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Hi everyone! My name is Helen Swinyard & I’m one of your guest bloggers throughout the #ALAMW16 conference in Boston. I will be one of a team sharing my thoughts about my first ever American Library Association conference! I am very excited to be visiting Boston & finding out a little more about what’s happening in the US library scene  – especially in school libraries. Please do tweet me @HelenSwinyard throughout the conference. I am looking forward to connecting with you all – even if you’re #ALAleftbehind ! I’m also hoping to start some school links between my school and some US ones!

You can find out more about my day job on our blog https://heartlandshighschoolharingeylibrary.wordpress.com/ or the school website http://heartlands.haringey.sch.uk/curriculum-2/library/ or on @LibraryHHS @HHSHaringey

The post #ALAMW16 Introducing British librarian Helen Swinyard! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

After the holidays, in just over 5 weeks, thousands of librarians will be heading to Boston for ALA’s Midwinter Conference.

The ALA Midwinter Meeting, to be held January 8th through the 12th, brings together more than 10,000 leaders in the library and information industry for some 2,000 meetings and events.  The exhibit hall features the latest in books, videos, computers and other materials.  And, of course, a highlight of the Midwinter Conference is the announcement of the Youth Media Awards, including the Newbery and Caldecott Awards.

Are you heading to Boston for these meetings? If so, the ALSC Blog would love to have you volunteer to help those who are #leftbehind by writing short pieces telling about the people you are meeting and the meetings you are attending as well as offering information about what you are experiencing and learning. It’s easy and fun, and is a powerful tool for sharing information with other librarians. Take a look through our live blogging archives to read some of the information which has been shared from past conferences.

Sound interesting? Sound fun? Sound like something you’d like to do?  Contact Mary Voors at [email protected] with your questions or to volunteer to liveblog from Midwinter.

The post Wanted: Live Bloggers at #alamw16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

#alasc15 is officially done! I can’t believe another conference has wrapped. It’s an event that I look forward to all year long! There is no better opportunity to reconnect with grad school friends, committee/group members, and meet new friends!!

Takeaways from this year:

Book fever/ Book FOMO were real conditions! Even though it was not my first exhibit, I felt myself (along with my peers) get swept up with book fever or FOMO (fear of missing out)! I kept grabbing books like a Black Friday shopper! As my conference roomie pointed out, the exhibit hall felt like the arcade scene from Percy Jackson– you could lose time and life force as you walked along!
After shipping back three boxes– I realized next time I need to have more discretion and pack an empty suitcase!

Award Receptions:
I won a scholarship this year to attend #alaac15 from the Freedom to Read Foundation. http://www.ftrf.org/news/232420/FTRF-names-Amy-Steinbauer-and-Gretchen-LeCheminant-as-Conable-Scholarship-recipients.htm
Since they paid for all the big expenses, I treated myself to three paid events- the Printz Award reception where I got to get loads of face time with one of my favorite authors-Jandy Nelson! If you love YA- this is a cool event to hear from YA authors and meet other librarians!

As I’ve reported before, I also went to the Bookmobile Lunch and the Caldecott/Newbery Awards receptions.

In the future, I may not be able to go to all– but if there’s an area you really love- treat yourself to a special event! They are lots of fun!

Networking:
I have two mentors- one from NMRT’s conference mentoring program last year, and one from the ALSC mentoring program. Annual is a great time for face to face interactions with them!

But, there are opportunities for networking everywhere at annual! Walking lost through a hotel, waiting for a shuttle, or geeking out about an author! Carry your business cards and your smile– and they will take you far! Having a ribbon with my Twitter handle gave me real connections with Twitter people– which was really fun!!

#alaac15 was awesome! Can’t wait to do it all again next year! Thanks for reading all my adventures!!

