How to use this Page

Every year, more than $100,000 is given away through ALSC’s professional awards, grants, and scholarships.

Deserving libraries and members across the country receive support to attend conferences, host programs, and get recognized for their achievements.

ALSC announces that two professional award applications have already opened. More information on these awards can be found below:

Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship

This fellowship provides a $4,000 stipend to allow a qualified children’s librarian to spend a month or more reading at the University of Florida’s Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature, which contains a special collection of 85,000 volumes of children’s literature published mostly before 1950.

Applications due November 1, 2016.

Apply now!

ALSC Distinguished Service Award

This award honors an individual member who has made significant contributions to and an impact on, library services to children and ALSC. The recipient receives $2,000 and an engraved pin at the ALSC Membership Meeting during the ALA Annual Conference.

Applications due December 1, 2016.

The post Two ALSC Professional Award Applications Now Open appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC is now accepting proposals for innovative programs for the 2017 ALA Annual Conference. Be part of this exciting professional development opportunity by submitting your program today!

To submit a program proposal for the 2017 Annual Conference, please visit the ALSC website. for the submission form and instructions. The 2017 ALA Annual Conference is scheduled for June 22-27, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. All proposals must be submitted by Thursday, June 2, 2016.

Submit a proposal

Need help getting started? In January, the Program Coordinating Committee put out a call for ideas and asked for your feedback. We offered thirteen topic areas and asked members to rank their favorites. Here are all thirteen topic areas we suggested ranked in order of ALSC members’ choices:

1. Diversity in children’s lit
2. Partnerships and outreach
3. Age specific programming
4. STEM/STEAM
5. Summer learning
6. Difficult conversations
7. Media mentorship
8. Recent immigrant communities
9. Collection development
10. Diversity in the profession
11. Advocacy
12. Gender diversity
13. Networking

Need more inspiration? Below you’ll find additional ideas suggested by ALSC members in response to the survey. These are not ranked and appear in the order in which they were received. Additional Program Ideas:

• Continuing Education after the MLIS
• Working with difficult coworkers/directors/city agencies– best practices, stress relief, etc.
• Programming for Children with Special Needs
• Localized networking- how to bring back info from ALA, etc, and share with people who can’t afford time/money for conference
• Poetry, poetry programs, apps, National Poetry Month
• Social services: ie. Food programs at the library to serve hungry families, homelessness, libraries as a safe environment etc
• Child development and how it relates to library services, the mechanics of reading ( to help with readers advisory for emerging readers)
• The impact on tech on families
• Recent youth space upgrades/renovations. Slide shows etc
• Early Literacy/Babies Need Words
• Preschool Programming outside of storytime
• Becoming a youth services manager
• Statistics, budgeting
• I would love to see a diversity track that covers diversity in the profession, networking with others that are from a more diverse culture, diversity in children’s lit, gender diversity, also how to encourage diversity in publishing and other areas related to libraries.
• Creating a culture of reading in our community
• Time/workload management; librarian lifehacks
• Leadership and management chops
• Homeschooling
• Serving low-income kids and families
• Parent involvement
• Advancing early literacy best practices based on research- screens and reality

Please note that participants attending ALSC programs are seeking valuable educational experiences; the Program Coordinating Committee will not select a program session that suggests commercial sales or self-promotion. Presentations should provide a valuable learning experience and avoid being too limited in scope.

Please contact the chair of the ALSC Program Coordinating Committee, Amy Martin with questions.

Submit a proposal

Image courtesy of ALSC.

The post Submit a #alaac17 Program Proposal appeared first on ALSC Blog.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) encourages participants to sign up for Summer 2016 ALSC online courses. Registration is open for all courses. Classes begin Monday, July 11, 2016.

One of the three courses being offered this semester are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs). The American Library Association (ALA) has been certified to provide CEUs by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET). ALSC online courses are designed to fit the needs of working professionals. Courses are taught by experienced librarians and academics. As participants frequently noted in post-course surveys, ALSC stresses quality and caring in its online education options.

