Children’s Librarian, Cindy Barich & Deputy Town Librarian, Nancy Coriaty (l. to. r.) prepare for the Kick-Off of the Library Olympic Scavenger Hunt at Fairfield Public Library, CT.
NYC Pols Urge State to Ban Sex Offenders from Library Children’s Rooms
By on July 12, 2012 Leave a Comment
New York Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr. of Queens have asked the New York state legislature to pass a law barring sex offenders from children’s reading rooms in libraries.
Arizona Mandates Stiff Penalties for Schools, Public Libraries Without Filters
By on July 10, 2012 Leave a Comment
Arizona’s public schools and libraries must filter all computers that are available to children or risk losing 10 percent of their state funding, according to a new law set to take effect August 1.
Want to Work with Kids in a Public Library? Here’s the Inside Scoop
By on July 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
It was 2001 and I was a year out of college, my dream of becoming a photographer neatly scrapped due to the slightly sobering fact that my photography skills, not to put too fine a point on it, stunk.
DC Mayor Signs Law Requiring Youth Anti-Bullying Policies in Libraries, Other City Agencies
By on June 27, 2012 Leave a Comment
District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray on Friday signed a bill that requires public libraries, schools, recreation centers, and other city agencies that work with young people to adopt and implement antibullying policies.
CO Library Serves Kids “On the Fly” as Wildfires Rage
By on June 19, 2012 Leave a Comment
What do you do when disaster strikes? That’s the urgent question the staff at the Poudre River Public Library District in Fort Collins, CO, was forced to answer when the raging High Park wildfires—among the worst in the state’s history—ignited June 9 north and west of the city.
Chicago Building Its First Joint High School/Public Library from the Ground Up
By on June 14, 2012 Leave a Comment
Chicago’s taking the partnership between public and school libraries to the next level—it’s building its first public library as part of a school.
I’m Sending You to the Public Library!
By on June 6, 2012 Leave a Comment
By Phil Goerner, teacher librarian, Silver Creek High School, Longmont CO, and Krista Brakhage, teacher-librarian, Poudre High School, Fort Collins CO
School was winding down for the year when a fellow librarian heard the alarm go off in her school library. After she examined the young lady’s backpack, she discovered three library books! “I’m not finished with them yet,” the girl claimed, but the books weren’t checked out. The student then had to explain why she ripped the barcode off and [...]
Atlanta Library Joins Forces With Zoo to Boost Kids’ Love of Wildlife
By on June 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
If I ran the zoo, what would I do? That’s the question the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library and Zoo Atlanta want kids to ponder during a jointly run summer environmental education effort focused on igniting kids’ zeal for protecting Georgia’s wildlife—while also inspiring them to consider future careers in animal conservation.
What Is the Future of Reference?
By on June 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
The world of reference is moving at warp speed these days. Public library patrons are used to Wikipedia and expect the same convenience when it comes to library resources. And in many school libraries, budget crunches, technology issues, and Common Core standards have made librarians’ jobs even more, shall we say, exciting. Wouldn’t you love to sit down with some of the world’s leading reference publishers and say, “Hey, wait a second! This is what we need you to do to make our libraries better”?
ETots: a Public Library iPad Program for Preschoolers
By on May 30, 2012
We Need Tag-Team Librarianship: Active collaboration between public and school librarians benefits all | Editorial
By on May 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
It Takes Two: The Need for Tighter Collaboration Between School and Public Librarians
By on May 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
Numbers can be telling, and the story here presents a stark reality that signals an ideal opportunity to foster a stronger relationship between public and school libraries in ways that better support how kids learn and grow.
The results of SLJ’s first survey of public library spending habits on children’s and young adult services reveals a disturbing trend: only 30 percent of respondents say their library collaborates with local schools to coordinate book purchases to support the curriculum—leaving 70 percent that don’t.
Mind Readers: Thinking Out Loud Can Raise Children’s Comprehension Skills
By on May 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
It’s toddler storytime: let the rumpus begin! Toddlers bound quickly into the room. One hurdles mom’s legs while waiting for the opening song. Some hop, others roam, and a few practically climb our unflappable colleague Janie. Even after getting most of their wiggles out, many toddlers continue to float around the room—until Janie begins to read one of her favorite books, Owl Babies (Candlewick, 1996) by Martin Waddell.
Get a Free Starter Set for Go
By on January 1, 2012
Looking for an easy way to implement a program for your tweens and teens? Consider introducing Go, an ancient board game with simple elements that can be enjoyed by Go Starter Setplayers with varied ability levels. The American Go Foundation (AGF) is offering a Go Starter Set to youth organizations for free—simply visit the AGF Resources page and submit an application. You can also find information on AGF’s library programs page, which explains how to put together a “hero’s journey” series of events that’ll be especially appealing to fans of manga and anime.