Amy Steinbauer is an Early Childhood Outreach Librarian in Beaumont, CA. Follow her on Twitter @Merbrarian

The post Free books, receptions, networking, and more at #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

#alaac15 is all over. I’m back home in Denver, catching up on sleep, non-conference emails, and enjoying non-restaurant food. This is also a great time to reflect on all the amazing things that happened while I was at conference. The day before the conference began, my husband and I took the BART to downtown Berkeley and ate a delicious meal at Cafe Gratitude. The vegan menu requires diners to order their meals with gratitude. “I’ll have the I am Honoring [nachos] and the I am Luscious [chocolate smoothie].” It might sound cheesy (or should I say “non-dairy cheesy”?), but looking back on my conference experience there are so many things for which I’m grateful.

I am Rejuvenated [wheatgrass cleanser]
The spirit of sharing and collaboration at ALA conferences is one of the reasons I return each year. Sessions like Program-a-Looza, Guerrilla Storytime, and Diversity Dynamism: Mixing Resources and Making Connections have given me so many ideas to try at my own library or tuck away for future use.

I am Magical [black bean burger]
Hearing the inspiring words of so many authors and illustrators at award ceremonies and publisher events was magical. I was especially touched by the speeches at the Coretta Scott King Awards Breakfast and the Newbery-Caldecott Banquet. These artists impressed me with their dedication to their art and to young readers everywhere.

I am Passionate [Orange, carrot, ginger juice]
There are so many passionate, intelligent, and thoughtful individuals who attend ALA conferences. I look forward to wonderful discussions with my colleagues from across the country. This year was no exception. From favorite books to programming ideas, from diversity to the ethnics of reviewing, I have gained a deeper understanding of many topics through the passionate words of others.

Thanks ALA and ALSC for such a wonderful conference! I’m sad that it’s over, but I’m looking forward to more rejuvenation, magic, and passion at Midwinter! Hope to see you all in Boston!

The post Gratitude appeared first on ALSC Blog.

• The Sunnyvale Library Make-HER blog offers fantastic inspiration. From: Conversation Starter: From Maker to Make-HER: Leveling the STEM Playing Field for Girls.
• Look at your existing resources people, meeting rooms, digital, etc.   Are you using them to their greatest potential?  From  Session: So You Didn’t Get the Awesome Teen DigiTechnoSuperLab: Now What?  Joslyn Jones was funny, smart and offered valuable information.
• Change is inevitable.  When the work environment is in transition, most everyone experiences anxiety.  You can control your situation in the long-term.  Transform yourself.  Make yourself more valuable to your library and community.   From: No Sugarcoating Allowed: Four Honest Perspectives on Change Management.
• Social media is a powerful tool that can be used to connect not only with our customer base, but also with authors.  Virtual author visits anyone?  From: riding the shuttle bus with the energetic and cool School Librarian and ALSC Live Blogger Stacey Rattner.
• Moving outside your comfort zone is a good thing.  Librarians are naturally helpful.  So if you need help navigating your first conference or getting a ride to the airport when it is all over, just ask.   ALSC also has a mentor program.  You can check it out here.
• If you can’t make it to an in person event, try these online learning opportunities offered by ALSC.

I had a wonderful time at #alaac15.  I enjoyed learning and sharing with the amazing librarians, writers and artists.  Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and making my experience so grand.

Angela Chadbourne
Youth Services Librarian
Santa Clarita Public Library

The post My Top Transforming Takeaways from #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Library games at #alaac15

When all the conference work is over and done, you can go to Library Games to have some fun!

Library Games is a night of challenges, boldness, and laughter, typically held on the Monday evening of annual.
Last year, I checked it out with some friends– we were cramped in an overly hot room watching our peers compete in various library challenges. This year, we stepped up to the plate. Our team– Punk Ass Book Jockeys (bonus points if you get the reference) competed in Library Trivia, Lip Synching, Flannel Board, Book Talk for Your Life, and Battle Decks!

Library Trivia– 10 questions on library history/ pop culture references. I think all teams utilized the lifelines to switch their answers with a random audience member.

