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Last month a huge step toward getting every child in America access to amazing books was taken with the official launch of Open eBooks! The White House announced the news to the excitement of librarians, educators and families across the United States on February 24th. Open eBooks is part of the White House ConnectED Initiative which aims to increase access to digital resources as a component of enriching K-12 education. You can read the official press release here.

The project is made possible through a partnership with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), the New York Public Library, Baker and Taylor, First Book, and made possible by generous commitments of publishers with funding support provided in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. What a great example of many institutions coming together for a greater cause!

The Open eBooks app is now available for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. This app provides access to thousands of free eBooks, including many award-winning and popular titles, to youth in low-income communities via their smartphone or tablet. The app not only provides access to children across the country, but also provides access to children on military bases! To get access to the app youth, or an adult working with them, can download the app and enter credentials provided by a person registered with First Book to enable access to the eBooks.

So how do you get access? If you work at a library that serves at least 70% of children from low-income families, and your library hosts a program specifically focused on supporting these youth, you may register with First Book here. Eligibility can be determined by a variety of factors, including the E-Rate of your library or Title I eligibility of the neighborhood school. After you are registered, you can request access codes for Open eBooks through First Book, whose Marketplace is the eBook distributor for the project. You can request as many codes as you would like for each collection of Open eBooks. Once you have your codes, you can distribute the codes to the children or caregivers to use with the Open eBook app on their personal devices.

Image from http://bit.ly/1RUZy0q

Some great features include the ability to read without checkouts or holds, which makes access to reading materials even easier for users. Youth can borrow up to 10 books at a time and replace each book with a new book as many times as they’d like.

Did you know that you can help choose the next round of eBooks for Open eBooks? The DPLA Curation Corps is a group of librarians and other information professionals who help coordinate books for inclusion in the program.  The DPLA is currently accepting applications to for the second class of Curation Corps members! You can find more information about getting involved and how to apply here. The deadline to apply is April 1st!

The goal of Open eBooks is to grow a love of reading and hopefully encourage children to read more often, either through using their local library, at school, or by using another eBook reading app. Even if you won’t have the ability to distribute codes at your library, you can still spread the great news and help to make your community aware of this awesome project. I can’t wait to see this program grow and expand!

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Nicole Lee Martin is a Children’s Librarian at the Rocky River Public Library in Rocky River, OH and is writing this post for the Children and Technology Committee. You can reach her at [email protected].

The post Opening Digital Doors with Open eBooks appeared first on ALSC Blog.

On behalf of the Great Websites for Kids Committee, I’d like to share our latest additions.  We’re happy to have some Spanish language sites to include this time, and wish to thank REFORMA for its assistance in providing us a representative.

If you missed our recent press release, the following are the newest sites added to Great Websites for Kids, the online resource featuring hundreds of links to exceptional websites for children.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics K-12  http://www.bls.gov/k12/home.htm      Bureau of Labor Statistics provides resources for students and educators on employment and career outlooks. Enjoy playing a game to understand a concept and use the resource section for school assignments all on one site!
• Bystander Revolution   http://www.bystanderrevolution.org/ Search this site to find ideas about how to deal with bullying from folks who have been bullies, targets and bystanders.  Watch videos by subject and sign up to take your own stand against bullying!
• Ruff Ruffman: Humble Media Genius    http://pbskids.org/fetch/ruff/ Videos to help kids make good decisions about texting, sharing photos, and other media literacy topics.
• Space Racers   http://spaceracers.org/en Kids can explore space through a series of videos, games and printable activities complete with NASA approved science.
• PBS Kids Design Squad  http://pbskids.org/designsquad Kids can safely share their engineering ideas and sketches, and be inspired by how-to videos and real-world projects.
• Virtual Museum of Canada   http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/about-vmc/   This online museum provides as diverse collection of online exhibits pertaining to Canadian hertiage. Virtual exhibits are provided by Canada’s museums, educational institutions and heritage organizations.
• Disney Junior: Disney Latino (Spanish)  http://disneyjunior/disneylatino.com Interactive site with videos, games, princesses stories, and activities of popular Disney characters. It also includes links for smartphones applications. | Página interactiva con vídeos, juegos, cuentos de princesas y actividades de personajes populares de Disney. También incluye enlaces para applicaciones de teléfonos móviles.
• Clic Clic Cuentos Interactivos (Spanish) http://www.cuentosinteractivos.org    Clic Clic Cuentos Interactivos is a fun interactive site that features imaginative problem solving and alternate versions of popular stories. | Clic Clic Cuentos Interactivos es una página interactiva divertida que contiene actividades de resolución de problemas y versiones alternas de cuentos populares.

We hope that you will find these and other Great Websites for Kids to be useful tools for you and your library patrons. Sites are searchable by keyword or eight classifications (Animals, The Arts, History & Biography, Literature & Languages, Mathematics & Computers, Reference Desk, Sciences, and Social Sciences). The committee works diligently to find and evaluate new sites, and to weed out previously added sites that haven’t maintained “great” status.

We can always use your help!

If you know of a great site that you would like to have us consider, please submit your suggestion via this link: http://gws.ala.org/suggest-site. If you find broken links, etc. on the site, please alert us to that as well. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Members of the 2015 Great Websites for Kids Committee:

• Lara Crews, co-chair, Forsyth County (North Carolina) Public Library
• Lisa Taylor, co-chair, Ocean County (New Jersey) Library
• Emily E. Bacon, Yorktown (Indiana) Public Library
• Ariel Cummins, New Braunfels (Texas) Public Library
• Jill Eisele, Bellwood (Illinois) Public Library
• Krishna Grady, Darien (Connecticut) Library
• Joanne Kelleher, Kings Park (New York) Central School District
• Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, Ohio
• Alia Shields, Cherry Hill (New Jersey) Public Library
• Sujei Lugo (REFORMA Representative)

The post Eight new sites added to Great Websites for Kids appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Don’t you just love all of the conference liveblogging that happens here on the ALSC Blog? We at the Public Awareness Committee certainly do–it’s a great way to keep in the loop if you can’t be at a conference, or even if you’re attending but have to be choosey about where you spend your time. There are always so many interesting and important things happening at conferences, it can be hard to keep up with everything. So, to help everyone continue to be as informed as possible, here are…

5 Things You May Have Missed from #alamw16

1. ALSC is working with First Book for a Día initiative, and First Book is offering ways to make sure libraries with an e-rate of 90% and/or serving communities with 70%+ students eligible for free/reduced lunch have access to low cost or free books. That’s excellent, multicultural books in the library and in the hands of the children you serve. Find out more information here.

