Industry News

School librarian leaders from across the country made their way to the Austin, TX, aka the “Live Music Capital of the World,” on September 28–29 to attend SLJ’s annual Leadership Summit, where they discussed the future of libraries and how partnership is a necessary ingredient for stakeholder success. Throughout the weekend, participants—speakers, sponsors, panelists, and attendees—honed their conversations around the transformative power of collaboration.

Impassioned, creative, dynamic, evolving and cool—these are just some of the words that the sponsors of SLJ’s annual Leadership Summit used to describe their companies’ latest developments. Joyce Valenza, SLJ blogger and teacher librarian, lead a panel discussion with the companies to examine the relationships between vendors and schools, the importance of strong content, and the ways that vendors can help educators in support of the Common Core.

Political writer Ben Joravsky editorializes in a recent Chicago Reader column on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plans for schools in the face of budget cuts that have gutted school libraries. “It’s not quite clear what Mayor Emanuel has against libraries,” Joravsky says, advising the mayor to “stop holding press conferences in school libraries that have no librarians because of your massive budget cuts.”

The annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is accepting original works in 28 categories. Terri Soutor, former vice president at Lerner Publishing Group, a sister company to Brain Hive and a key player in the formation of the company, has been named Brain Hive’s president. Storybots founders Gregg and Evan Spiridellis launch Educade, a portal of free, ready to use lesson plans paired with learning tools. The International Reading Association has announced some of the renowned authors speaking at its 59th Annual Conference in May. Krup has announced a teacher's lounge makeover contest.

At the Trump Soho hotel in Manhattan on October 1, Harlequin Teen and bestselling author Julie Kagawa unveiled her new dragon-focused series, "Talon." The first book in the series will be published on October 28, 2014. School librarians and Bammy Award nominees Deven Black, Jennifer Lagarde, Shannon Miller, Joyce Valenza, and Matthew C. Winner walked the red carpet on September 21.

Blockbuster author James Patterson treasures school libraries—and challenges you to help preserve them.

Earlier this fall, Patrick F. Taylor Science and Technology Academy in Avondale, Louisiana welcomed seasoned authors, Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian, who came to speak to all the sophomores and juniors about their newest book, Fire with Fire, the second title in the Burn for Burn series. After the authors’ presentation, the two sat down with two fans for an intimate interview.

Our friends at Macmillan want to give you a chance to share in the hilarity of From Nowhere to Norvelt, but you have to work for it. Remember Miss Volker's obituary writing and penchant for history? Be prepared to share what would be your town's "This Day in History?" and enter to win a visit from the ever-charming Jack Gantos. You'll be glad you did.

Join the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) November 21-24 in Boston for its 2013 Annual Convention! “(Re) Inventing the Future of English” is the theme for the event, which will offer teachers, librarians, administrators, curriculum coordinators, teacher educators, literacy coaches, reading specialists, and others more than 700 sessions, The topics range from general sessions featuring popular speakers and special presentations with well-known authors to sessions by classroom educators and full-day workshops that allow more in-depth exploration of a topic.