NEW! Engaging Readers and Writers with Interactive Fiction
4 weeks, July 11 – August 5, 2016
Instructor: Christian Sheehy, Digital Initiatives Librarian, Xavier University

The Newbery Medal: Past, Present and Future
6 weeks, July 11 – August 13, 2016
Instructor: KT Horning, Director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin- Madison

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Programs Made Easy
4 weeks, July 11 – August 5, 2016
CEU Certified Course, 1.2 CEUs
Instructor: Angela Young, Head of Children’s Department, Reed Memorial Library

Detailed descriptions and registration information is available on the ALSC website. Fees are $115 for personal ALSC members; $165 for personal ALA members; and $185 for non-members. Questions? Please contact ALSC Program Officer for Continuing Education, Kristen Figliulo or 1 (800) 545-2433 ext 4026.

Images are courtesy of ALSC.

The post Register for Summer 2016 Online Courses appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee has updated our Summer Reading Lists with new and exciting titles!

The lists are full of book titles to keep children engaged in reading throughout the summer. Four Summer Reading book lists are available for Birth-Preschool, K-2nd, 3rd- 5th and 6th-8th grade students.

Each list is available here to download for free. Lists can be customized to include library information, summer hours and summer reading programs for children before making copies available to schools and patrons.

Titles on the 2016 Summer Reading List was compiled and annotated by members of ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee.

Image courtesy of ALSC

The post New ALSC Summer Reading Lists Available appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Apply to Host the 2017 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture featuring Jacqueline Woodson (image courtesy of Jacqueline Woodson)

Your library could host the 2017 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture featuring Jacquline Woodson!

The 2017 Arbuthnot Committee is looking for a host site for next year’s annual lecture. The site would host roughly 250-700 attendees, depending on the selected venue. Audiences typically include: librarians, publishers, literary critics, intrigued local patrons, and others interested in children’s literature.

The selected site will host Jacqueline Woodson, who is the 2014 National Book Award Winner for her New York Times bestselling memoir, Brown Girl Dreaming. The author of more than two dozen books for young readers, she is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a recipient of the NAACP Image Award, the 2014 National Book Award winner for young people’s literature, a two-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and was recently named the Young People’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation.

Applications are due Friday, June 10, 2016. Information about host site responsibilities is included in the application materials.

Access the 2017 Arbuthnot Host Application!

The post Apply to Host the 2017 Arbuthnot Lecture appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC members are invited to submit their entries in the Top Ten Contest. Winners receive their choice of two prize categories! (Image courtesy of ALSC)

ALSC members love lists! The ALSC Blog is holding a contest to find out which members have the best lists. And they don’t just have to be book lists. Keep in mind your audience: ALSC Blog readers are world travelers, children’s literature enthusiasts, pillars of knowledge, youth librarians, and community engagement specialists. Send us your top 10 and we’ll hold a vote for the top ten list of top ten lists!

Winners will be able to choose from two categories of prizes including individual 2016 Newbery-Caldecott-Wilder Banquet tickets. Participants must be personal members of ALSC. Lists must be submitted by Friday, May 13, 2016 at 5pm Eastern/4pm Central. Help us spread the contest by tweeting about is using the hashtag #toptencontest. For more information and rules, please see the Top Ten Contest tab.

The post Announcing the Blog’s #TopTenContest appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Many thanks to all of the candidates who ran for division office this year. We appreciate their willingness to put their names forward for the division. Here are the results from the 2016 ALSC elections:

Vice President/President-Elect

Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, Oakland, CA

Board of Directors

Karen MacPherson, Takoma Park Maryland Library, Takoma Park, MD

New to ALSC Board of Directors

Amy Koester, Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL

Fiscal Officer

Paula Holmes, Upper St. Clair Library Board, Upper St Clair, PA

Newbery 2018 Committee

Angie Manfredi, Los Alamos County Library System, Los Alamos, NM
Sujei Lugo, Boston Public Library, Jamaica Plain, MA
Thaddeus Andracki, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, Chicago, IL
Janice Del Negro, Dominican University GSLIS, River Forest, IL
Catharine Potter, Falmouth Elementary School, Falmouth, ME
Carol Goldman, Queens Library, Forest Hills, NY
Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CA
Susan Giffard, Ethical Culture School, New York, NY

