As students around the country prepare to go back to school, it’s time to think about beginning our new ALSC year together.
Back to School? Back to ALSC
Tag: resources
Connecting Families to Resources
Libraries are no longer just hallowed halls of books and learning. They have adapted throughout time, always meeting the needs of the patrons and the greater community. First, computers, then internet access. Nowadays, it’s common practice for libraries to offer services such as homework help and career services, food programming with local food banks, and even resource closets with household supplies. They partner with government agencies, local housing networks, and more.
Resources for Families
Since re-opening to the public, the libraries in my system have encountered more and more families in need of referrals to other agencies for food, other essentials, support for special needs, parenting, etc. We are especially finding this in our Kindergarten Readiness programming. More than half of these children’s lives have been lived since the pandemic began, and, understandably, parents have been at times reluctant to have their children involved in activities outside of the home, even regarding assistance for special needs. I am hopeful this trend will change now with the ability to vaccinate at 6 months. However, we will still see several cohorts of children affected by this isolation. Some of these needs the library can address directly. We work with our local foodbank to offer summer lunch programs at our eligible branches. All branches have granola bars available to feed hungry kids on demand. Several branches offer…
You Still Can’t Beat Free!
You Can’t Beat Free I can’t remember the first time I said “you can’t beat free” as a librarian — I think it was 2003. 17 years later, it’s still true. And public librarians – gosh – we can squeeze a nickle sideways, am I right? Well, if you’re done squeezing blood from a nickle, try FREE on for size! The Secret of My Success The secret of my success has been my ability to not just grant write, brainstorm and work with some amazing teams. More often than not, it’s my ability to locate free stuff. Lots of times, the free stuff snowballs into something mega, or just plain comes in handy. Many of my colleagues wonder how I’ve done it. It’s not that I fall backwards into free things for libraries. Oh contraire. Sorry, it’s a lot of work. Step One? “Oh, good!”, I hear you say. It’s…
ALA Resources with Library Staff
What favorite resources are you sharing with your library staff after #alaac17?
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…
Resources for Youth Services
Summer Reading is over! Many schools have already cranked up, and more will be getting going in the next couple of weeks. Fall, to me, means planning. I love doing long-term planning and reading materials that inspire me. I’ve compiled a list here of a few more non-traditional resources that we could all benefit from. I hope one or all of these sparks your creative ideas for the fall! Think Outside the Stacks – This is a TinyLetter newsletter written by Beth Saxon, also known as BethReads. Beth uses this newsletter to compile information that is relevant is YS librarians from outside the usual library sources–family blogs, news sources, museums, craft sites, educators. The title is apt. We have a lot to learn from people who aren’t librarians that also have interest in serving children and family, and Beth beautifully curates current, pertinent information. Fairy Dust Teaching Blog – Fairy Dust…
Diversity: Special Needs at #alamw15
Lately, I’ve been investigating and thinking about ways we serve young people with special needs, and how it ties in with the heightened focus on diversity. At yesterday’s “Diversity Matters: Stepping It Up With Action!,” publishers and librarians engaged in a fascinating dialogue about practical ways we can include all voices. We should: hire more diverse staff; reach out to authors from underrepresented backgrounds; do targeted outreach; and develop partnerships with community organizations. But, as many audience members pointed out, our efforts should not only address race, culture, and sexual orientation, but should also include people with special needs. Here are a few highlights of special needs resources found/represented at #alamw15: *Remarkable Books about Young People with Special Needs: Stories to Foster Understanding by Alison M. G. Follos (Huron Street Press, 2013) *Children with Disabilities in the Library – an ALSC online professional development course. *Schneider Family Book Award, which…