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Last month I was lucky enough to attend the 2014 ALSC National Institute in Oakland, California thanks to a generous scholarship awarded to me by the Friends of ALSC. I am so grateful for the time spent at the Institute last month and would like to thank the Friends for enabling me to participate in such a stellar weekend of learning and fun. And a huge thanks to everyone at ALSC who worked hard to put together the Institute!

Fairyland Reception (Photo by Nicole Martin)

Some of my favorite moments from the Institute have to be the wonderful author presentations and panels, especially the hilarious author panel that took place at Children’s Fairyland with Jennifer Holmes, Daniel Handler and Mac Barnett. The crowd was filled with giggling librarians and even a few fairy wings! After our breakout sessions at the park, a reception awaited us in the Emerald City. There was even a yellow brick road! I excitedly stood in a lengthy line so Barnett and Handler could sign some favorite books for me. It was well worth the wait (and the cost to ship my book haul back to Ohio!). I also loved the Closing General Session, during which Andrea Davis Pinkney presented on her work and even sang a bit. She was so energetic and inspiring, truly closing the 2014 Institute with a high note.

Closing Keynote Speaker (Photo by Nicole Martin)

I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of which I found myself navigating the conference center. I have attended two ALA Annual Conferences and I have yet to not find myself, at least once, mildly lost in a massive conference center trying to find a workshop. It was so great to be able to attend a workshop, drop off handouts in my hotel room and then make it back for another workshop session without getting lost or feeling rushed. This might seem trivial, but it made an impression for me!

I was especially impressed with the wealth of relevant workshop topics available throughout the Institute. Some of my favorite workshops were “Be a Winner! Inspired Youth Grant Writing”, “Tech Access on a Budget” and “Summer Lunch at the Library”. Each of these workshops offered me incredibly practical information and insight that I brought back to my library to share with administration and fellow librarians. I feel confident that our 2015 summer lunch program will be more successful than last year’s because of what I learned at the ALSC Institute. I returned to Ohio knowing that other librarians struggle with shoestring technology budgets and there are various routes to find grant funding.

Oakland farmer’s market (Photo by Nicole Martin)

In addition to the great learning and networking opportunities at the Institute, I was happy to spend some time exploring the neighborhood and even managed to squeeze in time for sleep (a sometimes difficult endeavor!).  A wonderful farmer’s market was happening in the neighborhood adjacent to the conference center and I spent my lunch hour meandering the stalls and munching on delicious shrimp tacos.

I would highly recommend any librarians with an interest in serving youth to attend the next ALSC Institute. You won’t regret it! I would also encourage anyone who might be deterred by travel costs and registration fees to apply for the Friends of ALSC Scholarship. I applied rather humbly not expecting to win, and here I am writing my very own recap as a scholarship winner. The next recipient could be you!

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Nicole Lee Martin is a librarian at the Grafton-Midview Public Library and a 2014 Friends of ALSC Scholarship recipient.  You can contact her at [email protected] .

I returned from Oakland almost a month ago now, but I’m still processing much of what I experienced at the ALSC Institute and still pondering how to implement what I’ve learned in my own work.  As I look back at the conference as a whole, what comes into focus for me are particular moments when I saw the work we do in a new light.  We’re all so busy at our jobs that it can be hard to take a step back to think about the impact our work has and to be intentional about how we want to support our communities.  When I look at the Live Blogging coverage of the institute it seems like a lot of sessions have already been well-covered, so what I want to share with you are little moments that were meaningful for me.

 We’re all having breakfast and listening to incredible authors speak about their work and their experiences as young people.  I’m laughing at Gene Luen Yang’s story about hiding comic books in big library books, cheering when Tim Federle talks about how to kids diverse books are just books and scooting to the edge of my seat as Rita Williams-Garcia pulls out her actual teenage diary.  Then Pam Muñoz Ryan starts to talk about how she wasn’t much of a reader until 5th grade, when she switched schools and she needed books to keep her company.  Suddenly, I remember 4th grade when I became a reader.  I’d always loved stories, but reading was such a laborious process that I didn’t enjoy it.  Then it all came together and I took-off.  With all this focus on 3rd grade reading scores, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of what level kids are “supposed” to be reading at.  But every reader is different and kids become readers at different times for different reasons.  If you know a struggling reader (or the parent of one), you can tell them that Pam Muñoz Ryan didn’t become a “good” reader until 5th grade and things turned out pretty well for her!  We should be looking for chances to help kids take-off as readers, not adding to the pressure for them to achieve.