Caldecott 2018 Committee

Sylvia Vardell, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX
Dean Schneider, Ensworth School, Nashville, TN
Katie Salo, Melrose Park, IL Jeanne McDermott, Amagansett Free Library, Amagansett, NY
Naphtali Faris, Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO
Michelle Young, Lihue Public Library, Lihue, HI
Sarah Hinkle, West Linn Public Library, West Linn, OR
Heather McNeil, Deschutes Public Library, Bend, OR

Sibert 2018 Committee

Madeline Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, CA
Mary Michell, Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL
Debra Marshall, Wilson Elementary School, Coppell, TX
Adrienne Gillespie, Stoller Middle School, Portland, OR
Danielle Forest, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS

Wilder 2018 Committee

Viki Ash, San Antonio Public Library, San Antonio, TX
Susan Faust, Katherine Burke School, San Francisco, CA
Merri Lindgren, Cooperative Children’s Book Center / Univ of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

Visit the ALA 2016 Election page.

The post 2016 ALSC Election Results appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Download your copy of the new 2016 Building STEAM with Día Booklists (image courtesy of ALSC)

ALSC’s Quicklists Consulting Committee has developed two new booklists for this celebratory year of Día.

The 2016 Building STEAM with Día Booklists continue the theme of identifying promising resources to supplement (S)cience, (T)echnology, (E)ngineering, the (A)rts, and (M)ath programming while reflecting a variety of cultures and languages.

The 20 Years of Día: Share the Gift of Reading lists are a special tribute to encourage everyone to participate in the celebration of Día’s 20th anniversary. To help libraries and community members access these books as easily as possible, ALSC has collaborated with our Official Día Supporter, First Book, to identify which books are available through their First Book Marketplace. By registering with First Book, librarians and others serving children in areas of high poverty can access books at little or no cost. In addition to printed books, these titles may also be available as unlimited eBooks through the recently launched Open eBooks Initiative.

New for 2016! The 20 Years of Día Booklist is great for your celebration (image courtesy of ALSC)

Each of the lists are available for download in the ranges of Birth to Pre-K, Kindergarten to 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade to 5th Grade and 6h Grade to 8th Grade. Click the Free Program Downloads tab to download them all today!

The post 2016 Día Booklists appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Jacqueline Woodson will present the Closing General Session at the National Institute (Image courtesy of Jacqueline Woodson)

Woodson was recently named the Young People’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation. She is the author of more than two dozen award-winning books for young adults, middle graders and children; among her many accolades, she is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a three-time National Book Award finalist, and a two-time Coretta Scott King Award winner.

Other confirmed special events include a Breakfast for Bill program with Phil and Erin Stead, Laura Dronzek and Kevin Henkes. On Thursday, September 15, David Shannon will present the Opening General Session. Attendees will benefit from an on-site bookstore where they can buy books to have signed by their favorite speakers.

The Closing General Session is free for all individuals registered for the 2016 ALSC National Institute. All special events are included in the cost of registration. Registration fees include Thursday dinner, Friday breakfast, and Saturday breakfast. For more information and registration details please the visit the 2016 ALSC National Institute website.

The post Jacqueline Woodson to Present Closing Session at #alsc16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Download your own Graphic Novel Reading Lists! (Image courtesy of ALSC)

Graphic novels on this list are defined as a full-length story told in paneled, sequential, graphic format. The list does not include book-length collections of comic strips, wordless picture books or hybrid books that are a mixture of traditional text and comics/graphics. The list includes classics as well as new titles that have been widely recommended and well-reviewed, and books that have popular appeal as well as critical acclaim.

The titles were selected, compiled and annotated by members of the ALSC Quicklists Consulting Committee.

