As I try to write my final blog post as a member of the Membership Committee, I have found myself reflecting quite a bit about my two years with this fun and engaging process committee. I recall getting my committee appointment from past president Cecilia McGowan and the excitement of being appointed to my first ALSC committee. I had been involved in ALSC as part of the Peer Mentoring Program in 2016 and served as an Emerging Leader in 2018 but committee work was different. I also had a vague understanding of what serving on Membership would be like and the reality far exceeded my expectations. Here of some highlights of skills I got to strengthen while being a part of this fantastic committee.
You STILL Can’t Beat Free
You STILL Can’t Beat FREE We live in an age of what economists call “perfect information“. This of course does not mean that the information we get is perfect, Instead, it means no hidden information. Perfect information more precisely means we all have access to instant information, understand its use as well as its plusses and minuses. But we also experience information overload, which is where we come in. And I’m here to help make your lives a wee bit easier, by finding all the free stuff! Ideas, downloads, and a touch of fun. I hope you enjoy and utilize these resources. And of course, I hope you enjoy all the fun stuff, too! Programming Ideas You Can Do! I will come over to your library if you say you can’t do any number of these…well…if you cover my expenses! ; )) When I was an Art major, we were…
Children with Print Disabilities
Introduction The Library Service to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers committee is devoting the 2020-2021 calendar year to creating a vibrant, dynamic toolkit that provides ALSC members with up-to-date resources for working with marginalized populations. Each toolkit page will provide professional and leisure reading recommendations, support for programming, and materials for families. As dynamic documents, these pages will continue to grow and develop as we find new resources, share our experiences, and continue to learn. Population This month, our focus is on serving children with print disabilities. According to Maine – Accessible Educational Materials, “A student with a print disability is one who is unable to gain information from printed materials at an anticipated level for their grade, and needs alternative access or an accessible format (i.e., Braille, Large Print, Audio, Digital text) to gain information from and use those materials. Print disabilities commonly affect students with blindness, visual impairments,…
2022 Legacy Award Committee Seeking Suggestions
Hello, this is Brian E. Wilson, chair of the 2022 Children’s Literature Legacy Award. Our committee is now accepting suggestions for the Legacy Award from you terrific ALSC members. The deadline for submitting suggestions is April 15, 2021.
Zooming into STEAM Programming
I love book clubs. I personally belong to four (three of which focus on children’s and teen titles). I run one for tweens at my library. The adjustment of doing this all online was very simple. I love storytimes. After figuring out how best to frame staff on the Zoom screen and getting storytime permissions, storytimes adjusted virtually very easily. I love STEAM programs. …….. Seriously, though, I was wondering HOW exactly STEAM programs were going to translate to a live virtual program. I had done, and seen, some pre-taped crafts and such, but I’ve been just itching to actually connect and interact with kids. I know many, many of my colleagues have been offering deeply impactful STEAM programs online, but last week was my first. I don’t really get nervous programming anymore. I was nervous for this. I chose a program on Air and Wind that I was supposed…
…Because Intellectual Freedom & Information Literacy Shouldn’t be Limited to Banned Books Week
Inside the toolkit, you will find practical, easy to implement tips and sample programs for incorporating intellectual freedom and Information literacy into library cornerstone programs and services, including storytimes, book clubs, outreach, and STEAM activities.
An Interview with Amy Forrester on Early Reader Work
The ALSC Early and Family Literacy Committee’s charge includes children from birth to age 8 and their families. Thinking about the first and second graders who are learning to read reminded me that Denver Public Library (DPL) has created a team to create best practices within their library system to better support these emerging readers. Amy Seto Forrester, who has served on the Geisel Committee, and who is one of mainstays for the Guessing Geisel Blog also works at DPL. I decided to see what she could tell us. Carol: What prompted DPL to work on emerging reader services and collections at DPL? Amy: In 2018 when DPL’s Grade Level Reading (GLR) Team was launched only 38% of Denver Public School (DPS) 3rd graders were meeting or exceeding expectations on the reading assessment (2018 Status of Denver’s Children, City of Denver, Office of Children’s Affairs, page 96). Put another way,…
Supporting school librarians as we serve our children in their educational pursuits
As many students are heading back to in-person and/or hybrid learning after a year of learning on-line, how can we support and collaborate with school librarians to make these transitions successful for our children? One of the easiest ways to support your school librarians is to educate yourself about the standards they use when teaching children. We know that teachers in every subject and discipline use standards that address exactly the concepts and skills a child needs to show learning and mastery in that subject. Just as there are standards for every educational subject, there are also national standards for librarians.