Macmillan's Imprint will end, and Jimmy Patterson Books has reorganized in children's publishing news this week. News Bites also brings word of a new librarian-related podcast, AASL's National School Library of the Year, and more.

Macmillan's Imprint to end December 1

Macmillan’s Imprint will close on December 1, a Macmillan spokesperson confirmed. The imprint will be shuttered and six editorial positions eliminated. All books acquired under Imprint will be published by another Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group imprint.

Author Zoraida Córdova had revealed on Twitter that she received an email that shared the news with authors, who will now be published on one of the company’s other imprints. Imprint published fiction for young readers 0-18.

“Imprint authors received an email letting us know Imprint will be closing Dec 1,” she tweeted. “I do appreciate getting the alert from our publisher vs reading about it in the press like the Disney off load. Hades, was that only in February?

“I was waiting for the PW article or something with more verified information. Please continue to support books from Imprint. They will still be published under Macmillan imprints. So heartbroken for the incredible team that works at Imprint. You don’t deserve this.”

Imprint was the second children’s publishing imprint to make news this week. Jimmy Patterson Books, an imprint of Little, Brown, was reorganized. The imprint will now focus only on Patterson's children's books and collaborations, and no projects by new authors will be acquired. Authors aside from Patterson who were previously with the imprint will be published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

The decision was met with disappointment and criticism on Twitter, where Patterson responded, "Nothing worth a tweet is happening to @jimmy_books. Nothing. In fact, we are supporting our authors and their books more powerfully than ever before. The mission continues: all we want is that when a kid finishes a JIMMY book, they’ll say 'Please give me another book.'"

Mesquite Independent School District named AASL's School Library of the Year

Mesquite (TX)  Independent School District (MISD) has been named American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) 2020 National School Library of the Year (NSLY). The award, sponsored by Follett, honors a single school or district-wide school library that exemplifies the implementation of AASL's “National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries.”

By winning, MISD receives $10,000 to go toward its school libraries. 

“Mesquite ISD exemplifies the ideal of a student-driven school library,” said Priscille Dando, award committee chair. “The school library’s three pillars—personalized and self-directed learning, inquiry instruction, and transformative and enriching experiences—were consistently evident across schools and levels. Through this framework school librarians are instructional leaders in passion-based learning, providing scaffolding for English language learners, and focusing on the processes and skills that are outcomes of an authentic inquiry approach.”

MISD serves approximately 38,000 students on 49 campuses. 

New library-specific podcasts

A new podcast will feature conversations with librarians and "other key players in the information world seeking" to discuss challenges facing the industry. The Skillset Podcast, which will be hosted by University of South Carolina professors R. David Lankes and Nicole A. Cooke, will have a new episodes each Friday.

Season One focuses on libraries in the wake of protests and the pandemic, and features conversations with an array of library directors, activists, and educators exploring how libraries are changing to meet the needs of their communities amid the pandemic and the reckoning for social and racial justice. Each season will be aligned with the academic semester, giving listeners an opportunity to explore the issues and themes being addressed by library science students today.

New and updated PBS resources

PBS KIDS and PBS LearningMedia have new and updated resources to support parents as they take on more (or all) of the responsibility for education their children. Below are timely resources for November and December.

November

• Veteran's Day: Explain the origin of Veteran’s Day and discuss how to honor a veteran 
• Thanksgiving: Practice gratitude and learn the accurate history of Thanksgiving

December

• Colder Weather: Use the change in weather as a way to teach about how the tilt of the earth, climate, and the change in seasons
• Holidays: Understand the many different holidays celebrated around the world this winter with this collection of videos

The PBS KIDS for Parents newsletter also provides curated resources, including video content, digital games, DIY activities, and parent-directed information to support at-home learning as it evolves. 

The 1857 Project 

Inspired by The 1619 Project, The 1857 Project is a special issue of the Gateway Journalism Review.

"Our spring 2020 issue is out and explores the history of race in the Land of Dred Scott," the website says. "We are calling it the 1857 project because one of the most important chapters in the nation’s story occurred here with the Dred Scott decision reading blacks out of the Constitution and the Lincoln-Douglas debates the next year over whether America could endure part slave and part free."

This 80-page issue, available free online, explores the history of race in the land of Dred Scott through visual and written pieces from journalists, authors, artists, students, and educators. There is a reading guide, resources, and lesson plans.

Owlkids Books announces new editorial director

Karen Boersma, publisher of Owlkids Books, announced the appointment of Jennifer Stokes as editorial director as of November 2.  Stokes comes from Kids Can Press, where she was a senior editor. Prior to that, she was manager of the children’s section at the now-closed McNally Robinson Booksellers in Toronto and an author. 

LibraryPass hires three

LibraryPass, Inc. announced three additions to its full-time staff to support growth for ComicsPlus in the K-12 and public library markets. Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, who was director of content strategy and audience development at Library Journal from 2011-2015, will be chief content officer; Raquel Ryan, chief experience officer; and Moni Barrette,  collection development & publisher relations, the company said.