September 18, 2013

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2013 National Día Program Registry Now Open

Dia logo

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is inviting librarians to register for its 2013 El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) programs in the 2013 National Día Program Registry. By registering Día programs held throughout the year in the national registry, participating libraries contribute to a national database that showcases all types and sizes of Día programming. This allows other librarians and the public to learn more about Día programs happening around the country. Libraries that register will also receive Día stickers and bookmarks (while supplies last).

YALSA Reveals Five Nonfiction Award Finalists

Titanic

The five finalists for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults were recently announced.

YALSA Names Five William C. Morris Award Finalists

Aftersnow

Finalists for the William C. Morris Award, an honor given to a book for young adults written by a debut author, were announced today.

Last Call for Sullivan Award Nominees

It’s not too late to consider nominating yourself or a colleague for the 2013 Sullivan Award for Public Library Administrators Supporting Services to Children. The annual award honors an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and support of library services for kids. But don’t delay, the deadline for submitting an application is December 1.

YALSA’s YA Lit Symposium Considers Fandom, Contemporary Fiction and Transmedia

Scott Westerfeld, Photo by Samantha Jones

What are the next big trends for teenage readers? Fandom, contemporary fiction, Australian lit, and transmedia, according to experts leading panels on these subjects at the third biennial YALSA Young Adult Literature Symposium in St. Louis, MO, held November 4-6.

The YALSA Young Adult Literature Symposium Hones in on Social Reading and Classics vs. Contemporary

YALitSymposium

About 500 librarians gathered in St. Louis for YALSA’s Young Adult Literature Symposium to discuss social reading within Ereaders, apps such as Inkling, Kno, and Subtext, and which contemporary books teens will be reading in the 2057.

National Forum to Focus on Libraries & Teens

11712nationalforum

The National Forum on Libraries & Teens is a year-long grant funded effort that brings together key stakeholders from the areas of libraries, education, technology, adolescent development and the for-profit and nonprofit sectors to explore the world of young adults and library services to this population, and ultimately produce a white paper which will provide direction on how libraries need to adapt and potentially change to better meet the needs of 21st century teens.

Wanted: 365 YA Programming Ideas

2013 calendar

Find yourself looking for inspiration when it comes to creating awesome programming for your teens? The 365 Days of YA Task Force wants to help, but first, you have to be willing to share your successes and creativity! The 365 Days of YA is a Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) task
force charged with creating a calendar of easy to implement plans for programs, services, and activities for teens. These are simple ideas that can be used by anyone working with youth in libraries.

Get Cash for Great Programming

Cultural Communities Fund logo

The American Libraries Association (ALA) Public Programs Office is now accepting nominations for the ALA Excellence in Library Programming Award, sponsored by the ALA Cultural Communities Fund. The award will recognize a library that demonstrates excellence in library programming by developing and presenting a cultural or thematic program or program series during the previous year (September 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012).

Bill Moyers Joins ALA’s Banned Books Week Virtual Read Out

Bill Moyers Joins ALA's Virtual Read Out for Banned Books Week.

Award-winning journalist Bill Moyers has joined the American Library Association’s (ALA) Virtual Read Out campaign with a three-minute video on book banning and the dangers of censorship.

News Bites: Register Now For International Games Day and Get Freebies for Your Library

internationalgaming

Libraries in the United States and across the world are coming together to celebrate the American Library Association’s (ALA) 5th Annual International Games Day @ Your Library on Saturday, November 3. Beginning this year, National Gaming Day has been renamed International Games Day to reflect the interest of libraries outside of the U.S. It’s up to individual libraries how they celebrate this special day, but there’s lots of freebies for your library if you fill out a registration form.

News Bites: Get Your Voice Heard During Banned Books Week!

ALA Banned Book Week logo

From September 30 to October 6 libraries, schools, and bookstores will celebrate Banned Books Week, an annual event that focuses on First Amendment rights. “During Banned Books Week, we hope to remind Americans that the ability to read, speak, think and express ourselves freely is a right, not a privilege,” said Maureen Sullivan, American Library Association President. “As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, it’s important to recognize that book banning does exist in this day and age. It’s up to all of us, community residents, librarians, teachers and journalists, to continue to stand up and speak out for the right to read.”

Calling All Kid-Friendly Administrators!

91912smilingchildren

Have you launched an exemplary children’s after-school series? Or set up outreach services for a daycare program? If you have, consider nominating yourself or a colleague for the 2013 Sullivan Award for Public Library Administrators Supporting Services to Children. The annual award honors an individual who has shown exceptional understanding and support of library services for kids.

News Bites: Celebrate Librarian’s Day

Librarian's Day logo

AudioGO is inviting librarians to visit their offices in North Kingston, RI, on Friday, September 28 to celebrate their annual Librarian’s Day. Present at the festivities will be library advocate and supporter U.S. Senator Jack Reed and authors James R. Benn and Janet Taylor Lisle. Participants will tour the audiobook company’s recording studio, listen to narrators in action, and try their own hand at narrating. RSVP deadline is September 21 and everyone who fills out the form will be entered to win a selection of audiobooks worth $500.

SLJ’s Printz Blog Has Returned

Frog Prince sitting on pile of books

Once upon a time, a new blog discussing possible contenders for the annual Michael L. Printz Award for exemplary teen titles was born on SLJ.com. Now in its second year, Someday My Printz Will Come is back and ready to take on the challenge of speculating which literary gem will wear this year’s crown.

Heavy Medal Is Back

Crystal Ball with possible Newbery contenders

It’s here. Heavy Medal, SLJ’s mock Newbery blog, resumes September 4.

There, bloggers Nina Lindsay, supervising librarian for children’s services at Oakland (CA) Public Library, California and Jonathan Hunt, library media teacher for Modesto (CA) City Schools, return to discuss and debate potential titles in the running for this year’s Newbery Award. Bestowed annually by the American Library Association (ALA), the Award honors “the most distinguished American children’s book” of the year.

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.