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12/01/2023
From the ALSC Blog
"I Have Glitter in My Hair, and You're Telling Me I Have to 'Network?'" - ALSC Blog When I started my first full-time youth services position back in the beginning of 2019, a word came up in those first conversations with my new coworkers that completely terrified me: networking. I had come from the world of teaching, and networking seemed like a very intimidating, corporate concep...
11/29/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Apply now for the "Light the Way" Grant - ALSC Blog Learn how to apply for the ALSC/Candlewick Light the Way grant for a project that seeks to engage an underserved population of children.
11/28/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Ready Ideas for Ready to Read: READ - ALSC Blog In the # # # of a five part series, learn about ways to incorporate the Every Child Ready to Read practice READ into your daily work.
11/27/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Supporting Dramatic Play in the Library - ALSC Blog Play is an integral part of childhood, and children experience play as intrinsically rewarding and intensely enjoyable. We also know that play in all its forms fosters children’s language, literacy, and cognition. It also provides rich developmental opportunities across all domains.
11/21/2023
Are you hosting a Día program in 2023-24? Complete the program registry form and make sure your event is counted in the Día national database and on the Día map.
11/19/2023
From the ALSC Blog
LEGO® Build to Give - ALSC Blog The LEGO® Build to Give program donates a set of Legos when you make a heart and share it on social media with .
11/17/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Organizing a banned book club in your school or library could be a worthwhile way to introduce children’s books that have been challenged or banned, as well as to discuss titles that focus on banning.
Children’s Books about Banning - ALSC Blog Children's books about banning
11/15/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Computational thinking is a way to break problems into parts to find a repeatable solution. Although CT can be applied to coding, it also works in other situations. It’s easiest to think of it as a tool for solving problems.
Computational Thinking, Preschoolers, and Work It Out Wombats - ALSC Blog Children’s librarians play an important role in encouraging early literacy through instruction and modeling. But we can go beyond reading literacy and introduce early learners to 21st century competencies that will help them navigate their connected world. One key competency is Computational Think...
11/10/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Collaborating with Colleagues - ALSC Blog Collaborating with non-Youth Services colleagues is a great way to incorporate other ideas when creating a library program.
11/09/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
2024 Slate of ALSC Candidates - ALSC Blog Learn more about the 2024 Slate of ALSC Candidates and the importance of bringing YOUR leadership abilities to ALSC.
11/08/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Virtual Program - AB Kids - ALSC Blog AB Kids is a virtual storytime series hosted each fall at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Nicole Cooke, the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair for the School of Information Science and the team from the South Carolina Center for Community Literacy work together to bring families and school age childr...
11/07/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Summer Reading: Let's Work Together - ALSC Blog When my role was a Children’s Librarian, I was working at my first branch in the inner city inNew York. Children and their caregivers would often come to the library with long reading listshoping that we had anything on their list at the branch. We often would ask the students comingin during the ...
11/06/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Spreading Book Joy All November Long - ALSC Blog Book joy! Yes…I know you are thinking…at the end of every library…there is book joy. These familiar lyrics are from the theme song of Reading Rainbow, a children’s television series featuring stories from around the world. From 1983 to 2006, Reading Rainbow was dedicated to encouraging the l...
From the ALSC Blog: Finding the Math in Children's Storytimes
Learn how to include math concepts in storytime to significantly increase reading and attention skills.
https://bit.ly/40jPhV1
11/01/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Program Evaluation: From Feedback to Flourish - ALSC Blog Use insightful library program evaluation and innovation to transform programming. Dive deep into actionable steps for continuous growth.
10/31/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Middle Grade Horror Fiction - ALSC Blog Do you get chills when you handle questions about middle grade horror fiction? Fear not!
10/30/2023
From the ALSC Blog
ESL at Home: English Language Learner Family Literacy Kits - ALSC Blog Learn more about developing English Language Learner Family Literacy Kits for your community!
10/28/2023
From the ALSC Blog!
More Than Just a Board Book - ALSC Blog Learn how a board book can feature diverse characters and provide a sense of belonging and self-confidence to kids
10/27/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Advocacy Efforts through Intellectual Freedom - ALSC Blog Although “Banned Books Week” is over for this year and most of us have stowed away the caution tape displays, I am inspired to think more about intellectual freedom as an effective advocacy tool during the entire year. What if I just want to talk to others about why kids need to see themselves i...
10/25/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Middle Grade Novels: Discovery Stories - ALSC Blog Middle grade novels are often discovery stories–who am I? What is my place in the world? These three diverse books are no exception, and I hope you enjoy reading them and recommending them as much as I have.
10/24/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Developing Social Skills . . . in Your Staff - ALSC Blog The erosion of workers’ social skills has been a casualty of the pandemic. How can supervisors work to re-instill or polish good soft skills?
10/23/2023
ALA's Carnegie-Whitney Grant awards up to $5,000 for guides to library resources...
Carnegie-Whitney Grant awards up to $5,000 for guides to library resources The American Library Association Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes, or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at any type of library. Funded projects have ranged from...
10/23/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Hello! My Name is… - ALSC Blog Most youth librarians can attest to the benefits that arise when you learn the names of their young customers. When I greet children by name, they are often surprised initially surprised that I know them. The next reaction is to smile. This simple gesture gives young patrons actual proof that we a...
10/21/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Ready Ideas for Ready to Read: WRITE - ALSC Blog In the 2nd of a five part series, learn about ways to incorporate the Every Child Ready to Read practice WRITE into your daily work.
10/19/2023
From the ALSC Blog!
