One of the most rewarding aspects of my time as an ALSC member has been the opportunity to serve as committee co-chair. I have served as co-chair of what was once the Public Awareness Committee, then stayed on as the committee merged with Advocacy, now known as the Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee. I am now in my second year as co-chair of the Membership Committee. Committee chairing is not for everyone. You can get so much out of ALSC membership without stepping into a leadership position. Webinars, We Are ALSC chats, and committee work are all incredibly beneficial. For those interested, here are some things I have gotten out of my time as co-chair. Co-chairing a committee is a great way to gain professional leadership experience. When applying for my current management position, I was able to use my ALSC experience to prove my leadership abilities. Duties such as…
Tag: We are ALSC Chats
Recap of Solidarity in the Face of Censorship
On Thursday, April 3rd the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee held a We Are ALSC Chat titled “Solidarity in the Face of Censorship: Meeting You Where You Are”. A representative from the Office for Intellectual Freedom, Sarah Lamdan, graciously joined the discussion to offer advice and answer questions. The ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee would like to thank all those who attended and share the brilliant notes taken by IFC member Judy Ehrenstein. Question: What is OIF hearing? Is there any good news? There is good news! When challenges go to court, IF frequently wins. A judge ruled against the removal of books in the Elizabeth, CO school district, and all removed items had to be returned to shelves. https://www.cpr.org/2025/04/04/judge-orders-elizabeth-school-district-return-banned-books/ Litigation is the last step and is expensive and takes time. Groups such as the ACLU, NAACP, and the Legal Defense Fund have been supportive of libraries in cases of book bans….
Learning About Partnerships Through “We Are ALSC Chats”
A feature of ALSC that I (regrettably) just discovered is the “We Are ALSC Chats.” Truthfully, the only reason it came to my attention is because our Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee hosted one. I’m glad I was finally introduced, though, because I found it inspiring. So, when thinking about what to blog about, I decided I should write about these chats for some of you that, like me, might not have heard about them. It also provides me with a great vessel to share some of the awesome partnerships mentioned. The first question is naturally, what are “We Are ALSC Chats?” They are informal, non-recorded, chats held via Zoom that are open to all members and even non-members. Most importantly, they’re designed to build community and foster networking amongst library professionals in children’s services. This feels especially important these days! Each chat is hosted by one of the ALSC…
Solidarity in the Face of Censorship: Meeting You Where You Are
Are you a librarian or supporter of the freedom to read with concerns about current attacks on intellectual freedom and how they affect front-line library staff? The ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee hopes to alleviate some concerns for librarians and other staff about attacks on the Library Bill of Rights. All are invited to join a live We are ALSC Chat on Thursday, April 3, at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST. A representative from ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (ALA-OIF) will answer questions about how libraries can prepare for challenges and how to respond to current challenges from state governments and local residents. Click here to register. We hope to see you there! Featured image courtesy of ALSC