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Downloadable and streaming audiobooks have been on my mind again.  Recently, some articles came out about the benefits of audiobooks for literacy; a revelation that probably surprised few of us in children’s and school library services.  We did not create the Odyssey awards for nothing.  ALA Editions published a wonderful book about it by Sharon Grover and Lizette D. Hannegan “back” in 2012.  Last year, Rachel Wood from Arlington Public Library wrote an ALSC Blog post that stands as a primer for building an e-audio collection.  But it always feels like a topic needs to come around a few times before the greater profession and the greater public latches on.

Perhaps it is not always content that is the way to hook a reluctant reader but format too.  Dan Cohen from the DPLA wrote an article for The Atlantic talking about the powerful role that smartphones play in the lives of today’s teens and how this may be a way to bridge the digital divide.  One of my own young relatives revealed to me that because she has difficulty reading, she uses audiobooks to keep up with her English class assignments.  She finds and streams audiobook editions of assigned books on her smartphone.  Recognizing that most parents and caregivers have smartphones, many libraries, like Spokane County Library District, are emphasizing their media mentor skills to recommend downloadable and streaming audiobooks and related apps for them to use with their children.

In the past, a former children’s librarian could feel alone in the greater e-content world.  Too often children were not considered during e-content discussions.   (Besides my fellow children’s librarians, who else at a meeting would excitedly prattle on about an audiobook of Winnie the Pooh in which Judy Dench gives voice to Kanga.) Now, we live in a world of Bookflix, Tumblebooks, and Overdrive Read-alongs.  When children’s e-material did not circulate well during the early years of e-content platforms, I still believed it was worth building a collection.  I knew at some point, this part of the market would grow.  And, with the growth in downloadable audiobook circulation and sales, the time is upon us.

Let’s admit.  Unlike a book, a physical audiobook can be clumsy (yes I know, for some downloading from the library can be clumsy as well).  I tried the entire carry ten discs onto the subway thing when I had longer commutes, and yes, I did miss a few stops because of a wonderful narrator.  As well, technology has changed so rapidly as concerns personal electronics.  A few months ago, a member of an audiobook award committee told me she had a hard time finding a store near her that still sold Discmans (she wanted one so she could listen for her committee while she went on her walks).  In the age of tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches, I think more focus needs to be on downloadable and streaming e-content.

To paraphrase Ranganathan: every young listener, their downloadable audiobook, and every downloadable audiobook, its young listener.

Michael Santangelo is the Electronic Resources Coordinator for BookOps, the shared technical services department for the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library, and the current chair of ALSC’s Children and Technology Committee.

The post Encouraging young listeners with downloadable and streaming audiobooks appeared first on ALSC Blog.

If you haven’t heard the big news, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just released updated findings in regards to the use of screen time by young children  which emerged from their recent Growing Up Digital: Media Research Symposium. I’m excited to report that the AAP findings fully support ALSC’s position as outlined in the Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth white paper adopted by our Board of Directors back in March.

More than ever, families and children will be turning to libraries and youth services staff for help in navigating the digital landscape and in making sound, developmentally appropriate decisions on media use. Your professional association is here to help you rise to the occasion and embrace the role of media mentor with the white paper and other resources that offer helpful ways for you to respond to your families.

ALSC resources available to support you in meeting this evolving opportunity include:

• Check out the professional tools for digital media on ALSC’s website. ALSC’s Digital Content Task Force collected a go-to list of resources and we’re always looking for more to keep the page fresh and updated, so don’t hesitate to submit your recommendations through the form.

• The media mentorship white paper landing page has several resources including FREE webcasts such as “Best Practices for Apps/eBooks in Storytime” presented by ALSC member and littleelit.com founder Cen Campbell. Littleelit.com is a crowd-sourced, collaborative think tank focused on developing best practices for infusing new media into library programs, services, and collections.

• This very blog has regular posts related to technology programming and collections, so check it regularly and stay on top of the trends.

• Two new task forces are sure to keep us forging ahead as media mentors:
  • The Media Mentorship Award Task Force is developing a potential award for excellence in innovative use of media with children, including a process for recognizing an exemplary media mentor program.
  • The Expansion of the Notable Children’s Video Task Force is exploring the possibility of expanding Notable Children’s Videos to include new digital media.

• Keep your eyes open for a new how-to book authored by Cen Campbell, Claudia Haines, and ALSC, scheduled for release next June. 

• The ALSC National Institute in Charlotte, NC next September will feature a media mentorship program.

• ALSC leadership has submitted a proposal to present media mentorship to educators at SXSWedu next March and at the 2016 IBBY Congress next August.

• ALSC leaders continue to engage in conversations with organizations such as New America and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center.

We’re all in this together! Let’s share our thoughts, successes, and requests for help on ALSC-L.  Do you use new media regularly in your programming and services? Want to share your know-how with colleagues? ALSC is always looking for new webinar content so please feel free to share your ideas with the Education committee here. 