Lip Synching– The obvious winner chose a Miley Cyrus song- Wrecking Ball– and she delivered! My team went with “Smells Like Team Spirit” and we all jumped in to headbang and rock out!

Flannel Board– My competition. Category- randomly picked– Dealing with Board of Trustees. Must use 20 random pieces in 2 minute story– I used 15– whew, time goes by quick!

Book Talk for Your Life– Choose a book and sell it! Our group won this category with a romantic tale of “Slugs in Love”, which she had actually borrowed from the SF public library!

Battle decks– Could you give a spontaneous presentation on an unknown topic with Meme slides? It’s just about as hard and as hysterical as it sounds!

Join the games next year!! They start recruiting via social media a few months before conference! It’s a great time for being silly with new friends! Everyone is supportive of the efforts!!

We came in third out of four, I’ll take it for our first try! Watch out, Orlando- we’re coming for the win!

Amy Steinbauer is an Early Childhood Outreach Librarian in Beaumont, CA. Follow her on twitter @Merbrarian.

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Last year my mentor treated me to a Caldecott/Newbery awards ticket and it was a magical night that I refer to as the library Oscars! People are dressed in fancy dresses, and everyone is bubbling with excitement to hear the speeches and celebrate! This year, as I made my selections for ALA events, it seemed like I just had to go back! The ticket is pricy– but it is a magical night!

Winner of the 2015 Caldecott, Dan Santan gave a thoughtful speech about the struggle to keep believing in your dreams and the hard work of what it takes to succeed.

Winner of the 2015 Newbery award, Kwame Alexander gave a performance that buzzed through his life and reminded us that with the belief in greatness can propel you to fulfill your destiny!

Winner of the 2015 Wilder award, Donald Crews wove an interesting story of a somewhat reluctant path to children’s literature, and how the love of a good woman can inspire!

Afterwards, there is a receiving line where you can make small talk/shake hands/ hug some if the years greatest creators of children’s books! It is the best part of the evening, especially if you work with the texts of the winners– it’s an opportunity to geek out with people you love and admire!

I had to stop children’s book collaborators and besties Mac Barnett and Jon Klassan, to take a pic of my besties on besties! Take a look:

Amy Steinbauer is the Early Childhood Outreach Librarian from Beaumont, CA. Follow her on twitter– @Merbrarian.

The post #alaac15 Caldecott/Newbery Reception appeared first on ALSC Blog.

As I’m packing up my stuff and moving on home, I’m so grateful to ALA for providing me the opportunity to grow and learn. Thanks not only for the memories but for all the exciting things I am going to take back with me. Next up is Boston in JANUARY! I can’t wait to see what I will take away from that adventure in snowy (but hopefully not to snowy) Boston!

The post #alaac15 Leaving Las Vegas- Wait! That was last year! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Sonia Manzano, Auditorium Speaker

If you ever wondered who Sonia Manzano’s (“Maria” from Sesame Street) favorite Muppet is, here’s her answer: Oscar the Grouch. “He’s negative.” He acts anywhere from age 80 to 8. He stirs up conflict in an otherwise harmonious neighborhood, and this conflict leads to stories.

In fact, Manzano’s new memoir, “Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx” (Scholastic) is all about conflict–her tumultuous childhood in the Bronx, her Puerto Rican roots, and her longing for a “Leave it to Beaver” type of stability. With Maria, she was able to act out (and later, write scripts about) a character that children in inner cities could relate to, and provide them with storylines that offered satisfying resolutions–something they may seldom get in real life. She could be a mirror for these kids, an escape from a hard home life, and a role model.

Manzano thinks her difficult childhood lead to her success. Not in spite of her challenges, but because of her challenges, she was able to become a great actor, writer, and humanitarian.

She spoke quite a bit about the importance of empathy. Sure, people tell their kids to “Be nice.” But what about going beyond that? She questions why some people are afraid to let kids read sad stories. In books, readers are able to connect with characters and feel the deep emotions that dwell within them. It’s the perfect avenue for building empathy, and she believes we should consciously instill this value in children.