Early Literacy Program Ideas for Your Library! - ALSC Blog Check out these early literacy program ideas that you can create at your library to incorporate all five early literacy practices!
10/18/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
The Latest ALSC News - ALSC Blog Lots of ALSC news to share! From Institute proposals and professional award applications to a new toolkit and member-exclusive webinar.
10/17/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Interactive Flannel Boards - ALSC Blog Interactive flannel boards are simple and inexpensive manipulatives that are great for early literacy and make a wonderful passive activity.
10/16/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Picture Book Playtime: An Inclusive, ECRR-Inspired Early Literacy Program Model - ALSC Blog I have not run storytime in a long time as I left the library to start teaching in a MLIS program almost 5 years ago. Not going to lie, I really miss working with little kids and their grown-ups! One of the last programs I ran was called Picture Book Playtime. It is a simple station-based program th...
10/15/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Celebrating Diwali with a STEAM Activity: Fostering Cultural Competency in Libraries - ALSC Blog As librarians, we strive to create inclusive spaces that celebrate diversity and promote cultural understanding. Diwali, also known as Deepavali or the Festival of Lights, is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world. Typically lasting for five days, it is observed by Hindu, Sikh, Jain...
10/14/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Maybe your next Mock Award Program should be a Mock Batchelder - ALSC Blog Learn more about how your school, library, or book club could offer a Mock Batchelder Award program prior to the YMA announcements!
10/13/2023
From the ALSC Blog
Movement and Mindfulness Storytimes - ALSC Blog Combining movement and mindfulness into storytimes is popular with both preschool classes and early elementary outreach visits.
10/12/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Preparedness is Key to Handling Materials Challenges - ALSC Blog I recently had a parent complain at length about a book in the children’s collection. It was the first complaint I have had in close to 20 years. But I was ready, because I knew what to say and how to say it. It’s not news that book challenges are on the rise, along with hate crimes. Even in m...
10/11/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
Mobile Outreach to Underserved Families: No Budget? No Problem! - ALSC Blog Library outreach in 2023 continues to evolve and include services for underserved families more than ever. While there was previously a strong lack of information on the topic, there are now many more librarians researching, writing articles, and sharing their processes and success stories to enable...
10/09/2023
From the ALSC Blog...
One More Thing - Afterschool Engagement - ALSC Blog Back to school season is go time in the children's room, and there is always room for one more addition to encourage afterschool engagement.
10/08/2023
From the ALSC Blog
2025 ALSC Award Committee Appointments - ALSC Blog 2025 ALSC Award committee appointments are about to be made. Learn how you can submit your name to be considered for an appointment.
05/18/2023
Mark your calendars for the INFORMAL ALSC member meet up Friday evening ~5pm - details forthcoming!
Busy that Friday evening? Not going to Annual? Join ALSC TODAY for our quarterly member meet-up @ 5pm ET / 4pm CT / 3pm MT / 2pm PT. Register now:
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: ALSC Virtual Gathering. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: ALSC Virtual Gathering. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Reminder: applications are DUE TODAY!
Host sites will be supported with a $2,000 honorarium to help in hosting an AMAZING lecture and lecturer.
Public, school, and university libraries are encouraged to apply!
Happy Children's Day/Book Day! Share these free book lists for kids and families to enjoy and celebrate stories representing diverse cultures and backgrounds all year long!
2023 Día Reading Lists The 2023 Día booklists provide engaging stories representing a variety of cultures and backgrounds to share with children from birth through 8th grade. Birth through PreK K to Grade 2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8The 2022 Día reading lists provide engaging stories representing a vari...
Hey all - the 2023 Children's Literature Lecture was AH-MAZING. And we know 2024 with the incredible Rita Williams-Garcia is going to be equally incredible.
If you don't want to miss out on hearing from Rita, consider applying to host the lecture! Any school, university, or public library is WELCOME to apply, and ALSC offers host sites an honorarium to help support the work and production of hosting the lecture.
Check out the ALSC website (https://bit.ly/chill2024) for more information and a link to the application, which closes on 5/1!
04/10/2023
ICYMI: The 2023 ALSC Summer Reading lists are now available!
Help kids and families find exciting, quality books to read throughout the summer months! Divided up by age range, ALSC lists are compiled by a volunteer committee of ALSC members and include brief descriptions of the books. There's a title for everyone!
(This ALSC-er's kids are excited to read "Boop the Snoot" and "Creepy Crayon" - which books are your favorite titles this year, or on your to-read list?)
ALSC’s 2023 summer reading lists, including digital media picks, are here!
Keep kids engaged in reading and exploring all summer. Download the FREE lists packed with exciting & fun titles for kids birth through grade 8: http://bit.ly/40R9HU8
Camp of Dreams Camp of Dreams is a program for Chicago youth ages 8-18 that provides cultural and educational enric
Auditorium Theatre Committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, and community programming to Chicago.
Working In The Schools - WITS WITS creates opportunities for every student in Chicago to be literate.
826CHI 826CHI is a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying Chicago youth voices through the power of writing.
Reference Services Section (RSS) Represents the interests of front line librarians, information specialists & support staff engaged i
Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection Our mission is to engage workplace adults in structured activities that make a life-changing differen
Pivot Point International Pivot Point is a world-wide leader in beauty education, hair, and tools. #LearnForward
Dancing With Class Innovative School-Based Dance Programs for Grades K-12 - Youth Outreach Division of May I Have This
Association of College & Research Libraries ACRL - Advancing Learning, Transforming Scholarship
IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law Alumni Association Haven't heard from Chicago-Kent in a while? We may not have your current contact information. Update