Related

This spring, the Kansas State University Libraries, in Manhattan, KS, will launch a Mobile Innovation Lab that will deliver hands-on, STEM-focused learning experiences to middle and high school students across the state.

Censorship, AI, and federal funding top the list of concerns for school librarians heading into the 2025-26 school year.

As DVD players disappear from classrooms and homes, viewing opportunities for educational videos become more challenging when considering individual interests and reading time. Stepping in to fill the gap is VidieGoGo, a booklike device with an embedded screen.

Tabletop role-playing games can be popular programming for all ages in school and public libraries.

School Library Journal and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) reprise their popular Tech Trends webcast series this spring. Join us March 17 for "Everything Al in Education." On April 22, we'll present "Emerging Technologies in K–12, from AR/VR to the Metaverse." 

A former school librarian helped create Library Makers, an online platform designed to connect librarians and educators who manage makerspaces or run maker events and programs.

 Had it with X? Here’s how to get the most out of other platforms and dig deep into Substack.

As Bluesky improves its community-building tools, more teachers and librarians are flocking to the platform as an alternative to X. Here's how to get the most out of it.

From Quick, Draw! and DALL·E to Stretch AI, these tools provide fodder for idea generating, problem solving, and more.

New Jersey school librarian Elissa Malespina outlines the steps for using AI to create social media posts for Banned Books Week and more.

Used in concert with traditional teaching methods, these resources for creation, instruction, research, and grading can make learning more dynamic.

A step-by-step guide to using generative AI for book summaries and recommendations.

From multiplayer matches to couch co-op adventures, sometimes two (or more) heads are better than one. Here are six multiplayer video games to add to your collection for building community in the library and at home.

The American Association of School Librarians released its annual list of Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning; Follett will begin online book fairs; the National Women's History Museum is looking for proposals for its annual For Educators, By Educators resource development; and more in News Bites.

Suggestions for teaching strategies, prompt-writing skills, and tools, plus an overview of those ethical questions. 

This month’s video game roundup features sequels, new installments in enduring ­series, and games set in familiar realms that can help players build skills they can apply to navigating the real world.

From censorship and AI to book fairs and the state of middle grade publishing, it's been an eventful year. Among those driving SLJ's most viewed posts of 2023: Jeff Kinney, Moms for Liberty, and stellar librarians. Ah, and those Best Books.

Among social media platforms filling the void as Twitter/X loses momentum, Bluesky leads in the children’s literature community.

Six educators share tips and tools, from utilizing ChatGPT to help write college recommendations to using voice technology to make poetry more engaging for students. 

AI translations lack the beauty of Shakespeare’s verse in every sense. But they provide on-ramps to enjoy it.

School librarians are finding unique ways to integrate the technology in nearly every unit of study. Virtual field trips are only the tip of the iceberg for how this tech can impact learning.

School librarian Jean Darnell prompted ChatGPT to write a paper on Black history, and the result had glaring omissions. That's just one part of the problem, she says.

Librarians should be attuned to alternative reading options so that blind and low-vision students have the same access to books as their sighted peers.

If our goal is to prep students for high-stakes tests, they won't stand a chance against AI. Changing the outcomes of education becomes the imperative, says Christopher Dede. 

SLJ's most viewed stories of the past seven days address peer-to-peer advice for school librarians and the impact of censorship.

AI tools like ChatGPT are advancing by the day. Here's how librarians are using them, plus an overview of valuable AI tools and terms.

Is ChatGPT the new Wikipedia, riddled with inaccuracies, used by students seeking a shortcut? It could be. But it doesn’t have to be. That points to our next venture as librarians: AI literacy instruction.

This month’s titles allow patrons to enjoy a staycation to a variety of fantasy locales from the comfort of their own home. And, they're a great way to get kids' brains strategizing for the new school year.

The Digital Public Library of America has launched The Banned Book Club, offering free access to e-books and audiobooks in areas where the titles have been restricted or banned.

School libraries are focusing less on technology since the pandemic. But AI and its role in education are top of mind, our latest survey shows.

Attempts to restrict access to digital materials have been led largely by conservative parent groups and political activists who claim they are protecting students from “obscene” materials.

Winning school libraries, representing 24 states, each received $700 to purchase Mathical Book Prize-winning titles in the fourth year of the grant program.

Solving real-world problems with VR, using translation tools with English-language learners, and upping the robotics game are a few ways librarians use tech to engage students.

For the first time ever, SLJ is offering reviews of video games. Here, we review Pokémon Scarlet, Pokémon Violet, Pokémon TCG Live, and Marvel Snap.

Ignoring ChatGPT is not the answer, but neither is relying on the software to perform the tasks and duties of a trained school librarian.

Twitter’s decline makes the case for information literacy.

Readers welcomed our coverage of the youth media awards, a new ambassador and, yes, ChatGPT.

While classroom educators worry about students using the AI-based software for writing assignments, these librarians see the positive potential of the technology.

Betsy Bird tours a 165,000-square-foot “Explor-a-Storium” featuring walk-in storybook experiences, from a real Great Green Room to a Last Stop on Market Street bus.

Rich in features, with unlimited creative potential, Book Creator almost guarantees artistic success.

Providing a clean, full-featured search interface to more than 1,100 ebook and talking book titles, Tumble Book Library is a stalwart in the burgeoning market for remote learning and online reading platforms.

