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Full disclosure: I am not only a Children’s Librarian who advocates for inclusive programs and services for children with varying abilities, but I am also the parent of a child with a life-limiting genetic syndrome that causes significant developmental delays. I am motivated to a great extent by my daughter to ensure that libraries across the country have the tools and training needed to create and/or improve their offerings for people with disabilities. It is my goal to have her enjoy visiting the library as much as I did as a child.
Many libraries today are addressing the needs of children with special needs to ensure inclusion in story time programs and successful visits for materials and other resources. Sensory story times are the most popular offerings, but even a classic story time structure with simple modifications can be offered to include children with special needs. If you are just getting started with creating inclusive story times and need some basic information to get the ball rolling, there is a great webinar offered through Infopeople that was put together by staff from the Contra Costa County Library (CA) titled, Inclusive Library Programs for People with Intellectual Disabilities. The webinar is fully archived with access to the presentation materials including slides, handouts, and the Q & A Chat with the live participants. This webinar includes great information on creating inclusive programming for all ages as well as a segment focusing on Inclusive Story Time.
One of the resources suggested in the webinar to help you design appropriate content and develop a better understanding and awareness of the disabilities of children in your community is to connect with parents and professionals. Communication with parents can be twofold. It will provide insight into what parents feel are the needed adaptations and/or accommodations for their children to participate in a library story time, as well as create a channel for promoting your inclusive programming within the community. Parents of children with special needs seek each other out and build strong networks of their own. Getting the word out through these networks to promote your inclusive programs will help garner the participation and support you’ll need to make your program successful.
I have found many great resources for aiding youth librarians in educating themselves on getting started with programs and services to people with special needs. One of the common concerns among staff is having the knowledge and understanding for working with children with disabilities. I wasn’t prepared to be the mother to a child with significant health issues and developmental delays, but the more I worked with my daughter and cared for her, the more I have learned. This will be true of working with children with special needs in the library. You will learn more as you do more. You’ll be thrilled to see how happy parents and local professionals will be to help teach you what you need to know. Below is a list of several of the online resources I have recently found that can help you prepare for creating an inclusive environment for children of all abilities.
Professional Development:
Info People Webinar (Archived from August 2013), Inclusive Library Programs for People with Intellectual Disabilities
https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=55
Charlotte Mecklenburg County Library (Online Learning Archive)
http://www.cmlibrary.org/Programs/Special_Needs/
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies: Library Accessibility – What you need to know
http://www.ala.org/ascla/asclaprotools/accessibilitytipsheets
SNAILS – Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services, a professional network of librarians in Illinois working towards increasing and improving inclusive services
http://snailsgroup.blogspot.com/
Resources and Examples:
Brooklyn Public Library – The Child’s Place, Information on programs for children with and without disabilities. Also check out their pamphlet about “Universal Design”.
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/only-bpl/childs-place
Skokie (IL) Public Library Resource List; a comprehensive list of print materials for adults and children
http://www.skokielibrary.info/s_kids/kd_COI/COI_bib.pdf
Center for Early Literacy Learning, resources for adapting activities during story time
http://www.earlyliteracylearning.org/pg_tier2.php
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Bethany Lafferty is the Assistant Branch Manager/Youth Services Department Head at Henderson Libraries – Green Valley Branch in Henderson, Nevada. She can be followed on Twitter with the handle @balaff1.
Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.
If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].
Here are the Top 5 Tips the Local Arrangements Committee members want to make sure you have before you arrive in Las Vegas next week.
5. Las Vegas isn’t just the Strip. Check out these uniquely Las Vegas, family-friendly destinations.
Discovery Children’s Museum (www.discoverykidslv.org ), now in a brand new, 3-story building, the Discovery Children’s Museum has nine themed exhibit halls with interactive, hand-on activities. Visit the website for admission rates. Downtown Container Park (http://downtowncontainerpark.com) is an exciting, sustainable shopping attraction in downtown Las Vegas. It is home to several boutique shops, restaurants and a one-of-a-kind interactive play area for children. Hours vary and no one under the age of 21 is allowed after 9 p.m. Springs Preserve (www.springspreserve.org) is the place in the Southern Nevada Valley to explore unique nature exhibits, botanical gardens, hiking trails, and live animal shows. Visit the website for admission prices. Town Square Las Vegas (www.mytownsquarelasvegas.com) is an open-air dining, shopping and entertainment center. The pedestrian-friendly center also includes an 18-screen movie theater and a children’s park. Visit the website for a complete list of stores and restaurants.
