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Two very different young adult books—the first volume of Amy Ignatow’s lively graphic novel series “The Popularity Papers” and Dave Pelzer’s harrowing memoir A Child Called It—will both remain on school library shelves in the Prosser school district in Yakima, WA, following several school board votes on the titles, according to the district’s superintendent, Ray Tolcacher. Rich Korb, a teacher at Prosser High School, had challenged both books for removal this winter.
What does a good school library look like? What role does a good school library play in educating New Jersey students? These are the questions Ross Todd, Ph.D., and Carol Gordon, Ph.D., co-directors of the Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL), sought to define in a recent two-phase study they conducted in public elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the state. In an interview with SLJ,Todd and Gordon share some of their most surprising and illuminating findings, along with the steps they are taking to promote the research this year and their best practices recommendations for how other schools can build successful libraries.
More than a dozen New York City Council members, the presidents of New York’s three library systems, and several hundred librarians, library staff, supporters, advocates, and children from nearby schools rallied on the steps of city hall to protest $106 million in proposed funding cuts. Council members Jimmy Van Bramer and Vincent J. Gentile also pledged to introduce legislation that would create a baseline of stable funding for the city’s public library services.
“[Our] library in Freeport is the heart of that community,” says 2013 Mover & Shaker Margaux DelGuidice, who shares duties with fellow honoree Rose Luna at the Freeport Memorial Library in Long Island, NY. These two powerhouses also hold full-time teacher librarian positions at two area high schools, and have devoted countless hours to professional advocacy. In our interview, they share their inspirations and passions, their best practices for constructive collaboration, and their goals for the future of libraries.
SYNC is back in session again this year, offering two free complete YA audiobook downloads every week from May 30 to August 21. This is the third year for the program, in which a contemporary young adult audiobook is paired thematically with a classic audiobook title.
Three cheers for Miskatonic University! That’s the rallying cry of the La Vista Public Library (NE)’s teen advisory board—who, under the guidance of youth librarian and advisor Lindsey Tomsu, 2013 Mover & Shaker—turned its 2012 Teen Read Week into a massive celebration of the works of H. P. Lovecraft, complete with crafts, workshops, and a life-sized version of the complex, cooperative Arkham Horror board game based on the Cthulhu Mythos.
Zavala Elementary School librarian Lisa M. Lopez, the unofficial Little Free Library ambassador to El Paso, TX, and 2013 Mover & Shaker, talks to School Library Journal about her passion for storytelling, her tireless efforts to advocate for bilingual literacy through Día de los niños/Día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) celebrations, and the ways she inspires her students.
Melissa Zymboly Depper, children’s and family services librarian at the Arapahoe Library District in Centennial, CO, and 2013 Mover & Shaker, talks about her passion for the profession, her favorite read-aloud titles, the importance of collaboration and community, and why the library is critical to giving every child a good start in life.
National Screen-Free Week has finally arrived—and, if you’re reading this, you probably haven’t yet taken the pledge to dramatically reduce the time you spend using a computer for the next few days. But many educators (and a kid lit publisher or two) are doing just that, encouraging kids to explore a range of non-screen activities this week, including reading books, going outside, and having fun the old-fashioned way.
2013 Mover & Shaker Susan Anderson-Newham, early learning supervising librarian at the Pierce County Library System in Tacoma, WA, talks about the importance of collaboration and a good sense of humor to her work, why hands-on play is key to kids’ learning, and her top early learning picture books of all time.
What better way to engage and inspire a group of fashion-conscious kids than by creating a design competition modeled after the hit reality show Project Runway? Thanks to the efforts of children’s librarian Frances Grossman-Goldberg—and a little help from The Weinstein Company, Mood Fabrics, and L’oreal.Paris—a group of teens and tweens at the Pomonok branch of the Queens Borough Public Library (NY) had the experiences of a lifetime this past winter.
“If you can bring the community into the library, those children will ultimately flourish. And if a library can go outside of its walls, you’re only expanding the area in which young people can be affected,” says Rebecca Zarazan Dunn, 2013 Mover and Shaker, lifelong bookworm, blogger, advocate, youth services librarian assistant for the Lawrence Public Library (KS), and soon-to-be MLIS candidate. In this interview, Dunn shares her top kids’ book picks of all time, her inspirations and passions, and why it’s critical for public librarians to collaborate with school librarians and teachers.
Veteran teacher, educational consultant, and author John Hunter talks to SLJ about his innovative World Peace Game, unlocking kids’ infinite potential, his faith in young people to improve our world, and how he daily inspires (and is inspired by) his students.
In our candid interview with Library Journal Mover & Shaker Lindsey Tomsu, new youth librarian and teen club advisor extraordinaire at La Vista Public Library (NE), she shares with SLJ her top teen book picks, her dealings with Dewey, her inspirations and passions, why teens matter so much, and her views on the future of youth services.
Following Participant Media’s announcement in February that it would donate DVDs of Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed film Lincoln to all middle and high schools throughout the United States, a number of librarians have contacted us for follow-up information. Here’s how to get your copy.
“The power of books is profound, but power does start in the children’s room. When we connect children with books…we are introducing them to the world,” says Pam Sandlian Smith, director of Colorado’s Anythink Libraries and opening keynote speaker at our first Public Library Leadership Think Tank on Friday. Among the day’s emerging themes: dreaming big, collaboration, innovation, creating community, and believing in the power of kids (and kids’ librarians) to change the world.
“We’re bringing services to people who either would not or could not access them otherwise….[it] truly does change lives,” says Library Journal Mover & Shaker Richard Lyda, outreach librarian at Arapahoe Library District in Centennial, CO. In our follow-up interview, Lyda shares with SLJ his strategies for effective community outreach, what’s next for him in his district, and much more.
Our fifth annual Battle of the Kids’ Books elimination contest has come to a close, and the winner of the Big Kahuna round—which pitted semifinalists The Fault in Our Stars and No Crystal Stair against Code Name Verity, winner of our Undead Poll—has finally been announced.
Mover & Shaker Kirby McCurtis, new youth librarian and storytime standout at Multnomah County Library (MCL) in Portland, OR, shares with us her top book picks (for storytime and beyond), her inspirations and passions, her strategies for meeting the needs of her entire diverse community, and her views on the future of youth services.
School Library Journal ’s very own version of March Madness, our fifth annual Battle of the Kids’ Books elimination contest between 16 of 2012’s best YA fiction and nonfiction books, has been going strong online since March 12, with both Round One and Two having come to a close. Ahead of Round Three, which began today, here are the exciting results so far.
