Tag: Safety

Blogger Annaliese Melvin

Discussing Body Safety with Children

| Anna Melvin|Leave a comment
Logo for the Erin Levitas Foundation with a red flower on the left, and black text on the right that reads "Erin Levitas Foundation." Each leaf of the flower has a different word in white typeface. The words read: change, heal, educate, respect, listen.

In the fall of last year, ALSC blogger Eleanor Howell-Shryock highlighted ways that she models consent in her story time at the library. As she mentioned in her post, this practice comes from the desire to help children learn bodily autonomy and to foster a culture that prevents sexual violence. After reading her article, I also thought about additional ways that the library might support caregivers in having these conversations outside of the library. This is when a local partnership began to take root.

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Blogger Chelsey Roos

Storytime Safety Plans and Other Things I Didn’t Learn in Library School

| Charlie|Leave a comment

In library school, I took a lot of children’s classes. A class about evaluating children’s literature. A class about planning programs. Even a class devoted entirely to storytelling. But there are some things I never learned in school. I never learned how to make safety plans to escort a performer out of a library event turned threatening. I never learned how to respond to online accusations about the supposed predatory nature of LGBTQIA+ books. As book challenges sky-rocket and board meetings become hostile, what does it look like for new library staff to be well-prepared for the profession?

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ALA Annual 2018

#alaac18: Staying Safe in New Orleans

| Guest Contributor|Leave a comment

There are under 3 weeks left until the ALA Annual! As the Chair of ALSC’s Local Arrangements Committee, I’m feeling that nervous combination of anticipation and excitement, like I’m the hostess for the biggest party I’ve ever imagined. And because I feel like all of the ALSC members in particular, and ALA members in general, are like friends or extended family, I want to make sure everyone stays safe while you’re here in my hometown. Most ALA Annual events are taking place in the Warehouse District, the area surrounding the Morial Convention Center. There are a lot of great restaurants and museums that you could experience just staying in that area, but I highly recommend also traveling across Canal Street and visiting the historic French Quarter. And just on the far side of the French Quarter is Frenchman Street in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, which is home to some of…

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