 Later that day, I’m listening to a fabulous presentation about Oakland Public Library’s program to train volunteers to do weekly storytimes at Head Start programs.  It’s great for the kids and it’s great for the volunteers!  I’m busily thinking about how this could work at my library.  Didn’t we used to have a program like that?  Whatever happened with it?  Who would train the volunteers?  Then Gay Ducey says something that pulls me right back into the moment.  I’m going to have to paraphrase because I didn’t manage to write down her exact words, but it was something like: “Storytime is a break from the rest of a child’s day.  We are giving them a safe space to enjoy books and reading.  We are saying ‘You don’t have to do anything but listen right now.  Just be here and enjoy this moment.’”   When you left your extension activity at outreach, when your flannel board skills weren’t up to the task: all you really need is yourself and a book.  It doesn’t need to be flashy; we’re simply making a space for children to interact with books in positive ways.

 Flash forward to Fairyland a day later.  I’m warm, I’m sitting very close to people I’ve never met, but I don’t mind at all because I’m totally entranced by the conversation happening between Nina Lindsay, Mac Barnett, Jennifer Holm and Daniel Handler.  Suddenly Daniel Handler says something a little…risque.  (This should surprise no one.)  I worry for a moment and then I hear loud laughter from all directions.  I get to remember that although we work with children, we’re adults.  We can love children’s books and be devoted to helping kids and families, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be irreverent now and again.  In fact, having a sense of humor can often be our saving grace.

 There were plenty more notable moments, but I’ll leave you with these three.  All of them led me to my main take away from the institute: I am not alone.  When I’m strategizing how to balance my time, how to approach my manager with a new idea or how to entice that very active toddler to participate in storytime—someone else is dealing with these same problems.  As children’s librarians, I truly believe that we are each other’s best resource.  Having the opportunity to attend a whole conference with our colleagues has left me feeling connected, supported and heard like never before.

Hope to see you in Charlotte in 2016!

It was a mere two weeks ago that many of us gathered in Oakland CA for the 2014 ALSC Institute.  And thank goodness you all blogged about it! For those that couldn’t come, or missed a crucial session, here’s your chance to catch up online.

Amy “The Show Me Librarian” Koester at Children’s Fairyland (photo by Kendra Jones)

From the Guerilla Storytime to the closing session, our live bloggers posted throughout the conference from different sessions, and many of you tweeted at #alsc14 …thanks to S. Bryce Kozla for this Storify version.

Many of you have provided wrap-ups at your own blogs: Penny Peck reports on the Institute at BayViews, Marge Loch-Wouters gives the low-down on the Instiute vs. ALA Conferences, and you can find reports on their programs from Amy Commers, Sylvia Vardell, Claudia Haines, and Amy Koester.  Who did I miss?  Tell us in the comments below.

There’s more to come, as our two Friends of ALSC-sponsored ALSC Institute Scholarship winners will be posting their thoughts soon: Gesse Stark-Smith on October 14th and Nicole Martin on October 21st. Stay tuned.

Nina Lindsay introducing Daniel Handler, Jenni Holm, and Mac Barnett at Children’s Fairyland (photo by MaryAnn Scheuer)

Many of you have reported on the value of this conference in your surveys:

“I brought back wonderful program ideas, and a renewed passion for my profession.”

“I thought the Institute was excellent. The sessions were all very helpful and the speakers were great too. The best part was hearing about what other Children’s librarians are doing, and being given a space to hear about and share ideas.”

I hope you all made new connections, sparked new ideas, and are putting them into play with a renewed sense of purpose and fun.  The 2016 ALSC Institute will be held September 15-17, 2016, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  See you there!

Nina Lindsay was the chair for the 2014 ALSC Institute, and is the Children’s Services Coordinator for the Oakland Public Library, CA.

“Pretend the window is a screen,” said poet Susan Blackaby at this morning’s #alsc14 session “The Poetry of Science.” People spend so much time with their eyes glued to their electronic devices that they’re liable to miss what’s going on in their environment. Imagine if people gave as much concentration to nature as they give to their computer screens. How many hawks would they see? What other wonders would they encounter?

Author Margarita Engle joined today’s panel, discussing how she uses both poetry and her science background to advocate for animal and environment conservation. As a child, Engle said, “No curiosity was too small for concentration.” She made the point that the phrase “the spirit of wonder” is applicable to both science and poetry. Because of this commonality, it’s possible to interest poetry loving kids in science phenomena and give science fans the chance to experiment with language.

Poet Janet Wong said that it’s easy–and vital–to create science literacy moments in the classroom and at the library. The key is to be bold. “Science and technology are accessible to people if they’re not afraid.” As gatekeepers of information, teachers and librarians should embrace the responsibility to expose kids to all subjects. Linking language and science may be a key way to make science more approachable. It doesn’t even have to be an elaborate lesson: just a few science literacy moments a week will have a lasting impact on children’s lives.

Check out these great resources:

Jill’s post about Thursday’s edition of “The Science of Poetry”

Presenter Sylvia Vardell’s Poetry for Children blog

Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong’s blog and book, The Poetry Friday Anthology.