Manzano was a fabulous speaker. Many of us in the audience grew up watching her on television, and looked to her as one of the really inspirational and comforting adult figures in our lives. Manzano advocated for television; she pointed out that sometimes TV is a much-needed escape for some children, and that, like a book, it’s just the jumping off point for the imagination: What happens to characters when they’re not on TV, how does the story continue when the set is off? Kids with the freedom to imagine can, and will, grow up to be resourceful and successful adults.

The post Empathy and Oscar the Grouch: Sonia Manzano #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Anyone care to Find the DISRUPTIVE bone in your body?

Disrupt: : to cause (something) to be unable to continue in the normal way : to interrupt the normal progress or activity of (something)

As I walked from event to event in  San Francisco, rode the shuttle buses and rubbed elbows at the sit down and stand up events, I really wanted to know what it was like to be in other people’s library world and to get a sense of  their challenges.

So I asked people this question, “What would you do to be disruptive in your library world?”

That word disruptive hit some people instantly as something negative and unruly. There was a little bit of fear in the first hearing of it.

But being librarians they pushed past the fear and really thought about it. I heard about school librarians who work in more than one building.

I met librarians who come in to different libraries in their district and who see librarians who are holding on to “their system” and “their way of doing things.” One story was about a librarian who shelved all of the Barbie and Batman books (etc.) by author significantly challenging anyone to find more than one book on these characters.

I heard about the struggle a public library system has to create a partnership with their public school system.

I heard about the fight to “teach” the community about the VALUE of libraries and what we have to offer.

I thought about the long line of librarians who have been fighting the good fight for so many years and remembered this piece I’d seen recently.

In October 1945 the ALA Executive Board dedicated a morning to explore the future of librarianship. Here are some quotes from this ALA Executive Board meeting from 70 years ago (and the source is the A.L.A. Bulletin published in February 1946.)

****************

“If the profession seems to lack dynamism some of the responsibility rests with administrators. All too many still hold professional members to routine work and give what seem valid reasons why all must take their turn at essential clerical tasks.

We need an improved type of professional personnel, a conception of administration which would make use of all the thinking, all the ideas and potential planning of the entire professional body in an institution, not just of departmental heads.

Personally, I believe in the Campbell soup method. It is very nearly impossible to pick up a magazine without coming face to face with a colorful Campbell soup advertisement or a glamorous liquor ad. The first makes you hungry and the second makes you want to go right out and imbibe. This method must be good. Even religion is catching on. “Go to church next Sunday” is the exhortation I’ve been noticing on billboards and in magazines these last few years.

I should like to know what an advertising campaign on a national scale would do for libraries. I’d be willing to wager that it would up their status as a matter of course. Communities generally get what they want if they want it hard enough, and when the people as a whole get library conscious they will tend to demand better libraries.

As to coverage, brought into the picture by Mr. Richards, Mr. Ulveling, and Miss Rothrock — deploring the low percentage of use of libraries –I agree that it is deplorable, but I am convinced that the answer is not just a question of obtaining finances for exploiting all the new devices — the film, the record, the phonograph, television — which will insure us a new dynamism, but something more basic, even more fundamental, important as that is, than a reorganization which will free the heads of departments, as Miss Herbert urges, “to do the thinking and planning.”

****************

This board in 1945 was shouting out the need to be disruptive, to let new ideas push through, to invite librarians at all levels in the organization to create new ideas and make the library synonymous with the word dynamic.  Does any of this sound familiar?

So now it’s your turn…… “What would you do to be disruptive in your library system?”

The post #ALAAC15 The Disruptive Bone in YOUR Body! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

As Lizette Serano took the stage for the Scholastic Preview yesterday some of her first and best words were, “BE WHO YOU ARE.” We were about to be treated to Readers’ Theater by Jennifer Nielsen, Jennifer Holm, Alex Gino, Craig Thompson, Jon Muth and Dav Pilkey.

