other year to deliver presentations on hot topics in youth services librarianship, while well-known authors grace meals. Attendees network to their hearts’ content, reveling in the fact that every person they encounter works with children. At the close of the Institute, participants leave with refreshed outlooks on their profession, new ideas about best practices, and energy to improve the services they provide. I was very fortunate to receive a Friends of ALSC scholarship to attend the 2012 ALSC Institute in Indianapolis. Having known several people who have attended past Institutes, I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t miss. I wasn’t disappointed; the Institute lived up to its reputation and left me with more than I could have ever hoped for. I attended sessions on using music…
#alsc12 2012 ALSC Institute: The Bricks I’m Building Upon
While simultaneously playing with LEGOs and listening to author Gary Paulsen speak I realized the 2012 ALSC Institute is a lot like LEGOs. At the Institute I could listen to authors, network with other librarians, and discover new ideas while attending the programs. Each of these experiences then built upon each other as if they were LEGO bricks building upon each other to create a structure of ideas to take back to my library. Here are some of the “bricks” that I picked up while attending the 2012 ALSC Institute: One of my favorite “bricks” from the Institute was to think about the “why” in what you do. How can I do this? By thinking about the big picture–the reasons for why I do what I do as a librarian. I should work with my administration and supervisors to create a mission or a vision as to what the Youth…
Voters Choose ALSC eBadge Winner
The Friends of ALSC and the ALSC Membership Committee are proud to announce the winner in the ALSC eBadge Contest. Krista Welz, Children’s Librarian at the North Bergen (N.J.) Free Public Library is the winner with her “ALSC Cloud” design. Welz’s design received over 175 votes on the ALSC Blog poll. Welz is the winner of a Nook and a Book from the Friends of ALSC. Her design will be featured for ALSC members to display on their blogs or email signature lines. Rick Samuelson (“I Empower Kids”), Youth Services Librarian, Washington County (Ore.) Cooperative Library Services and Margaret Stawowy (“Growing Minds”), Children’s Librarian, San Rafael (Calif.) Public Library were the two runners-up. Both will receive ALSC gift bags. The Friends of ALSC and the ALSC Membership Committee hosted this contest to help display the creativity of ALSC members. With over 260 voters, ALSC thanks all the participants and everyone…