2. The toolkit for Library Services to Special Population Children and their Caregivers made its official debut. Does your library serve any of the following?: homeschoolers, LGBTQ families, children on the autism spectrum, children with incarcerated parents, Spanish-speaking families, children with print disabilities, and/or teens with children? My guess is that 100% of libraries are situated in communities with these populations, and that most of us could use some tips and refreshers on providing them with the best possible service. Take a look at the super resourceful toolkit here.

3. A four-part webinar series on Managing Children’s Services starts Tuesday, January 19. All of the webinars are free to register, and they’ll cover topics like communication; scheduling and time management; finances and budgeting; and supervising. Whether you’re currently a manager, have that goal for your career, or simply want to see things from a supervisor’s perspective, you’ll want to participate. More information and links to register here.

4. REFORMA, as part of their Children in Crisis project, has created a bilingual flier to invite Spanish-speaking immigrants and refugees to the library. You should be aware of these fliers, in particular if you’re in a library in the American southwest where the bulk of this population influx is located. Check out the flier here.

5. The 2016 Youth Media Awards marked the first time EVER that the Stonewall Book Awards recognized BOTH children’s and young adult winners. This news is big, folks, because the appearance of two awards is a direct result of the fact that more excellent literature capturing the GLBT experience is being published than ever before. That’s a huge win for everyone. Check out the winners and honors of the Stonewall Book Award, as well as all the other Youth Media Awards winners, here.

What are some things that you learned or encountered at Midwinter 2016 that you think others should know about? Please chime in below in the comments so we can all stay as informed as possible.

Amy Koester is Youth & Family Program Coordinator at Skokie (IL) Public Library and is writing this post for the Public Awareness Committee, of which she is chair. You can reach her at [email protected].

The post 5 Things You May Have Missed from #alamw16 appeared first on ALSC Blog.

This weekend I had the most incredible book discussion experience of my life. No joke. I had the joy of meeting with 9 wonderful and incredibly smart people to decide on the best LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning) books for kids and teens that were published between July 2014 and December 2015. You can find the entire list on the Rainbow List site; I am going to highlight the top books for kids through grades 6 here. The final list includes over 40 titles and of these we selected a top 10. Top ten titles are indicated with an *.

I know that book budgets are not limitless, so if you can’t buy all of these titles for your collection, a good place to start is with anything on the top 10 list: Gracefully Grayson, The Marvels (who are we kidding, you already have this book!), and Sex is a Funny Word.
While no picture books made the top ten list, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth having. They would all make excellent additions to a library collection, but if you can only buy three start with: Red: A Crayon’s Story, Stella Brings the Family and Heather Has Two Mommies.

Picture Books

Hall, Michael. Red: A Crayon’s Story. 2015. 40p. Greenwillow, $18.89 (9780062252098). 3-7 yrs.

The label read, “Red.” However, all of Red’s strawberries and hearts come out blue. Friends and family try to fix Red until new buddy Berry helps this crayon discover his true color.

Newman, Lesléa. Heather Has Two Mommies. Written by Lesléa Newman, illus. by Laura Cornell. 2015. 32p. Candlewick, $16.99 (9780763666316). 3-7 yrs.

Heather’s favorite number is two: she has two arms, two legs, two pets, and two mommies. When Heather goes to preschool, she learns that not all families look alike, but that they all have one thing in common—love. New text and illustrations make this classic accessible to a modern audience.

Rotner, Shelly, and Sheila M. Kelly. Families. 2015. 32p. Holiday House, $17.95 (9780823430536). 3-7 yrs.

A beautiful diversity of family life is depicted through simple text and photographs.

Schiffer, Miriam B. Stella Brings the Family. Written by Miriam Schiffer; illus. by Holly Clifton-Brown. 2015. 36p. Chronicle, $16.99 (9781452111902). 3-7 yrs.

It’s Mother’s Day, and everyone is making invitations for their mothers to come to the school celebration. But Stella has two dads and no mom to invite…What should she do?

Tyner, Christy. Zak’s Safari. Written by Christy Tyner; illus. by Ciaee. 2014. 38p. CreateSpace, $15.00 (9781502325464). 3-7 yrs.

When young Zak’s outdoor “safari” gets cancelled because of the rain, he leads his readers (and his stuffed animal tourists) on an adventure through the story of his family. Zak introduces his two mothers and how they became a family of three with the help of a donor from a sperm bank.

Juvenile Fiction

Gino, Alex. George. 2015. 195p. Scholastic, $16.99 (9780545812542). Gr 3-7.

Stonewall Book Awards–Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s Award Book. When people look at George, they see a boy. But she knows she’s a girl. With the help of her best friend, George comes up with a plan, not just so she can be Charlotte in her school play but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

*Polonsky, Ami. Gracefully Grayson. 2014. 243p. Hyperion, $16.99 (9781423185277). Gr. 4-7.

Twelve-year-old Grayson, through a school play, finds the courage to reveal a deep truth: in spite of being seen as a boy, she knows for a fact that she’s a girl.  

*Selznick, Brian. The Marvels. 2015. 667p. Scholastic, $32.99 (9780545448680). Gr. 5-8.

In black-and-white pencil illustrations, Selznick depicts three generations of actors descending from the sole survivor of a legendary shipwreck. As that story closes, another unfolds in prose as young Joseph discovers his connection to the actors and his family history, and he embraces his uncle’s life story as it affects and changes his own.

Juvenile Nonfiction

Pohlen, Jerome. Gay & Lesbian History for Kids: The Century-Long Struggle for LGBT Rights, with 21 Activities. 2015. 192p. Chicago Review, $17.95 (9781613730829). Gr. 4-9.

