The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens
During his “busman’s holiday” in France, SLJ’s contributing editor Rocco Staino was invited to Paris to tour the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the National Center for Children’s Literature. In this dispatch, he shares what he learned about the business of kids’ books in France—notably, American authors are very popular—plus highlights of his visits to other library branches and bookstores.
Saint Paul (MN) public schools and the Saint Paul Public Library have teamed up to provide library cards and library resources to incoming freshmen with their Wild Cards! summer school program.
Aurasma is an augmented reality tool which allows you to overlay images and videos on to static content, sort of like “QR codes on steroids.” The Guybrarian has incorporated it into his back-to-school library orientation plan, and thinks you should too.
The 2013 class of Movers & Shakers represents the many outstanding, diligent, and creative librarians working in the field today. Karyn M. Peterson, SLJ news editor, had the opportunity to get an in-depth look into the innovative programs, important milestones, and daily inspirations of the 13 youth services librarians that were honored this year for their work with children and teens in public libraries and school media centers. Below is a roundup of these interviews.
Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL), an advisory group to the Colorado State Library, is launching the Bell Picture Book Awards, with the first honorees set to be announced on February 5, 2014. The program is designed to celebrate books that foster adult-child engagement around the early literacy practices of read, write, sing, talk, and play.
The Common Core State Standards place strong emphasis on vocabulary, and librarians are in a prime position to actively support this shift. This month’s “On Common Core” column shares how, including selecting read-alouds with robust language, helping students find engaging (and challenging) nonfiction books that match their interests, carefully choosing titles for reading lists, and initiating independent reading incentives.
The children’s services staff (l. to r. Krishna Grady,
Marian McLeod, Elisabeth Gattullo, Kiera Parrott, and Claire Moore) at Darien Library, CT kicked off its spy-themed summer reading program on June 21.
Teacher librarian Matthew C. Winner, media specialist at Longfellow Elementary School in Columbia, MD, is having the year of his life. Thanks to his boundless enthusiasm for student learning and engagement, Maryland’s 2012 Outstanding User of Technology Educator can also claim a few more distinctions: Mover & Shaker, White House “Champion of Change,” and published author. Ahead of ISTE’s annual conference, Winner shared his thoughts on school libraries and his exciting plans for the future.
On June 11, The White House honored 12 museum and library “Champions of Change” who are making a difference “for their neighborhoods and for our nation” in a ceremony in Washington, D.C., including 2013 Mover & Shaker Matthew C. Winner, pictured here with his wife, Aimee Winner.
With the demise of print textbooks and the rise of digital learning resources, the digital shift is certainly underway. There are many ways that teacher librarians can inform and assist school districts making the transition. They have the skills and knowledge necessary to help administrators create guidelines and systems that will guarantee a successful change.
A teen asks, “Why should we care about history, anyway? It’s over.” Marc Aronson replies.
The White House today honored 12 museum and library “Champions of Change” who are making a difference “for their neighborhoods and for our nation” in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Two of the IMLS honorees were named as 2013 Movers & Shakers.
Suggestions for places to eat in Chicago, along with recommended bookstores, bars, city landmarks, and concert venues.
Michelle Perera, assistant director of the Rancho Cucamonga Library (CA) and 2013 Mover & Shaker, has broken amazing new ground. Her efforts to expand programming, infrastructure, and professional development have garnered grant funding and awards, and her plan to build interactive exhibits for children—now trademarked as the Play and Learn Islands—is being expanded to other libraries. In this interview, Perera shares with us her inspirations and passions, and some of the secrets behind Rancho Cucamonga’s success.
When it comes to school libraries, Richard L. Allington, co-author of ‘Summer Reading: Closing the Rich/Poor Achievement Gap’ has a few things to say, including a few that you may not want to hear.
The significant decline in reading skills many students experience over the summer is no secret, but it’s particularly damaging for children in low-income neighborhoods. ‘Summer Reading: Closing the Rich/Poor Reading Achievement Gap,’ edited by Richard L. Allington and Anne McGill-Franzen, offers an in-depth look at this disparity and offers solutions that go beyond recommended reading lists.
Librarian Christy Aguirre—supervisor of the Southgate branch of the Sacramento Public Library (CA), 2013 Mover & Shaker, and noteworthy neighborhood networker—knows how to stop the summer slide. Her literacy outreach efforts have helped triple the branch’s summer reading program to more than 2,000 participants. We caught up with Aguirre to learn more about her inspirations and passions, the ways she collaborates with her community, and her thoughts on the future of public library youth services.
Librarian bloggers Sophie Brookover, Liz Burns, and Kelly Jensen—concerned that librarians are not always adept at promoting their achievements—have been hosting a month-long online event called Show Me the Awesome, an opportunity for librarians to share their accomplishments. Here are some of the highlights.
What lies ahead for teachers and librarians just embarking on the Common Core journey? Marc Aronson shares his thoughts and insights.
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.