Andrea Davis Pinkney’s closing session talk was a great end to the ALSC Institute experience.  In addition to giving us a wonderful peek into her creative process, she clearly identified herself as a lover of libraries and librarians.  She called us “Fairy god-librarians!”  (Time to make new business cards?)

And, you know what?  We are.  That’s one thing that I will take home from the ALSC Institute: the pleasure of meeting colleagues from around the nation who are incredibly generous, dedicated and brilliant.  I hope this is something that you already know and that you hear on a regular basis, but regardless, please take a moment to recognize how amazing you are.  You work so hard and your work has a huge impact on the children and families in your community.  As Pickney said “Every day you do it!”

Talk about inspiration! I attended a fabulous program, which highlighted a panel of early literacy librarian experts. They talked about their wide variety of experiences developing collaborative partnerships in their community. Here are 3 of my quick takeaways:

• If you can train other community partners to extend your reach and support the goals of promoting literacy and school literacy, your impact multiplies.
• Our role as early literacy advocates should be to partner with local social service agencies to work together to break the cycle of illiteracy. Seek out homeless shelters, food banks, and other childhood agencies and connect with their professionals.
• Start up a conversation with parents and caregivers! Sometimes a quick 5-10 minute convo that includes a few early literacy tips is more meaningful and accessible to at-risk families, rather than offering librarian-led lecture style presentations about early literacy. Make it personal and get to know their children individually.

What tips do you have for maintaining successful and meaningful early literacy partnerships in your community?

The Sing, Talk, Read, Write and Play with Math and Science session focused on including STEM concepts in storytime. One of the biggest take aways is the fact that science and math concepts are not separate from early literacy, but a part of early literacy. Highlighting STEM in storytimes provides children with background knowledge. The more background knowledge a child has, the more likely he or she will recognize and understand concepts when reading.

The best part of this is that STEM is already present in many storytime classics, including nursery rhymes. Take, for example, the rhyme, Jack and Jill. This rhyme provides opportunities to discuss cause and effect, force and motion, the term crown, using a pail as a tool, and measuring volume with water.

Examine some of your favorite nursery rhymes. What STEM concepts can you find?

Enjoying happy hour on the patio at the Oakland Marriott (photo courtesy of ALSC)

Hello Institute goers! Thanks to everyone who joined us last night at the happy hour. We had great weather and even a chance to spend time outside on the patio.

If you weren’t at the happy hour, don’t worry. There are still plenty of opportunities to interact with your colleagues including the upcoming ALSC Connection events. At 12:15, we’ll be hosting a condensed, but exciting version of ALSC 101.

It sounds cliche, but getting to know people from across the country is a big part of the Institute. You never know who you’re going to meet! Personally, I’m really looking forward to the ALSC Connection and getting to know more about the people and representative of ALSC!

Last night, the biennial ALSC Institute kicked off in Oakland, California with a Happy Hour. Today, the Institute will really begin and attendees will be treated to an amazing assortment of programming focusing on youth services; presentations by an incredible line-up of authors including Jamie Campbell Naidoo, Tim Federle, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Rita Williams-Garcia, Gene Luen Yang, Steve Sheinkin, Mac Barnett, Daniel Handler, Jennifer Holm, & Andrea Davis Pinkney; and many, many, many networking activities.

For the next few days, we will not have our regular, daily posts on this blog. Instead, we will have multiple shorter posts each day. To make it easier for everyone to follow the excitement on Twitter, each post will include the hashtag #ALSC14.

A HUGE “Thank You” to the seven bloggers who have committed to writing short “micro-posts” throughout this Institute so ALSC blog readers can have a feel for what is happening in Oakland:

• Dan Bostrom
• Erin Warzala
• Gesse Stark-Smith
• Jill Hutchison
• Karen Choy
• Nicole Martin
• Renee Grassi

We hope you enjoy these snippets of Institute attendance over the next few days. We’d love to know what interests you about the ALSC Institute. What do you hope the live bloggers snap a picture of or write a quick post about? Let us know in the comments below.

2014 ALSC National Institute (photo courtesy ALSC)

So you’re going to the 2014 ALSC National Institute in Oakland, California. Or…you’re not.

Either way, you can participate. The conversations that happen at the Institute will inevitably spill over into social media and that is a beautiful thing. We put together a do’s and don’ts list to help those participating on both sides: on-site and online:

Do: Check out this Steve Sheinkin video from the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting

Yup. He’s our Thursday evening opener!

Don’t: Be Timid About Becoming a Live-Blogger

We’re still looking for live-bloggers for the Institute! Don’t be shy. There are people out there depending on you to report your favorite programs, speakers, moments, places to eat, and exciting new ideas. You can participate by simply emailing ALSC Blog Manager Mary Voors.

