February 16, 2013

President Obama’s Call to Halt Teacher Layoffs Leaves School Librarians Out

President Obama tapes the weekly address in the State Dining room of the White House. Photo: Chuck Kennedy.

President Obama’s weekly radio and Internet address on Saturday focused on the critical role that education plays in our country’s future—and the need for Congress to pass his proposed jobs bill to help states prevent teacher layoffs and rehire them. But he made no mention of school librarians.

Putting Tech into Teen Spaces

Putting Tech into Teen Spaces

Guidelines from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) address media literacy, low-cost options for serving kids.

Joyce Valenza’s Picks of the Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning

Joyce Valenza’s Picks of the Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning

Joyce Valenza winnows down the best of the best. The teacher librarian taps the sites she’ll be exploring this summer on her award-winning blog “NeverEndingSearch.”

ALA/ISTE 2012: Conference Survival Guide | ALA Annual 2012

ALA/ISTE 2012: Conference Survival Guide | ALA Annual 2012

From hardware to fashion, some sources to help you pack, spec your tech, and survive airport hell.

Proposed ‘Digital Literacy Corps’ will not Usurp School Librarians’ Role, Explains FCC

Library_computers

A nationwide plan described in the New York Times has sparked an angry response among school librarians. But tech trainers in the $200 million program will teach computer skills after hours and in public libraries–not in school or directly to students, according to the FCC and ALA.

Teen Book Finder App now Available in the App Store

The ‘first of its kind’ app enables users to discover titles from the lists and awards of the Young Adult Library Services Association.

Best in The West: ALA Program Guide

ala-opener

Planning to catch this year’s American Library Association (ALA) annual conference in Anaheim, CA? If you’re anything like us, you’ll want to make every second count. That’s why we’ve asked seven savvy librarians to give us the skinny on the top five sessions they plan to attend during the June 21–26 event. As you’ll see, they came up with an eclectic mix that’s bound to make nearby Disneyland’s power couple, Mickey and Minnie, a mere distraction.

SLJ Talks to AASL President-Elect Gail Dickinson

We spoke to the former school librarian about her plans for when she takes office, her advice to colleagues, and why it’s a riveting time for the profession.

Tech-Savvy School Librarians Win AASL’s Pathfinder Award

School librarians Sally Mays, who helps Spanish-speaking students develop information literacy skills, and Elizabeth Kahn, who teaches kids how to access reliable information and use it effectively, are winners of the 2012 American Association of School Librarian’s (AASL) Information Technology Pathfinder Award.