From ancient China to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision on marriage equality, this narrative history reference gives context to the challenges and achievements of both queer individuals and the broader quest for civil rights.

*Silverberg, Cory. Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU. Written by Cory Silverberg; illus. by Fiona Smyth. 2015. 159p. Seven Stories, $23.95 (9781609806064). Gr. 3-6.

For children with questions about bodies, gender, touch, sex, and love, this all-inclusive book guides the conversation between children and trusted adults in an accessible graphic format. Gentle, intelligent humor brings home the message of respect, trust, joy, and justice for everyone’s body. Stonewall Book Awards–Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Award Honor Book.

The Rainbow Booklist Committee had so many wonderful books to choose from this year! If you collect for teens or if you are just looking for something good to read, do check out the rest of the list here. I have already started reading for next year and let me tell you, there are some GREAT books on deck. John Corey Whaley’s Highly Illogical Behavior (May 2016) is so splendid, it is ridiculous. If you read a book for kids or teens published between July 2015 and December 2016 that you think the Rainbow Booklist Committee should consider for next year’s list, please send in a suggestion. We would love to hear from you. Happy reading!!

The post Top Rainbow Reads for Kids appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Once again, on behalf of the Great Websites for Kids Committee, I’d like to share our newest sites and enlist your help.

In case you missed the recent ALA press release, the following are the newest sites to be added to Great Websites for Kids:

• Center for Game Science, University of Washington – http://centerforgamescience.org/games/
• Smart Girls – http://amysmartgirls.com
• Wonderville – http://www.wonderville.ca/

Great Web Sites for Kids (GWS) presents links to high-quality websites of interest to children 14 years of age and younger, organized into diverse subject headings such as animals; art; history; literature; sciences; and more. Each site entry includes a brief annotation and a grade-level rating. GWS users can also rate sites, save their favorites for easy access, and share sites via social media and email.

Only three sites were added during this round.  Because of  previous committees’ excellent work in ferreting out great sites, and the trend toward more app-based content, the task of finding websites that meet GWS standards has become more difficult.  If you know of a great site that you believe merits inclusion, please submit your suggestion via this link: http://gws.ala.org/suggest-site.

Similarly, if you find broken links, etc. on the site, please alert us to that as well. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Members of the 2015 Great Websites for Kids Committee:

• Lara Crews, co-chair, Forsyth County (North Carolina) Public Library
• Lisa Taylor, co-chair, Ocean County (New Jersey) Library
• Emily E. Bacon, Yorktown (Indiana) Public Library
• Ariel Cummins, New Braunfels (Texas) Public Library
• Jill Eisele, Bellwood (Illinois) Public Library
• Krishna Grady, Darien (Connecticut) Library
• Joanne Kelleher, Kings Park (New York) Central School District
• Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, Ohio
• Alia Shields, Cherry Hill (New Jersey) Public Library

The post New additions to Great Websites for Kids appeared first on ALSC Blog.

On behalf of the Great Websites for Kids Committee, I’d like to share some news and enlist your help.

If you missed our recent press release, the following are the newest sites to be added to Great Websites for Kids, the online resource featuring hundreds of links to exceptional websites for children.

• Ask a Biologist – http://askabiologist.asu.edu/ 
• Bug Guide – http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740
• Code Monster – http://www.crunchzilla.com/code-monster
• CSI: Web Adventures – http://forensics.rice.edu/
• I Was Wondering – http://iwaswondering.org/
• Middle Shelf – http://issuu.com/middleshelf/docs/
• San Diego Zoo Kids – http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/
• Smithsonian Tween Tribune – http://tweentribune.com/

We hope that you will find these and other Great Websites for Kids to be useful tools for you and your library patrons. Sites are searchable by eight main classifications (Animals, The Arts, History & Biography, Literature & Languages, Mathematics & Computers, Reference Desk, Sciences, and Social Sciences) or by keyword. The committee works hard all year to find and evaluate new sites, and to weed out previously chosen sites that haven’t maintained “great” status.

We can always use your help!

If you know of a great site that you would like to have us consider for inclusion, please submit your suggestion via this link: http://gws.ala.org/suggest-site. Similarly, if you find broken links, etc. on the site, please alert us to that as well. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

Members of the 2015 Great Websites for Kids Committee:

• Lara Crews, co-chair, Forsyth County (North Carolina) Public Library
• Lisa Taylor, co-chair, Ocean County (New Jersey) Library
• Emily E. Bacon, Yorktown (Indiana) Public Library
• Ariel Cummins, New Braunfels (Texas) Public Library
• Jill Eisele, Bellwood (Illinois) Public Library
• Krishna Grady, Darien (Connecticut) Library
• Joanne Kelleher, Kings Park (New York) Central School District
• Elizabeth Saxton, Tiffin, Ohio
• Alia Shields, Cherry Hill (New Jersey) Public Library

And now … on to ALA in San Francisco!

The post Great Websites for Kids? Look no further! appeared first on ALSC Blog.

The spirit of cooperation is a natural force in humanity. Libraries can be a key community collaborator. How can you harness the power of collaborative work? The practice of neighbors helping neighbors is the genesis of a healthy and thriving community. The fire department, the post office, and the public library are a few examples of early voluntary associations that strengthened society.

What is the essence of collaboration? What are the benefits of pooling resources with community organizations, businesses, and individuals? How can you determine whether a common mission exists between the library and others?   These are some questions an upcoming 2016 ALA Editions book will explore. ALSC is helping me, as co-author, to conduct a brief survey to gather information for the book project.   If you’d like to participate, complete the survey by end of Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

Thank you,

Dorothy Stoltz  [email protected]

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Today’s guest post was written by Dorothy Stoltz. Dorothy is the co-author of a forthcoming ALA Editions book project on creating collaborations. Dorothy serves as chair of the PLA/ALSC Every Child Ready to Read oversight committee and is head of Programming and Outreach for Carroll County (MD) Public Library.

The post The Art of Collaboration appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Pat Mora will deliver the 2016 Arbuthnot Lecture (image courtesy of Pat Mora)

ALSC and the 2016 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture Committee are proud to announce the opening of the application to host the 2016 event featuring award-winning children’s book author and pioneering literacy advocate Pat Mora.