The post New Graphic Novels Reading Lists! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

You’re invited to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Día! (image courtesy of ALSC)

Celebrate children, diversity, books and community! El día de los niños/El día de los libros, Día, is celebrating it’s 20th year and you’re invited to the celebration.

Día is a nationally recognized initiative that emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds. It is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures.

You can register and promote your Día program, whether it is hosted at the library or a partner organization.  Now is the time! Current resources include:

• Book lists
• Planning tools
• Coloring sheets
• Activity sheets
• Publicity tools

Share your successes using the hashtag #diaturns20 and check out the Día site.

The post The 20th Anniversary of Día! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC announced a very special Breakfast for Bill at the 2016 ALSC National Institute. This keynote celebration will include authors and illustrators Phil and Erin Stead, Laura Dronzek and Kevin Henkes. The National Institute takes place September 15-17, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This star-studded panel includes two husband and wife pairs – Phil and Erin Stead, and Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek – who have two Caldecott Medals between them. They will discuss their latest collaborations, and give insights as to how the process of working creatively with a spouse differs from the process of creating individually. This event is sponsored by HarperCollins Children’s Books and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

The breakfast will honor the memory of William C. Morris, former vice-president and director of library promotion at HarperCollins Children’s Books by bringing librarians together with children’s book creators. Morris was a long time ALSC member and friend, recipient of the first ALSC Distinguished Service Award, and an advocate for children’s librarians and literature.

Other Special Events

Other confirmed special events include the Opening General Session on September 15 with David Shannon. On Saturday, September 17, Jacqueline Woodson will present the Closing General Session. Attendees will benefit from an on-site bookstore where they can buy books to have signed by their favorite speakers.

The Breakfast for Bill event is free for all individuals registered for the 2016 ALSC National Institute. All special events are included in the cost of registration. Registration fees include Thursday dinner, Friday breakfast, and Saturday breakfast.

Registration for the 2016 ALSC National Institute is open! For more information and registration details for the 2016 ALSC National Institute please visit http://www.ala.org/alsc/institute

The post Breakfast for Bill at #alsc16 Announced appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Greetings! As part of this year’s Emerging Leaders cohort, we are a group of public and school librarians from different libraries around the country (Arkansas, California, Missouri, Ohio, and Washington) working with the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, to conduct an environmental scan of current trends in children’s library services.

We hope that you can take approximately two to four minutes to answer this quick survey. Our goal is for this survey to give us a more detailed sense of what trends are the most relevant and important to librarians serving children and youth and how ALSC can best support librarians’ professional development needs. If you have any questions or would like to talk more about the survey and/or the project, please email us at: [email protected]

Take the 2016 ALSC Environmental Scan Survey2016 ALSC Environmental Scan Survey

The post Take the 2016 ALSC Environmental Scan Survey appeared first on ALSC Blog.

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) encourages participants to sign up for Spring 2016 ALSC online courses. Registration is open for all courses. Classes begin Monday, April 4, 2016.

Two of the courses being offered this semester are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs). The American Library Association (ALA) has been certified to provide CEUs by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET). ALSC online courses are designed to fit the needs of working professionals. Courses are taught by experienced librarians and academics. As participants frequently noted in post-course surveys, ALSC stresses quality and caring in its online education options. For more information on ALSC online learning, please visit: www.ala.org/alsced

The Caldecott Medal: Understanding Distinguished Art in Picture Books
6 weeks, April 4 – May 13, 2016
Instructor: KT Horning, Director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin- Madison

It’s Mutual: School and Public Library Collaboration
6 weeks, April 4 – May 13, 2016
Instructor: Rachel Reinwald, School Liaison and Youth Services Librarian, Lake Villa District Library

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Programs Made Easy
4 weeks, April 4 – 29, 2016, CEU Certified Course, 1.2 CEUs
Instructor: Angela Young, Head of Children’s Department, Reed Memorial Library

Storytelling with Puppets
4 weeks, September 14 – October 9, 2015, CEU Certified Course, 2.2 CEUs
Instructor: Steven Engelfried, Youth Services Librarian, Wilsonville Public Library

Detailed descriptions and registration information is available on the ALSC website. Fees are $115 for personal ALSC members; $165 for personal ALA members; and $185 for non-members. Questions? Please contact ALSC Program Officer for Continuing Education, Kristen Figliulo or 1 (800) 545-2433 ext 4026.

