February 16, 2013

News Bites: Apply for ALSC Día Mini-Grants by February 1

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Check out this week’s News Bites for the latest information on library grants, writing contest for young adults, and more.

Common Core Will Stress Already Inadequate E-rate Funding

Common Core Will Stress Already Inadequate E-rate Funding

The E-Rate program, which is responsible for the funds dedicated to connecting schools and libraries to the Internet, is unable to keep up with high demand., and schools’ needs are only becoming more urgent with the advent of the Common Core Standards.

ISTE 2012 | ALA Annual: Candid Thoughts on the FCC Plan and Advocacy

ISTE 2012 | ALA Annual: Candid Thoughts on Change, the FCC Digital Literacy Plan, and Advocacy

In a challenging economy, ISTE and ALA grapple with advocating for their school librarian, media specialist membership and then there’s the hot-button issue of digital literacy.

Scenes from ISTE 2012

Scenes from ISTE 2012

A slideshow of images from the International Society for Technology in Education conference held in San Diego, CA, June 24-27.

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.

ISTE 2012 or Bust

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What are your top five picks for ISTE this year? SLJ asked Tiffany Whitehead, who adds that the annual ed tech show “is the most important thing I can do for myself each year as a library media specialist.”

Best in The West: ALA Program Guide

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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.

ISTE or Bust: Top Five Program Picks

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ISTE is the conference that I most look forward to attending each year. As my school’s media specialist and tech leader, it’s essential that my colleagues view me as a constant source of new ideas—and ISTE helps me to be that. It also helps me to stay current with the latest developments in the global ed-tech community. The conference is an incredible opportunity to learn from and network with other educators who are also working to harness the power of technology to enhance teaching and learning in their schools.