4. Allow appropriate time for travel.
Everything in Las Vegas is indeed larger than life! Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to travel between hotels and to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Just because something is “just across the street” doesn’t mean you can just cross the street. On the Strip there are many pedestrian walk-ways that span over Las Vegas Blvd and its cross streets. You must always use these overpasses. For example, a walk from Bally’s Las Vegas to Caesar’s Palace can easily take 15 minutes and these properties are catty-corner to each other. If you choose to use other methods of transportation, be sure to remember that taxi-cabs cannot be hailed off the street. You must get a cab at designated cab-stands, easily accessible at all hotel properties. In addition to the free shuttle busses provided by ALA, you may also consider using the Las Vegas Monorail to travel between hotels on the Strip to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC is NOT located on the Strip). The Monorail has varying ticket options ranging from a Single-ride all the way up to a 7-Day, Unlimited Ride Pass. Prices range from $5-$56. Visit the Las Vegas Monorail website for more information on online ticket purchases, ticket vending machines, and locations on the Monorail line (www.lvmonorail.com).
3. Comfortable footwear!
As any seasoned Conference-goer will advise, comfortable footwear is a must. Save your fancy sandals for your evenings out and don your sensible sneakers during the day when walking the exhibit halls, hotels and casinos.
2. Carry a light jacket or sweater.
Yes, I know that temperatures in the summer in Las Vegas are usually above 100 degrees , but once you step inside the intensely air-conditioned buildings of the Convention Center or the hotels, you’ll be glad you stuck that sweater in your bag!
1. Water. Water. Water. And more water!
Las Vegas is a desert and it is very, very dry. Drink water all day long. It is very easy to become dehydrated, even if you stay indoors. Bring along a reusable water bottle, as many of the conference program rooms will have water stations.
Bethany Lafferty is the Chair of the ALSC Local Arrangements Committee for the Annual Conference in Las Vegas. She is the Assistant Branch Manager/Youth Services Department Head at Henderson Libraries – Green Valley Branch in Henderson, Nevada
These days most of us can be found using the Internet to check e-mail, update our Facebook status, using smart phones and other devices to keep up with busy schedules and look for information. Parents are no different. And parents of children with special needs frequently turn to the Internet to find information, advice, and support for caring for their children. It can sometimes be hard to find local support groups or the time to attend workshops, but online communities are only a click away. However, some parents may not be as savvy as others in conducting searches online, so the public library is a natural place to seek information and resources to support their needs.
A great way that your library can begin to serve the needs of children and families dealing with disabilities is to provide a list of resources, be it national, regional or local. Knowing where to go to gain support and access to services is the first hurdle to providing specialized care to children with disabilities. Knowledge is power and when parents are armed with the knowledge of where and how to seek support or services for their children, the library is doing its part to serve the community.
Your library might already provide pathfinders or bibliographies of service organizations and materials to assist individuals and families dealing with special needs. If not, consider making handouts, bookmark bibliographies or creating a section of your library’s website dedicated to sharing resources for parents and caregivers.
Below are some resources to help get you started making a pathfinder as well as some examples of libraries across the country that currently offer a space on their websites with information to support families and individuals in their communities with special needs.
Online Resources:
http://www.autism-society.org/
The Autism Society, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism.
- NAEYC Technology & Young Children Interest Forum
http://www.techandyoungchildren.org/children.html
Links that provide information and resources for using technology with young children in a center or classroom setting.