I had to run at the end of that fabulous event… I mean, really, Dav Pilkey doing the sound effects for other people’s stories? Uh YEAHHHHH…..and between that ballroom and my awaiting suitcase were the crowds lining the sidewalks and lampposts on Market Street.

The Gay Pride Parade was in full swing. The marchers and riders in the parade were exciting and colorful but the ROAR of the crowd that rolled down the street…that was where the goosebumps started.

I cannot even begin to describe the variety of human beings in the crowd. The best outfit I saw was created by a young lady who had made a rainbow dress out of flip flops. Tiers of flip flops encircled her beginning with red at the top and making its way through stacked rows of orange, yellow, green …you get the idea…flip flops ..a full length affair… Gorgeous!

It just struck me how authentic these people were being. How they were letting their “self” shine through even though that self might be a little different.

We all belong here in this library world. Some of us choose to serve on Committees with a capital C. Some of us choose to blog and shout out the news of the latest books. Some of us want to work with one person at a time outside of the limelight. Some of us want to be able to hand a child that very special book that sets off the reading explosion. Some of us guard the good treasure that has been created for years. Some of us look to create new treasure.

So, pick out your flip flops…whatever color you love and know you are a valuable part of this rainbow.

The post #ALAAC2015 Be Who You Are appeared first on ALSC Blog.

In addition to the Gay Pride celebrations in San Francisco this weekend, we  also had an opportunity to celebrate & honor award-winning authors as they accepted their well-deserved accolades.

You can now read the acceptance speeches online.  (How cool is that?) Just click to download and read the speeches.

Batchelder  [PDF – 652K]

Belpré  [PDF – 595K]

Caldecott  [PDF – 616K]

Carnegie  [PDF – 936K]

Geisel  [PDF – 1MB]

Newbery  [PDF – 2MB]

Sibert  [PDF – 1MB]

Wilder  [PDF – 1MB]

 Enjoy!

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I write this blog post as I’m sitting in the San Francisco Airport, waiting to depart for home. My shuttle got me here about 3 hours before my flight is scheduled to leave. Luckily, I have some great books to occupy my time while waiting and while on the plane.

Photo by Abby Johnson

Here are a few of the great books I picked up at the Exhibit Hall and at publisher events during the conference. These are some of the books that I’m looking the most forward to and make sure to pack in my carry-on for airport/plane reading.

• Jump Back Paul: The Life and Times of Paul Laurence Dunbar by Sally Derby, illustrated by Sean Qualls
• One by Sarah Crossan
• Untwine by Edwidge Danticat
• The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz
• The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Fellow conference-goers, what books are making it into your carry-ons for the trip home? I would love to know!

— Abby Johnson, Youth Services Manager
New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
New Albany, IN

The post Winging My Way Back from #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

#alaac15 provides space for meetings of all kinds. Although we’re apparently not that “uncommon,” yesterday I attended a meet-up of ukulele-playing librarians at the ALA Networking Uncommons.  We exchanged emails, discussed creating a group FB page and played a few songs.  Perhaps next year, we can have an ALSC session on Using your Uke for Story Time and Outreach. Wouldn’t that be fun?  Check out today’s gatherings at the Networking Uncommons. http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/

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Warning: paraphrase alert!

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Sunday’s Pura Belpré 19th annual award ceremony featured a vibrant mix of illuminating speeches, laughter, and entertainment that celebrated Latino Children’s Literature.

Highlights included:

• Yuyi Morales’s acceptance speech in which she vividly recounted her positive and life-changing experiences as a young mother and new immigrant visiting the San Francisco Public Library’s Western Addition branch. Ann, a librarian at the branch, put The Watsons Go to Birmingham in her hands and it was the first English language chapter book she loved, that she shared with her son.
• Duncan Tonatiuh invited civil rights leader Sylvia Mendez, the subject of his award-winning book Separate Is Never Equal, to address the audience.
• United States Poet Laurete Juan Felipe Herrera’s speech chronicled his research and writing that documented the extraordinary achievements of Hispanic-Americans.
• Heartfelt speeches by Susan Guevara, John Parra, and Marjorie Agosín.
• A fantastic performance by by Quenepas, a Bomba youth song and dance ensemble.

