I am the Youth and Teen Collections Librarian at my library system. The majority of my job duties involve purchasing materials. One of my additional responsibilities is to assist with our Annual Mock Caldecott event held in January. Throughout the years, I have been utilizing technology to improve this process for myself and staff, while providing more access for all those interested. My Mock Caldecott process includes: 1. Track the starred reviewed titles throughout the year.2. Include titles that will be eligible for the Caldecott Medal. 3. Create a list for staff. The publications I use for starred reviews are Booklist, BookPage, Bulletin of the Center for Children, Horn Book, Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness. A sample of my 2025 Mock Caldecott Tracker: My library system uses G-Suite, allowing us to share and edit documents in real time. Our Mock Caldecott event only pertains to books…
Tag: digital content
The Novel Effect App

Do you have a favorite book app?
Opening Digital Doors with Open eBooks
Last month a huge step toward getting every child in America access to amazing books was taken with the official launch of Open eBooks! The White House announced the news to the excitement of librarians, educators and families across the United States on February 24th. Open eBooks is part of the White House ConnectED Initiative which aims to increase access to digital resources as a component of enriching K-12 education. You can read the official press release here. The project is made possible through a partnership with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), the New York Public Library, Baker and Taylor, First Book, and made possible by generous commitments of publishers with funding support provided in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. What a great example of many institutions coming together for a greater cause! The Open eBooks app is now available…
Like Apps for Kids? #alaac14
Looking for ALA Annual programs on apps for kids? ALSC will be hosting two educational programs on apps — “The Apps are All Right! Exploring the Role of Apps in Children’s and Teen Services” and “Whet Your APPetite: Rapid Reviews of Apps for Children from Preschool to Tweens”, which will take place at the 2014 ALA Annual Conference. The Apps are All Right! program is scheduled for Saturday, June 28, 2014, 8:30 — 10:00am PT in Room S230 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Designed as a primer for children’s and teen librarians, this program will offer a dynamic overview of the place of the app as a new format within the library profession. Four panelists will provide relevant research and examples from practice with diverse populations of children and teens. Participants will also be invited to explore the continuously evolving rationale for strengthening the role of the children’s and…