- National Down Syndrome Society
http://www.ndss.org/
The mission of the National Down Syndrome Society is to be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
- The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (nectac)
http://www.nectac.org
NECTAC is the national early childhood technical assistance center supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) under the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). NECTAC serves Part C-Infant and Toddlers with Disabilities Programs and Part B-Section 619 Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities in all 50 states and 10 jurisdictions to improve service systems and outcomes for children and families.
- National Parent Technical Assistance Center (a project of PACER center)
http://www.parentcenternetwork.org/national/aboutus.html
The ALLIANCE National Parent Technical Assistance Center (NPTAC) provides Parent Centers, Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), with innovative techni
Recently there have been many shared stories about programs for children with special needs and their parents, and how to successfully integrate this population into existing programs. Individuals have shared their stories of inclusion of babies and toddlers into story time and how they adapt to meet the needs of these children. Large library systems have presented conference programs on how to effectively create and run a successful program addressing the needs of children with autism. But what if you are a small library or have minimal resources (i.e. funds, staff, expertise) to conduct an ongoing or large-scale program? Many of us answer that question by finding a community partner to work with.
If your child audience is the under 3 set and you are focusing on early literacy skills and development, a great partner for collaboration and expert information can be found within an Early Intervention (EI) services provider. Early Intervention services focus on the development of basic skills and are designed to meet the special needs of children who have a developmental delay or diagnosed disability. These basic skills include physical (reaching, rolling, crawling, and walking), cognitive (thinking, learning, solving problems), communication (talking, listening, understanding), social/emotional (playing, feeling secure and happy), and self-help (eating, dressing).
Library programs often aim to provide modeling behavior for parents in how to work with their children to develop these important childhood skills. Integrating the expertise and instruction of a developmental specialist from an EI provider can enhance the skills you are sharing with babies and toddlers, as well as provide expert instruction for parents. EI services can also help address the concerns of parents who may feel their child is lagging behind his or her peers and confirm whether their fears are warranted or if parents should give the child more time to reach certain milestones.
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities provides a helpful state finder to help locate Early Intervention services in your area http://nichcy.org/state-organization-search-by-state . This site is also helpful in understanding children with disabilities and the challenges they and their family members face on a daily basis. This will be a good resource to librarians as professionals serving their communities.
Greetings from the ALSC Public Awareness Committee!
Summer is nearly here, and with temperatures rising, and kids out of school, what’s a busy librarian to do?
Keep your cool with the Kids! @ your library® tool kit, which has some great ideas to help you with your summer program plans!
Here are 10 FREE ideas from our online tool kit to get your summer off to a great start!
More details for each activity can be found at the Kids! Website.
1. Use our scripts for the “Library Dragon” or “The Chicken and the Librarian” to host your own reader’s theatre program.
2. Hold a bookmark contest, and distribute the winning bookmarks as part of your summer reading program.
3. Have your tweens decorate the library entrance for summer using sidewalk chalk.
4. Children’s Book Week is around the corner – visit the CBW website for posters, bookmarks, and activities!
5. Host a library-themed treasure hunt at your library.
6. Let your tweens Build-A-Bot using modeling clay and wind-up walker toys.
7. Check out our list of songs about reading and libraries to have your kids singing about the joys of the library all summer long.
8. Share our list of the Top 10 Things to do at the Library with your kids
9. Host an Underpants @ Your Library party, featuring Captain Underpants! (from Maggie Ahrens at the York County Library System)
10. May is Get Caught Reading Month, so take photos of your kids reading around the library (the sillier the better!) and create a poster of Kids Caught Reading for your library (don’t forget your photo release forms!)
Happy programming!
Let the countdown to Día begin! El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), known as Día, is a celebration EVERY DAY of children, families, and reading that culminates each year on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
Not sure what to plan or how to do it? Visit the “Celebrations” page for ideas. Register your library’s Día program, print brochures and use the interactive map to see what other communities are doing to celebrate nationwide.
Become a fan of Día on Facebook and follow the countdown to the Día Celebrations on April 30!