Do: Join the Conversation

We’ll be tweeting, posting information to Facebook and live-blogging via the ALSC Blog. A few hashtags for your consideration: #alsc14, #alscleftbehind, #CCSS, #oakland. Also look for some pictures that we’ll post to the ALSC Facebook page.

Don’t: Miss the site selection for the 2016 National Institute

Already thinking about 2016!? Are you crazy? Nope, just preparin’. At the 2014 ALSC National Institute, we’ll be announcing the location for the 2016 ALSC National Institute. Keep an eye out for that announcement.

Do: Bring the ALSC14 Recommendation Map

The National Institute Task Force has done the dirty work for you. They’ve scoped out all the best restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc. They put all of these great tips into the ALSC14 Local Recommendations map. Remember to keep this map handy and don’t miss everything that Oakland has to offer!

Don’t: Forget to Bring Your Pirate Gear

Friday, September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. There no will be no formal acknowledgement of this day at the Institute. But, please don’t that stop you…

Har! See you in Oakland!

This month children’s librarians from all over the country will gather in Oakland, California for the biennial ALSC Institute. There are educational sessions including libraries’ roles in early education, better ways to connect our customers to information, tips on how to be at the “community table” and even, this time around, a trip to fairy land. It is an exciting and inspiring event; to be among so many people who share our passion and commitment.

The greatest value of the Institute though is the space and time to really connect to our colleagues. In the busy worlds of libraries today with the competing demands of customers, stakeholders and administration, made more urgent by shrinking budgets, most of us have little time to consider what drives us to this work. A weekend sharing knowledge and energy is just the thing to recharge.

Even if you can’t get to California, reaching out to like-minded colleagues is a wonderful way to find energy you are sure you just don’t have. ALSC is built on a tradition of mentorship and the street is gleefully both ways. In our modern environment of 24/7 virtual connections, even time zones can’t keep mentor from mentee and vice versa.

It isn’t always easy to get our heads around mentoring. Sometimes we feel we can’t possibly have anything of value to say to another professional. We haven’t been doing this long enough or we have been doing it too long. We aren’t experts. There are things we just don’t know. These perceived gaps of excellence are the very steps to connecting in meaningful ways to others. Ask a question. Offer to go to lunch. Send an email. Tweet passionately or Facebook someone who intrigues you. All of us can name a person who guided us in our lives. It all began, long ago or just last week, with a conversation. So speak up in whatever way works for you.

Mentoring is like friendship. To find one you need to be one. That is the real truth of it. While those of us in California may come away with new ways of thinking about our work, hopefully we will also come away with at least one new friend be it mentor or mentee. We are everywhere. You don’t have to be in fairy land to find us.

It’s true: registration for the ALSC Institute has reached maximum capacity and is now closed. We’re very sorry that we weren’t able to accommodate the demand.   But not to fear: you can come right here for live blogging during the Institute!  And watch for a wrap up post next month, along with an announcement of the location for ALSC Institute 2016.

For those that will be joining us in Oakland, stayed tuned for local information on our website, as well as instructions for how to access online materials.  And… would you care to share with your colleagues? We are still recruiting live bloggers; just contact [email protected].

Here’s what’s happening in Oakland this week. See you all soon!

Nina Lindsay, ALSC Institute Task Force Chair, Oakland Public Library

The upcoming ALSC Institute in Oakland, CA, on September 18-20, 2014, provides an abundance of outstanding programs to attend, from exploring innovative ways for youth services librarians to engage with community to the latest in early literacy research and best practices.

Among the many programs offered will be Dewey-Lite: A Solution to the Non-Fiction Problem, offering solutions for increasing the browsability of non-fiction collections while enhancing the patron searching experience. Program presenter Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla gave us a few minutes of her time to talk about what Institute attendees can look forward to.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am the Collection Development Coordinator and Assistant Head of Children’s Services at Darien Library. My co-presenter, Kiera Parrott, was the Head of Children’s Services at Darien during our non-fiction reorganization and is currently the Reviews Editor at School Library Journal.

Tell us about your program in just 6 words.

Dewey is dead, Long Live Dewey!

What’s one thing you feel people should know about your program?

“Children’s Librarian Becky W. helps find a book” by Allen County (IN) Public Library is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND. No changes were made.

Kiera and I are not out to destroy the Dewey Decimal System. We have tried to create a non-fiction model that utilizes the best of Dewey while minimizing the things about it that can be confusing for patrons.

What’s one thing someone who attends your program will be able to take back to their libraries and use right away?

People who attend our program will leave knowing how to implement Dewey-Lite, or something like it, at their own library. Right away, they’ll have a better understanding of how their patrons browse and use non-fiction collections.

Looking at the list of other programs on the lineup, which one are you most looking forward to attending?

