I started working in a brand new library in June, and it has led me to rethink offering a million story times. I work in a busy, urban branch that is densely populated with crowds of nannies and children looking for entertainment. My library is also located within a ten-minute walk of the zoo, so we get are in a high traffic area!
To the de Grummond We Will Go
A Road Trip Diary of the Special Collections & Bechtel Committee Our road trip began bright and early at 6:30am on the Friday before ALA Annual in New Orleans… Four members of the 2017-18 Bechtel Committee met up with Clair Frederick (President of MerryMakers Inc.) and ALSC member Susannah Richards. We set off together for the two-hour trip to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, home of the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles and the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection. Upon our arrival at McCain Library, we were greeted by ALSC member and Curator of the de Grummond Collection, Ellen Hunter Ruffin. Ruffin introduced us to Jennifer Brannock (Curator of Rare Books and Mississippiana), who welcomed the group and talked about the current exhibit in the Archives’ Reading Room, “Spaced Out”. We were amazed at the novelty and range of children’s books on display, with the focus on their cover designs. The display…
Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award seeks submissions
The 2019 Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award invites ALSC members to submit media for consideration. The Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award is new this year and will be awarded annually to the producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience. For the complete terms and criteria, refer to the page linked above.
How To Inspire Kids To Change the World
Who are the people that truly change the world? For me it is the people who dare to think bigger, bolder, beyond and definitively different. The text in the famous Apple ad actually puts it rather well…
Global Children’s Libraries, Literacy, and Programs: ALSC On the Road in Athens, Greece
When Jella Lepman initiated the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), she did so for the purpose of creating a dynamic venue for the international exchange of ideas around children’s literature and literacy. Just a day ago, I returned from the 36th IBBY International Congress in Athens, Greece where ALSC Executive Director Aimee Strittmatter and I engaged with librarians, book creators, researchers, and educators from around the globe. With a theme of “East Meets West Around Children’s Books and Fairy Tales,” the congress was an amazing opportunity to learn about numerous children’s books and literacy programs from colleagues in Asia, Europe, and beyond. Día @ IBBY During the three-day conference, we shared a poster about ALSC’s Día initiative, describing the benefits for libraries and classrooms, numerous success stories, and plethora of online programming resources and book lists. The poster, which focused on promoting diversity, inclusion, and advocacy with Día,…
What ALSC Membership Means to Me
Being a member of ALSC has helped broaden my perspective. Because of my membership, I’ve had the opportunity to meet innovative people from around the country and stay connected to the larger world of librarianship. Consider joining or renewing your membership today!
The ALSC Equity Fellowship
This month I wanted to share a new and amazing opportunity for potential ALSC members of color. This post was written by members of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion within ALSC Implementation Task Force. The current ALSC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force was charged with implementing a number of recommendations from the first EDI Task Force. One those recommendations was a scholarship for ALSC members of color. We debated quite a long time about making this broad or deep, meaning, should we take this earmarked money and spread it widely to ensure lots of people get their memberships paid for, or should we select a smaller number of recipients and give them a deeper mentorship experience and pay for conference attendance. We looked at a number of factors including; long term culture change, why people aren’t getting involved in the committee process, and the historically white nature of the profession. In the end,…
On the Road to Early Learning
The future of the economy is in STEM, that’s where the jobs of tomorrow will be according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Employment in occupations related to STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—is projected to grow exponentially for the foreseeable future. It has been well documented that underprivileged children have a steep hill to climb to match their more affluent peers about STEAM education. In Chicago, the Chicago Public Library STEAM team is helping to bridge the gap in the neediestneighborhoods. The STEAM Team is a group of outreach library staff who travel to Head Starts and Early Learning Sites throughout the city of Chicago to conduct STEAM-powered storytimes for pre-school aged children. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Introducing these skills to kids at a young age helps make them more successful in everyday life. The STEAM Team had their first story…