Bethany Lafferty, ALSC Public Awareness Committee member
Do you serve multicultural populations in your library? Are you meeting the needs of these populations? Would you like more resources to assist you?
We need to hear from you! The Association for Library Service to Children is currently assessing how we can best help you and your colleagues provide enhanced library service to your multicultural populations. We ask you to take a few short minutes to complete a survey designed to collect current information about the challenges you face, the tools you need and how we can help.
It’s quick and easy. Simply click on the link below to get started. The survey has about 15 questions and will take just 5-10 minutes of your time. We ask that you complete the survey by Friday, March 12.
Here’s the link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B5PDPSH
Thank you!
How about that aliteration? Here is the newest installment of 10 ideas from ALSC’s Public Awareness Committee:
10 FREE ways to take advantage of the Kids! @ Your Library® toolkit this spring. For more details, visit the Kids! Toolkit by following this link: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/initiatives/kidscampaign/kidstoolkit.cfm
- Get your kids excited about President’s Day! Display the latest Presidents of the United States poster and ask your kids to vote on their favorite president and keep a running tally near the poster for all to see.
- Celebrate Black History Month with a display of notable African Americans, including authors and illustrators.
- Let your patrons make their own Valentines! Set up a craft table with multicolored die-cut paper hearts and supplies to decorate them the week before Valentine’s Day.
- Have a drop in bingo program on Valentine’s Day.
- Invite your tweens to make Duct Tape Roses after school, using the directions in the toolkit under “Tween Friendly Programs.”
- Promote your summer reading club by scheduling a visit with your local school libraries.
- Combine Valentine’s Day with Love Your Library Day by displaying books about kids and libraries. See the tool kit for recommended titles.
- Update your displays and bibliographies with the latest award winning titles.
- Hold a Bookmark Design Contest for the Kids! Campaign theme of “So Much to See, So Much to Do @ your library®.” (See website for entry forms).
- Promote Library Lover’s Month by encouraging kids and their families to express their love for the library.
Happy New Year to All!
2010 is upon us there is no better time to reenergize your library. Getting the new year off to a great start can be intimidating, but the Kids! @ your library toolkit can make that effort completely painless!
Here are 10 FREE ideas from our toolkit to get you started. More details for each activity can be found at the website: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/initiatives/kidscampaign/kidstoolkit.cfm
1. Brighten up the library with beautiful artwork from award-winning artist, David Diaz.
2. Get your kids laughing with a fun game of Mad Libs.
3. Challenge your patrons to a scavenger hunt.
4. Get your kids singing along with Bill Harley and his catchy tune “@ Your Library”.
5. Host a coloring contest using artwork from Michael P. White.
6. Let those tweens be creative with a Brain Challenge.
7. Invite local celebrities to a Read-a-Thon
8. Try out reader’s theater with one of 3 scripts available in the toolkit.
9. Help your kids back into the learning groove with word searches and mazes.
And last, but not least,
10. Do the Library Rap. (You know you want to!)
Best wishes for the New Year!
Bethany Lafferty
ALSC Public Awareness Committee, member
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!
Celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month during September with the Kids! @ your library® Campaign. The online toolkit provides ideas and templates that you can adapt to showcase materials and resources in your library.
You can also find free resources at: http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/advocacy/publicawareness/alainitiatives/otherinitiatives/card/librarycard.cfm
The official site for Library Card Sign-Up Month.
The Association for Library Services to Children, Public Awareness Committee (PAC) wants to hear about your success! Share program ideas and resources by adding content to the Kids! @ your library® Campaign wiki at: http://wikis.ala.org/alsc/index.php/Main_Page . We also want to hear if you have used resources from the Campaign toolkit. Please add content directly to the wiki or email information to Bethany Lafferty, PAC Member, at [email protected] .
Bethany A. Lafferty - PAC member
Green Valley Library
Youth Services Department Head
Henderson, NV
[email protected]
I was honored to participate in the inaugural Bill Morris Seminar at the 2008 ALA Mid-Winter Meeting in Philadelphia.