The Arbuthnot Lecture is an annual event, announced at the 2015 ALA Midwinter Meeting, in which an author, critic, librarian, historian or teacher of children’s literature presents a paper that makes a significant contribution to the field. A library school, department of education in a college or university or a children’s library system may be considered. The lecture is administered by ALSC.

Applications are due Friday, May 15, 2015. Information about host site responsibilities is included in the application materials. The lecture traditionally is held in April or early May.

In January, Pat Mora was selected by the Arbuthnot Lecture Committee to speak in 2016. “Mora’s commitment to literacy for all children of all backgrounds motivated her to found El día de los niños/ El día de los libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), or ‘Día,’ a celebration of children, families and reading. This flourishing family literacy initiative culminates annually on April 30,” stated 2016 Arbuthnot Committee Chair Julie Corsaro.

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Mora grew up bilingual and bicultural. With degrees in English and speech, she was a teacher and university administrator before writing children’s books. Known for her lyrical style, Mora’s poetry and prose have won numerous awards, including a 2005 Belpré Honor Medal for text for “Doña Flor: A Tall Tale of a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart,” published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, and illustrated by Raul Colón. Her generosity for sharing bookjoy, the phrase she coined for the power and pleasure of words, led Mora to launch “Día,” which will observe its 20th anniversary in 2016.

ALSC established this lecture series in 1969, with sponsorship from Scott, Foresman and Company (now Pearson Scott Foresman) in honor of author May Hill Arbuthnot. The lectureship, now funded by the ALSC May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Endowment, has the distinction of featuring many notable authors, critics, librarians, historians, and teachers of children’s literature from various countries. Past lecturers over the decades have included Mary Ørvig, Leland B. Jacobs, Virginia Hamilton, Maurice Sendak, and Richard Jackson. Brian Selznick will deliver the 2015 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture on Friday, May 8, 2015 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library at the DC Public Library.

The post Apply to Host the 2016 Arbuthnot Lecture with Pat Mora appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Each March, in addition to working, blogging here at the ALSC Blog and at Shelf-employed, I host KidLit Celebrates Women’s History Month! along with fellow librarian and blogger, Margo Tanenbaum, of The Fourth Musketeer.

Active only during Women’s History Month,  the blog features readers, commenters, and contributors working together to create a dynamic resource of thoughtful and thought-provoking essays, commentaries, and book reviews. Each post is related to children’s literature and women’s history.

The blog is a great resource for finding new books (we’ll be featuring several new and upcoming titles!) and useful links. Previous contributors include Jen Bryant, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Donna Jo Napoli, and Betsy Bird.  Contributors for 2015 include Emily Arnold McCully (Queen of the Diamond), Misty Copeland (Firebird), Michaela McColl (The Revelation of Louisa May), and more.

The complete 2015 lineup may be found on the site’s sidebar.  You can sign up to follow the blog, or receive it via email. Visit the site at http://kidlitwhm.blogspot.com to see “following” options, an archive of past contributions, and links to educational resources.  It’s suitable for parents and teachers, too.

The official Women’s History Month theme for 2015, is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” If you’ve got great plans for WHM, please share!

In March, stop here first, then head on over to KidLit Celebrates Women’s History Month!

KidLit Celebrates Women’s History Month blog header by Rebekah Louise Designs.

The post Looking ahead to Women’s History Month appeared first on ALSC Blog.

Thousands of unaccompanied refugee children fleeing violence in their home countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have crossed the United States border and turned themselves in where they are being held in detention centers and placed in removal proceedings. In June 2014, at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, REFORMA (National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos & the Spanish Speaking) decided to form the Children in Crisis Task Force to get books into the hands of these children while their future is determined. The Children in Crisis Task Force Co-Chairs are looking for ways  to partner with immigrant youth centers. Co-Chair Patrick Sullivan states, “Vendors are waiting in the wings ready to donate books.” Through monetary donations REFORMA is ready to purchase books, backpacks and school supplies.

In September 2014, National REFORMA President Silvia Cisneros personally delivered the first shipment of donated books to McAllen, Texas. In October 2014, Theresa Garza Ybarra, President of REFORMA’s Estrella de Tejas Chapter coordinated a second shipment of donated books to Karnes City, Texas. REFORMA is currently working on a third shipment to Artesia, New Mexico with REFORMA de Nuevo Mexico Chapter President Flo Trujillo. Task Force Co-Chair Oralia Garza de Cortes says it is a slow challenging process that is important. She states, “(REFORMA) is the first group to put books into the detention facilities. No one has done that before.”

Sullivan says that the next phase of this project is to determine what REFORMA can do to help local chapters help newly arrived children in their region who have been re-united with their families but are still under order of removal. Some REFORMA chapters are already doing this such as Los Angeles and San Diego Libros. For example, Ady Huertas, Teen Center Manager for San Diego Public Library’s Central Library, is working closely with local community organization Southwest Key. They have a couple of centers that provide temporary housing and education for youth in transition. They arranged one class visit consisting of 2 centers and 3 classes with 20 youth aged 8-17 years old. Huertas gave them a tour, library cards, and introduced them to library resources. She also gave the youth free Spanish books and some incentives. She is now coordinating a second visit and hopes to schedule regular monthly visits. To her surprise, Huertas even received thank you notes in English! Huertas explains that libraries have a role in servicing this segment of the community. Huertas states, “We’re trying to introduce the library as a safe place and in cities anywhere where they end up, they should look for the local library and get resources and technology for free.”

Photo by Ady Huertas

Libraries have traditionally reached out to immigrant populations to help them navigate their way in a new country. Garza de Cortes notes that this population is different in that they have refugee protected status. When asked about the next steps, Garza de Cortes responded, “(We need to) create more awareness of our role and responsibility as librarians to provide accurate information for the families and work with agencies to be able to help them better understand the power of libraries and power of books to help children change their lives.”

To find out more information about this project or make a book or monetary donation, please visit the Children in Crisis site here.