Images are courtesy of ALSC. 

The post Register for Spring 2016 ALSC Online Courses appeared first on ALSC Blog.

The ALSC Board of Directors and ALSC President Andrew Medlar will be hosting an ALSC Community Forum live chat on the topic of summer reading & learning. This forum will include a live text discussion with the newly appointed ALSC Summer Reading & Learning Task Force.

Join us to discuss how libraries across the country are finding new and engaging ways to keep kids reading and learning in their communities and explore ways in which ALSC can help assist members in their work.

ALSC’s next forum will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2016 at:

• 2pm Eastern
• 1pm Central
• 12pm Mountain
• 11am Pacific

Members are invited to check out the National Summer Learning Association’s new Summer Learning Policy Snapshot in preparation for this discussion.

Accessing the Forum

ALSC Community Forums take place on Adobe Connect. A few days prior to the event, ALSC members will receive an email with a URL link to the forum. You can also find a direct link to the forum from the Community Forum site (member login required). A recorded webcast of the forum will be available after the live session has completed.

Participate via Twitter

Members who cannot participate in the live chat can participate via Twitter using the hashtag #alscforum. Questions and answers will be submitted to the forum as time allows.

Questions? Contact ALSC Membership and Marketing Manager, Dan Bostrom or by phone, 800-545-2433 ext 2164.

The post Join the ALSC Community Forum on Summer Reading & Learning appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Applications are open for the spring 2016 mentoring cohort. Apply by Feb. 26, 2016. Image courtesy of ALSC.

January was National Mentoring Month, but there’s still time to make a difference. The ALSC Mentoring Program is in it’s third year of existence and it’s worth re-visiting what the program is all about.

In 2012, the ALSC Emerging Leaders team put together recommendations for a new mentoring program. The original intention was to pair early career professionals with experienced ALSC members. Since Fall 2013, ALSC has been matching mentors and mentees in an effort to make new connections in the profession and increase awareness of interest and familiarity with ALSC committee service and participation.

Mentors and mentees set their own goals and meet on their own time. Matches do a lot of different activities, including mock interviews, writing blog posts, and performing research.

What Does It Take To Be a Mentor?

One difficulty for the program has been in attracting as many mentors as mentees.  The misconception is that it is easy to be a mentee, but hard to be a mentor. It couldn’t be further from the truth.

To combat this, the ALSC Membership Committee and Managing Children’s Services Committees have come up with three suggestions for why you should be a mentor:

1. Being a mentor is giving back to the profession
2. Mentoring requires only a few hours of time per month
3. It can be as easy as having a 30-min conversation every two weeks

ALSC has also sought to increase communication about what happens in the program. Every year, ALSC hosts two mentoring forums – one in the fall, one in the spring – to bring matches together to talk about goals and obstacles. If you’re curious check out the recorded webcasts of these events to learn more.

Thank You Mentors and Mentees!

Another one of the new practices of the program is to recognize mentors and mentees for their participation. The following mentors and mentees were matched in Spring 2015. We thank them and wish them well in their future endeavors:

Spring 2015 Mentors

• Jordan Boaz
• Anne Clark
• Mary Cook
• Cheri Crow
• Carol Edwards
• Lucia Gonzalez
• Christie Hamm
• Carol Hopkins
• Abby Johnson
• Kendra Jones
• Julie Jurgens
• Rachel Keeler
• Laura Keonig
• Marybeth Kozikowski
• Mollie Lancaster
• Meghan Malone
• Angie Manfredi
• Allison Murphy
• Brooke Newberry
• Carol Phillips
• Marian Rafl
• Julie Ranelli
• Angela Reynolds
• Kristina Reynolds
• Katie Salo
• Brooke Sheets
• Robin Sofge
• Kelly Von Zee
• Marc Waldron

