News

The focus on the close reading of texts suggests a new idea to SLJ's columnist—an idea that taps librarians' expertise and offers an exciting approach to inquiry.

House Bill 5614 (An Act Cocerning Ebooks and Libraries) passes Connecticut House of Representatives. Bill now heads to Senate. From the AP: The state House of Representatives voted Tuesday 143-0 to pass a bill requiring the commissioner of consumer protection to report to the General Assembly on the issue by Feb 1. The bill, which [...]

SYNC is back in session again this year, offering two free complete YA audiobook downloads every week from May 30 to August 21. This is the third year for the program, in which a contemporary young adult audiobook is paired thematically with a classic audiobook title.

From the Columbus Telegram: The Columbus Public Library Board received its second materials challenge in five months and again rejected the protest. This time a patron objected to the book “Batman: The Killing Joke” by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. [Clip] It is currently located in the young adult area of the library, but cataloged [...]

Three cheers for Miskatonic University! That’s the rallying cry of the La Vista Public Library (NE)’s teen advisory board—who, under the guidance of youth librarian and advisor Lindsey Tomsu, 2013 Mover & Shaker—turned its 2012 Teen Read Week into a massive celebration of the works of H. P. Lovecraft, complete with crafts, workshops, and a life-sized version of the complex, cooperative Arkham Horror board game based on the Cthulhu Mythos.

Author Evan Roskos digs deep into real-life adolescent issues in Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets , including high school expulsion, self-abuse, stalking, and cliques. SLJTeen talked to Roskos about his emotionally moving and ultimately redemptive debut YA novel.

“Wimpy Kid” author/illustrator Jeff Kinney and “Fancy Nancy” illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser scored the top prizes last night at the sixth annual Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards (CCBAs) gala, a charity event organized by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader. The honorees were selected by young readers across the country, who cast ballots at bookstores, school libraries, and on bookweekonline.com for their favorite books, author, and illustrator. The gala heralds the official start of the yearly Children’s Book Week celebration. The CCBAs is the only national book awards program in which the winning titles are chosen by kids and teens.

The Innovations in Reading program recognizes institutions and individuals who strive to nurture and promote love of books and reading. Sponsored by the National Book Foundation, prize winners are awarded up to $2500 each to help fund their initiatives and serve even more readers. This year's winners span the globe, delivering truly unique programs to readers of all ages.

Educators "must be fearless in advocating for our students' needs," says Carolyn Foote. In this debut of her SLJ column, "Project Advocacy," Foote provides school librarians and media specialists with a "seed kit" of inspiration for stepping out and building a professional network and leveraging the autonomy of your library program.