Pursuing excellence for library service to children
Winning During COVID So, winning a major award at just about any other time would come with a different set of emotions. Winning during COVID is like holding our breath all over again. The news, alerts and aid during COVID of course takes complete precedence. But, you know, we geeks really can’t wait to celebrate with everyone!
The Art of the Con The Art of the con or convention is a fine art, but thankfully for you fearless reader, we have on hand Elise VanCise, creator and coordinator of the Annual Astor Library Geek Fest, now in its fourth year! Elise is the young adult coordinator for the Astor County Library in sunny Astor, Florida. First Things First! J – For the purposes of this article, we’re going to focus on what it takes to plan, host, conduct and maintain a successful con. But first, what exactly is a Geek Fest and why would a library want to have one? VanCise – Geek Fest is the name we gave to our mini-comic con or convention. It’s a one-day con where we have cosplay, anything you geek is basically our theme – superheroes, science fiction, horror – anything you want! This year we have exhibitors that do everything…
Now that you’ve seen the new ALSC Competencies, do you need a refresh? 1. Commitment to Client Group. Because everyone deserves excellent library services. 2. Reference and User Services. Considering context and format of delivery, along with the information itself. 3. Programming Skills. Sometimes you need backup to keep it fresh. 4. Knowledge, Curation, and Management of Materials. When’s the last time you really looked at your collection? 5. Outreach and Advocacy. Saying it in a way they will hear it. 6. Administrative and Management Skills. (It can take a while to refine the art.) 7. Professionalism and Professional Development. This is just the beginning. Even when it seems like the middle. Just remember, let the Competencies guide you. Because the library: This post comes from the ALSC Education Committee. Images are not the property of ALSC; shared as commentary under fair use guidelines.