Spring 2015 Mentees

• Emily Aaronson
• Megan Ashley
• Carly Bastiansen
• Emily Bayci
• Jeannine Birkenfeld
• Amy Cantley
• Katie Carter
• Kathleen Dean
• Jessica Espejel
• Joie Formando
• Haley Frailey
• Rebecca Greer
• Pamela Groseclose
• Emily Heath
• Ajarie Holman
• Kimberly Iacucci
• Amanda Jachec
• Taylor Johnson
• Kristen Jones
• Naara Kean
• Kari Kunst
• Samantha Magee
• Kate Mahoney
• Kyra Nay
• Alison O’Brien
• Renee Perron
• Jessica Ralli
• Amy Steinbauer
• Mary Watring

How You Can Participate

Want to be a mentor or mentee? ALSC is now accepting applications for the Spring 2016 cohort. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 26, 2016.

The post Mentoring: How You Can Give Back to the Profession appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Día Turns 20 in 2016! Image courtesy of ALSC.

Have you already started planning for your big Día Turns 20 Celebration? April 30 of 2016 marks 20 years of the celebration of Día as the connection of children and books, so ALSC has a funding opportunity to make the celebration even bigger!

Applications for 20 mini-grants of $2,000 are now available. ALSC members in public libraries within 20 miles of a Dollar General retail or corporate location are welcome to apply. Start thinking about how your library would like to celebrate 20 years of connecting children with diverse books and apply now!

Applications are due Monday, February 22, 2016.

The post Apply Now for Día Turns 20 Mini-Grants appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC is pleased to honor Pat Scales with the 2016 Distinguished Service Award (photo credit Pat Scales)

Pat Scales is the 2016 recipient of the Association for Library Service to Children’s (ALSC) Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to library service to children and to ALSC.

This year’s recipient, Pat Scales, is a former middle school and high school librarian who is an independent consultant, author, and active member of ALSC and ALA.

Throughout her career, Scales has been a passionate advocate for children’s intellectual freedom. She works to educate librarians, teachers, and parents on how to talk about books and teach life lessons through sharing books.

Scales’ involvement with children, libraries and ALSC spans 38 years. She served as ALSC President in 2008-2009 and also served as chair of many ALSC award committees including the Newbery, Caldecott, and Wilder award committees. “My first ALA was in 1977, and I learned at that conference that ALSC was my professional home,” said Scales. “My work with intellectual freedom has been for the thousands of students that I have served and the youth of this nation who deserve the right for free expression in its many forms. ALSC has given me the platform for this work.”

As an authority on censorship and children’s literature, she has published three books and is a contributor for Random House, Library School Journal, and Book Links. She has also been called upon as an expert witness by ALA to defend the Library Bill of Rights in book challenges.

“Pat Scales is not only a champion for children’s freedom to read,” said chair Katrina Hartz Taylor, “but she is also a champion for the teachers, librarians, and authors who provide the array of books that children need in order to grow and understand their world.”

ALSC is pleased to honor Pat Scales with the 2016 Distinguished Service Award.

ALSC, a division of the ALA, is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the support and enhancement of library service to children. With a network of more than 4,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to creating a better future for children through libraries. To learn more about ALSC, visit ALSC’s website at www.ala.org/alsc.

The 2016 ALSC Distinguished Service Award Committee includes: Chair, Katrina Hartz Taylor, Saint Paul (Minn.) Public Library; Carolyn R. Angus, Mountain View, Calif.; Connie J. Champlin, Cape Cod, Mass.; Julie Corsaro, Williamsburg, Va.; Ellen G. Fader, Portland, Ore.

The post Scales is 2016 ALSC Distinguished Service Award recipient #alamw16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

2016 ALSC Emerging Leaders Team D (photo credit ALSC)

Today I got a chance to finally meet the 2016 ALSC Emerging Leader Team D face-t0-face. Over the next six months, these five individuals will be performing an environmental scan for ALSC. I’ll be working with them in the capacity of staff liaison and it’s one of the favorite parts of my job. Every year, Emerging Leaders bring so much energy and passion to the work of our association.

