Chair of the American Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Committee Pat Scales responds to questions about book challenges, summer reading lists, and boundaries for school library parent volunteers.
Give Children a Choice: Advocating Open Access to Materials | Scales on Censorship
By on September 16, 2013 Leave a Comment
Horror in YA Lit is a Staple, Not a Trend
By on September 13, 2013 5 Comments
Though R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike may be our quickest associations with teen screams, horror encompasses a wide array of books. Teen librarian and blogger Kelly Jensen highlights the latest titles in teen fiction that are bound to give readers nightmares.
An Administrator’s View: Giving Teacher Librarians an Edge | Pivot Points
By on September 12, 2013 Leave a Comment
Former teacher librarian and current district administrator Mark Ray continues to reflect on the ways teacher librarians can better connect and work with building and district leaders.
Power Tumbl’ng: Why Tumblr Is a Great Way to Reach Teen Patrons
By on September 12, 2013
Tumblr can be a successful way to connect to new and diverse audiences, provided you understand who you’ll be attracting to your site and how to use Tumblr to your advantage. Should libraries and librarians use Tumblr? Teen librarian Robin Brenner says yes, and explains why.
SLJ Reviews Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine Archive Database
By on September 4, 2013 Leave a Comment
Combining an industry and educational standard in the field of aerospace with a recognized leader in the world of science and arts, the Air & Space and Smithsonian Magazine Archive Database is seamless in action and an excellent source for both papers and projects.
SLJ’s School Ebook Market Directory
By on September 3, 2013
Which ebook provider will best meet your school’s needs and budget? SLJ’s snapshot of 19 ebook vendors outlines the suppliers’ range of offerings, terms of use, and pricing options.
E. It’s Complicated. How Two Schools are Riding the Transition to Ebooks
By on September 3, 2013
For this close-up report on going digital, SLJ talked to academic experts, librarians, teachers, and students at two Illinois high schools. Big questions: What are the best ebook providers? How many student iPads get damaged? Do students read more in ebook or print? And more.
A Minecraft Library Scores Big: Mattituck, NY, Branch Is a Hit with Kids
By on September 3, 2013
Inspired by the experiences of Connecticut librarian Sarah Ludwig’s Minecraft library club, Elizabeth Grohoski and Karen Letteriello of the Mattituck-Laurel Library (NY) are now using a virtual Minecraft library to attract young patrons. The game allows users to build in a 3-D virtual world with cubes similar to Legos—but without any proscriptive kits and manuals.
Not as We Remember It: Public Education Is Being Gutted | Soapbox
By on September 3, 2013 Leave a Comment
It’s called “school reform” with a focus on “student achievement,” but I shudder to think where we have come as a nation that many public schools don’t have a library, and won’t ever get one unless someone can beg a grant from a foundation or corporation.
Multimedia Review | September 2013
By on September 3, 2013 Leave a Comment
The September Multimedia Review section features nearly70 reviews of DVDs, audiobooks, and children’s music CDs. Among the eight starred reviews are Constitution USA with Peter Sagal, a DVD that examines the document’s historical and contemporary contexts, and Nelson Mandela, Kadir Nelson’s evocative biography for elementary grade students.
Best of Apps & Enhanced Books | September 2013
By on September 2, 2013 Leave a Comment
Poetry and nature feature strongly in our selections this month, perhaps because we’ve been spending more time outdoors of late?
Preschool to Grade 4 Fiction | September 2013
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Autumn shapes (Chernesky), a new version of “The Little Red Hen” (Finch), and a “Stella and Sam” story (Gay)
Grades 5-8 Fiction | September 2013
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Some spooky tales and a story about seafaring cats
Grade 9 & Up Fiction | September 2013
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In a new series, sleuthing by teen heroines related to Sherlock Holmes and Bram Stoker (Gleason).
Graphic Novel Reviews | September 2013
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Check out John Lewis and Andrew Aydin’s March
Preschool to Grade 4 Nonfiction | September 2013
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An Islamic Snow White.
Book/Multimedia Review Stars | September 2013
By on August 30, 2013 Leave a Comment
About words and writing.
New York’s Folly: A Lack of Vision at the City’s Dept. of Education | Editorial
By on August 30, 2013 Leave a Comment
As students around the country return to school, those in New York City are facing a future without certified school librarians, as the NYC Department of Education (DOE) has asked to be excused from a decades-old state mandate on minimum staffing requirements.
Civil Rights Legend Congressman John Lewis Tells His Story in ‘March’ Graphic Novel
By on August 28, 2013 Leave a Comment
In time for the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, John Lewis—former chairman of SNCC and now Congressman—collaborated with his comics-obsessed staffer Andrew Aydin and veteran graphic novelist Nate Powell on a powerful new graphic novel memoir, March.
