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Pursuing excellence for library service to children Toggle navigation Home About Contact Page Advertise gers Blog Policy 2024 Mock YMA Election Results Page Questions Blogger Intellectual Freedom Committee Book Résumés May 14, 2024 May 9, 2024 | ALSC Intellectual Freedom committee | Leave a comment The Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2023 were announced early last month. As I reviewed the titles that made the list, I learned about a powerful resource: Book Résumés. Unite Against Book Bans and the publishing community have teamed up to create an incredible resource for anyone encountering book challenges. A book résumé contains a synopsis, reviews, awards, accolades, and links to resources and relevant media. These are the types of resources that professionally-trained librarians and educators use when they select books. A book résumé may also include information about how the title has been successfully retained in schools and public libraries where it has been challenged”. The amount of book résumés extend beyond the top ten most challenged titles. During these unprecedented times thousands of books face censorship” so the website is updated on a regular basis. I’m impressed with how accessible and robust this resource is. As… Continue Reading Guest Blogger The Magic of Big: A Month of Read-Alouds and Great Conversations May 13, 2024 May 13, 2024 | Guest Contributor | Leave a comment When I made the jump from a public library to a public elementary school in January 2024, I took with me my eager anticipation for that year’s Youth Media Award announcements, and walked into a situation where I was given extensive curricular freedom. As I planned out my curriculum for the rest of the semester, I thought of the books I enjoyed reading aloud, I planned an entire author/illustrator study on Jon Klassen, and dreamed of Dewey Decimal System races. Continue Reading Blogger Children and Technology Committee Unplug and Recharge With Screen-Free Fun at the Library May 11, 2024 May 10, 2024 | ALSC Children and Technology committee | Leave a comment International Screen-Free Week (May 6 – 12, 2024) is wrapping up tomorrow and it seems like a good opportunity to talk about ways libraries and library workers can support children and their parents and caregivers in this very important aspect of media literacy – developing habits around media use that support healthy development and wellbeing. Screen-Free Week is an annual celebration in May that encourages children to turn off screens in order to connect with family, friends, nature, and their own creativity. The organizing nonprofit, Fairplay has a wealth of resources for libraries, schools and communities who wish to participate, including organizing kids, pledges, handouts, and a list of fun screen-free activity ideas (I shared these at storytime this week). Conversations around screen time can be fraught with worry and judgment, so I love any opportunity to celebrate the joy of unplugging and share resources without shaming parents and caregivers…. Continue Reading Blogger AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Committee Genrefying a Non-Fiction Collection May 10, 2024 May 9, 2024 | AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Committee on School-Public Library Cooperation (SPLC | Leave a comment Several years ago, I genrefied my non-fiction collection. We committed a full school year to the project and I want to outline the process for any school or public librarians who are considering similar work. Here are the steps involved: Continue Reading ALA Annual 2024 A Little Bit of Something for Everyone at #ALAAC24 May 8, 2024 April 24, 2024 | Guest Contributor | Leave a comment It’s almost that time of year again when library workers from all over the country flock to the American Library Association (ALA) annual conference to learn about fresh ideas and new resources that they can implement at their libraries. As a member of the ALSC Programming Committee, I had the amazing opportunity to be involved in selecting sessions that will be held at the 2024 ALA Conference. This year in San Diego, attendees seeking fresh ideas, new learning experiences, and building connections in libraries will be in for a memorable conference. There are a variety of sessions that will appeal to all. Some of the sessions that were selected this year by the ALSC Programming Committee include celebrating the power of authentic and diverse representation in Muslim stories, creating Autism ready spaces by designing inclusive early literacy programs, and supporting children by activating their mind and body through non-fiction picture books. I’d… Continue Reading Blogger ALSC Membership Committee All About Volunteering: Become an ALSC Administrative Assistant May 7, 2024 April 19, 2024 | ALSC Membership Committee | 1 Comment Learn about volunteering as an ALSC Administrative Assistant for the Notable Children’s Books committee. Continue Reading Commitment to Client Group Top Tips for Working with Kids (When You Don’t Usually Work with Kids) May 5, 2024 April 12, 2024 | Guest Contributor | Leave a comment You never signed up to work with kids, you never expected to work with kids… and yet, here you are, covering the Children’s Department. This is a pretty common scenario, and it can be frustrating for people who worry they’re out of their depth or those who just feel rusty or out of place. Even for people who have had children of their own, suddenly dealing with strangers’ children can be an alarming experience! Continue Reading Blogger Library Service to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers committee Is Your Summer Reading Program equitable? May 4, 2024 May 2, 2024 | ALSC Library Service to Underserved Children and Their Caregivers | 1 Comment I look at the calendar and I inwardly shudder. T-minus twenty-three (23) days until summer reading begins! Scholastic boxes are arriving. We are actively training new staff. We are brainstorming decoration ideas to the theme Adventure Begins at Your Library.” It is an exciting time to be in a library. However, I personally always have an existential crisis when it comes time to a formal summer reading program. It’s not that I do not support having a program. I firmly acknowledge the summer slide and what the lack of consistent reading and learning does to a children’s educational progress. I know it is an opportunity for kiddos to read whatever they want and that is key to developing a love of reading. But my issue is always with the program itself. Last year, I began a personal mission to start looking at how equitable my library’s summer reading was. 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