Their project is for them to analyze “trends, ideas, and influences to help ALSC prepare for the future needs of members and the direction of the profession.” Who better to do that then a group of forward-thinking and Emerging Leaders!? I can’t wait to get started. By the way, this project may sound familiar. An ALSC Emerging Leader project team performed this same environmental scan back in 2010. We liked it so much we asked a new group to do it again!

The post 2016 ALSC Emerging Leaders Team D at #alamw16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

We’re heading into the final days of 2015 and it’s also the the final days before the next semester of ALSC online courses!

With topics like school/library collaboration, STEM programming, and the Sibert Medal, you can bring new ideas into your library! Classes begin Monday, January 4, 2016.

One of the courses being offered this semester are eligible for continuing education units (CEUs). The American Library Association (ALA) has been certified to provide CEUs by the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET). ALSC online courses are designed to fit the needs of working professionals. Courses are taught by experienced librarians and academics. As participants frequently noted in post-course surveys, ALSC stresses quality and caring in its online education options.

It’s Mutual: School and Public Library Collaboration
6 weeks, January 4 – February 12, 2016
Instructor: Rachel Reinwald, School Liaison and Youth Services Librarian, Lake Villa District Library

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Programs Made Easy
4 weeks, January 4 – 29, 2016, CEU Certified Course, 1.2 CEUs
Instructor: Angela Young, Head of Children’s Department, Reed Memorial Library

The Sibert Medal: Evaluating Books of Information
6 weeks, January 4 – February 12, 2016
Instructor: Kathleen T. Horning, Director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin- Madison

Detailed descriptions and registration information is available on the ALSC website at www.ala.org/alsced. Fees are $115 for personal ALSC members; $165 for personal ALA members; and $185 for non-members. Questions? Please contact ALSC Program Officer for Continuing Education, Kristen Figliulo, 1 (800) 545-2433 ext 4026.

Image courtesy of ALSC.

The post One More Week to Sign Up for ALSC Online Courses appeared first on ALSC Blog.

The Friends of ALSC is accepting tax-deductible donations (image courtesy of the Friends of ALSC)

It’s not too late to become a Friend of ALSC!

Friends’ projects have a powerful impact not only on our members, but also on their larger communities as a whole. Friends of ALSC support activities such as innovative conference programs and institutes, 21st century challenges, professional development and early literacy projects.

As you are making your plans for the holidays and your final year-end donations for the 2015 tax year, we hope that you will include Friends of ALSC in those plans and show your continuing support for creating a better future for children. Every contribution helps ALSC support the work of our members and meet new challenges.

Be sure to check out the new 2015 Friends of ALSC Annual Report as well to read about all of the great things the Friends did in 2015.

The post Join the Friends of ALSC appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Everyday Advocates, do you have 30 seconds for school libraries?

Use the resources on the Everyday Advocacy site to help make your voice heard! Photo courtesy of ALSC.

In the same time it takes you to read this post, you can make a lasting difference for school libraries, school librarians, and our nation’s students.

Here’s the low-down:

Last week the House voted in favor of much-needed reforms to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), but we’re not there yet. Now it’s time to ask your U.S. Senators to do the same.

Ask your U.S. Senators today to vote “Yes!” on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Conference Report.

The Senate vote is scheduled for Wednesday morning, December 9. Call, tweet, or e-mail your U.S. Senators today and ask for their “Yes!” votes on this critical legislation that includes school libraries in many important ways.

Visit the ALA Legislative Action Center for detailed instructions on how you can reach your U.S. Senators with this critical message. Then spread the word and ask everyone you know to do the same.

Want to learn more about the history of ESEA and ESSA? District Dispatch, the official blog of the ALA Washington Office, has all the background.

Calling, tweeting, or e-mailing your U.S. Senators and asking for their “Yes!” votes is Everyday Advocacy in action!