The program I wish I could attend the most is Easy Programming for Discerning Tweens, since that is an audience with have a yo-yo relationship with at our library, and I always love to find out what other libraries are doing to reach this unique population! Unfortunately, it’s at the same time as my own presentation, so hopefully someone will take excellent notes!

If you could be any kid’s lit character, who would you be and why?

I would most definitely be Hermione Granger, because she’s smart and capable and magical and saves the world. Plus, she has a cute ginger husband. Or I would be Betsy Ray, because she has amazing clothes and excellent friends and goes on a world tour and becomes a writer. Or Anne Shirley, for her imagination and her puff sleeves and her swoon-inducing romance with Gilbert.

Ted McCoy, ALSC Institute Task Force Member and Children’s Librarian at Springfield (MA) City Library

Don’t wait too much longer to register for the ALSC Institute in Oakland CA, September 18-20th.  Though the Early Bird registration rate has expired, an advance rate is still available until August 25th.   But registration is filling up fast; and very soon we will be polling pre-registrants for their choices of breakout session at the Fairyland event.  (Later registrants will be assigned a breakout session).

Speaking of Fairyland…what would you most like to know about Jennifer Holm, Mac Barnett, or Daniel Handler?  We will have the three of them together on stage, and invite you now to submit some questions in advance.  Just let us know, below, and then register to make sure you’ll find out the answers!

Nina Lindsay, Institute Chair and Supervising Librarian for Children’s Services at the Oakland Public Library

What do Daniel Handler, gender identity and children, puppets, inclusive practices, and wine have in common? The ALSC Institute fieldtrip to Children’s Fairyland! That’s right, attendees have VIP access to Oakland’s storybook theme park for an afternoon of witty banter, professional development, and play.

Mac Barnett with his father at Children’s Fairyland (photo courtesy of Mac Barnett).

Mac Barnett, Daniel Handler, and Jennifer Holm kick off the event in Aesop’s Playhouse. Be sure to ask Mac about his early days at Children’s Fairyland.

Following, experts in the ALSC community lead small group discussions and interactive breakout sessions on hot topics related to youth services. Sessions range from STEAM activities, Mock Caldecott, storytime innovations, impactful outreach, old-school string stories, and more. The event concludes with a light reception, award winning puppet show, and exploration of Children’s Fairyland.

Wanna learn more about Children’s Fairyland?  Check out Institute Task Force Member Penny Peck’s blog about the history and connection with Walt Disney and Frank Oz.

Remember the early bird registration for members ends Monday, June 30. Members  save $35 on the cost of registration with early bird pricing.

See you in Oakland!

Christy Estrovitz, Institute Task Member and Youth Services Manager at San Francisco Public Library

Early bird registration for the 2014 ALSC National Institute ends June 30 (photo courtesy ALSC)

Early bird registration for members ends Monday, June 30. Members can save up $35 on the cost of registration with the early bird pricing.

All special events are included in the cost of registration. On Thursday, Sept. 18, Steve Sheinkin will deliver the opening session. Other confirmed special events include a Breakfast for Bill program with Tim Federle, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Rita Williams-Garcia and Gene Luen Yang, facilitated by Jamie Campbell Naidoo. Andrea Davis Pinkney will deliver the Closing General Session on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The Institute also offers a wide variety of education programs. All of the programs fall within the theme of the conference: Expanding Our Worlds, Creating Community. Programs will repeat throughout the Institute so that participants have the opportunity to attend eight programs in total.

The Institute is one of the only conferences devoted solely to children’s librarianship, literature and technology and takes place every two years. This intensive learning opportunity with a youth services focus and is designed for front-line youth library staff, children’s literature experts, education and library school faculty members, and other interested adults.

ALSC Institute Program Highlights: Tween Programming, Early Childhood Partnerships, Making Advocacy  Awesome

Meeting children’s librarians from across the country is one of the many benefits of attending the ALSC Institute. In some cases, that even includes the librarians who are presenting the workshops.  In many cases, the programs are presented by librarians from different states, collaborating on a single concept but adding a variety of perspectives. Often they have met in person, serving on ALSC committees together, but in some cases they have only met “virtually” to collaborate on their presentations. Here are three programs that will be presented, with great ideas you can take back and use in your library, that feature speakers from different states working together on the topic:

Making Advocacy Awesome: Presented by Helen Bloch of Oakland PL, CA, Jenna Nemec-Loise of Chicago PL, IL and Katie O’Dell of Multnomah County PL, OR.  If you hear “advocacy,” and think “scary,” this program is for you! Engage in hands-on activities and practical applications of the basics for advocating both within your library and beyond it. Presenter Helen Bloch says “I am very excited to be a part of this panel.  The Everyday Advocacy website www.ala.org/everyday-advocacy/ ; has great tools everybody can use to advocate for libraries.  This workshop provides an opportunity to share those tools and put them into practical situations librarians encounter every day.  In reality, children’s librarians advocate for their libraries every time they present a storytime or find a “just right” book for a patron.  We will discuss reframing these everyday library services so that administrators can make funders aware of what the library is doing and why they are doing it.”