Additional Resources:
* Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. A.A. Levine, 2006.
Tan, Shaun. Emigrantes. Barbara Fiore, 2007.
Graphic novel of the immigrant experience. Available in English and Spanish but completely wordless.

Art from “The Arrival”. Image from Shauntan.net

* Department of State. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. Office of Admissions Refugee Processing Center Affiliate Directory : From Boise, Idaho to Wheaton, Illinois, this official directory lists the many service agencies working directly with refugee children.

* Southwest Key Programs: Immigrant Youth Shelters : Information and map locator for shelters run by Southwest Key that temporarily house unaccompanied minors.

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Ana-Elba Pavon is the Branch Manager of Oakland Public Library’s Elmhurst Branch in Oakland, CA and is writing this post for the Public Awareness Committee. You can reach her at [email protected]

And now for an important message from Laurie Amster-Burton, the YALSA MAE Jury Chair:

Did you get teens reading in 2013? ALSC members who also belong to YALSA may want to apply for the MAE Award, recognizing your programs for readers age 12 and up.

YALSA members who have run an exceptional reading or literature program in the 12 months leading up to Dec. 1, 2013 are eligible to apply for the MAE Award for Best Literature Program for Teens, which recognizes an outstanding reading or literature program for young adults.

Do you run a spectacular teen book club that engages underserved audiences? Did your summer reading program or literature festival connect teens with literature in an innovative way? Have you connected teens to literature or helped them gain literacy skills via some other exciting means?  If so, you could win $500 for yourself and an additional $500 for your library by applying for award.  Individual library branches may apply.

The MAE Award is sponsored by the Margaret A. Edwards Trust. Applications and additional information about the award are available online.  Applications must be submitted online by Dec. 1, 2013. For questions about the award, please contact the jury chair, Laurie Amster-Burton ([email protected]).  The winner will be announced the week of Feb. 9, 2014.

Not a member of YALSA yet? It’s not too late to join so you can be eligible for this award. You can do so by contacting YALSA’s Membership Marketing Specialist, Letitia Smith, at [email protected] or (800) 545-2433, ext, 4390. Recognize the great work you are doing to bring teens together with literature and apply today.

ALSC is pleased to announce significant upgrades to Children and Libraries: The Journal of the Association for Library Service to Children (CAL). Beginning with Volume 12 in spring 2014, the journal will be issued quarterly and delivered in print and electronically. ALSC members and CAL subscribers will continue to receive a print copy delivered in the mail; plus they will be able to access and read each new issue online. These modifications are in response to results of a 2011-2012 communications survey in which ALSC members expressed an overwhelming preference for a quarterly journal, published digitally as well as in print.

The new quarterly CAL will be issued in Spring (March), Summer (June), Fall (September) and Winter (December). From its inception in 2003, CAL has been published three times annually and in print only. The new digital delivery will be through Metapress, an e-publishing host that also delivers numerous other ALA serial publications. In addition, back issues of CAL—Volumes 1-11—will be digitized and available online to ALSC members and CAL subscribers.

“We are delighted to expand the opportunities for our members to access and contribute to this valuable source of information,” said Starr LaTronica, ALSC President.

Children and Libraries is the official, refereed journal of ALSC and primarily serves as a vehicle for continuing education of librarians working with children, showcasing current scholarly research and practice in library service to children and significant activities and programs of ALSC.

While attending my state library association’s annual conference this past year, I met a fascinating children’s librarian who spoke very passionately… about her ukulele. She told me I could pick one up and immediately make music. I was skeptical. I’ve always wanted to be musical, but have always sort of failed. I do not have a lovely singing voice (despite many dramatic years in high school show choir). I’ve dabbled in playing instruments –cello, guitar, clarinet, accordion – without mastering a single one. But this lady was convinced, and almost had me convinced, that I could be a ukulele superstar.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I went home, bought myself a ukulele, and haven’t put it down since! I believe that making music can be one of the most empowering of all human experiences. If you can learn even 2 or 3 chords on a ukulele, you can play a literal multitude of recognizable tunes. And if you’ve spent a lifetime telling yourself you’re not musical, only to be easily proven wrong by a little piece of wood with strings? Well, what else have you been wrong about? What else can you do or be, that you’ve been telling yourself you just “can’t” or “aren’t?” You could fly a plane! Or get a black belt in Tae Kwon Do! You could do anything! Or you could at least try. That is the lesson the little ukulele taught me.

I began quietly proselytizing to my friends about the power of the ukulele, and soon I’d converted 2 more librarians to playing the uke. We recently started meeting regularly to play music, drink tea, and talk shop, which has got me thinking a lot about libraries and music, and why they make sense together. I’m not a scientist, but I have read extensively about music and its effect on the brain. I’d like to speak now, in general terms, about how (and why) I think we can (and should) be using music in our libraries today:

1. To teach

Most of us probably do this already. We use songs in story times and programs. Music has been proven to boost cognitive behavior. It can help us learn. This is why there are songs to teach children the names of the 50 states, the days of the week, and, most famously, the alphabet. Concepts are often easier to remember when set to a rhythm or melody. Some scientists speculate humans evolved the ability to sing, and the neural capacity to recognize beats, for this reason! We librarians have known for years that singing is a key component of early literacy, so sing proudly at your library, and offer a healthy collection of recordings for your customers to check out. Some of my favorite artists making high quality music for children are Laurie Berkner, Jim Gill, and Dan Zanes. What are some of yours?

2. Setting the mood

Music is emotional. It can bring us pleasure. It can make us remember specific times in our lives. Companies use music in their advertisements to try to excite us about whatever product they’re selling. Why couldn’t a library use music to try to “set the mood” for our customers? The branch I work at uses ambient music in our children’s room for this purpose. If we’re having a craft program, we might play some energetic music to get the creative juices flowing. If things are getting rowdy, we’ll play some mellow music, to try to soothe youngsters’ souls. Is your library utilizing music to help inspire or relax your library customers?

3. Build community

Music can play an important role in social bonding. Why do soldiers march in time? Why do we dance at significant occasions, like weddings? Music can get us moving together, fostering an environment of cooperation. Studies have shown that people can have universal reactions to music, and thus music becomes a shared experience that brings people together. What opportunities can the library create to build community through music? We can host musical programs. Or offer a place for musical groups to practice together. Does your library engage in any fruitful musical partnerships?