The post The Final Stretch: Act Now for School Libraries! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC announced that award-winning author David Shannon will present the Opening General Session at the ALSC National Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina. This event will take place at the Charlotte Marriott City Center on Thursday, September 15, 2016 and is sponsored by Scholastic, Inc.

David Shannon will present the Opening General Session at the 2016 National Institute (photo courtesy Scholastic, Inc.)

David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than thirty picture books, including No, David!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year. In addition to three more David picture books, Shannon’s bestsellers include:

• Too Many Toys
• How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball
• A Bad Case of Stripes
• Duck on a Bike
• Alice the Fairy
• Good Boy, Fergus!
• Jangles: A Big Fish Story
• Bugs in My Hair

A native of Spokane, Washington, Shannon and his family live in Southern California.

Other confirmed special events include a Breakfast for Bill program on Friday, September 16 with Phil and Erin Stead, Laura Dronzek and Kevin Henkes. On Saturday, September 17, Jacqueline Woodson will present the Closing General Session. Attendees will benefit from an on-site bookstore where they can buy books to have signed by their favorite speakers.

The Opening General Session is free for all individuals registered for the 2016 ALSC National Institute. All special events are included in the cost of registration. Registration fees include Thursday dinner, Friday breakfast, and Saturday breakfast.

“Having David as our opening speaker will be a terrific way to kick off an awesome two-and-a-half days,” said 2016 ALSC National Institute Planning Task Force chair Emily Nanney. “David is not only an incredibly talented artist, he’s also an engaging speaker who will bring a lot of joy to attendees. We couldn’t be more excited to have him.”

For more information and registration details for the 2016 ALSC National Institute please visit www.ala.org/alsc/institute.

The post David Shannon to Open #alsc16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

ALSC is accepting proposals for the 2016 Building STEAM with Día mini-grants. To launch the yearlong celebration of Día turning 20, ALSC will award up to ten (10) libraries $2,000 each to implement a Building STEAM with Día program in their community. The project year for this grant is January 2016 through May 2016. This mini-grant opportunity is funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation through the Everyone Reads @ your library grant awarded to ALSC. For more information and to apply for the mini-grant, please visit http://www.ala.org/alsc/diaturns20.

ALSC President Andrew Medlar can attest to the importance of a culturally inclusive approach to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) programming, so he is “excited that ALSC is able to provide a second round of funding that will help libraries incorporate diversity into their STEAM efforts.”

Celebrating Día

The Building STEAM with Día program is part of the El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) initiative, commonly known as Día. This nationally recognized initiative emphasizes the importance of literacy for all children from all backgrounds, and 2016 marks the 20th year of its observance. Día is a daily commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures. This is the first of two funding opportunities that ALSC will offer this year to help libraries celebrate Día all year. ALSC also manages the National Día Program Registry to help libraries and community partners share information about their Día programs throughout the year.

The common goals of all Día programming are to: celebrate children and connect them to the world of learning through books, stories and libraries; recognize and respect culture, heritage and language as powerful tools for strengthening families and communities; nurture cognitive and literacy development in ways that honor and embrace a child’s home language and culture; and to introduce families to community resources that provide opportunities for learning through multiple literacies. For more information, visit http://dia.ala.org/.

Image courtesy of ALSC

The post Building STEAM with Día in 2016! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Do you see a trend in youth services that needs to be addressed? Have an idea for a great program proposal?

The ALSC Program Coordinating Committee has opened a call for two Hot Topic Programs to be presented at the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, June 23-26, 2016.

Participants attending ALSC programs are seeking valuable educational experiences and are critical of presenters or sessions that are self-promotional. Presentations should advance the educational process and provide a valuable learning experience. The Program Coordinating Committee will not select a program session that suggests commercial sales or self-promotion.

Further information and the online application are available on the link above. All proposals must be submitted by Sunday, December 13, 2015.

Image courtesy of ALA

The post What Is Your Hot Topic for #ALAAC16? appeared first on ALSC Blog.