Easy Tween Programming: Ernie Cox, College Community School District (IA); Penny Peck, San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science (CA). Expand you programming toolbox with these field tested programs for tweens (youth ages 9-13, or grades 4-8). Participants will experience a range of options from one-time programs including Star Wars Reading Day, hands-on Maker programs, programs celebrating specific books, authors, or subjects, as well as ongoing programming series options, including stop motion animation, book discussion groups, Lego clubs, and board and video gaming. Ernie Cox commented “We’ll get librarians ready to harness the varied interests and talents of tweens through no stress programming options. Participants – be prepared to make the library a tween destination.” Co-presenter Penny Peck concurs: “Tweens often need a safe place to go after school or on weekends or vacations, so offering some practical, hands-on no-fuss tween programs can help them identify the library as that place.”

Early Childhood Partnerships: Dorothy Stoltz, Carroll County Library (MD); Nancee Dahms-Stinson, Springfield-Greene County Library (MO); Christy Estrovitz, San Francisco Public Library (CA); Betsy Diamant-Cohen, Mother Goose on the Loose LLC.  Libraries are redefining their role as partners with parents and child-serving agencies to better serve children birth through five. Hear a discussion about how libraries are at the “community table” and are creating successful collaborations among early childhood allies – parents, caregivers, agencies, and, public officials. Christy Estrovitz mentioned that “Our community partners are library ambassadors. Through collaborative programs and conversations, they help us spread library love to new audiences.” 

These are just three of the many wonderful workshops to choose from at the ALSC Institute! To register for the ALSC Institute, and for more information on these and other programs that will be offered, check out: www.ala.org/alsc/institute.

Penny Peck, San Jose State Univ., School of Library and Information Science

The Friends of ALSC are offering two scholarships to the 2014 ALSC National Institute (image courtesy of the Friends of ALSC)

The ALSC National Institute, devoted solely to children’s and youth library services, offers a small, intimate setting for participating in programming and getting to know colleagues. Programs will delve into some of the most important topics in library service to children such as using technology in programming, what’s hot in children’s spaces, working with underserved populations and using local partnerships to improve programming. Participants are sure to go home feeling reinvigorated about the profession and more connected to others in the field.

The online application must be submitted before midnight on Friday, May 30, 2014. Prior to submitting the application, seek permission from current supervisor for time off to attend the Institute. Winners will be notified by Friday, June 13, 2014. For more information on the Institute scholarship including requirements and a link to the application form, please see the ALSC National Institute site.

Registered yet for the ALSC Institute in Oakland CA? Early-bird registration closes on June 30th.  Beyond the Institute offerings you’ve been hearing about, we want to show you some of what Oakland has in store for you.

Where to Go

Oakland Public Library staff love to travel the town by bike! The weather will be perfect for it.

For those looking to add a little exploring to your time in Oakland, you’re perfectly positioned to wander Oakland’s Chinatown, the Uptown art galleries,  and the Oakland Museum of CA.  If you stay through the weekend, check the museum’s schedule for their Third Sundays free Oakland bike tours.  Bicycles are easy to rent at Jack London square.

The 12th street BART station is right outside the hotel door and connects you easily to San Francisco and Berkeley, and the rest of Oakland.   But don’t miss the ferry trip into San Francisco–the dock is just a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel, and is a great way to see the Oakland Port, San Francisco Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline.   From the SF Ferry Building (full of restaurants and markets), you can easily walk to the Exploratorium (does it look like it’s for kids? Forget it.  And anyway, this is professional development, right?)

What to eat

Institute Chair Nina Lindsay eats the Green Chicken Mole at Cosecha every Monday for lunch. If you want to try it, you have to stay through till Monday, but you WILL be there for the Fried Fish (W/Th) and Shrimp (Fri) Tacos so do not despair.

The Convention Center is located on the crossroads of Downtown, Old Oakland and Chinatown.  If you’re wondering where to lunch, you won’t have to look far.  The braised pork taco or fresh cheese quesadilla at Cosecha?   A fragrant curry with nan at Breads of India? Vitenamese vermicelli at Le Cheval?  If you have a small crowd, you might eat family-style at Miss Ollies where the fried chicken comes in a bowl (don’t miss the plantains!). These possibilities are within a single block of the convention center and are the tip of the iceberg.  On Friday, the Old Oakland farmer’s market offers even more with vendors’ stalls.

On Friday evening, you might try going a little further afield, as the Uptown Arts District is an easy walk from Fairyland.  Hawker Fare and Xolo are two of my favorites, or for a splurge Flora.  Other popular favorties are Duende, Mua, Plum Bar, or Luka’s.