4. Hand people instruments

Let’s set aside the idea that learning music is too difficult. I’ve personally disproven it. Learning to play music is just like learning a language. You need to practice. To properly appreciate music, you should immerse yourself in it. What if we could offer our customers a chance to handle an instrument, to physically make music? This idea is a lot of things: It’s expensive. It’s noisy. It’s not “industry standard” library procedure (although there are libraries that have instruments available to use or check out). But it’s also empowering. It’s inspiring. It’s happy! I challenge you to tell your customers “Yes, you can check out a ukulele with your library card” and not see them smile!

Hopefully this blog has made you think about how you incorporate music in your library, or how you can, if you don’t already. Please sound off in the comments section with anything you have to add to this important discussion! (And feel free to contact me directly to talk about ukuleles!)

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Our guest blogger today is Tess Goldwasser. Tess is a Library Associate at St. Mary’s County Library in Lexington Park, Maryland. You can reach her at [email protected]

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

Enter to win at http://www.ala.org/alsc/ebadge-contest

ALSC is accepting submissions for the E-Badge/Ribbon Contest which is sponsored by the Friends of ALSC and the ALSC Membership Committee. You can enter by submitting an idea for a new badge that members can proudly display on their email signature lines or blog. Submissions must be received by Monday, August 20, 2012 at 11:59pm Central.

The contest is open to all personal members of ALSC. One entry per member. There are several ways to enter. The more creative you are the better!

• Create your badge using construction paper, scissors, markers, glue, etc. Take a picture (JPEG or GIF)
• Create your badge using software such as Adobe Illustrator, Paint, or any other design software and submit it as a file (JPEG or GIF)
• Write down an idea, describing in specific detail the colors, text, and images associated with the badge, submit as a written idea.

Once you have your idea, using the subject “ALSC eBadge Contest” email it with your 100 word-or-less description (see below) to Dan Rude, [email protected]. Submissions must be received by Monday, August 20 at 11:59 PM CST.

IMPORTANT: Even with a photo/design file entries must include a brief description (100 words or less) of why the badge represents ALSC members. This description will be used for voting.

Good luck!

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ALSC is hosting two Community Forums this week and all members are invited to attend!

At the 2012 ALA Annual Conference, the ALSC Board of Directors discussed a proposal by the Budget Committee to implement a change in the ALSC dues structure. The Board of Directors and ALSC President Carolyn Brodie would like your input. Please join them at one of two Community Forums on ALSC’s ALA Connect site. Your two opportunities to join the conversation are:

• Wednesday, August 8 at 2 PM EST (1 PM CST, 12 PM MDT, 11 AM PST)

The first half of the discussion will be a Board update from the 2012 ALA Annual Conference. The second half will include a discussion of a possible change in ALSC dues structure.

Members are encouraged to attend at either of these times or both. Can’t make it to either time? Even after the Forum ends, the conversation continues on ALA Connect. ALSC will be posting other questions and a transcript from the live Forum. Whether or not you can join in the live Forum, please add your voice by leaving a comment. To read more information about the proposed changes, please check out the Budget Adjustment FAQ (log-in required).

Need help accessing the ALSC Community Forum? Visit the Community Forum section of the ALSC site for more information about getting logged on to ALA Connect. There are also links to previous ALSC Community Forums chats. Questions? Contact Dan Rude by email, [email protected] or by phone, 800-545-2433 ext 2164.

Log-in now to find the Community Forum chat room (log-in/password required).

And, so my year as ALSC President has begun with a month already past, can it really be August?

The weeks of July since ALA Annual Conference were very busy with an abundance of ALSC correspondence, reading post-conference committee reports, working on ALSC committee placements, creating charges for new task forces and for the new ALSC Website Advisory Committee and preparing for this week’s ALSC Community Forums.  (I did manage to squeeze in a few days for Arkansas family to visit here during our Ohio heat wave.  My southern relatives were very disappointed they experienced no relief from their summer heat during their days in Ohio!)

Our very busy and energetic annual conference was filled with a host of events that offered us the opportunities to connect through attending exemplary ALSC programs, meeting up on the exhibit floor and sharing dinner during our glamorous Newbery/Caldecott Banquet with the stellar speeches by Chris Raschka and Jack Gantos.  We made even more connections with each other by attending ALSC 101, participating in committee meetings, chatting at parties or just running into each other on an Anaheim street.

It was indeed a great pleasure to meet with many ALSC members in Anaheim as we work together this next year and focus on this year’s theme of “Connecting Communities” that will focus in part on the goal area of “Advocacy” from our ALSC Strategic Plan. We will work on connecting through our communication and information venues, through our advocacy initiatives and through our programming.

When I had the chance to meet members, many asked great questions about our association’s work and many also expressed an interest in how to get involved in ALSC through committee work.  It was rewarding and heartwarming to feel so much dedication from so many.

So, if you aren’t already serving on a committee — how do you volunteer your service to the ALSC community?   Here is some information on how the ALSC committee appointment process works:

First, where do you find out more about the work and the structure of ALSC committees?  Go to the ALSC Committees page to learn more about the possibilities.  The page includes a link to ALSC Committees:  A Guide to Participation that provides additional information.

The next step is to fill out a volunteer form which is available on the ALSC Website at www.ala.org/alsc.  You’ll find the form under the “members” tab.  Complete the form and make sure to note your background, note your experience in particular areas such as budget or programming. This extra information certainly helps in making a good committee match. Make sure to mark the appropriate box if you require a virtual assignment.  It is also really important to clearly indicate your preferential choices (as many as you can where you have interest and/or experience) on the form, not just by priority group, but also by committee.  If you’re willing to mark the box that says “I will serve wherever needed!” then that is great too!

Don’t hesitate to send your form in during any time of the year.  There are unexpected vacancies that occur all during the year and new appointments are made when this happens. For example, during this past month, I made several replacement  appointments.  And, if you haven’t been appointed and it has been a while, please send in another form.

