Public Libraries

Young adult author A.S. King has partnered with school and public libraries in four communities for multi-generational reads of her novels, producing some illuminating experiences and conversations between teens and adults. More towns and cities should try such projects, King and her librarian partners say.

The White House honored 10 connected educators, including SLJ columnist and school librarian, Carolyn Foote. The Chicago Public Library celebrated families and early literacy with its 20th annual "Bookamania 2013: All Families, All Year", a free, daylong children’s book festival.

In the past nine months at Gum Spring Library, we have hosted numerous programs, welcomed dozens of authors and presenters, discussed books, watched movies, made crafts, and so much more. We believe we have successfully figured out what our teens enjoy, and what they find less than thrilling. And throughout it all, we've continued to take the time to evaluate, assess, and reflect.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced that it is awarding $4,329,567 in grants to 20 museums and libraries in 17 communities in order to support the emerging role of these institutions in providing early learning opportunities, especially for low-income families.

Make It @ Your Library, in collaboration with Instructables.com and the American Library Association, has finally launched its searchable website, makeitatyourlibrary.org, for librarians seeking maker space ideas and projects. Make It @ Your Library—an initiative developed through the ILEAD USA program over the past year—aims to help librarians realize maker projects in their own communities at low cost.

How does DeKalb Public Library do it? The library has earned seven Big Read grants from the NEA. Read on to find out how they nailed the True Grit western theme without the book's reclusive author.

In an August issue of SLJTeen, we covered a program run by University at Buffalo’s Center for Literacy and Reading Instruction that matched graduate students with 180 elementary school students to advance their reading and writing schools over the summer. We asked readers to tell us about other programs like it, and the Southeast Regional Library (FL) stepped up with their collaboration with University of North Florida's education undergrads.

I've been told that I can turn any conversation into one about libraries, a book, or a “cool thing” my own library is supporting. I don’t just tout the library’s programs during a lull in conversation, though. I simply see a connection between person and program, need and service.

The Puyallup Public Library in Washington State celebrated its first annual Festival of Books from September 27-28. In partnership with Fantasium Comics and Valley Arts United, the library hosted a mini-comic convention, the Fandom Dance, an art-inspired poetry contest, and a guest lecture by the acclaimed author Susan Cooper—known for her "Dark is Rising" series and recent Ghost Hawk.