The Summer Reading Program is in full swing here in Mount Prospect, Illinois, and with that comes patron questions about books, movies, programs, and more. In the past year, there have also been more questions about selecting appropriate and interesting apps for children. After discussing the need to address media mentorship in a more direct approach than what we were currently doing, it was decided this summer to start giving patrons a take home at the end of storytime that includes a “Digital Lit Tip.” Our summer storytimes are open to the public and can have children of various ages. Very young children must have a parent with them. In order to make these tips accessible to all patrons, even those who don’t have access to devices at home, we selected apps that were already reviewed and featured on our iPads in the department. We also plan to post the…
Tag: Media Mentorship
Encouraging young listeners with downloadable and streaming audiobooks
Downloadable and streaming audiobooks have been on my mind again. Recently, some articles came out about the benefits of audiobooks for literacy; a revelation that probably surprised few of us in children’s and school library services. We did not create the Odyssey awards for nothing. ALA Editions published a wonderful book about it by Sharon Grover and Lizette D. Hannegan “back” in 2012. Last year, Rachel Wood from Arlington Public Library wrote an ALSC Blog post that stands as a primer for building an e-audio collection. But it always feels like a topic needs to come around a few times before the greater profession and the greater public latches on. Perhaps it is not always content that is the way to hook a reluctant reader but format too. Dan Cohen from the DPLA wrote an article for The Atlantic talking about the powerful role that smartphones play in the lives…
Let’s Share: Best Practices in Media Mentorship
Do you consider yourself a media mentor? The ALSC Children and Technology Committee would like to hear about your best practices as a media mentor with new media, preschool age patrons, elementary age patrons, and during summer reading. Please contribute to our Google Form. The committee will collect these best practices to share with our colleagues through articles, blog posts, twitterchats, and other continuing education opportunities. As well, consider encouraging colleagues, at work or across the country, to share their successes, stories, and ideas. The committee is interested in practices from all sorts of libraries: rural, urban, suburban; small, large, medium; public libraries, school libraries, special libraries; stand alone libraries, consortia, and library systems. To learn more about what ALSC is doing with media mentorship, check out the Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth page and the accompanying white paper. Michael Santangelo is the Electronic Resources Coordinator at BookOps, the shared technical…
Media Mentorship & AAP’s New Digital Media Guidelines
If you haven’t heard the big news, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just released updated findings in regards to the use of screen time by young children which emerged from their recent Growing Up Digital: Media Research Symposium. I’m excited to report that the AAP findings fully support ALSC’s position as outlined in the Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth white paper adopted by our Board of Directors back in March. More than ever, families and children will be turning to libraries and youth services staff for help in navigating the digital landscape and in making sound, developmentally appropriate decisions on media use. Your professional association is here to help you rise to the occasion and embrace the role of media mentor with the white paper and other resources that offer helpful ways for you to respond to your families. ALSC resources available to support you in meeting this…
Back to School with Homework Help Apps and Websites
As the new school year gets underway, parents and teachers will inevitably look to us for advice about how to help their students take advantage of the many digital resources available to assist with studying, research, and homework. This can seem a daunting task for anyone, but as mentors of digital media, library staff should strive to stay on top of recent developments in educational technology so that we can guide families to the apps, websites, and services that will best fit their needs. Luckily, we aren’t alone in the search for quality apps and websites, as many aids exist to help evaluate, review, and recommend digital resources in this area. Every year, AASL releases its lists of Best Websites for Teaching and Learning and Best Apps for Teaching and Learning, identifying resources that “foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration.” Each year’s list is broken down…
Send ALSC to SXSWedu!
A sure sign of the approaching end-of-warm-weather in my office is the farewell party for our summer interns. (While that’s bitter in several ways, it’s especially sweet when my colleague Michelle makes her amazing cookies for the occasion.) This year about half a dozen high school students joined us and, of course, we have asked them what they learned while working here the last couple of months and how their perceptions of libraries have changed. And it’s been interesting/fascinating/frightening to see how even among this group of engaged young people with library cards most had arrived without full awareness of everything libraries have to offer. This is another reminder of how important it is for us to advocate and tell our story to all ages, and so, looking to reach out to new audiences, ALSC has submitted a program proposal, Library Media Mentors Transform, for SXSWedu, an educational innovation conference…
Free Media Mentorship Webinar
On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, ALSC is offering a free webinar on media mentorship. Presented by Amy Koester, Youth & Family Program Coordinator, Skokie (IL) Public Library, Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth: A Primer is an opportunity to learn more about the core ideas behind the white paper. Registration is free and open to anyone. Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth: A Primer Tuesday, July 21, 2015 12pm Eastern 11am Central 10am Mountain 9am Pacific
Next ALSC Community Forum, Tues., June 2nd
ALSC members are invited to the next ALSC Community Forum! The ALSC Board of Directors and ALSC President Ellen Riordan will be hosting an ALSC Community Forum live chat on the topic of media mentorship. ALSC’s next forum will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 2pm Eastern/1pm Central and will also serve as a virtual release party for the new Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth white paper. Members are invited to logon to learn more about the paper, discuss its implications on the field, and share experiences as media mentors in their own communities. Accessing the Forum ALSC Community Forums take place on Adobe Connect. A few days prior to the event, ALSC members will receive an email with a URL link to the forum. You can also find a direct link to the forum from the Community Forum site. Questions? Contact ALSC Membership and Marketing Manager,…