Moving to a new ILS environment can seem like a daunting task, and this keeps many libraries from exploring other options that might serve their needs more effectively.

From "A Fuse #8 Production," "Good Comics for Kids," and "The Yarn" to "Teen Librarian Toolbox," "100 Scope Notes," and "Heavy Medal"—the blogs have been rebuilt toward better usability.

In response to new legislation and customer requests, Follett was working on optional features that would allow parents to request to be notified what book their child has checked out of the library and limit their access to materials. They will no longer be creating those options.

The media specialist at Campbell High School in Smyrna, GA, champions student voice in the recording studio and equity throughout the school.

Teen librarian Karen Jensen walks you through a tutorial to DIY photo frames or note holders that tweens and teens will love

The post Tween and Teen Programming Idea: DIY Photo/Note Holders appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

A new digital library for students across New York City is growing fast, with more than 1.5 million checkouts to date. 

Teen librarian Karen Jensen reviews a new photo app that allows you to quickly add text to photos for social media, including filling a text with photo

The post App Review: Pxture – Creating text using photos appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Creative and fun ways to use Clubhouse, Flipgrid, Green Screen, and more tools with students and teachers. 

The platform is driving up circulation in school libraries as students seek hot titles. And BookTok fans who’d never set foot in the library before are doing just that.

The online resource from NYPL's Schomburg Center archives Black history, culture, movements, and experiences.

Teen Librarian Karen Jensen is talking photo printers in libraries again, this type reviewing the new Instax Wide printer with the QR code feature.

The post Tech and MakerSpace Review: Instax Wide Instant Photo Printer appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

What are your favorite tech tools, and what tools do you want to learn more about about?

The Book Club was designed with children, parents, and educators in mind. Whether it’s used at home or in school, The Book Club will help kids build reading confidence and learn about themselves and their communities.

Recommended activities and resources to help foster math and library skills. 

Some pandemic teaching innovations in STEM subjects are here to stay.

The 12th annual "Solve for Tomorrow" competition offers public school teachers, including librarians, a chance to share $2 million in technology and supplies for STEM programs.

The acquisition adds TeachingBooks' curated supplemental materials to OverDrive Education's Sora app and platform.

School librarian Jessica Scheller and art teacher Andrea Ramirez of Eiland Elementary School in Klein ISD, Houston, win inaugural award.

As Halloween creeps up, these five audio dramas deliver chills and thrills. 
 

Save the date and register to join us “In Community” for a full-day, virtual program on Oct. 28.

Rich and intuitively designed, clearly written, and abundantly illustrated, Rosen's Spotlight on Global Issues, a collection of ebooks on pressing social or scientific challenges, is a useful resource for young citizen activists.

Follett Corporation has sold Follett School Solutions, the company’s K-12 software and content division which includes Follett Destiny, to Francisco Partners.

The FCC will open a second round of applications for the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, Discover Education offers new virtual field trips, the AASL bringing new Pokemon Clubs to school libraries, and more. 

To celebrate effective partnership, School Library Journal will honor two K–12 educators—a library professional and a teacher—with a new award, sponsored by TLC.

Educators are using audiobooks in new ways to teach material and help students build literacy skills. Plus: 15 classroom-ready podcasts.

While some bemoan activities that require extra screen time during the pandemic, esports teams provide a myriad of lessons in an engaging way that students love.

More publishers are loosening copyright restrictions given the ongoing state of remote learning. Abrams, HarperCollins, and Peachtree join Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster in extending permissions for online story time and classroom read-aloud videos to June 30, 2021. 

Presented by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), in partnership with SLJ, the Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards offers grants to Title I schools to purchase literary fiction and nonfiction books that inspire a love of math. The application period opens today.

Flash Facts is a new collection of short comics about science and technology featuring DC superheroes. Here's an exclusive preview of "Home Sweet Space" with Supergirl, written by Cecil Castellucci.

High school students transformed children's books into 3-D printed creations that could help visually impaired youth experience the stories.

Curricular bazaar Teachers Pay Teachers has never been more popular. But questions about quality, cultural insensitivity, and plagiarism beg expert guidance. Consider your librarian.  

Use these tools to engage students of every age in Hour of Code, planned for the week of December 7-13.

Companies continue to respond to the pandemic's impact on educators and students; NCTE is taking proposals for next year's convention; the Educator Jobs Fund Act of 2020 is proposed in the senate; and Simon & Schuster plans new graphic novels for young readers.

Innovative ways to use technology to keep students engaged and on track during the pandemic.

The Blissful Coding Club, started by a New Jersey teen to foster STEM engagement in underrepresented communities, expanded with help from Carnegie Mellon students. 

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel back in time to witness the birth of the universe? Or traverse the depths of the ocean for a close encounter with a great white shark? Now, you can—and all from the comfort of your own home.

The survey showed school librarians using creative approaches to deliver superior library services, leading on tech innovation, collaborating with colleagues, and strengthening relationships with students.

A longtime stalwart is back. Scholastic Book Fairs is relaunching for the pandemic age, with some options.

A crash course on the ebook purchasing and vendor landscape.

With humor, song, and fact-filled history, these audio productions help kids understand the workings of democracy. 

With the world in the grip of a deadly pandemic that has raised more questions than scientists can answer, it is more imperative than ever that young children pursue STEM/STEAM fields. Building children’s confidence to ask questions, make guesses, think creatively, and reach for knowledge in subjects typically regarded as “too hard” is critical.