I don’t recall how I first heard about the Morris Seminar, just that it was something I just had to participate in! When I received my letter of acceptance to the seminar I jumped with joy! I am always on the look-out for professional learning opportunities that also allow me to meet some really interesting youth librarians. Participating in the Morris Seminar fulfilled both desires.
All participants received a list in advance of ten (10) books ranging from picture books to young adult fiction. I loved learning about books I might not have read otherwise, and I don’t think there was a single book I didn’t enjoy reading. Certainly some of the selections were outside what I might normally read, but that was part of the fun. Through our guided discussions I learned how better set aside my personal thoughts and feelings about a book, and approach evaluation from a more objective point of view. Objectivity can be difficult to maintain when reading a book one absolutely loves or loathes. But I always try to remind myself that gushing about how much I loved a book (or hated it) does not help anyone else truly decide if the book is right for them, their students, or any young reader.
In addition to fine tuning our individual evaluation skills, we were also guided through steps that facilitate productive group discussion. With one of the Seminar goals of helping prepare future Award committee members, this was a vital skill for those highly interested in pursuing such appointments. It was also quite fun to sit in small groups to discuss these great books with youth librarians.
At the conclusion of the Seminar I felt invigorated about continuing to write reviews for School Library Journal, as well as less formally on my Good Reads page. I also created several new friendships and professional connections because of the Bill Morris Seminar. When I saw the call for applicants posted last week I immediately emailed several colleagues to encourage them to apply. This was a great learning opportunity as well as chance to widen my professional network.
Here is a list of the books we read for the 2008 Bill Morris Seminar:
Love Curse of the Rumbaughs b y Jack Gantos
Henry’s Freedom Box: a true story from the underground railroad by Ellen Levine
First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
The Wall: growing up behind the iron curtain by Peter Sis
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik
Thank You Bear by Greg Foley
Dogs and Cats by Steve Jenkins
Little Night by Yuyi Morales
The Pull of the Ocean by Jean-Claude Mourlevat, translated from the French by Y. Moudet
Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson
By: Bethany Lafferty,
on 7/21/2009
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At the 2009 ALA Annual Conference the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) presented the terrific program Serving Students on the Spectrum. The program was hosted by Alison Ernst, Director – Northfield Mount Hermon School (MA) Library and Academic Resources and Ernie Cox, Media Specialist – St. Timothy’s School (NC) with the following panelists: Patty Saidenberg, Consultant – Trent Learning Corp. (NY); Georgia Winson, Director – Autism Program of Illinois; Bernadette Nowakowski, Director – Chicago Public Library Children & Young Adult Services; Lally Daley, Clinician – Autism Program of Illinois; Christopher Flint, Lead Trainer - Autism Program of Illinois; Joanne Hughes, Chicago Public Library Board Member and Parent.
Each panelist discussed their unique experiences and approaches to working with children and families dealing with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome. Particularly of interest to me was the discussion by Bernie Nowakowski of Chicago Public Library (CPL) and the work that this organization is doing to create awareness and knowledge among staff as well as providing ability-appropriate programs and services to the public.
Some of the ways in which CPL has begun to serve families with Autism are: providing collections and programs that reflect the needs of the community, strong community outreach, partnerships that strengthen and enhance opportunities for all, creating a safe physical space and presence in the community, and staff training. The CPL website also includes a list of resources and bibliographies of interest to those dealing with Autism.
Providing programs to the public is certainly a very important aspect of serving this user group, but even more effective is coupling programming with staff training. Staff members who have received training to increase their awareness and understanding of how to most effectively communicate with individuals with Autism will fully round out the overall experience for families using the library.
There have been several postings on this blog in the past year about creating programming for patrons with special needs. It is very encouraging to know that there are many librarians out there who view the Autism community as an underserved population and are seeking to remedy this. I am currently working to improve programs and services at my own Library to address these needs.