A great time to volunteer is February through June for the ALSC process committee appointments.  Starr Latronica, our Vice-President/President-elect will make appointments to process committees (non-award committees) next spring. So certainly after the first of the year or after ALA Midwinter in Seattle, make sure to send your form for a p

There’s still time to enter the ALSC/YALSA video contest! The deadline is midnight on Monday, April 30th for the first ever ALSC/YALSA video contest.

Time is running out, but for a librarian like you it’s no problem to create a short video and post it on YouTube.  Round up some tweens and young teens, develop a script, and start filming.

Tick tock, tick tock….

http://www.ala.org/alsc/confevents/alscannual/presprog#contest

Show us what tweens/young teens + technology looks like at YOUR library and you might win a $100 Amazon gift card. This contest is part of the first ever ALSC and YALSA Joint Presidents’ Program to be held at ALA Anaheim.  You do not need to be a ALSC or YALSA member to submit a video.

The program will focus on tweens and young teens and exploring their use of technology. What is the life of a tween or young teen like in this digital age? What are the particular challenges and opportunities they face online? What should libraries be doing? Library futurist Stephen Abram and renowned researcher Michelle Poris will be the featured speakers at this special event.

Selected videos will be shown at the ALSC and YALSA Joint Presidents’ Program to provide frontline reporting on the digital lives of tweens and young teens.   All video entrants will be eligible to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

• Videos should be 2-3 minutes in length and created for a librarian audience.
• Videos should showcase programming, interviews, insights, etc. relating to tweens, young teens, technology, and libraries.  (Note–you are responsible for securing appropriate consent for public distribution of your video).
• Post it on YouTube with the tag “youthprezprogram12”.
• Email co-chairs Tessa Michaelson Schmidt and Sarah Couri at [email protected] with the YouTube link and your contact information.
• Deadline for submissions: Monday, April 30, 2012 at midnight.
• Questions?  Contact the Joint Presidents’ Program co-chairs at [email protected]

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Our guest blogger today is Tessa Michaelson Schmidt.  Tessa is the Youth and Special Needs Library Consultant at the Wisconsin State Library and is the co-chair of the Joint Presidents’ Program at ALA at Anaheim.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

This is your final month to enter the ALSC/YALSA video contest. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!  First make a short video showcasing the digital lives of tweens and young teens at your library.  Next, upload the video to YouTube.  Third, wait for the announcement that your video will be shown at the first ever joint Presidents’ Program at ALA Annual 2012 and cross your fingers that you will be the luck winner of a $100 Amazon gift card!

http://www.ala.org/alsc/confevents/alscannual/presprog#contest

This contest is part of the first ever ALSC and YALSA Joint Presidents’ Program to be held at ALA Anaheim.  You do not need to be a ALSC or YALSA member to submit a video.

The program will focus on tweens and young teens and exploring their use of technology. What is the life of a tween or young teen like in this digital age? What are the particular challenges and opportunities they face online? What should libraries be doing? Library futurist Stephen Abram and renowned researcher Michelle Poris will be the featured speakers at this special event.

Selected videos will be shown at the ALSC and YALSA Joint Presidents’ Program to provide frontline reporting on the digital lives of tweens and young teens.   All video entrants will be eligible to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

• Videos should be 2-3 minutes in length and created for a librarian audience.
• Videos should showcase programming, interviews, insights, etc. relating to tweens, young teens, technology, and libraries.  (Note–you are responsible for securing appropriate consent for public distribution of your video).
• Post it on YouTube with the tag “youthprezprogram12”.
• Email co-chairs Tessa Michaelson Schmidt and Sarah Couri at [email protected] with the YouTube link and your contact information.
• Deadline for submissions: Monday, April 30, 2012 at midnight.
• Questions?  Contact the Joint Presidents’ Program co-chairs at [email protected]

****************************************************

Our guest blogger today is Tessa Michaelson Schmidt.  Tessa is the Youth and Special Needs Library Consultant at the Wisconsin State Library and is the co-chair of the Joint Presidents’ Program at ALA at Anaheim.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

The librarian superhero contest is back for the second year! Last year over 800 entries were received in Gale/Cengage’s celebration of librarians; four librarian superheroes were selected to be immortalized as cartoon characters on lunchboxes. This year, the four winners selected will be celebrated in a comic strip highlighting their super talents; they will be announced at the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California.

Here’s the information from the press release about the contest:

What:  Gale Are You a Librarian Superhero? Contest

Submissions need to include basic information about their librarian – full name, library name, and most importantly, what is super about them.

Who:

All public, special, school and academic librarians in the U.S. and Canada, and the patrons, colleagues and friends who believe they are superheroes.

When:

Call for nominations is open February 1- March 31, 2012. Winners will be announced at the Gale booth during the American Library Association’s annual meeting on June 21-26, 2012 in Anaheim, CA.

Where: 

Librarians can nominate themselves or their peers by logging on to https://new.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8jrDs9W5jvibpTm&Preview=Survey&BrandID=cengage

Why:  

Librarians go to extraordinary lengths every day for their patrons. To celebrate those feats of greatness and encourage others, Gale will honor librarians everywhere by unmasking just a few of the superheroes among us.

Who is your favorite librarian superhero? Nominate him or her today! But hurry, the contest closes one week from today on March 31st.

Show us what tweens/young teens + technology looks like at YOUR library and you might win a $100 Amazon gift card. This contest is part of the first ever ALSC and YALSA Joint Presidents’ Program to be held at ALA Anaheim.The program will focus on tweens and young teens and exploring their use of technology. What is the life of a tween or young teen like in this digital age? What are the particular challenges and opportunities they face online? What should libraries be doing?  Library futurist Stephen Abram and renowned researcher Michelle Poris will be the featured speakers at this special event. Selected videos will be shown at the ALSC and YALSA Joint Presidents’ Program to provide frontline reporting on the digital lives of tweens and young teens.   All video entrants will be eligible to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