The Eat Real Festival will be happening Friday September 19th to Sunday September 21st in Jack London Square, just a half mile from the Oakland Marriott and Convention Center. This is a chance to see demonstrations and sample delicacies from all of the Bay Area’s best food purveyors.  Don’t miss it.

The Free B Shuttle will connect you up and down Broadway from the Uptown Arts District to Jack London square. We will have a full restaurant rundown, including local ethnic-food favorites for the adventurous, and local optional tour schedules, at the Institute.

What else do you need to know about planning your visit? Just ask.

The upcoming ALSC Institute in Oakland, CA, on September 18-20, 2014, provides an abundance of outstanding programs to attend, from exploring innovative ways for youth services librarians to engage with community to the latest in early literacy research and best practices.

Among the many programs offered will be Advocating for Appropriate Technology in the Children’s Spaces, which will explore how to advocate for appropriate technology for children with our patrons, community and organizations. Presenter Elizabeth Gray gave us a few minutes of her time to talk about what Institute attendees can look forward to.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I wish I knew then what I know now! At my first job as a children’s librarian back in 2004, I tried to advocate for children’s computers but was new and my supervisor and I didn’t exactly see eye to eye. Instead of effectively advocating, I got labeled as a trouble maker and ended up making my life more difficult. Now I am a library manager and I still advocate for children’s materials, technology and spaces (and staff!).

Tell us about your program in just 6 words.

Getting your patrons the best technology.

What’s one thing you feel people should know about your program?

I’ll give children’s services staff ideas and practical tools for maximizing those important resources that can sometimes be controversial or minimized: kids’ computers, games, and downloadable media.

What’s one thing someone who attends your program will be able to take back to their libraries and use right away?

Practical tips such as how to look at technology-related statistics and trends and how to “talk budget” in a helpful way. I’ll also provide examples of data and charts that you can use at your library.

Looking at the list of other programs on the lineup, which one are you most looking forward to attending?

It is hard to pick a favorite, but I think I’m most looking forward to Thinking Outside the Storytime Box: Building your Preschool Programming Repertoire.

If you could be any kid’s lit character, who would you be and why?

I would be Lucky from The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron because I love her attitude.

Ted McCoy, ALSC Institute Task Force Member and Children’s Librarian at Springfield (MA) City Library

One of the most anticipated events at the ALSC Institute in Oakland this September is the Breakfast for Bill, which all attendees are welcomed to as part of their registration (no separate tickets need to be purchased).  The event honors the late Bill Morris, who was head of library marketing at HarperCollins for many years.

This year’s Breakfast for Bill will feature a panel of four authors of tween novels: Rita Williams-Garcia, Tim Federle, Pam Munoz Ryan, and Gene Yang.

The emcee for the panel discussion will be Jamie Campbell Naidoo, professor at the School of Library & Information Studies at the University of Alabama, and author of Rainbow Family Collections (Libraries Unlimited, 2012).

I will helping to run the event as part of the ALSC Institute planning committee, and had an online conversation with Jamie about our focus on authors of tween literature. Here is some of what we discussed:

What about tween literature appeals to you?

Jamie: While all children are influenced by the literature that they read, tweens are in their formative years at the beginning of adolescence trying to figure out who they are, their place in the world, and how this meshes with larger society, but particularly their family’s views. Literature for tweens can really shape their understanding of the world. Good tween literature can be the impetus for change in their lives and encourage them to be social activists for their peers around the world.

What is your take on the current state of diversity in tween novels?

Like all areas of children’s literature there is not enough diversity in books for tweens. I would even go as far as to say that there is probably less diversity in tween literature than picture books for children and young adult novels. There is a critical need for tweens in their critical stages of development to make connections with characters that are like themselves but to also make larger global connections with peer characters from other cultures.

Is there any trend in tween lit that you are excited about, or any trend that you wish was over?

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I so wish the crush and gushy tween BFF romance trend was over. I realize tweens are beginning to figure out who they are and who they might like (or not). But, I think they deserve a little more emotional depth and sophistication than these types of books provide.

Is there any voice or group that you don’t see represented in tween lit?

Where do I begin! There are so many voices that I don’t see represented in tween lit. Where are the tweens from low socioeconomic households? Where are the tweens from mixed race or bicultural families? Where are the LGBTQ tweens? Where are the homeless tweens? Where are the tweens that are differently able? Where are the tweens that are ethnically diverse? Sure you can probably find 3 or more tween titles representing these groups but are they really good titles? Are they recent and relevant?

What are you looking forward to hear about from our four featured authors?

I’d like to hear from each of them about the stories they liked to read as tweens and what features of those stories are present in their own works. I’d also like to learn what they think about the current state of diversity in tween literature and how we can fix it. On the fun side, what is their most embarrassing tween moment and has that ever featured in their books? Finally, their top 5 favorite tween books (either currently written or yet to come).