Attending this program confirmed for me that I am on the right path to creating well-trained staff and quality programs for the Autism community in my area. Several resources were shared throughout the program including the following websites:
www.theautismprogram.org
http://thejointlibrary.org
http://www.chipublib.org/forkids/kidspages/Austism_Resources.php
Attendees were encouraged to seek out partnerships with organizations in their home areas to aid in the education of staff members and to promote the services being provided at the library. Parents are a wonderful asset to partner with as well. Parents know their children best and can provide insight into the types of programs and services that will be most beneficial to their children. Panelist Joanne Hughes, a parent of a child with Autism, provided a unique perspective on how libraries can best serve children on the spectrum.
The other panelists shared ideas and tips for working with Autistic children in library programming. Patty Saidenberg shared examples on how to utilized different approaches to teaching library skills to students, while Lally Daley and Christopher Flint shared information on providing training to professionals and information on creating tools to utilize in programs.
There has been an increasing amount of literature being published specifically for libraries serving individuals on the Autism Spectrum which will help all of us to begin integrating support and awareness into everyday services and programs.
I hope that the consistent sharing of resources and information regarding this service audience will begin to inspire more and more librarians each day to embrace this wonderfully unique community of library users. After attending the AASL program I know that I have been inspired even further to provide the best programs and services for my service community, whether they are dealing with Autism or not, everyone deserves a safe, accepting, and inclusive environment to grow and learn.
Bethany Lafferty
Assistant Branch Manager/Youth Services Department Head
Green Valley Library
Henderson, NV
Greetings Everyone,
It’s almost time to launch Phase 2 of Kids! @ your library Campaign Toolkit. The ALSC public awareness committee hope that many of you can join us in Chicago at the ALA annual conference on Sunday, July 12th at 1:30-3:00 p.m. for A.R.T. and Your Library: How You Can Bring Them Together!
You’ll learn what is included in the expanded Toolkit, now including ideas and activities for grades K-8. Find out how to use these materials to make your library the place to be!
And there’s more…A. R. T. (Author’s Reader’s Theater with Avi, Brian Selznick, Pam Munoz Ryan, and Sarah Weeks) will be performing their reader’s theater magic as an example of how reader’s theater can be presented in your library.
Can’t come to Chicago? It is all waiting for you at www.ala.org/kids…click on “Tool Kit”.
ALSC, Public Awareness Committee
Bethany Lafferty
Many ALSC members not only work with children, but also with teens. Some of you may also be members of ALA’s Young Adult Library Services Association. Well, YALSA member, Jenine Lillian is working on a new professional resouce called Cool Teen Programs on a Shoestring. The book will consist of different programs that are fun and appealing to teen audiences, and Jenine is looking for ideas from all of you!
This is not only a great publishing opportunity for any Librarians who have had great and inexpensive teen programs, but also, there is the potential for them to share their ideas at a YALSA event at the ALA Annual Conference in July, 2009 with the editor.
I’ve attached the submission form here for those of you who would like to get involved. The deadline for submissions is Novmeber 20th!
Cool Teen Program Submission Form
Greetings!
As another school year begins have you been searching for titles that excite kids about libraries? Check out the titles on Kids! @ your library Tool Kit: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/projectspartners/bks_kids_libs.doc
Here is a baker’s dozen, picture books to read aloud to kids both in and out of your library! These familiar friends and surprising newcomers are guaranteed to delight boys and girls in grades K – 8. Picture books can be used to help younger kids feel comfortable with library routines and terminology when they visit. Nonfiction titles can be used with all to deepen knowledge and appreciation of libraries. A chapter read aloud from a fiction book during a visit is a sure-fire winner for older boys and girls.
Download free logos and line art to customize your own bookmarks: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/projectspartners/kidslogoandart.cfm
You might even want to include a quotable quote from Julie Andrews, Lilian Jackson Braun, Maurice Sendak or others: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/projectspartners/kidsquotes.cfm
Enjoy exploring the other fun ideas and activities for connecting kids and libraries at the Kids @ your library Tool Kit: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/projectspartners/kidstoolkit.cfm
Happy Exploring!
Bethany Lafferty, ALSC Public Awareness Committee member
[...] has a great tool kit to Keep Cool with the [...]