Library work can feel really tough right now. There’s no single reason, but rather a whole slew of factors: many libraries are busier than ever, or at least busier than they have been in recent years; being fully funded and fully staffed often feels like the stuff of myths and legends; intellectual freedom is being threatened at unprecedented levels; and so many libraries are dealing with increases in mental health crises in their communities, which takes a toll on those in crisis as well as those around them (including library workers). There’s no doubt about it–times are tough.
Membership Committee Service Through the Pandemic
As I write this, I am currently the co-chair of the Membership Committee, in the second year of my two-year term. Before this, I served a two-year term as a member of the Membership Committee. Over the course of my four years on the committee, I have written six blog posts for the monthly Membership Committee slot. Each of those blog posts has focused on the amazing work of the committee, including impressive pivots made by ALSC to keep membership engaged during the early days of COVID, promotions for upcoming member engagement events, calls for ideas for new ways to engage with each other when faced with Zoom fatigue, and a three-part series highlighting some of the BIPOC New Members cohort that the Membership Committee has been supporting for the last two-plus years.
Lullabies in the Library
I believe that singing lullabies is one of the most important things that parents and other caregivers can do to bond with and soothe their children. A lullaby, like all other songs shared with children, is also a great way to support a little one’s early literacy growth because lullabies have rhymes, rhythms, and new words just like any other type of song. As a practitioner and parent, I saw this to be true countless times over many years of bedtime lullaby singing to my own children and leading lullaby singalongs in my library programs. I parented in the era of cassette tapes and compact disks and learned some of my kids’ favourite lullabies by listening to tapes and CDs of Kathy Reid-Naiman, Raffi, Connie Kaldor and Pat Carfra (aka the “Lullaby Lady”) who are four of Canada’s icons in children’s music. Eventually, my program attendees learned their beautiful songs from me too, and I often heard…
What Does It Mean To Foster Early Writing?
A library colleague and mother of a preschooler, recently remarked that she feels confident about how to promote her son’s early literacy development through talking, singing, reading, and playing. Despite being familiar with ECRR2, however, she is unsure exactly how to nurture emergent writing. If my colleague, who is embedded in the public library world, is unsure about what it looks like to support early writing, she is likely not alone. Are we doing all we can to effectively convey and model what it means to foster early writing and why it’s so important?
Two Programs You May Enjoy at the 2023 ALA Annual Conference
As members of the Program Coordinating Committee, we read, review, and select the educational programs that are presented at the ALA Annual Conference that would be of particular interest to attendees who work with children and families. Two such programs I am pleased to share with you below are sure to be engaging and informative.
Stickers in Summer
Do you need something to use as a fun prize for a scavenger hunt? Do you want an interactive display for your summer program? Are you looking for something fun for the kids to use for their reading records? Use STICKERS! They are one of the most straightforward and budget-friendly things out there.
Summer Reading Lists Are Here!
The 2023 ALSC Summer Reading Lists are here! Compiled by the Quicklists Consulting Committee, the lists are full of engaging and award-winning book titles to keep children reading throughout the summer. For young digital media fans, the committee also recommends a range of apps, podcasts, and websites to help kids discover and develop their interests. This year’s lists have a clean, straightforward design, making them easy to download and print for the children, parents, and caregivers in your library and community. Find the FREE lists on the ALSC website. More reading lists These annual summer favorites are the newest addition to ALSC’s recommended reading resources, which also include the Día and Graphic Novels booklists. The 2023 Dia lists feature lots of engaging stories that represent and celebrate diverse cultures and backgrounds. Revised in 2022, the Graphic Novels lists include titles that have popular appeal and are well-reviewed.
Preschool Outreach Programs
I love doing traditional preschool outreach storytimes. Sharing great books and fun flannels? Singing and dancing to silly songs? I’m there for it. However, a friend at another library inspired me to expand my repertoire. I added preschool outreach programs to highlight STEM-focused (science, technology, engineering, and math) picture books and offer opportunities for preschoolers to engage in a different way than storytimes. Over the next few months, I’ll highlight some success stories and look forward to hearing how YOU shake things up in outreach!