This fantastic event was hosted by the dream team Reforma and ALSC, and is always one of the highlights of ALA conferences. Next year will mark the 20th Anniversary of the Belpré Award and it promises to be a huge occasion. See you in Orlando!

The post Pura Belpré Celebración #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Warning: these are paraphrases!

The post Babies Need Words Everyday at #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

We all want great staff at our libraries, yet many of us have found ourselves in frustrating situations with administration at our libraries. How do we, as managers, support youth services innovators, folks who embrace change and want to bring new, innovative programs and services to our libraries? How can innovators make their needs heard with their managers?

I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel of amazing youth services librarians, addressing these very issues. Managing the Future: Supporting Your Youth Services Innovators took place on Saturday morning and we had a great discussion about how managers can support youth services staff and what youth services staff can do to make their needs know when they feel like they’re not being supported.

You can follow the conversations we had at the Twitter hashtag #futureYS, and here are MY takeaways from the session (yes, I’m learning even from the session I’m presenting on…!):

For youth services employees seeking a change or new project:

• When meeting with your boss about implementing a change or starting a new project, come prepared with a bullet-pointed list of how it will work, a clear idea of what budget you need, and examples of successes (if it’s something that’s been tried at other places). All of this goes a LONG WAY towards getting a yes.
• Be open-minded about brainstorming. Your boss has more experience than you (or at least different experience than you!). And when your boss comes to you with a new idea, be open-minded about that, too.
• Don’t be discouraged if RIGHT NOW is not the time for your new idea. Play the long game. You have a long career ahead of you and plenty of time to do all the things you want to do. Hold on to your good ideas.

For youth services managers seeking to motivate and support staff:

• THINK YES. Get in the mindset of saying yes. If you cannot say yes immediately, don’t say no right away, but say you’ll think about it. (But then actually think about it and follow up!)
• Give your staff credit for their good work. Give them genuine praise to their faces, but also praise them to your director, your Board, your community. Don’t take credit for ideas that aren’t yours, but bask in the glow of having supported staff in achieving great things.
• Invite your staff to speak to the Board, the Rotary Club, other community stakeholders about the great work they are doing.
• Give employees a budget to manage, even if it’s a small one (for programming, any collection they are developing, a project they are doing). This gives them more ownership over their department.
• Have regular scheduled meetings to discuss ongoing projects, new ideas, etc. with your staff. Don’t just expect to manage them off the cuff. Show them you value their time by regularly giving them some of your time.

You can read more about the panel by checking out the Twitter hashtag #futureYS.

— Abby Johnson, Children’s Services Manager
New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
New Albany, IN

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Yesterday at the Networking Uncommons we held the first Program-a-Looza. This open share session, brainchild of Danielle Jones, Kahla Gubanich, Mary Pearl, and yours truly, focused on cheap, easy children’s programming for public libraries. Inspired by grassroots sessions, such as Guerrilla Storytime and YA Smackdown, Program-a-Looza was created as a way for children’s library staff to take home tangible programming ideas, tips, and resources.

During yesterday’s session participants were encouraged to brainstorm and bring their personal strengths and experiences to the table. First, each person shared a favorite easily replicable program. Ideas ranged from a simple recycled materials egg drop to cookie forensics, Halloween at the library to community member enhanced storytimes. Next, we picked a programming topic and spent 2 minutes brainstorming ideas using pens and sticky notes. This quick activity sparked a list of over 20 activity ideas around topics like multi-generational programming and STEAM for elementary.