Media mentoring is vital to supporting the lives and literacies of children and families in the twenty-first century. Each of us committing to the role of media mentor is crucial to our success as a profession that serves children. I look forward to continuing this journey together!

The post Media Mentorship & AAP’s New Digital Media Guidelines appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Homework with iPad (Source: ND Strupler)

As the new school year gets underway, parents and teachers will inevitably look to us for advice about how to help their students take advantage of the many digital resources available to assist with studying, research, and homework. This can seem a daunting task for anyone, but as mentors of digital media, library staff should strive to stay on top of recent developments in educational technology so that we can guide families to the apps, websites, and services that will best fit their needs. Luckily, we aren’t alone in the search for quality apps and websites, as many aids exist to help evaluate, review, and recommend digital resources in this area.

(Source: AASL)

Every year, AASL releases its lists of Best Websites for Teaching and Learning and Best Apps for Teaching and Learning, identifying resources that “foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration.” Each year’s list is broken down into helpful categories, and the “Past Lists” links lead to sortable spreadsheets of all the apps or sites that have been recognized. The 2015 lists were released at the end of June, and offer some great up-to-date information to share with teachers and families.

appoLearning recently released a Collections feature, which allows educators to build and share customized lists of apps and websites for specific topics or lessons. appoLearning’s searchable database returns custom collections from users, as well as expert-reviewed resources pertaining to the same topics.

Don’t forget to promote the digital resources offered by your library, too! Many reference database providers have created specialized apps to give patrons quick access to their products both in and out of the library. Gale’s Access My Library (iOS and Android, free) and EBSCOhost’s mobile apps (iOS and Android, free) are some examples of these custom apps. If you’re not sure which of your database vendors provide apps for patron access, take some time to check, and be sure to download and explore the apps yourself.

Digital resources can also be incredibly valuable for special needs students, helping them access information, build skills, and organize and manage time and tasks. Smart Apps for Special Needs reviews apps that can help special needs students in many areas of their lives. ADDitude Magazine also frequently creates lists of apps for both children and adults with ADD or ADHD, available on their website.

Other sites to check out:

• ALSC’s Digital Media Resources, a list of resources focused on technology news and reviews of digital content
• APPitic, a directory of educational apps (iOS only) created by Apple Distinguished Educators
• Best Apps for Kids’ Back to School Apps for Kids (2015 edition), with lists organized by grade level
• Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, which highlights technology that can be used to enhance learning
• Graphite, Common Sense Education’s platform that evaluates digital tools and aligns them with Common Core standards
• School Library Journal’s app reviews

Tara Smith is a teen librarian at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, and is a member of the ALSC Children and Technology Committee.

The post Back to School with Homework Help Apps and Websites appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Delicious! (image courtesy the author)

A sure sign of the approaching end-of-warm-weather in my office is the farewell party for our summer interns. (While that’s bitter in several ways, it’s especially sweet when my colleague Michelle makes her amazing cookies for the occasion.) This year about half a dozen high school students joined us and, of course, we have asked them what they learned while working here the last couple of months and how their perceptions of libraries have changed. And it’s been interesting/fascinating/frightening to see how even among this group of engaged young people with library cards most had arrived without full awareness of everything libraries have to offer.

This is another reminder of how important it is for us to advocate and tell our story to all ages, and so, looking to reach out to new audiences, ALSC has submitted a program proposal, Library Media Mentors Transform, for SXSWedu, an educational innovation conference from the South by Southwest folks, which will be held in Austin, Texas, this coming March.

SXSWedu 2016

SXSWedu “fosters innovation in learning by hosting a diverse and energetic community of stakeholders across a variety of backgrounds in education” and is an ideal place for ALSC to bring our message about Media Mentorship and fighting the 30 million word gap. The objectives of our program proposal include:

• How to identify and support the roles librarians serve as media mentors to families in your community
• Evidence-based guidelines for media usage with young children
• How to partner with libraries to enrich your family engagement effort and support the goals of your educational program.

Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth white paper (image courtesy ALSC)

And for ALSC to get there, we need you! SXSWedu sessions are selected by an advisory board and staff, but 30% of the decision comes from votes from the public, so please help us spread the word about youth services librarians as media mentors by casting your vote here for the Library Media Mentors Transform program proposal. Public voting is open now through September 4, and while it does involve creating a log-in to vote, it’s worth those extra couple seconds to bring ALSC advocacy to this new and emerging arena.

Thanks for your help!

The post Send ALSC to SXSWedu! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth white paper (image courtesy of ALSC)

On Tuesday, July 21, 2015, ALSC is offering a free webinar on media mentorship. Presented by Amy Koester, Youth & Family Program Coordinator, Skokie (IL) Public Library, Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth: A Primer is an opportunity to learn more about the core ideas behind the white paper. Registration is free and open to anyone.

Media Mentorship in Libraries Serving Youth: A Primer
Tuesday, July 21, 2015

• 12pm Eastern
• 11am Central
• 10am Mountain
• 9am Pacific

The post Free Media Mentorship Webinar appeared first on ALSC Blog.