• Videos should be 2-3 minutes in length and created for a librarian audience.
• Videos should showcase programming, interviews, insights, etc. relating to tweens, young teens, technology, and libraries.  (Note–you are responsible for securing appropriate consent for public distribution of your video).
• Post it on YouTube with the tag “youthprezprogram12”.
• Email co-chairs Tessa Michaelson Schmidt and Sarah Couri at [email protected] with the YouTube link and your contact information.
• Deadline for submissions: Monday, April 30, 2012 at midnight.
• Questions?  Contact the Joint Presidents’ Program co-chairs at [email protected]

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Our guest blogger today is Tessa Michaelson Schmidt.  Tessa is the Youth and Special Needs Library Consultant at the Wisconsin State Library and is the co-chair of the Joint Presidents’ Program at ALA at Anaheim.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

KidLit Celebrates Women’s History Month will return in 2012!  Now in its second year, the blog, founded by Margo Tanenbaum of The Fourth Musketeer and ALSC member/ALSC blogger Lisa Taylor of Shelf-Employed, commemorates Women’s History Month through the lens of literature for children and young adults by bringing together authors, librarians and bloggers from across the Kidlitosphere. Each day features a new essay, commentary or review. Donna Jo Napoli, Jeanette Winter, and Karen Blumenthal are among the many authors slated to guest post in March.

Mark your calendar now to start checking this blog daily beginning Sunday, March 1st.

Show us what tweens/young teen + technology looks like at your library and win a $100 Amazon giftcard. We are calling for video submissions from librarians on the front line.

How are you handling the digital lives of tweens and young teens at your library? The 2012 Presidents’ Program at ALA in Anaheim will be a joint affair between ALSC and YALSA. We will be talking about tweens and young teens and exploring their use of technology. What is the life of a tween or young teen like in this digital age? What are the particular challenges and opportunities they face online? What should libraries be doing? Show us in a video!

• Deadline for submissions: Monday, April 30, 2012 at midnight.

****************************************************

Our guest blogger today is Tessa Michaelson Schmidt.  Tessa is the Youth and Special Needs Library Consultant at the Wisconsin State Library and is the co-chair of the Joint Presidents’ Program at ALA at Anaheim.

If you’d like to write a guest post for the ALSC Blog, please contact Mary Voors, ALSC Blog manager, at [email protected].

It’s a sad reality–children with and without disabilities are often the target of name-calling and bullying in our schools and in our communities.  That’s why the No Name-Calling Week campaign is important.  By providing tools and inspiration, this project kick-starts dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying and name-calling of all kinds in communities across the country.

No Name-Calling Week was actually inspired by a book–The Misfits by James Howe.  It’s a story about four middle school students who feel like outsiders in their own community.  They band together and decide to create their own political party with the platform of eliminating all name-calling from their school.  Motivated by this message, the No Name-Calling Week Coalition was created by GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children’s publishing.  Together, they organized an actual No Name-Calling Week in schools across the country. Since then, No Name-Calling Week is recognized each year to bring attention to this all-too-important topic.

I often think of a good book as a good friend, and I know so many of the kids that we serve feel the same way.  But if a child is being bullied, a book may be the only friend that child has.  Because of this, books about bullying and with characters that are being bullied have an important place on our shelves–they let children know that they aren’t alone.  Here’s a selection of books and websites that can help educate and provide hope to those children that need it. 

 What is YOUR library doing to call attention to No-Name Calling Week?  For a little inspiration, check out these amazing stories from the Danville Public Library and the Howard County Library System.

Non-Fiction

• We Want You To Know: Kids Talk About Bullying by Deborah Ellis
• Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence by Luke Jackson
• A Smart Kid’s Guide to Online Bullying by David Jakubiak
• Bullies to Buddies: How to Turn Your Enemies into Friends by Izzy Kalman
• Stop Bullying Bobby: Helping Children Cope with Teasing and Bullying by Dana Smith-Mansell
• Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story About Bullying by Becky McCain
• Bullies are a Pain in the Brain by Trevor Romain
• Bullying and Me: Schoolyard Stories by Ouisie Shapiro

Picture Books

• Lucy and the Bully by Claire Alexander
• Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns About Bullies by Howard Binkow
• Jehu’s Shoes by Jehu Brown
• Simon’s Hook: A Story About Teases and Put-downs by Karen Gedig Burnett
• Bully B.E.A.N.S. by Julia Cook
• Bird Child by Nan Forler
• How the Moon Regained Her Shape by Janet Ruth Heller
• Stand Ta
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Mark your calendar! On January 3, 2012, the next National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature will be announced.

This post of Ambassador was created by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, the Children’s Book Council (CBC),  and Every Child a Reader to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to literacy, education, and the development and betterment of children’s lives. Appointed for a two-year term, the National Ambassador chooses a platform that reflects his or her personal interests and advocates this policy throughout his or her travels and tenure.

The selection criteria for this position includes:

• Author or illustrator of fiction or nonfiction books
• U.S. citizen, living in the United States
• Excellent and facile communicator
• Dynamic and engaging personality
• Known ability to relate to children; communicates well and regularly with them
• Someone who has made a substantial contribution to young people’s literature
• Stature; someone who is revered by children and who has earned the respect and admiration of his or her peers

The National Ambassador program was established in 2008 when Jon Scieszka was named for the 2008-2009 term. On Jan. 5, 2010, Katherine Paterson became the second National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Who do you think might be announced as the next National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature on January 3^rd?

Think of all the people you know who choose to make a positive impact on kids. Teachers, bus drivers, nurses, cafeteria workers, tutors, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, doctors, crossing guards, social workers, foster parents, and yes, children’s librarians, are some of the people who impact our kids and communities on an ongoing and daily basis.

Next Thursday, November 3rd, is Thank a Youth Worker Day.  This international day of celebrating and honoring youth workers is a great day to recognize all those unsung heroes and heroines who work with or on behalf of children and youth to facilitate their personal, social, and educational development.

I challenge you to think of one, or two, or five youth workers who have made a difference in a child’s life and use this Thursday as an “excuse” to say “Thank You.” And let me also take this opportunity to say thank YOU for all you do. Whether you are helping a child find a book “just like Captain Underpants,” presenting a storytime or program, helping with a homework assignment, explaining safe searching techniques,  talking with kids in an afterschool program, or any of the hundreds of other ways you impact kids in your library, your work is important. And valued. Thank you!