Did you ever get the chance to meet Bill Morris, the late editor with HarperCollins that this event honors?

Unfortunately, I never had the privilege of meeting Bill. I really regret that as I have heard from many that he was such an awesome man!

Penny: I was lucky enough to meet him at an ALA conference and to sit by him at lunch. He was hilarious! He loved to dish the dirt on the who’s who of children’s books, but not in a mean-spirited way. He was a delightful conversationalist, and could have held his own on a talk show!

Anything else about the William Morris Breakfast event that folks should look forward to at the ALSC Institute?

It is a breakfast. I don’t do mornings. There will definitely be some surprises to help me (and all those other night owls) wake up. I just have to think of what we can do to make folks squirt orange juice out their noses.

Penny:  I totally agree! I am “nocturnal” myself, but I am looking forward to this wonderful event!  We have lots of surprises planned for the attendees, including some local children’s authors coming to sit with the attendees at breakfast, as well as some fun games and prizes planned!

If you have not yet registered for the ALSC Institute, there is still time!

Go to:  www.ala.org/alsc/institute

Special thanks to Jamie Campbell Naidoo for his time – and I hope to see many ALSC members at this wonderful event!  

Penny Peck, author of Readers’ Advisory for Children and Tweens (Libraries Unlimited, 2010).

The upcoming ALSC Institute in Oakland, CA, on September 18-20, 2014, provides an abundance of outstanding programs to attend, from exploring innovative ways for youth services librarians to engage with community to the latest in early literacy research and best practices.

Among the many programs offered will be Every Child Ready to Read® en Español: A How-to Workshop, offering practical information for using the Spanish ECRR Manual and kit’s new tools. Several of the program presenters gave us a few minutes of their time to talk about what Institute attendees can look forward to.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Freda Mosquera: I am a passionate advocate of library services to children and teens of color, and through my own professional journey have had the great professional opportunity to meet others that share this passion and are committed to promoting these services at the local, state at national level. Some of these outstanding professionals comprise this panel. The lives of many Latino children in the United States have been greatly enriched thanks to their contributions. I am infinitely grateful to them for their work and honored to share this panel with them.

Every Child Ready to Read® @ your Library® Toolkit for Spanish-Speaking Communities is now available from the ALA Store (image courtesy of ALA)

Ana-Elba Pavon:  I am currently a Branch Manager at the Elmhurst Branch of the Oakland Public Library.  A co-author of 25 Latino Craft Projects (ALA Editions, 2003), I have spoken on various aspects of children’s, Latino, and Spanish-language library services at various national and international conferences.

Lucía M. González: I am librarian, storyteller, and author.  My book, The Bossy Gallito, was included among the New York Public Library’s 100 Most Popular Children’s Books of the Last Century and 100 Fantastic Tales that Have Withstood the Test of Time.

Tell us about your program in just 6 words.

Freda:  Insightful, empowering, fun, practical, informational and inspiring.

What’s one thing you feel people should know about your program?

Freda:  As the translator of many of the Every Child Ready to Read® en Español slides, guides and bibliographies, and the manual, I believe it is important that librarians, teachers and parents know the manual was developed to help non-Spanish speaker professionals, as well as those that speak the language. People should be aware of the publishers’ (PLA & ALSC) dedication and commitment to produce a culturally appropriate manual that displays a profound respect for the Spanish language and the very diverse cultures of Spanish-speakers in the United States. Professionals that do not speak Spanish should feel confident using this manual. It will greatly help them to provide a much needed service: early literacy for bilingual children, as well as children that are raised in an English speaking world and whose parents speak Spanish.

“Sam, Matthew & Isaac reading books” by PittCaleb is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND. No changes were made.

What’s one thing someone who attends your program will be able to take back to their libraries and use right away?

Freda: Librarians will be able to start free literacy sessions and workshops for Spanish-speaking parents, as well as promoting and advertising the ECRR program in Spanish, using the materials contained on the manual.

Looking at the list of other programs on the lineup, which one are you most looking forward to attending?

Ana-Elba:  Making Advocacy Awesome: A Workshop for the Everyday Advocate—You!

Lucia:  Dewey-Lite: A Solution to the Non-Fiction Problem

If you could be any kid’s lit character, who would you be and why?

Freda:  Alice in Wonderland, because I like to think that impossible things are possible.

Ana-Elba:  Piggy from Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series.  I just love those books.  They make me laugh, the kids enjoy them, and they remind me of one of my cherished friendships.

Lucia:  Hermione Jean Granger from the Harry Potter series. She is proud and confident of her Muggle origins, and always smart and brave.

Ted McCoy, ALSC Institute Task Force Member and Children’s Librarian at Springfield (MA) City Library