Tag: oakland

Awards & Scholarships

ALSC Institute Reflections

| Nicole Martin|Leave a comment
Oakland farmer's market

Last month I was lucky enough to attend the 2014 ALSC National Institute in Oakland, California thanks to a generous scholarship awarded to me by the Friends of ALSC. I am so grateful for the time spent at the Institute last month and would like to thank the Friends for enabling me to participate in such a stellar weekend of learning and fun. And a huge thanks to everyone at ALSC who worked hard to put together the Institute! Some of my favorite moments from the Institute have to be the wonderful author presentations and panels, especially the hilarious author panel that took place at Children’s Fairyland with Jennifer Holmes, Daniel Handler and Mac Barnett. The crowd was filled with giggling librarians and even a few fairy wings! After our breakout sessions at the park, a reception awaited us in the Emerald City. There was even a yellow brick road!…

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Books

Friday Highlights @ #alsc14

| Karen Choy|1 Comment

Friday was a whirlwind of excitement, from start to finish–how can you top a day that begins with Breakfast for Bill and ends at Fairyland? It exceeded all expectations! Highlights included: -Gene Luen Yang’s revelation that as a pre-teen, he smuggled home comics in oversized Egyptology library books. He also had an amazing, hilarious–and pretty convincing–theory about how Superman is really Asian. -Rita Williams-Garcia read aloud parts of her childhood diary, which included a prophetic letter to William Morrow (which later became her publisher). -Tim Federle’s astute observation that kids don’t classify books and authors as “GLBT” or “Asian.” To them, “books are books.” -Pam Munoz Ryan said that she personally didn’t become an avid reader until she was in 5th grade. She pointed out that sometimes it just takes some kids a little longer than others and that books enter a person’s life at the right time. -Author Ginger…

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Conferences/Meetings/Institutes

Gene Luen Yang at Breakfast for Bill #alsc14

| Nicole Martin|Leave a comment

This morning’s Breakfast for Bill program was such a treat. I absolutely love hearing authors speak about their work, personal writing journeys and library experiences. The wonderful panel today consisted of four special authors, but I was most excited to hear Gene Luen Yang speak. I loved American Born Chinese and was equally impressed with his recent Boxers & Saints titles. Yang shared his difficulty finding reading at the local library once he reached 5th grade which led him to discover the local comic book store. He hilariously told how his friend would join him in sneaking comic books home in large library books out of his parents sight. As an elementary school student I also snuck my Spider-Man comics home in library books and was pleased to hear that other kids used this tactic! It was an overall great panel full of funny stories and touching recollections. What a…

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Conferences/Meetings/Institutes

Inspired Youth Grant Writing at #alsc14 #oakland

| Nicole Martin|Leave a comment

Do you need money for awesome youth programming at your library? Of course you do! As part of my library’s grant writing team (a tag team comprised of myself and the awesome librarian/superhero Katie Holahan) I am always on the lookout for funding opportunities. Nancy Baumann and Lisa McClure presented a great session this afternoon that provided practical, helpful tips on writing successful grants for anyone in need of funding. In addition to a wealth of suggestions for grant opportunities session attendees were also given an overview of McClure’s “inspiration to execution” tactics for grant writing. She suggests following the “6 Cs” when pursuing a funding opportunity. 1. Consider: Think about the funder’s mission compared to your library’s mission. Do they align? Be sure to know your youth trends and research. Consider yourself and what distinguishes you from other applicants. 2. Convince: It is important to demonstrate the need for…

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Blogger Dan Bostrom

Institute Tips: The Do’s and Don’ts of #alsc14

| Dan Bostrom|1 Comment

So you’re going to the 2014 ALSC National Institute in Oakland, California. Or…you’re not. Either way, you can participate. The conversations that happen at the Institute will inevitably spill over into social media and that is a beautiful thing. We put together a do’s and don’ts list to help those participating on both sides: on-site and online: Do: Check out this Steve Sheinkin video from the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting Yup. He’s our Thursday evening opener! Don’t: Be Timid About Becoming a Live-Blogger We’re still looking for live-bloggers for the Institute! Don’t be shy. There are people out there depending on you to report your favorite programs, speakers, moments, places to eat, and exciting new ideas. You can participate by simply emailing ALSC Blog Manager Mary Voors. Do: Join the Conversation We’ll be tweeting, posting information to Facebook and live-blogging via the ALSC Blog. A few hashtags for your consideration: #alsc14,…

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