Sound interesting to you? Stop by Program-a-Looza today at 11:30am at the Networking Uncommons. We’re planning to try Program,-a-Looza at midwinter in Boston, so keep your eyes open for those times as well!

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The Pride Parade really made me a Nervous Nelly today!

Okay, we have known it for a while that ALA also coincided with San Francisco’s pride parade. And this made me incredibly nervous. I am a planner and when I can’t plan for things it makes me uneasy. But I was so surprised on how easy it was -at least for me- to get from all my ALA plans and more importantly back to my across market street hotel! Thank you BART stations for easily making me walk UNDER Market Street!

All my worry was for nothing! It was less of a big deal and more of an interesting walk through a parade of color and happiness. How often do you get to do that?!

The post #alaac15 When I Worry for No Reason @ ALA appeared first on ALSC Blog.

What a great day at the Annual Conference! Some of the highlights of my day included:

• Because we have a children’s librarian position open in my library, early in the day I made my way over to the Convention Center for the ALA JobLIST Placement Center’s Open House/Job Fair. It was a well attended event and I had the opportunity to talk with a dozen job seekers. What a great opportunity for job seekers and libraries needing librarians of all types to connect!
• Babies Need Words Every Day: Bridging the Word Gap as a Community offered a panel discussion about the importance & support methods which could be used to enhance the exposure of children to language; this was preceded by a presentation about Too Small to Fail. They shared information about how to motivate behavior change among adult caregivers for children, and the need to shift cultural norms about the early literacy importance of talking, reading, and singing to babies and toddlers. Several ways this can be done include having trusted members of the community, such as pediatricians and children’s librarians, speak to (and model for) parents & grandparents about the importance of talking, reading, and singing to their kids. Too Small to Fail’s open source information – which is intended to enhance existing efforts in libraries and communities around the country – is available at talkingisteaching.org. Their work will continue to evolve based on ongoing research.
• Stopping in at the Children’s Notable Book Discussions left me with a reading list of “must reads,” serendipitous meetings with old colleagues & friends was pleasant , and watching snippets of the Gay Pride parade as I walked back to my hotel brought tears to my eyes. (It was just so JOYFUL!!!)

And now it’s time to get ready for the Newbery/Caldecott/Wilder celebration which will take place later tonight. It’s been a great day in San Francisco!

The post Sunday at #alaac15 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

I am always overloaded on the exhibits’ floor. Look! Over here is Books. And over there is a cool new product that could perhaps change my life! There are authors and galleys and exciting deals-oh my! I have a limited about of room in the extra suitcase I brought empty( yes I did that). But it so wonderful to see and actually read what is coming next. There are so many passionate people here- librarians, vendors and publishers alike. I love the excitement of finding something great that really is special. I hope to find many of those today and tomorrow!

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The Artist’s Alley is one of my favorite areas of the exhibit hall.  While there, I met many artists and writers of popular graphic novels.   On this aisle are items for readers of all ages.  Here is a virtual tour of some of what I saw.  There were free comic books featuring

G-MAN by Chris Giarrusso. Matt Phelan had teachers’ guides for his fantastic graphic novels. Kip Noschese was sharing his work in Otto & the Grand Prix Bees. First Comics was there with Tales of the S.S. Junky Star.  You can read a review of it here.  I picked up an advanced reader’s copy of The Creeps: Night of the Frankenfrogs by Chris Schweizer.  I met the artists and writers of Teen Boat, Oddly Normal, Kid Beowulf, The Misadventures of Salem Hyde, A Brief History of Everyday Objects, Princeless and Graphic Classics Vol. 22.  The last thing I did was pick up a copy of the  CBLDF Banned Books Week Handbook for 2015.  I had a great time.  I hope you enjoy the virtual tour, and browsing the selections.  

__________________

Angela Chadbourne

Youth Services Librarian

Santa Clarita Public Library

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Jennifer A. Nielsen reads from her book, A Night Divided with help from fellow authors, Alex Gino (George) and Edwidge Danticat (Untwine).

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